2019 Southern Red Hake Possession Limit Reduction

Effective at 1615 hours on February 3, 2020, the southern red hake commercial possession limit has been reduced from 5,000 lb to the incidental limit of 400 lb per trip. As of January 14, 2020, landings data shows that the fishery will reach the 90 percent possession limit reduction trigger on or around February 2, 2020. Effective February 3, 2020, federally permitted vessels may not land or possess on board more than 400 lb of southern red hake per trip for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year (i.e., through April 30, 2020). Vessels that have begun a trip prior to this reduction becoming effective may retain southern red hake up to the prior possession limit of 5,000 lb for the completion of that trip.

Dealers issued federal permits for small-mesh multispecies may not purchase more than 400 lb of southern red hake per trip from federally permitted vessels for any trip that started after February 3, 2020, through the remainder of the fishing year (April 30, 2020).