WHAT THIS MEANS:
- The rule will increase the required trip duration to greater than 30 hours, but will allow anglers to retain the second daily bag limit at any time after the federally-permitted for-hire vessel leaves the dock.
- The rule will also require the receipt issued to passengers specify the date and time of both the departure and return of the trip.
- The entire trip must occur on days when the harvest and possession of the applicable reef fish species are allowed.
- The possession of Gulf of Mexico cobia is limited to two per person per day regardless of the duration of a trip and this proposed rule would not revise the cobia possession limits.
- Speckled hind and warsaw grouper have daily bag limits of one fish per vessel per day; therefore, the possession limit is two vessel limits, or two fish per vessel.
- The existing requirements will remain the same for the vessel to have two licensed operators aboard, and each passenger issued and have in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the length of the trip.
- For the purpose of the possession limit, the entire trip duration must coincide with an open fishing season for the applicable species.
- For example: if anglers on a federal for-hire vessel intend to retain the possession limit of red snapper, which has an open season beginning on June 1, the vessel cannot depart before 12:01 AM on June 1.
- The rule is expected to promote efficiency in the utilization of reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic resources and a potential decrease in regulatory discards by providing the owners and operators of federally-permitted for-hire vessels greater flexibility in determining when to allow passengers to retain the possession limit on multi-day trips.
FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 86 FR 11155, published February 24, 2021.
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
Where can I find more information on Modifying the Requirements for Federally-Permitted For-Hire Vessels Multi-Day Trip Possession Limits in the Gulf of Mexico?
- Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
By Mail: Rich Malinowski
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
By FAX: (727) 824-5308
By Phone: (727) 824-5305
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