50 C.F.R. § 648.22 Closure of the fishery.
Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries
(a) General. NMFS shall close the directed mackerel fishery in the EEZ when U.S. fishermen have harvested 80 percent of the DAH of that fishery if such closure is necessary to prevent the DAH from being exceeded. The closure shall remain in effect for the remainder of the fishing year, with incidental catches allowed as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, until the entire DAH is attained. When the Regional Administrator projects that DAH will be attained for mackerel, NMFS will close the mackerel fishery in the EEZ, and the incidental catches specified for mackerel in paragraph (c) of this section will be prohibited. NMFS will close the directed fishery in the EEZ for Loligo when 80 percent is harvested in Quarters I, II and III, and when 95 percent of the total annual DAH has been harvested. The closure of the directed fishery will be in effect for the remainder of the fishing year, with incidental catches allowed as specified in paragraph (c) of this section. NMFS will close the directed fishery in the EEZ for Illex or butterfish when 95 percent of the DAH has been harvested. The closure of the directed fishery will be in effect for the remainder of the fishing year, with incidental catches allowed as specified in paragraph (c) of this section. (b) Notification. Upon determining that a closure is necessary, the Assistant Administrator will notify, in advance of the closure, the Executive Directors of the MAFMC, NEFMC, and SAFMC; mail notification of the closure to all holders of mackerel, squid, and butterfish fishery permits at least 72 hours before the effective date of the closure; provide adequate notice of the closure to recreational participants in the fishery; and publish notification of closure in the (c) Incidental catches. During the closure of the directed fishery for mackerel, the possession limit for mackerel is 10 percent by weight of the total amount of fish on board. During a period of closure of the directed fishery for Loligo, Illex, or butterfish, the possession limit for Loligo and butterfish is 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) each, and the possession limit for Illex is 10,000 lb (4.54 mt). Vessels may not land more than these limits during any single calendar day, which is defined as the 24–hour period beginning at 0001 hours and ending at 2400 hours. [61 FR 34968, July 3, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 8637, Feb. 26, 1997; 65 FR 16345, Mar. 28, 2000; 65 FR 81765, Dec. 27, 2000; 66 FR 13028, Mar. 2, 2001; 69 FR 4864, Feb. 2, 2004]
Title 50: Wildlife and Fisheries
PART 648—FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
Subpart B—Management Measures for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries
§ 648.22 Closure of the fishery.
