Commercial harvest of Atlantic group cobia (Georgia to New York) will close in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2018. Commercial harvest will reopen in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2019.
WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:
The 2018 commercial annual catch limit is 50,000 pounds round or gutted weight. NOAA Fisheries projects the 2018 cobia annual catch limit for the commercial sector will be reached by September 5th based on reported landings to date and landings that are expected to be reported by dealers that do not have a federal dealer permit.
This closure is necessary to protect the Atlantic cobia resource by preventing the commercial annual catch limit from being exceeded.
DURING THE CLOSURE:
The operator of a vessel that is landing cobia for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such cobia prior to 12:01 a.m., local time,September 5, 2018. The prohibition on sale and purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of cobia that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2018, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Service Southeast
