Comment Period Closes January 3, 2023
Today, NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule and request for comments on Amendment 23 to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
The proposed action would implement a revised Atlantic mackerel rebuilding plan with the goal of having the stock rebuilt by 2032. This is a revision to the initial 5-year Atlantic mackerel rebuilding plan implemented in 2019. In 2021, the Atlantic mackerel management track assessment determined that the Atlantic mackerel stock was still overfished and overfishing was still occurring. Additionally, the assessment noted that under the original rebuilding plan, the stock is expected to be less than half rebuilt by 2023 (the terminus year of that rebuilding plan).
In addition to the revised Atlantic mackerel rebuilding plan, this action proposes the 2023 Atlantic mackerel specification which includes:
- An acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 8,094 mt
- ABC deductions for expected Canadian catch (2,197 mt), recreational catch (2,143 mt), and estimated commercial discards (115 mt)
- A resulting commercial quota of 3,639 mt
- A 20-fish per person recreational possession limit (including private anglers and for-hire crew)
- A status quo river herring and shad catch cap of 129 mt
- A modified commercial fishery closure approach including:
- An initial closure before May 1 if only 886 mt of the quota remains; or
- An initial closure on or after May 1 if only 443 mt of the quota remains;
- A final closure when 100 mt of the quota remains;
- Following the first closure of the fishery, Tier 1, 2, and 3 limited access permits trip limit would be reduced to 40,000 lb, and incidental/open access permits trip limit would be reduced to 5,000 lb; and
- Following a final closure all permits trip limit would be reduced to 5,000 lb.
Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register today. The comment period is open through January 3, 2023. Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal.
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