Title 50

SECTION 622.388

622.388 Annual catch limits (ACLs), annual catch targets (ACTs), and accountability measures (AMs).

§ 622.388 Annual catch limits (ACLs), annual catch targets (ACTs), and accountability measures (AMs).

All weights are in round and eviscerated weight combined, unless specified otherwise.

(a) Gulf migratory group king mackerel - (1) Commercial sector. (i) If commercial landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable quota specified in § 622.384(b)(1), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for that zone, or gear type for the remainder of the fishing year.

(ii) The commercial ACL for the Gulf migratory group of king mackerel is 2.95 million lb (1.34 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 2.84 million lb (1.29 million kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 2.79 million lb (1.27 million kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 2.74 million lb (1.24 million kg) for the 2019-2020 and subsequent fishing years. This ACL is further divided into a commercial ACL for vessels fishing with hook-and-line and a commercial ACL for vessels fishing with run-around gillnets. The hook-and-line ACL (which applies to the entire Gulf) is 2,330,500 lb (1,057,097 kg) for 2016-2017 fishing year, 2,243,600 lb (1,017,680 kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 2,204,100 lb (999,763 kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 2,164,600 lb (981,846 kg) for the 2019-2020 and subsequent fishing years. The run-around gillnet ACL (which applies to the southern zone) is 619,500 lb (281,000 kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 596,400 lb (270,522 kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 585,900 lb (265,760 kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 575,400 lb (260,997 kg) for 2019-2020 and subsequent fishing years.

(iii) If commercial landings of Gulf migratory group king mackerel caught by run-around gillnet in the southern zone, as estimated by the SRD, exceed the commercial ACL, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to reduce the commercial ACL for king mackerel harvested by run-around gillnet in the southern zone in the following fishing year by the amount of the commercial ACL overage in the prior fishing year.

(2) Recreational sector. If recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the recreational ACL of 6.26 million lb (2.84 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 6.04 million lb (2.74 million kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 5.92 million lb (2.69 million kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 5.81 million lb (2.64 million kg) for the 2019-2020 and subsequent fishing years, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to implement bag and possession limits for Gulf migratory group king mackerel of zero, unless the best scientific information available determines that a bag limit reduction is unnecessary.

(3) For purposes of tracking the ACL, recreational landings will be monitored based on the commercial fishing year.

(b) Atlantic migratory group king mackerel - (1) Commercial sector. (i) If commercial landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable quota for the zone or season specified in § 622.384(b)(2), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for that zone for the remainder of the applicable fishing season or fishing year.

(ii) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group king mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the commercial quota for that zone for that following year by the amount of any commercial sector overage in the prior fishing year for that zone.

(iii) The commercial ACL for the Atlantic migratory group of king mackerel is 6.5 million lb (2.9 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 5.9 million lb (2.7 million kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 5.2 million lb (2.4 million kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 4.7 million lb (2.1 million kg) for the 2019-2020 fishing year and subsequent fishing years.

(2) Recreational sector. (i) If the recreational landings exceed the recreational ACL as specified in this paragraph and the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the bag limit by the amount necessary to ensure recreational landings may achieve the recreational ACT, but do not exceed the recreational ACL, in the following fishing year. The recreational ACT is 10.1 million lb (4.6 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 9.2 million lb (4.2 million kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 8.3 million lb (3.8 million kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 7.4 million lb (3.4 million kg) for the 2019-2020 fishing year and subsequent fishing years. The recreational ACL is 10.9 million lb (4.9 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 9.9 million lb (4.5 million kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 8.9 million lb (4.0 million kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 8.0 million lb (3.6 million kg) for the 2019-2020 fishing year and subsequent fishing years.

(ii) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group king mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the recreational ACL and ACT for that following year by the amount of any recreational sector overage in the prior fishing year.

(iii) For purposes of tracking the ACL, recreational landings will be evaluated based on the commercial fishing year, March through February. Recreational landings will be evaluated relative to the ACL based on a moving multi-year average of landings, as described in the FMP.

(3) The stock ACL for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel is 17.4 million lb (7.9 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year, 15.8 million lb (7.2 million kg) for the 2017-2018 fishing year, 14.1 million lb (6.4 million kg) for the 2018-2019 fishing year, and 12.7 million lb (5.8 million kg) for the 2019-2020 fishing year and subsequent fishing years.

(c) Gulf migratory group Spanish mackerel. (1) If the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, reaches or is projected to reach the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial and recreational sectors for the remainder of the fishing year. On and after the effective date of such a notification, all sale and purchase of Gulf migratory group Spanish mackerel is prohibited and the harvest and possession limit of this species in or from the Gulf EEZ is zero.

