August 26, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m. (local time) August 30, 2016. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2017. The 2016 commercial catch limit is 87,521 pounds whole weight. Updated landings data indicate that commercial harvest of blueline tilefish will reach the annual catch limit by August 30, 2016. As a result, commercial harvest will close in federal waters of the South Atlantic.
The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper and who is landing blueline tilefish for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such blueline tilefish prior to 12:01 a.m., local time,
August 30, 2016.
During the closure:
Sale or purchase of blueline tilefish in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic is prohibited.
Harvest or possession of blueline tilefish in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.
These bag and possession limits apply in the South Atlantic on board a vessel for which a valid federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper grouper has been issued without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in state or federal waters.
This closure is necessary to protect the blueline tilefish fishery by limiting landings to the commercial annual catch limit.