Commercial Harvest of Greater Amberjack in Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico Will Close on June 9, 2019

The following notice from NOAA Fisheries is provided to our subscribers as a courtesy:  FB19-025                  FISHERY BULLETIN ISSUE DATE: May15, 2019 CONTACT: Kelli O'Donnell, 727-824-5305, Kelli.Odonnell@noaa.gov   Commercial Harvest of Greater Amberjack in Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico Will Close on June 9, 2019 WHAT/WHEN: Commercial harvest of greater amberjack will reopen in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2019, andwill close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 9, 2019. The adjusted 2019 Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) commercial quota for greater amberjack is 337,503 lbs. The 2019 commercial quota was reduced due to an overage in 2018.  Commercial harvest for the 2020 fishing year will reopen at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2020.   WHY THIS PAYBACK AND CLOSURE ARE HAPPENING: The latest report for 2018 greater amberjack commercial landings indicates 331,403 lbs were harvested, which is 12,263 lbs greater than the 2018 commercial annual catch limit (ACL). As a result, regulations require a reduction in the 2019 commercial ACL and commercial quota by the amount of the previous year ACL overage. NOAA Fisheries projects that the 2019 adjusted commercial quota will be harvested by June 9, 2019. This action is necessary to protect the greater amberjack population.  This population is currently considered overfished (the population size is too low) and undergoing overfishing (too many fish being harvested) DURING THE CLOSURE: Any person aboard a vessel for which a federal commercial vessel permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued must comply with the closure regardless of where the fish are harvested.  No greater amberjack caught in Gulf federal waters after 12:01 a.m., local time, June 9, 2019, may be purchased, bartered, traded, or sold.  The prohibition of sale does not apply to trade in greater amberjack that were harvested, landed ashore and bartered, traded, or sold before 12:01 a.m., local time, June 9, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor 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.      Emily Muehlstein Public Information Officer 888-833-1844 ext. 238

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