11/21/14 – NOAA Fisheries FB14-090: Recreational Harvest of Gray Triggerfish in South Atlantic Waters Will Close on November 26, 2014

SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN  

(South Atlantic) 

FB14-090

Sustainable Fisheries
727-824-5305      

November 21, 2014      

Recreational Harvest of Gray Triggerfish in South Atlantic Waters Will Close on November 26, 2014

Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) November 26, 2014. Recreational harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2015. The recreational annual catch limit of 353,638 pounds whole weight was exceeded in 2013. If recreational landings are exceeded, NOAA Fisheries will shorten the following recreational fishing season by the amount necessary to ensure landings do not exceed the recreational annual catch limit in the following fishing year. Projections indicate the recreational catch limit for gray triggerfish has likely been met and harvest should close as soon as possible to minimize overages. Therefore, the recreational sector for gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic will be closed on November 26, 2014.

During the closure:

• Recreational harvest or possession of gray triggerfish is prohibited.
• The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels which have a valid charter/headboat permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.

Commercial harvest of gray triggerfish for the 2014 fishing season closed on May 12, 2014. Therefore, both commercial and recreational harvest will be closed and harvest will reopen on January 1, 2015.