As per the press communiqué the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has recommended 2012 management specifications for several species including Atlantic mackerel and butterfish. This was the first time the Council voted to require binding quotas (annual catch limits) that if exceeded in 2012, will result in quota deductions in 2013.
In the meeting the Council has decided to adopt a mackerel annual catch limit and an annual catch target which would effectively limit commercial landings to 33,821 mt (74.6 million pounds) in 2012. If approved by NMFS, this would be a 28 percent reduction compared to this year’s quota.
The Council also adopted a butterfish annual catch limit and an annual catch target which would effectively limit landings to 1,087 mt (2.4 million pounds) in 2012, with 2,173 mt (4.8 million pounds) set-aside for potential discards. If approved by NMFS, this harvest level would be a 117 percent increase from the 2011 quota. Butterfish discards can close the directed fishery for Loligo squid.
