Rule2025-24028
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Region; 2025-2026 Commercial Accountability Measure for the King Mackerel Run-Around Gillnet Fishery
Primary source
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Published
December 30, 2025
Effective
December 30, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for king mackerel using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf of America (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for the 2025-2026 fishing year. NMFS has determined that commercial landings of king mackerel harvested by run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf southern zone in the 2024-2025 fishing year have exceeded the component's annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS implements the AM to reduce the commercial gillnet component ACL for king mackerel in the Gulf southern zone for the 2025-2026 fishing year.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 246 (Tuesday, December 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 30, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61067-61068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-24028]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363-7275-02; RTID 0648-XF373]
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of America and
Atlantic Region; 2025-2026 Commercial Accountability Measure for the
King Mackerel Run-Around Gillnet Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; commercial accountability measure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for king
mackerel using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf
of America (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for the 2025-2026
fishing year. NMFS has determined that commercial landings of king
mackerel harvested by run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf southern zone
in the 2024-2025 fishing year have exceeded the component's annual
catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS implements the AM to reduce the
commercial gillnet component ACL for king mackerel in the Gulf southern
zone for the 2025-2026 fishing year.
DATES: This rule is effective December 30, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelli O'Donnell, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e48f8188888dca8b808b8a8a818888a48a8b8585ca838b92"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="86ede3eaeaefa8e9e2e9e8e8e3eaeac6e8e9e7e7a8e1e9f0">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery for coastal migratory pelagic
fish in the Gulf includes king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia,
and is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf and Atlantic Region (FMP). The
FMP was prepared by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management
Councils and NMFS, approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and is
implemented by NMFS under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations
at 50 CFR part 622. All weights for the Gulf migratory group of king
mackerel (Gulf king mackerel) apply as either round or gutted weight.
The commercial fishery for Gulf king mackerel is divided into
western, northern, and southern zones. The southern zone for Gulf king
mackerel encompasses an area of the Gulf EEZ off Collier and Monroe
Counties in south Florida, south of a line extending due west from the
boundary of Lee and Collier Counties on the Florida west coast, and
south of a line extending due east from the boundary of Monroe and
Miami-Dade Counties on the Florida east coast (50 CFR
622.369(a)(1)(iii)). For an illustration of the king mackerel zones,
see Figure 1 in Appendix G to part 622 at <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/appendix-Appendix%20G%20to%20Part%20622">https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/appendix-Appendix%20G%20to%20Part%20622</a>.
The commercial ACL for Gulf king mackerel is divided into separate
ACLs for hook-and-line and run-around gillnet gear. The use of run-
around gillnets for king mackerel is restricted to the Gulf southern
zone. For the 2024-2025 fishing year, the king mackerel commercial
gillnet quota (equivalent to the commercial gillnet ACL) is 671,328
pounds (lb) (304,509 kilograms (kg)) (50 CFR 622.384(b)(1)(iii)(B)).
The fishing year for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is from
July 1 through June 30 (50 CFR 622.7(b)(1)(i)) but the gillnet
component has a seasonal closure from July 1 until 6 a.m. eastern time
on the day after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal holiday (50 CFR
622.378(a)).
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1)(iii) state that if commercial
landings of Gulf king mackerel caught by run-around gillnet gear in the
southern zone exceed the commercial gillnet component ACL, then in the
following fishing year, NMFS will reduce the commercial gillnet
component ACL by the amount of the commercial gillnet component ACL
overage in the prior fishing year. NMFS' most recent commercial
landings data for the 2024-2025 fishing year indicate that the
commercial gillnet component exceeded its ACL of 671,328 lb (304,509
kg) by 1,188 lb (539 kg) for the fishing year that ended on June 30,
2025. Accordingly, for the 2025-2026 fishing year and consistent with
the commercial AM, NMFS reduces the commercial gillnet component ACL
for the Gulf southern zone to 670,140 lb (303,970 kg).
The fishing season for Gulf king mackerel using run-around gillnet
gear in the southern zone is currently closed and will open again at 6
a.m., local time, on January 20, 2026 (50 CFR 622.378(a)).
[[Page 61068]]
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1)(iii),
which was issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedure is unnecessary because the regulations associated with the
commercial AM and commercial ACL for Gulf king mackerel have already
been subject to notice and public comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the adjusted commercial ACL for the 2025-2026
fishing year. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment are
contrary to the public interest because of the need to notify the
industry in advance of the next commercial fishing season.
For the reasons just stated, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness of this action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 23, 2025.
Peter Cooper,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-24028 Filed 12-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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