A. It is
unlawful to barter, sell, offer for sale or transport for sale or possess for
sale in or from the State of Mississippi the following named species of fish
under the lengths prescribed:
1. Red Drum -
eighteen (18) inches (total length).
2. Spotted Seatrout - fourteen (14) inches
(total length).
3. flounders
(Paralicthys sp.) - twelve (12) inches (total
length).
4. Tripletail
(Lobotes surinamensis) eighteen (18) inches total
length.
5. Spanish Mackerel
(Scomberomorus maculatus) - twelve (12) inches (fork
length).
6. King Mackerel
(Scomberomorus cavalla) - twenty-four (24) inches (fork
length).
7. Red Snapper - thirteen
(13) inches (total length).
8.
Vermillion Snapper - ten (10) inches (total length).
9. Lane Snapper - eight (8) inches (total
length).
10. Mutton Snapper -
eighteen (18) inches (total length)
11. Gray, Mahogany, Schoolmaster, Dog,
Cubera, and Yellowtail Snapper - twelve (12) inches (total length).
12. Blackfin, Queen, Silk and Wenchman
snapper - no minimum length.
13.
Tilefish - no minimum length.
14.
Red Grouper - eighteen (18) inches (total length).
15. Yellowfin Grouper - twenty (20) inches
(total length).
16. Black Grouper -
twenty-four (24) inches (total length).
17. Gag Grouper - twenty-four (24) inches
(total length).
18. Scamp - sixteen
(16) inches (total length).
19.
Yellowmouth, Rock Hind, Red Hind Grouper - no minimum length.
20. Misty, Snowy Yellowedge, Warsaw, Speckled
Hind Grouper - no minimum length.
21. Gray Triggerfish - fourteen (14) inches
(fork length).
22. Hogfish
(lachnolaimus maximus) - fourteen (14) inches (fork
length).
23. Greater Amberjack -
thirty-six (36) inches (fork length).
24. Lesser Amberjack and Banded Rudderfish -
may possess fish between fourteen (14) inches (fork length) to twenty-two (22)
inches fork length.
25. Bigeye Tuna
(Thunnus obesus) - twenty-seven (27) inches as measured from
the tip of the upper jaw to the fork of the tail along the contour of the
middle of the body (curved fork length).
26. Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus
albacares) - twenty-seven (27) inches as measured from the tip of the
upper jaw to the fork of the tail along the contour of the middle of the body
(curved fork length).
27. Small
Coastal Sharks - twenty-five (25) inches total length
28. Large Coastal Sharks - thirty-seven (37)
inches total length
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
B. It is unlawful for commercial
fishermen to possess any of the following species of sharks:
1. Sand Tiger (Odontaspis
taurus)
2. Bigeye Sand
Tiger (Odontaspis noronhai)
3. Whale (Rhincodon
typus)
4. Basking
(Cetorhinus maximus)
5. White (Carcharodon
carcharias)
6. Dusky
(Carcharhinus obscurus)
7. Bignose (Carcharhinus
altimus)
8. Galapagos
(Carcharhinus galapagensis)
9. Night (Carcharhinus
signatus)
10. Caribbean
Reef (Carcharhinus perezi)
11. Narrowtooth (Carcharhinus
brachyurus)
12. Caribbean
Sharpnose (Rhizorionodon porosus)
13. Smalltail (Carcharhinus
porosus)
14. Atlantic
Angel (Squatina dumerili)
15. Longfin Mako (Isurus
paucus)
16. Bigeye
Thresher (Alopias superciliousus)
17. Sevengill (Heptranchias
perlo)
18. Sixgill
(Hexanchus griseus)
19. Bigeye Sixgill (Hexanchus
vitulus)
20. Sandbar
(Carcharhinus plumbeus) sharks may only be possessed by
fishermen possessing a research fishery permit issued by the National Marine
Fisheries Service.
21. Silky
(
Carcharhinus falciformis)
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
C. It is unlawful for any
commercial fishermen to possess any Cobia smaller than thirty-six (36) inches
fork length or to possess more than a daily bag limit of two (2) Cobia per
person.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305,
49-15-307 and 50 CFR
622.38.
