What Is The Limit On Spanish Mackerel?

Many people commented that I mistook the juvenile king mackerel I caught for Spanish mackerel after I posted a video of them. Contrary to what many people on the “internet” believe, I knew that the fish I caught were actually juvenile Kings and NOT Spanish mackerel.

There is an annual limit of three fish per person for the entire Gulf group. There is a 3-fish per person bag limit in the Atlantic group from New York to Georgia throughout the entire year. There is an annual bag limit of two fish per person in the Atlantic group off Florida. State and federal bag limits cannot be combined.

Spanish and king mackerel are governed by the joint Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Each species has two recognized migratory groups, the Gulf and Atlantic, which are each subject to separate regulation. The Gulf migratory group’s range stretches from Texas’ southern border through the Gulf to Florida’s east coast, at the border of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The MiamiDade/Monroe county border on Florida’s east coast to the intersection of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut make up the territory of the Atlantic migratory group. These fish can move between the two bodies of water and travel great distances. Mackerel typically live further south in the winter and farther north in the summer.

The fishing season for migratory birds in the Atlantic runs from March 1 to the end of February. This group’s territory is split into Northern and Southern Zones. The trip limit in both zones is 3,500 pounds for the first day of the fishing season on March 1. The trip limit is 3,500 pounds all year long in the Northern Zone, which stretches from New York to the North Carolina/South Carolina state line. The trip limit starts at 3,500 pounds in the Southern Zone, which stretches from the North Carolina/South Carolina state line to the Miami-Dade/Monroe Florida county line. The trip limit is decreased to 1,500 pounds once 75% of the Southern Zone Adjusted Quota (total Quota minus 250,000 lbs) has been reached or is anticipated to be reached. The trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds until the end of the fishing year or until the Southern Zone total commercial quota is met or projected to be met, at which point the commercial sector in the Southern Zone would be closed to harvesting Spanish mackerel. When 100% of the Southern Zone adjusted quota is met or projected to be met. Visit the annual catch limit monitoring homepage and choose “commercial fishing in the South Atlantic” for the most recent information on South Atlantic Spanish mackerel commercial annual quotas.

The Northern Zone stretches from New York to the border between North and South Carolina. The trip limit is 3,500 pounds year-round. The Southern Zone stretches from the border between North Carolina and South Carolina and Miami-Dade and Monroe counties in Florida. The Southern Zone is divided from the state lines of North Carolina and South Carolina to the county lines of Flagler and Volusia in Florida, and then from Flagler and Volusia to the county lines of Miami-Dade and Monroe. The trip limit is 3,500 pounds year-round from the North Carolina/South Carolina state line to the Flagler/Volusia county line. The trip limit is 50 fish from Flagler/Volusia to Miami-Dade/Monroe from March 1 through March 31. This rises to 75 fish from April 1 through September 30. The trip limit reverts to 50 fish from October 1 through January 31. The trip limit will increase to 75 fish from February 1 through the end of February if by January 31 less than 70% of the quota has been landed. Season 1 runs from March 1 to September 30 and Season 2 runs from October 1 to the end of February. These two seasons make up the Southern Zone’s quota.

The Western, Northern, and Southern Zones make up the migratory king mackerel population in the Gulf. The Western Zone stretches from Texas’ southern border to the state line between Alabama and Florida. The fishing season runs from July 1 to June 30 with a 3,000-pound trip limit. The Northern Zone stretches from the Florida/Alabama border to the Collier/Lee county line in Florida. The fishing season runs from October 1 through September 30 with a 1,250-pound trip limit. From the Collier/Lee county line to the Monroe/Dade county line, the Southern Zone is located. The Southern Zone is split into hook-andline and gillnet components. With a trip limit of 1,250 pounds, the hook-and-line component’s fishing season runs from July 1 to June 30. The Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the fishing day for the gillnet component. travel through June 30 with a 45,000-pound weight restriction Even though the gillnet fishery’s fishing year ends on June 30, the quota is typically filled in less than two weeks.

Author: Landshark (Alumni)

Many people commented that I mistook the juvenile king mackerel I caught for Spanish mackerel after I posted a video of them. Contrary to what many people on the “internet” believe, I knew that the fish I caught were actually juvenile Kings and NOT Spanish mackerel.

The Video That Started It All

A Spanish mackerel and a young kingfish may appear VERY similar to unsuspecting fishermen, but there are some significant differences between the two. First of all, I have witnessed numerous inexperienced fishermen leave the pier with dozens of undersized king mackerel when they mistook them for Spanish mackerel and paid the price with a sizable fine from an FWC official. Second, as a Florida fisherman, you have no excuse for not learning about the species that inhabit our waters.

My girlfriend and I had caught all three species of mackerel found in Florida waters when we went offshore one day. Video below!.

This had given me the ideal chance to create a video showcasing the variations between these 3 mackerel. Video Found Below!.

FAQ

How many Spanish mackerel can I keep?

Recreational Spanish mackerel has an annual bag limit of 15 fish for both the Gulf and Atlantic migratory groups.

What is the limit on Spanish mackerel in NC?

Recreational Size and Bag Limits for Fishing in NC Coastal Waters in OctoberFinfish SpeciesDolphin (B)None10/DayKing Mackerel (H)24″ FL3/DaySpanish Mackerel (H)12″ FL15/DaySpanish Mackerel (H)None10/Day

What is the regulation for Spanish mackerel?

Minimum Size Limit 12 inches fork length, with the exception that a vessel fishing under a Spanish mackerel quota may not have more than 5% of undersized Spanish mackerel in its cargo.

What size can you keep mackerel?

While it can be simple to catch a lot of mackerel in a session, only take what will be consumed or used as bait. Mackerel are great to eat, but keep in mind that the minimum size to retain mackerel is 30 cm.