The reduction of the daily catch limit of Spanish mackerel aims to avoid exceeding the maximum catch set for the season.

Daily catch limit for Atlantic Spanish mackerel in southern area to be cut

From January 27, the daily limit of commercial catch of Atlantic Spanish mackerel for each fishing trip in the southern zone will be reduced from 1,500 to 500 pounds, announced the Fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The southern zone includes federal waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. The boundary for the southern zone is the North Carolina/South Carolina border and the Monroe/Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, border.

NOAA Fisheries considers that this trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest, so as to avoid exceeding the commercial catch limit.

The federal agency recalls that for the southern zone, the March 2018 through February 2019 commercial catch limit for the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel  is 2,667,330 pounds, and the adjusted commercial catch limit is 2,417,330 pounds, and explains that when commercial landings of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone reach or are projected to reach 100 percent of the adjusted commercial catch limit, the daily trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds.

The 500 pound commercial trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current fishing season on February 28, or when 100 percent of the commercial catch limit is reached or projected to be reached, whichever occurs first.

When the commercial catch limit is reached or projected to be reached, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will close the commercial sector in the southern zone for the remainder of the fishing year.

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

Address:	263 13th Avenue South
City:	Saint Petersburg
State/ZIP:	Florida (33701)
Country:	United States
Phone:	+1 727 570 5301
Fax:	+1 727 570 5554
E-Mail:	Kim.Amendola@noaa.gov
More about:

Print