2024-16111. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; 2024-2026 Specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan

Table 1—Final 2024 and Projected 2025 Illex Squid Specifications

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Specification	2024	2025 (projected)
OFL	Unknown	Unknown
ABC	40,000	40,000
Commercial Discard Set-Aside	1,369 (3.42%)	1,369 (3.42%)
Initial optimum yield (IOY)	38,631	38,631
Domestic annual harvest (DAH)/domestic annual processing (DAP)	38,631	38,631

Final 2024 and Projected 2025-2026 Longfin Squid Specifications

The final 2024 and projected 2025-2026 longfin squid specifications are nearly identical to what was in place in 2023, in alignment with the Council's recommendation. The only change is a slight increase in the longfin squid discard rate (from 2 percent to 2.16 percent). The background for this change is discussed in the proposed rule to implement these specifications (89 FR 28713, April 19, 2024), and therefore is not repeated here. The longfin squid IOY, DAH, and DAP are calculated by deducting a discard set-aside, calculated using the discard rate, from the ABC. The 0.16-percent increase in the discard rate results in a 0.17-percent decrease in the commercial quota (table 2). NMFS and the Council will review the longfin squid specifications during future annual specifications processes following data updates each spring. The 2025-2026 specifications projected here could change based on new information.

Table 2—Final 2024 and Projected 2025-2026 Longfin Squid Specifications

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Specification	2024	2025-2026 (projected)
OFL	Unknown	Unknown
ABC	23,400	23,400
Commercial Discard Set-Aside	506.3 (2.16%)	506.3 (2.16%)
IOY	22,893.7	22,893.7
DAH/DAP	22,893.7	22,893.7

The percentage of the longfin squid quota allocated to each trimester during 2024-2026 remains unchanged from what was in place in 2023 (table 3).

Table 3—2024-2026 Longfin Squid Quota Trimester Allocations

Trimester	Percent	Metric tons
I (Jan-Apr)	43	9,844.3
II (May-Aug)	17	3,891.9
III (Sep-Dec)	40	9,157.5
Total	100	22,893.7

Reaffirmation of 2024 Butterfish Specifications

As part of the final rule implementing 2023-2025 specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP (88 FR 48389, July 27, 2023), NMFS projected 2024 butterfish specifications that would decrease the ABC and available quota by 12.7 percent relative to 2023. Even with this reduction, the projected 2024 butterfish quota was still above recent catch levels. This final rule reaffirms the previously projected 2024 butterfish specifications, in alignment with the Council's recommendation, as no new information suggests a need to change.

Table 4—Reaffirmed 2024 Butterfish Specifications

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Specification	2024
OFL	16,096
ABC/ACL	15,764
Annual Catch Target (ACT)	14,976
Assumed Discards	1,248
Total Discard Set-Aside (All Sources)	5,132
Butterfish Cap in Longfin Fishery	3,884
DAH	9,844

The percentage of the butterfish mortality cap allocated to the longfin squid fishery during each trimester in 2024 remains unchanged from what was in place during 2023 (table 5).

Table 5—2024 Allocation of the Butterfish Mortality Cap Among Longfin Squid Trimesters

Trimester	Percent	Metric tons
I (Jan-Apr)	43	1,670
II (May-Aug)	17	660
III (Sep-Dec)	40	1,554
Total	100	3,844

Reaffirmation of 2024 and Projected 2025 Atlantic Chub Mackerel Specifications

Amendment 21 to the FMP implemented chub mackerel specifications for the 2020-2022 fishing years (85 FR 47103, August 4, 2020). The Council reevaluated these specifications during its June 2022 meeting and decided to make no adjustments for the 2023-2025 fishing years. The Council reevaluated these specifications again during its June 2023 meeting and decided to make no adjustments for the 2024 fishing year. This final rule reaffirms the previously projected 2024 specifications, and projects the 2025 chub mackerel specifications, in alignment with the Council's recommendation (table 6). No new information suggests a need to change the specifications for 2024. The 2025 specifications projected here could change based on new information.

Table 6—Reaffirmed 2024 and Projected 2025 Chub Mackerel Specifications

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Specification	2024	2025 (projected)
ABC	2,300	2,300
ACL	2,262	2,262
ACT	2,171	2,171
Total Allowable Landings	2,041	2,041