Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2018 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic Blueline Tilefish

Samenvatting

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for commercial blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings of blueline tilefish are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) by August 22, 2018. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 22, 2018, and it will remain closed until the start of the next fishing year on January 1, 2019. This closure is necessary to protect the blueline tilefish resource.