National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 17, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the recreational porgy complex in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. In the South Atlantic, the porgy complex includes jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, whitebone porgy, scup, and saucereye porgy. Because recreational landings for the porgy complex in the 2013 fishing year exceeded the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for the complex NMFS monitored recreational landings in 2014 for a persistence in increased landings. Through this temporary rule NMFS now closes the recreational sector for the porgy complex in the South Atlantic EEZ on September 17, 2014, as the recreational ACL has been projected to have been met for the 2014 fishing year. This closure is necessary to protect the porgy complex resource.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel will meet to develop comments relative to the 2015 spiny dogfish fishing year. Comments will be reviewed by the Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee and the Council in their consideration of alternative management measures for the 2015 fishing year.