The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has issued a temporary rule to close the hook-and-line commercial fishing for king mackerel in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico. This closure is due to the commercial quota being reached and will last from February 22, 2021, until the end of the fishing year on June 30, 2021. NMFS previously closed gillnet fishing for the same species in this zone after reaching its quota on January 28, 2021. The closure aims to conserve the king mackerel population in the Gulf.
Simple Explanation
The people in charge of fishing rules have decided that fishermen can’t use a certain kind of fishing rod to catch a type of fish called king mackerel in part of the Gulf of Mexico because too many have been caught already. This break from fishing will help make sure there are enough fish left for the future.