# 2026-02275: Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Region; 2025-2026 Commercial Closure for Spanish Mackerel in the Atlantic Southern Zone

2026-02275, Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Region; 2025-2026 Commercial Closure for Spanish Mackerel in the Atlantic Southern Zone, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-02-04, effective 2026-02-07 (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-02275
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-02275
- Title: Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Region; 2025-2026 Commercial Closure for Spanish Mackerel in the Atlantic Southern Zone
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 5092
- Published: 2026-02-04
- Effective: 2026-02-07
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## Summary

Starting February 7, 2026, commercial fishers in the Atlantic Southern Zone (off South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida) must stop catching Spanish mackerel until February 28, 2026. This temporary closure helps protect the fish because the catch limit is about to be reached. If you sell Spanish mackerel commercially in this area, this means a short break from fishing and selling these tasty fish.

## Abstract

NMFS closes commercial harvest for the Atlantic migratory group of Spanish mackerel in the southern zone. NMFS projects that landings of Spanish mackerel will soon reach the commercial quota for the Atlantic southern zone in the 2025-2026 fishing year. Accordingly, NMFS closes the Atlantic southern zone to commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel. This closure is necessary to protect the Spanish mackerel resource in the Atlantic.

## Effects PRIA read

- 21-Day Commercial Fishing Closure: cost, medium. If you commercially harvest or sell Spanish mackerel in federal waters off South Carolina, Georgia, or the east coast of Florida, you must stop commercial harvest and sales from February 7, 2026 through February 28, 2026 because the southern zone commercial quota of 2,667,330 lb is projected to be…
- Recreational Retention Allowed During Closure: benefit, low. During the commercial closure (February 7–28, 2026), a person on a vessel with a valid Federal permit may still keep Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone under the recreational bag and possession limits, as long as the recreational sector is open. These retained fish cannot be purchased o…
- Sale Ban with Cold-Storage Exception: mixed, medium. Atlantic Spanish mackerel harvested from the southern zone during the closure (February 7–28, 2026) may not be purchased or sold. The rule does not apply to Spanish mackerel from the southern zone that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold before the closure and were held in cold storage by a dea…

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## Sources
- [2026-02275 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/04/2026-02275/coastal-migratory-pelagic-resources-of-the-gulf-of-america-and-atlantic-region-2025-2026-commercial)
- [2026-02275 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-02-04/pdf/2026-02275.pdf)

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- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-02275 (as of 2026-06-11).