Western Zone to Re-Open to Commercial King Mackerel Fishing

October 28, 2013 Below is a NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fishery Bulletin announcing that the Western Zone for Commercial King Mackerel will reopen for two days.  SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN     FB13-092 Susan Gerhart    727-824-5305 October 25, 2013          Western Zone to Re-Open to Commercial King Mackerel Fishing NOAA Fisheries Service will re-open the Western Zone of the Gulf of Mexico to commercial fishing for king mackerel effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) November 1, 2013, and the season will remain open for two days, closing at 12:01 a.m. (local time) November 3, 2013. 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 re-open adjoining state waters at the same time. After midnight on November 2, 2013, the Western Zone will close again and remain closed until July 1, 2014, when the new fishing season begins. 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 during the reopening and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor may still be sold.   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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