Published on: 21428384. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments for the Gulf-Atlantic king mackerel fishery in the 2019 calendar year as a result of stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management or enforcement requirements, or to address amendments resulting from the agency’s comprehensive review of Division 68B.
Published on: 20077465. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments in the 2018 calendar year for Gulf-Atlantic king mackerel fisheries resulting from stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management and enforcement requirements, or to address amendments resulting from the agency’s comprehensive review of Division 68B.
Published on: 18874471. NOAA Fisheries recently approved several changes to federal king mackerel regulations based on stock assessment results and scientific analysis that indicate catch limits may be increased and regional management zones should be revised. The approved federal changes include 1) establishment of a year-round management boundary between the Gulf and Atlantic stocks of king mackerel at the Monroe—Miami-Dade county line, 2) modifications to Atlantic commercial vessel limits and seasons, 3) an allowance for limited retention and sale of king mackerel caught as bycatch in the federal Atlantic shark gill-net fishery, and 4) an increase in the Gulf recreational bag limit from two to three fish. These changes are intended to balance harvester access to the resource during periods of high demand while mitigating quota closures later in the fishing seasons, allow commercial fishermen to retain and sell incidental catches of king mackerel that would otherwise be discarded dead, and enable the recreational sector to harvest more of their quota. These changes will take effect in federal waters on May 11, 2017, and are largely supported by recreational and commercial harvesters.
At its April 2017 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission modified king mackerel regulations in state waters based on the federal rule changes described above. These state regulation changes 1) revise the management boundary between the king mackerel fishery in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico (known in Commission rules as the Gulf-Atlantic fishery) and the king mackerel fishery in state waters of the Atlantic Ocean to be the Monroe—Miami-Dade county line year-round, 2) remove outdated rule language pertaining to the Gulf-Atlantic fishery’s Eastern and Western regions, 3) modify and streamline state rule language for king mackerel commercial vessel limits to clarify that commercial harvesters in state waters are subject to commercial vessel limits applicable in adjacent federal waters, 4) specify that king mackerel legally harvested in Atlantic federal waters by the commercial fishery may be sold, and 5) increase the king mackerel recreational bag limit from two to three fish per person for state waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Monroe County. The purpose of these rules is to achieve consistency between the Commission’s king mackerel regulations and regulations in adjacent federal waters.
The effect of the rule amendments are that state and federal regulations can be applied more consistently to recreational and commercial fishing activity for king mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. A single year-round boundary between the Gulf and Atlantic king mackerel fisheries will better reflect the biological boundary between the stocks and simplify regulations. Consistent and streamlined commercial vessel limits will ease compliance and reduce confusion for commercial harvesters, while also promoting efforts to provide access to king mackerel during peak seasons and alleviate federal commercial quota closures. Allowing commercial fishermen to sell fish legally harvested in Atlantic federal waters will reduce regulatory dead discards of king mackerel. The recreational bag limit increase will allow anglers in the Gulf greater access to their quota and create consistent regulations across state and federal waters.
Published on: 18445828. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments in the 2017 calendar year for Gulf-Atlantic king mackerel fisheries as a result of stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management and enforcement requirements, or to address amendments resulting from the agency’s comprehensive review of Division 68B.
Published on: 17013720. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments in the 2016 calendar year for Gulf-Atlantic king mackerel fisheries as a result of stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management and enforcement requirements, or to address amendments resulting from the agency’s comprehensive review of Division 68B.
Published on: 16302613. Since 2013, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council have made several modifications to the management of the commercial king mackerel fishery in federal waters adjacent to Florida that resulted in different regulations for adjacent state and federal waters. The proposed state rule changes are consistent with recent changes in adjacent federal waters. Specifically, these changes would make commercial king mackerel vessel limits in the Gulf-Atlantic fishery equal to commercial vessel limits in adjacent federal waters and establish a transit provision that would allow transport of legal commercial king mackerel harvest through closed areas for landing. The proposed rule amendment would also clarify existing rule language that closes state waters of the Gulf-Atlantic fishery to commercial king mackerel harvest when adjacent federal waters are closed.
The proposed rule amendment would also eliminate unnecessary language specifying commercial fishing seasons for king mackerel in the Gulf-Atlantic fishery. This rule was originally intended to give the Commission the ability to close state waters to commercial harvest of these species when adjacent federal waters were closed due to federal quotas being met or exceeded. However, state rules that specify commercial fishing seasons for king mackerel are no longer necessary to enforce commercial closures and can be removed. Florida’s king mackerel regulations for the Gulf-Atlantic fishery (68B-12) now requires commercial fishermen harvesting king mackerel to abide by federal season closures in adjacent state waters, so listing these commercial fishing seasons in state rules is no longer necessary.
Finally, the proposed rule amendment would create a reference in existing state king mackerel rule to proposed rules in 68B-2, FAC establishing a mackerel tournament permit. This permit would meet federal requirements for king and Spanish mackerel tournaments that donate tournament-caught king and Spanish mackerel to wholesale dealers, who then sell the fish and give the proceeds to a charity on the tournament’s behalf.
The effect of these rule changes is that commercial king mackerel trip limits, transit allowances, and closures are consistent in adjacent state and federal waters off Florida for the Gulf-Atlantic fishery. Removal of unnecessary and confusing language will make commercial regulations easier to understand. These changes will improve enforceability of state rules and provide flexibility for fishermen operating in multiple regions and reduces the likelihood of early season closures in some regions. Also, mackerel tournament permit regulations would be referenced in relevant state mackerel regulations, and thus would be easier for the public to find.
Published on: 15509638. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments in the 2015 calendar year for Gulf-Atlantic king mackerel fisheries as a result of stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management and enforcement requirements.