NOAA Fisheries has published a proposed rule to implement Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Quotas for the 2020 Fishing Year. The proposed action would:
Rollover the 2019 Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) level (29,184 mt) to 2020 for Atlantic mackerel;
Update the Atlantic mackerel recreational deduction to include updated catch accounting methodology from 1,209 mt to 1,270 mt for 2020 to help avoid an ABC overage;
Maintain the 129 mt river herring and shad catch cap and eliminate the initial 89-mt trigger provision that would close the fishery if 89 mt of river herring and shad were observed to be caught before 10,000 lb of mackerel has been caught; and
Maintain the previously approved 2020 specifications for Illex squid (26,000 mt ABC), longfin squid (23,400 mt ABC) and butterfish (32,063 mt ABC), including the 3,884 mt butterfish catch cap in the longfin squid fishery.
Read the proposed rule as published today in the Federal Register. Supporting documents for this rule are available here.
To submit comments, please use the Federal e-rulemaking portal, or send comments by regular mail to Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA, 01930. Please mark the outside of the envelope, "Comments on the Proposed Rule for 2020 Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Specifications."
Comments are due by 5 pm January 16, 2020.
Questions?
Fishermen: Contact Alyson Pitts, Sustainable Fisheries, 978-281-9352
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175