(2) For purposes of tracking the ACL, recreational landings will be evaluated based on the commercial fishing year, April through March.

(3) The stock ACL for Gulf migratory group Spanish mackerel is 12.7 million lb (5.76 million kg) for the 2014-2015 fishing year, 11.8 million lb (5.35 million kg) for the 2015-2016 fishing year, and 11.3 million lb (5.13 million kg) for the 2016-2017 fishing year and subsequent fishing years.

(d) Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel - (1) Commercial sector. (i) If commercial landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable quota specified in § 622.384(c)(2), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for that zone for the remainder of the fishing year.

(ii) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the commercial quota for that zone for that following year by the amount of any commercial sector overage in the prior fishing year for that zone.

(iii) The commercial ACL for the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel is 3.33 million lb (1.51 million kg).

(ii) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the recreational ACT for that following year by the amount of any recreational sector overage in the prior fishing year.

(iii) For purposes of tracking the ACL and ACT, recreational landings will be evaluated based on the commercial fishing year, March through February. Recreational landings will be evaluated relative to the ACL based on a moving multi-year average of landings, as described in the FMP.

(3) The stock ACL for Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel is 6.063 million lb (2.76 million kg).

(e) Gulf migratory group cobia - (1) Gulf zone. (i) If the sum of all cobia landings, as estimated by the SRD, reaches or is projected to reach the stock quota (stock ACT), specified in § 622.384(d)(1), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to prohibit the harvest of Gulf migratory group cobia in the Gulf zone for the remainder of the fishing year. On and after the effective date of such a notification, all sale and purchase of Gulf migratory group cobia in the Gulf zone is prohibited and the possession limit of this species in or from the Gulf EEZ is zero.

(ii) The stock ACLs for Gulf migratory group cobia in the Gulf zone are 1,570,000 lb (712,140 kg) for 2014, 1,610,000 lb (730,284 kg) for 2015, and 1,660,000 lb (752,963 kg) for 2016 and subsequent fishing years.

(2) Florida east coast zone - (i) The following ACLs and AMs apply to cobia that are sold. (A) If the sum of cobia landings that are sold, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the quota specified in § 622.384(d)(1)(ii) (ACL), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to prohibit the sale and purchase of cobia in or from the Florida east coast zone for the remainder of the fishing year.

(B) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (e)(2)(i)(A) of this section, if the sum of cobia landings that are sold and not sold in or from the Florida east coast zone, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL for the Florida east coast zone, as specified in paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section, and Gulf migratory group cobia are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the quota (ACL) for the Florida east coast zone cobia that are sold for that following year by the amount of any overage in the prior fishing year.

(ii) The following ACLs and AMs apply to cobia that are not sold. (A) If the sum of cobia landings that are sold and not sold, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the length of the following fishing season by the amount necessary to ensure landings may achieve the applicable ACT, but do not exceed the applicable ACL in the following fishing year. Further, during that following year, if necessary, the AA may file additional notification with the Office of the Federal Register to readjust the reduced fishing season to ensure harvest achieves the ACT but does not exceed the ACL. The applicable ACTs for the Florida east coast zone of cobia are 670,000 lb (303,907 kg) for 2014, 680,000 lb (308,443 kg) for 2015, and 710,000 lb (322,051 kg) for 2016 and subsequent fishing years. The applicable ACLs for the Florida east coast zone of cobia are 810,000 lb (367,410 kg) for 2014, 830,000 lb (376,482 kg) for 2015, and 860,000 lb (390,089 kg) for 2016 and subsequent fishing years.

(B) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(A) of this section, if the sum of the cobia landings that are sold and not sold in or from the Florida east coast zone, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section, and Gulf migratory group cobia are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the applicable ACL and applicable ACT for the Florida east coast zone for that following year by the amount of any ACL overage in the prior fishing year.

(C) Landings will be evaluated relative to the ACL based on a moving multi-year average of landings, as described in the FMP.

(iii) The stock ACLs for Florida east coast zone cobia are 880,000 lb (399,161 kg) for 2014, 900,000 lb (408,233 kg) for 2015, and 930,000 lb (421,841 kg) for 2016 and subsequent fishing years.

[78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 79 FR 69060, Nov. 20, 2014; 80 FR 4222, Jan. 27, 2015; 80 FR 10007, Feb. 25, 2015; 80 FR 78675, Dec. 17, 2015; 82 FR 17399, Apr. 11, 2017; 82 FR 36347, Aug. 4, 2017; 84 FR 4737, Feb. 19, 2019]