Coastal Migratory Pelagics

Fishery Management Plan

Original Fishery Management Plan

The Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP) and Environmental Assessment (EA), approved in 1982 and implemented by regulations effective in February of 1983, treated king and Spanish mackerel each as one U.S. stock. Allocations were established for recreational and commercial fisheries, and the commercial allocation was divided between net and hook-and-line fishermen.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 1

Amendment 1 and its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), implemented in September of 1985, provided a framework procedure for pre-season adjustment of total allowable catch (TAC), revised king mackerel maximum sustainable yield (MSY) downward, recognized separate Atlantic and Gulf migratory groups of king mackerel, and established fishing permits and bag limits for king mackerel. Commercial allocations among gear users were eliminated. The Gulf commercial allocation for king mackerel was divided into eastern and western zones for the purpose of regional allocation.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 2

Amendment 2 with EA, implemented in July of 1987, revised Spanish mackerel MSY downward, recognized two migratory groups, and set commercial quotas and bag limits. Charterboat permits were required, and it was clarified that TAC for overfished stocks must be set below the upper range of acceptable biological catch (ABC). The use of purse seines on overfished stocks was prohibited.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 3

Amendment 3 with EA, was partially approved in 1989, revised, resubmitted, and approved in 1990. It prohibited drift gill nets for coastal pelagics and purse seines for the overfished groups of mackerels.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 4

Amendment 4 with EA, implemented in 1989, reallocated Spanish mackerel equally between recreational and commercial fishermen on the Atlantic group with an increase in TAC.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 5

Amendment 5 with EA, implemented in August 1990, made a number of changes in the management regime which: Extended the management area for Atlantic groups of mackerels through the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC) area of jurisdiction; Revised problems in the fishery and plan objectives; Revised the fishing year for Gulf group Spanish mackerel from July-June to April-March; Revised the definition of "overfishing"; Added cobia to the annual stock assessment procedure; Provided that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) will be responsible for pre-season adjustments of TACs and bag limits for the Atlantic migratory groups of mackerels while the Gulf Council will be responsible for Gulf migratory groups; Continued to manage the two recognized Gulf migratory groups of king mackerel as one until management measures appropriate to the eastern and western groups can be determined;

Redefined recreational bag limits as daily limits; Deleted a provision that specified that bag limit catches of mackerel may be sold; Provided guidelines for corporate commercial vessel permits; Specified that Gulf group king mackerel may be taken only by hook-and-line and run-around gill nets; Imposed a bag limit of two cobia per person per day for all fishermen; Established a minimum size of 12-inch (30.5 cm.) fork length (FL) or 14-inch (35.6 cm.) total length (TL) for king mackerel and included a definition of "conflict" to provide guidance to the Secretary.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 6

Amendment 6, implemented in November of 1992, made the following changes: Identified additional problems and an objective in the fishery; Provided for rebuilding overfished stocks of mackerels within specific periods; Provided for biennial assessments and adjustments; Provided for more seasonal adjustment actions, including size limits, vessel trip limits, closed seasons or areas, and gear restrictions; Allowed Gulf group king mackerel stock identification and allocation when appropriate; Provided for commercial Atlantic Spanish mackerel possession limits; Changed commercial permit requirements to allow qualification in one of three preceding years; Discontinued the reversion of the bag limit to zero when the recreational quota is filled; Modified the recreational fishing year to the calendar year; and Changed the minimum size limit for king mackerel to 20 inches FL, and changed all size limit measures to fork length only.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 7

Amendment 7, implemented in September 1994, equally divided the Gulf commercial allocation in the Eastern Zone at the Dade-Monroe County line in Florida. The suballocation for the area from Monroe County through Western Florida is equally divided between commercial hook-and-line and net gear users.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 8

Amendment 8, implemented in March 1998, made the following changes to the management regime: Clarified ambiguity about allowable gear specifications for the Gulf group king mackerel fishery by allowing only hook-and-line and run-around gill nets. However, catch by permitted, multi-species vessels and bycatch allowances for purse seines were maintained; Established the Council's intent to evaluate the impacts of permanent jurisdictional boundaries between the GMFMC and SAFMC and separate FMPs for coastal pelagics in these areas; Established a moratorium on commercial king mackerel permits until no later than October 15, 2000, with a qualification date for initial participation of October 16, 1995;

