Amendment No. 20B to the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (Mackerels).

This Amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic consists of six management actions jointly developed by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) for more targeted management of the managed species (King mackerel, Spanish mackerel and Cobia). They address issues associated with the boundaries between migratory groups, zones, and subzones; allocation of commercial annual catch limits (ACLs); and modification of the framework procedure for management of king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia. The first two actions would adjust trip limits and fishing seasons for zones and subzones of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) migratory group. The third action would allow transit of vessels with king mackerel through areas closed to king mackerel fishing. The fourth would divide the annual catch limit (ACL) for Atlantic migratory group king and Spanish mackerel into zones. The fifth is an administrative change to the framework procedure for the FMP. The sixth addresses the results of the most recent stock assessment for cobia and divides the ACL into zones. The need for and objective of this proposed action is to achieve optimum yield while ensuring regulations are fair and equitable and fishery resources are utilized efficiently. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act provides the statutory basis for this proposed action. It directly affects all commercial and for-hire fishing vessels that harvest the coastal migratory pelagic species (CMP; king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, or cobia) managed in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and Atlantic regions.
Actions include: restrictions on commercial hook-and-line in specified subzones; adjustments to geographical and seasonal closures; allowing transit through areas closed to king mackerel fishing for vessels possessing king mackerel that were legally harvested in the EEZ off areas open to king mackerel fishing; stablish quotas for Northern and Southern Zones for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel and Spanish on the basis of specified options; modification of the framework procedure to include changes to acceptable biological catches (ABCs), ABC/annual catch limit (ACL) control rules, and accountability measures (AMs) under the standard documentation process for open framework actions. Accountability measures and the framework procedure to include designation of responsibility to each Council for setting regulations for the migratory groups of each species; redefine the method of calculation of ACLs and Annual Catch Targets (ACTs).