Western Gulf of Mexico Closing to King Mackerel Commercial Fishing

August 17, 2012    Below is a Southeast Fishery Bulletin recently distributed by NOAA Fisheries Service announcing the closure of the Western Zone of the Gulf of Mexico to commercial fishing for king mackerel. SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN   FB12-057 Susan Gerhart 727-824-5305    August 17, 2012     Western Gulf of Mexico Closing to King Mackerel Commercial Fishing NOAA Fisheries Service will close the Western Zone of the Gulf of Mexico to commercial fishing for king mackerel effective 12:00 noon (local time) August 22, 2012. The commercial quota of 1,180,480 pounds for this zone is projected to be reached by this date. The Western Zone is from the U.S./Mexico border to the Alabama/Florida boundary. Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) are expected to close adjoining state waters at the same time. During the closure, no commercial fisherman may fish for or keep king mackerel in or from the closed zone. There is an exception for people aboard a vessel that has a charter/headboat permit for coastal migratory pelagic fish and a commercial king mackerel permit. Those people may keep the 2-fish per person daily king mackerel bag limit from the closed zone, if the vessel is operating as a charter vessel or headboat. Vessels are considered to be operating as a charter vessel or headboat when they carry a passenger who pays a fee or when more than three people are aboard, including operator and crew. During the closure, no king mackerel caught in the closed zone may be bought, sold, or traded. This includes recreational and tournament-caught fish. King mackerel that were traded or sold before the closure and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor may still be sold. This summary is not a substitute for the actual regulations. We encourage you to read the full text of the regulations, available at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/. To view a complete list of Fishery Bulletins, visit the NOAA Fisheries' Southeast RegionalOffice website at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov. This announcement is forwarded as a courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.       Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Charlene Ponce Public Information Officer 888-833-1844 ext. 229

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