§622.388. Annual catch limits (ACLs), annual catch targets (ACTs), and accountability measures (AMs).

If commercial landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable quota specified in § 622.384(b)(1), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for that zone, or gear type for the remainder of the fishing year.

The commercial ACL for the Gulf migratory group of king mackerel is 2,998,400 lb (1,360,051 kg) for the 2021-2022 fishing year, 3,110,400 lb (1,410,854 kg) for the 2022-2023 fishing year, and 3,196,800 lb (1,450,044 kg) for the 2023-2024 and subsequent fishing years. The ACL is further divided into a commercial ACL for vessels fishing with hook-and-line and a commercial ACL for vessels fishing with run-around gillnets. The hook-and-line ACL (which applies to the entire Gulf) is 2,368,736 lb (1,074,441 kg) for the 2021-2022 fishing year, 2,457,216 lb (1,114,574 kg) for the 2022-2023 fishing year, and 2,525,472 lb (1,145,535 kg) for the 2023-2024 and subsequent fishing years. The run-around gillnet ACL (which applies to the southern zone) is 629,664 lb (285,611 kg) for the 2021-2022 fishing year, 653,184 lb (296,279 kg) for the 2022-2023 fishing year, and 671,328 lb (304,509 kg) for the 2023-2024 and subsequent fishing years.

If commercial landings of Gulf migratory group king mackerel caught by run-around gillnet in the southern zone, as estimated by the SRD, exceed the commercial ACL, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to reduce the commercial ACL for king mackerel harvested by run-around gillnet in the southern zone in the following fishing year by the amount of the commercial ACL overage in the prior fishing year.

If commercial landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable quota for the zone or season specified in § 622.384(b)(2), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for that zone for the remainder of the applicable fishing season or fishing year.

In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group king mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the commercial quota for that zone for that following year by the amount of any commercial sector overage in the prior fishing year for that zone.

The commercial ACL for the Atlantic migratory group of king mackerel is 11,560,360 lb (5,243,691 kg) for the 2022-2023 fishing year, 10,009,580 lb (4,540,269 kg) for the 2023-2024 fishing year, 8,952,230 lb (4,060,663 kg) for the 2024-2025 fishing year, 8,212,085 lb (3,724,939 kg) for the 2025-2026 fishing year, and 7,683,410 lb (3,485,136 kg) for the 2026-2027 fishing year and subsequent fishing years.

If the recreational landings exceed the recreational ACL as specified in this paragraph and the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the bag limit by the amount necessary to ensure recreational landings may achieve the recreational ACT, but do not exceed the recreational ACL, in the following fishing year. The recreational ACL is 19,599,640 lb (8,890,247 kg) for the 2022-2023 fishing year, 16,970,420 lb (7,697,653 kg) for the 2023-2024 fishing year, 15,177,770 lb (6,884,521 kg) for the 2024-2025 fishing year, 13,922,915 lb (6,315,328 kg) for the 2025-2026 fishing year, and 13,026,590 lb (5,908,762 kg) for the 2026-2027 fishing year and subsequent fishing years. The recreational ACT is 16,914,489 lb (7,672,283 kg) for the 2022-2023 fishing year, 14,645,472 lb (6,643,074 kg) for the 2023-2024 fishing year, 13,098,416 million lb (5,941,342 kg) for the 2024-2025 fishing year, 12,015,476 lb (5,450,128 kg) for the 2025-2026 fishing year, and 11,241,947 lb (5,099,261 kg) for the 2026-2027 fishing year and subsequent fishing years.

In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group king mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the recreational ACL and ACT for that following year by the amount of any recreational sector overage in the prior fishing year.

For purposes of tracking the ACL, recreational landings will be evaluated based on the commercial fishing year, March through February. Recreational landings will be evaluated relative to the ACL based on a moving multi-year average of landings, as described in the FMP.

If commercial landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable quota specified in § 622.384(c)(2), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for that zone for the remainder of the fishing year.

In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the commercial quota for that zone for that following year by the amount of any commercial sector overage in the prior fishing year for that zone.

The commercial ACL for the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel is 3.33 million lb (1.51 million kg).

If the recreational landings exceed the recreational ACL as specified in this paragraph and the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the bag limit by the amount necessary to ensure recreational landings may achieve the recreational ACT, but do not exceed the recreational ACL, in the following fishing year. The recreational ACT for the Atlantic migratory group is 2.364 million lb (1.072 million kg). The recreational ACL for the Atlantic migratory group is 2.727 million lb (1.236 million kg).

In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, if the sum of the commercial and recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceeds the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel are overfished, based on the most recent status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of the following fishing year to reduce the recreational ACT for that following year by the amount of any recreational sector overage in the prior fishing year.

For purposes of tracking the ACL and ACT, recreational landings will be evaluated based on the commercial fishing year, March through February. Recreational landings will be evaluated relative to the ACL based on a moving multi-year average of landings, as described in the FMP.

If the sum of all cobia landings, as estimated by the SRD, reaches or is projected to reach the stock quota (stock ACT), specified in § 622.384(d)(1), the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to prohibit the harvest of Gulf migratory group cobia in the Gulf zone for the remainder of the fishing year. On and after the effective date of such a notification, all sale and purchase of Gulf migratory group cobia in the Gulf zone is prohibited and the possession limit of this species in or from the Gulf EEZ is zero.

The stock ACLs for Gulf migratory group cobia in the Gulf zone are 1,638,000 lb (742,984 kg) for 2022, and 1,738,800 lb (788,706 kg) for 2023 and subsequent fishing years.

Stock ACLs. The stock ACLs for Florida east coast zone cobia are 962,000 lb (436,356 kg) for 2022, and 1,021,200 lb (463,209 kg) for 2023 and subsequent fishing years.