23672091, 68B-30.003 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 23672091

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Marine Fisheries

Chapter:

KING MACKEREL - ATLANTIC FISHERY

Overview

RULE:

68B-30.003

Commercial Harvest Limits; Recreational Bag Limit; Gear Specifications

PURPOSE:

The commercial king mackerel fishery is managed through a complex series of seasons, vessel limits, and quotas that vary regionally and throughout the year.  Many of these regulations are based on seasonal and geographical variations in fish availability, fishing practices, and market demand.  This fishery occurs in both state and federal waters, and FWC rules for commercial king mackerel harvest mirror regulations for adjacent federal waters.  

NOAA Fisheries approved a larger commercial vessel limit for king mackerel harvest off Volusia through Miami-Dade counties during the months of October through February, which was requested by commercial fishermen from that area.  The larger vessel limit may allow individual commercial fishing trips to be more economically feasible.  It will also improve the ability of the commercial fishery to harvest their quota with minimal risk of exceeding it and triggering an in-season closure before the fishing season ends.

At its July 2020 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) modified the Atlantic king mackerel commercial vessel limits in state waters to be consistent with the change to commercial vessel limits in adjacent federal waters.  The purpose of the proposed action is to maintain uniform regulations for commercial harvest of king mackerel in Atlantic state and federal waters.  The effect of the proposed federal consistency action is to ensure state and federal vessel limits continue to be consistent, thereby easing compliance and eliminating confusion for commercial harvesters.  

The federal consistency action will update the reference to federal commercial vessel limits in 68B-30.003 to refer to the federal vessel limits that took effect September 9, 2020.

SUMMARY:

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

9/21/2020 Vol. 46/184

COMMENTS:

From 9/21/2020 To 10/12/2020 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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