Boundary Shifts, Commercial Quotas & Trip Limits for King Mackerel

The following Southeast Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office is provided as a courtesy to our subscribers.  SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN   (Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic) FB15-024 Susan Gerhart 727-824-5305     March 31, 2015         Reminder of Boundary Shifts, Commercial Quotas, and   Trip Limits for King Mackerel King mackerel are divided into two migratory groups: the Gulf and Atlantic groups. The groups are divided into zones and subzones, and each group, zone, and subzone may have a separate quota and trip limit. The boundary between the Gulf and Atlantic groups shifts south on April 1 and north onNovember 1 of each year. Please see maps and charts on page 2. Please read this bulletin carefully, as several regulations have changed recently. Atlantic Group King Mackerel Zones Northern Zone The Northern Zone is from the North Carolina/South Carolina state line north to the intersection point of New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. This area has a 3,500-pound per day trip limit year-round. Southern Zone From April through October, the Southern Zone is from the North Carolina/South Carolina state line south to the Monroe/Collier County line on Florida's west coast, which is the boundary between the Gulf and Atlantic groups during that period. From November through March, the Southern Zone only extends south to the Flagler/Volusia County line because the boundary between Gulf and Atlantic groups shifts east and north on November 1. South of the Flagler/Volusia County line, fish are considered to be part of the Gulf group during this time (see below). The fishing year for Atlantic group king mackerel begins March 1, but the east coast of Florida remains part of the Gulf group until April 1, when the boundary shifts back to the Monroe/Collier County line. During April through October, the trip limit in the Southern Zone from the North Carolina/South Carolina state line south to the Volusia/Brevard County line is 3,500 pounds per day. The trip limit for the area south of the Volusia/Brevard County line to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line is 75 fish per day. The trip limit off Monroe County is 1,250 pounds per day. Gulf Group King Mackerel Zones and Subzones Western Zone The Western Zone includes waters off Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and has a trip limit of 3,000 pounds per day year-round. This zone closed October 17, 2014, and will reopen July 1, 2015. Eastern Zone/Florida West Coast The Eastern Zone includes waters off Florida's west and east coasts. The west coast is divided into Northern and Southern Subzones. The Northern Subzone extends east and south from the Florida/Alabama state line to the Lee/Collier County line. This subzone closed October 27, 2014, and will reopen October 1, 2015. From November through March, the Southern Subzone extends south and east from the Lee/Collier County line to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line. With the April boundary shift between the Gulf and Atlantic groups to the Monroe/Collier County line, the Southern Subzone for the Gulf group is reduced to the area off Collier County, and Monroe County becomes part of the Atlantic group. The quota for the Gulf group Southern Subzone is divided equally between the hook-and-line and gillnet components. The hook-and-line sector closed February 5, 2015, and will reopen July 1, 2015. The gillnet sector closed February 20, 2015, and will reopen January 19, 2016. Both the Northern and Southern Subzones have a hook-and-line trip limit of 1,250 pounds per day. The gillnet component in the Southern Subzone has a trip limit of 25,000 pounds per day. Eastern Zone/Florida East Coast (Mixing Zone) From November through March, fish harvested south 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 this Florida East Coast Subzone during this time period is 50 fish per day, until March 1, when the trip limit increases to 75 fish per day, if 70 percent of the quota has not been reached. This subzone did not close. The area will become part of the Atlantic group when the boundary shifts April 1. Boundaries Coordinates   Intersection point of New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island 41o18'16.249"N lat. / 71o54'28.477" W long.   North Carolina/South Carolina state line a line extending in a direction of 135°34'55" from true north beginning at 33°51'07.9"N lat. and 78°32'32.6"W long.   Flagler/Volusia County line                               29°25' N lat. Winter Council boundary Volusia/Brevard County line 28°47.8' N lat.   Miami-Dade/Monroe County line 25°20.4' N lat.   Monroe/Collier County line 25o48' N lat. Summer Council boundary Lee/Collier County line 26°19.8' N lat.   Florida/Alabama state line 87°31.1' W long.   2014/2015 Commercial Quotas for King Mackerel (pounds) Gulf Group   Western Zone 1,071,360 Eastern Zone      Florida West Coast Subzone Northern 178,848    Florida West Coast Subzone Southern (hook-and-line) 551,448    Florida West Coast Subzone Southern (gillnet) 551,448    Florida East Coast Subzone 1,102,896     Atlantic Group   Northern Zone (includes gillnets north of Cape Lookout, NC) 1,292,040 Southern Zone 2,587,960     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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