The area west of the Florida/Alabama state line is considered the Western zone for the Gulf group king mackerel year-round. This zone closed February 11, 2011, and will reopen July 1, 2011, with a trip limit of 3,000 pounds.
The area north of 29° 25' N. lat. (a line directly east of the Flagler/Volusia County boundary on the east coast of Florida) is considered to contain Atlantic group king mackerel year-round, with a 3,500-pound trip limit.
April 1–October 31 (see map)
Beginning April 1, the boundary between Atlantic and Gulf groups of king mackerel shifts south and west from the Flagler/Volusia County boundary on the Florida east coast to the Monroe/Collier County boundary on the Florida west coast. After the boundary shift, fish harvested along the east coast of Florida, including all of Monroe County, are considered to be Atlantic group king mackerel. The 2011 fishing year for Atlantic group king mackerel began March 1, before the boundary shift; therefore, after April 1, the entire Florida east coast will be open, including Monroe County.
After the boundary shift, the commercial trip limit for waters off Volusia County becomes 3,500 pounds per day – the same as the trip limit north of the Flagler/Volusia County boundary. The commercial trip limit for the area southward from 28° 47.8' N. lat. (a line directly east from the Volusia/Brevard County line) to 25° 20.4' N. lat. (a line directly east from the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line) becomes 75 fish per day. The trip limit off Monroe County becomes 1,250 pounds.
The west coast of Florida is divided into northern and southern zones at 26° 19.8' N. lat. (a line directly west from the Lee/Collier County line). The northern subzone extends to the Florida/Alabama state line and remains the same year-round. However, with the April boundary shift, the southern subzone for Gulf group king mackerel is reduced to the area off Collier County. Both the northern and southern subzones have a trip limit of 1,250 pounds until 75 percent of the quota is reached. After that, the trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds until the end of the fishing season or 100 percent of the quota is met. The northern subzone trip limit was reduced on October 26, 2010, and the southern subzone closed March 23, 2011. Both subzones will reopen July 1, 2011, with a trip limit of 1,250 pounds.
November 1–March 31 (see map)
During this time period, fish harvested southward of the Flagler/Volusia County line to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line are considered to be Gulf group king mackerel. The trip limit for king mackerel in this Florida east coast subzone during this time period is 50 fish per day, until February 1, when trip limits may increase to 75 fish per day, if 75 percent of the quota has not been reached.
Fish harvested from Monroe County during this time are considered to be Gulf group king mackerel in the Florida west coast southern subzone. This subzone extends south and west from 25° 20.4' N. lat. (a line directly east from the Miami-Dade/Monroe County boundary on the east coast of Florida) to 26° 19.8' N. lat. (a line directly west from the Lee/ Collier County boundary on the west coast of Florida). The trip limit for the hook-and-line sector is 1,250 pounds until 75 percent of the quota is reached. After that, the trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds until the end of the fishing season or 100 percent of the quota is met.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the information regarding the existing regulations. Any discrepancies between this bulletin and the regulations as published in the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
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