NOAA Advises Public of Seasonal Prohibition on Fishing Mutton, Lane Snapper

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries reminds fishermen and the public of the upcoming seasonal closure on fishing for, or possession of, mutton and lane snappers in U.S. Caribbean federal waters.

• This closure begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on April 1, 2019, and extends through 11:59 p.m., local time, June 30, 2019.
• The prohibition on possession does not apply to mutton and lane snapper harvested and landed ashore prior to the closure.

The U.S. Caribbean exclusive economic zone consists of those waters extending from the three-nautical-mile seaward boundary of the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the nine-nautical-mile seaward boundary of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico out to 200-nautical miles offshore.

This seasonal closure protects mutton and lane snapper when they are spawning (reproducing) and therefore more vulnerable to fishing pressure.

Sign Up for Text Message Alerts – Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA’s Text Message Alert Program allows anyone to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message and data rates may apply. It is possible to opt-out at any time.

Text alerts could include:
• Immediate fishery openings and closures
• Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly
Sign up for one or more of the following groups:
• Gulf of Mexico Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
o Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
• Gulf of Mexico Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
o Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
• South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
o Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
• South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
o Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
• Caribbean Fisheries Related Alerts
o Text CARIBFISH to 888777

Join NOAA every other Friday on NOAA Fish Instagram for Rec Fish Friday.

Other contacts: Media: Kim Amendola, 727-551-5707 or Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750