July 31, 2000

Effective at 12:01 AM on Wednesday, August 2, 2000, the recreational bag limit on Atlantic Ocean Spanish Mackerel will increase from 10 fish per person per day to 15 fish per person per day. The minimum size requirement of 12 inches fork length (tip of nose to the middle of the fork in the tail) will remain in effect.

The increased bag limit was recommended by the Mackerel Committee of the Southeast Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and was adopted as part of the Federal Fisheries Management Plan. At their recent meeting, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission voted to accept the increase and comply with the Federal Management Plan.

The increase is due, in part, to a reduction in the commercial harvest, that resulted from the inshore gill net ban that was enacted in Florida several years ago. The spanish mackerel population has been increasing annually for the past few years.

For more information you may contact Dr. Louis Daniel at the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City office. The phone numbers are (252) 726-7021 or (800) 682-2632. His E-dress is Louis.Daniel@ncmail.net.