The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico federal waters will close on February the 7th.

The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico federal waters will close on February the 7th.

If it seems early in the year to close the fishery, it is.

Last year the fishery closed in May.

NOAA said the early closure in federal waters is the result of massive overfishing of Gray Triggerfish last year and the year before.

Currently, the annual catch limit is just over 241 thousand pounds and the annual catch target is 217,100 pounds but if fishermen catch more than the catch limit one year the overage is subtracted from the next year’s fishing allowance.

To make up for last year’s overages, this year’s catch total in federal waters is just over 30 thousand pounds and that number will be met early next month.

The closure will only affect gray triggerfish fishing in federal waters.

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