NOAA Fisheries proposes Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish quotas for the 2021-2023 fishing years and reaffirms 2021 chub mackerel specifications as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
This action would:
Maintain the 2020 specifications through 2022 for Atlantic mackerel, (19,184 mt ABC), through 2021 for Illex squid (30,000 mt ABC), through 2023 for longfin squid (23,400 mt ABC).
Reduce the butterfish allowable catch by 72 percent, from the current 22,752 mt to 6,350 mt in for the remainder of 2021. Allowable catch for butterfish in 2022 would increase to 11,495 mt. Given recent catch trends, this reduction is not expected to negatively impact the commercial fishing industry.
Maintain the 3,884 mt butterfish catch cap in the longfin squid fishery.
Implement 48-hour Illex reporting after July 15 for commercial dealers for the remainder of the fishing year (the current requirement is weekly reporting.).
Change the Illex closure threshold to 94 percent from 95 percent.
Reaffirm the previously approved 2021 through 2022 chub mackerel specifications.
Read the proposed rule as published today in the Federal Register. The draft Environmental Assessment for this rule is available below.
Comments on this rule must be received by 5 pm on June 10, 2021 and may be submitted though the online portal.