Increased the income requirement for a king or Spanish mackerel permit to 25 percent of earned income or $10,000 from commercial sale of catch or charter or head boat fishing in 1 of the 3 previous calendar years, but allowed for a 1-year grace period to qualify under permits that are transferred; Legalized retention of up to 5 cut-off (barracuda damaged) king mackerel on vessels with commercial trip limits; Set an optimum yield (OY) target at 30 percent static SPR; Provided the SAFMC with authority to set vessel trip limits, closed seasons or areas, and gear restrictions for Gulf group king mackerel in the North Area of the Eastern Zone (Dade/Monroe to Volusia/Flagler County lines); Established various data consideration and reporting requirements under the Framework Procedure. Modified the seasonal framework adjustment measures and specifications (see Appendix I).

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 9

Amendment 9, would: Reallocate the percentage of the commercial allocation of TAC for the North Area (Florida east coast) and South/West Area (Florida west coast) of the Eastern Zone to 46.15% North and 53.85% South/West and retain the recreational and commercial allocations of TAC at 68% recreational and 32% commercial. Subdivide the commercial hook-and-line king mackerel allocation for the Gulf group, Eastern Zone, South/West Area (Florida west coast) by establishing 2 subzones with a dividing line between the 2 subzones at the Collier/Lee County line. Establish regional allocations for the west coast of Florida based on the 2 subzones with 7.7% of the Eastern Zone allocation of TAC being allowed from Subzone 2 and the remaining 92.3% being allocated as follows: 50% - Florida east coast; 50% - Florida west coast; 50% - Net Fishery; 50% - Hook-and-Line Fishery.

Establish a trip limit of 3,000 pounds per vessel per trip for the Western Zone. Establish a moratorium on the issuance of commercial king mackerel gill-net endorsements and allow re-issuance of gill-net endorsements to only those vessels that: (1) had a commercial mackerel permit with a gill-net endorsement on or before the moratorium control date of October 16, 1995 (Amendment 8), and (2): had landings of king mackerel using a gill net in one of the two fishing years 1995-96 or 1996-97 as verified by NMFS or trip tickets from the FDEP; allow transfer of gill net endorsements to immediate family members (son, daughter, father, mother, or spouse) only; and prohibit the use of gill nets or any other net gear for the harvest of Gulf group king mackerel south of an east/west line at the Collier/Lee County line. Increase the minimum size limit for Gulf group king mackerel from 20 inches to 24 inches fork length. (FL) Allow the retention and sale of cut-off (damaged) legal-sized king and Spanish mackerel.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 10

Amendment 10 incorporated essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC).

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 11

Amendment 11 included proposals for mackerel in the SAFMC's Comprehensive Amendment Addressing Sustainable Fishery Act Definitions and other Provisions in Fishery Management Plans of the South Atlantic Region.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 12

Amendment 12 proposes to extend the commercial king mackerel permit moratorium from its current expiration date of October 15, 2000 to October 15, 2005, or until replaced with a license limitation, limited access, and/or individual fishing quota or individual transferable quota system, whichever occurs earlier.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 13

Amendment 13, implemented August 19, 2002, established two marine reserves in the EEZ in the vicinity of the Dry Tortugas, Florida known as Tortugas North and Tortugas South in which fishing for coastal migratory pelagic species is prohibited. This action complements previous actions taken under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 14

Amendment 14, implemented 7/29/02, established a 3-year moratorium on the issuance of charter vessel and head boat permits unless sooner replace by a comprehensive effort limitation system. The control date for eligibility was established as March 29, 2001. Also includes other provisions for eligibility, application, appeals, and transferability.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 15

Amendment 15 to the CMP FMP in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico proposes to establish two actions. Action 1 establishes an indefinite limited access program for the king mackerel fishery in the exclusive economic zone under the jurisdiction of the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. Establishment of a limited access system that caps participation at the current level provides for long-term social and economic stability in the mackerel fisheries. Action 2 changes the fishing season to March 1 through February 28/29 for the Atlantic groups of king and Spanish mackerel. Beginning the fishing year on March 1 ensures the mackerel fisheries in the Atlantic are open during March when several other fisheries are closed.

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 16

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 17

Establishes a limited access system on for-hire reef fish and CMP permits. Permits are renewable and transferable in the same manner as currently prescribed for such permits. The Council will have periodic review at least every 10 years on the effectiveness of the limited access system.