Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Amendment 9

Résumé

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (Amendment 9). For Gulf migratory group king mackerel, this rule would establish a moratorium on issuance of gillnet endorsements that would include eligibility criteria and restrictions on transferability of endorsements; restrict the area in which the gillnet fishery could operate; reallocate the eastern zone quota between the Florida east coast and Florida west coast subzones; and divide the Florida west coast subzone into northern and southern subzones with respective quotas. This rule also would allow retention and sale of cut-off (damaged) king and Spanish mackerel that are greater than the minimum size limits and possessed within the trip limits. The intended effect of this rule would be to protect king and Spanish mackerel from overfishing and maintain healthy stocks while still allowing catches by important commercial and recreational fisheries.