D. It is unlawful
to sell, barter or trade any species of reef fish (identified in Chapter 08
Sections A7 through A24 without possessing the proper federal permits and/or
licenses required by the NOAA Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan
and complying with any other conditions set forth by federal or state
regulations for the management of the identified reef fish.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
E. It is unlawful to possess or harvest from
Mississippi territorial waters, in excess of three thousand pounds (3,000) of
King Mackerel, per vessel, per trip, per day (This is the Federal Limit for the
Western Zone).
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
F. It is unlawful to sell or purchase the
following species of billfish without the proper federal documentation: Blue
Marlin
(Makaira nigricans), White Marlin
(Tetrapturus
albidus), and Sailfish
(Istiophorus platypterus).
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
G. The commercial fishing season for menhaden
is from the third Monday in April through the first day of November of each
year. It is unlawful to harvest menhaden, for the purposes of reduction, within
one mile of the mainland shoreline of Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson County.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
H. The annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for
commercial landings of flounder (Paralicthys sp.) will be set
at seventy-four thousand (74,000) pounds. The commercial fishing season for
landing flounder will commence on January 1 and end on December 31 each
year.
I. The annual Total Allowable
Catch (TAC) for commercial landings of Red Drum
(Sciaenops
ocellatus) will be set at sixty thousand (60,000) pounds. The
commercial fishing season for landing Red Drum will commence on January
1
st and end on December
31
st of each year. The commercial TAC for the
fishing season is divided into three four month periods as follows:
1. January 1st -
April 30th twenty thousand pounds
(20,000);
2. May
1st - August 31st twenty
thousand pounds (20,000);
3.
September 1
st - December
31
st twenty thousand pounds (20,000).
In the event the commercial TAC is not met or exceeded in any
time period, the pounds will be added or subtracted to the following time
period.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
J. The annual Total Allowable
Catch (TAC) for commercial landings of Spotted Seatrout
(Cynoscion
nebulosus) will be set at fifty thousand (50,000) pounds. The
commercial fishing season for landing Spotted Seatrout shall commence on
January 1
st and end December
31
st each year. The commercial TAC for the fishing
season is divided into two periods as follows: January
1
st - June 30th twenty-five thousand pounds
(25,000); July 1
st - December
31
st twenty-five thousand pounds (25,000). In the
event the commercial TAC is not met or exceeded in the first time period
January 1
st - June 30
th)
the pounds will be added or subtracted to the second time period (July
1
st - December 31
st).
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
K. Individuals commercially harvesting
Spotted Seatrout (
Cynoscion nebulosus) must possess a Spotted
Seatrout endorsement ($10.00) in addition to a current applicable harvester's
license. To qualify for this endorsement an application must be completed. A
Trip Ticket officer will validate, through the Trip Ticket system, that the
applicant sold at least one thousand ($1,000) dollars of finfish or five
thousand ($5,000) dollars of seafood product in the previous or current
calendar year. The endorsement will be valid from January
1
st - December 31
st each
year. In the event of a hardship approved by the Executive Director, the
department may consider the applicants qualification based on sales one year
prior to the onset of the approved hardship.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
L. The following provisions are provided to
address safety concerns and allow fishermen to have another individual on board
in case of an emergency:
1. For commercial
hook and line fishermen,
a. if only two
fishermen are aboard a vessel commercially harvesting Spotted Seatrout, one of
the fishermen is not required to possess the Spotted Seatrout endorsement;
however, that fisherman is required to possess an applicable commercial
harvester's license.
b. If two or
more commercial hook and line fishermen possessing the Spotted Seatrout
endorsement are aboard a vessel commercially harvesting Spotted Seatrout, all
fishermen aboard the vessel are required to possess the Spotted Seatrout
endorsement.
2. For net
fishermen, the vessel must possess a valid fishing boat license and
a. if only two fishermen are aboard a vessel
commercially harvesting Spotted Seatrout, one of the fishermen is not required
to possess the Spotted Seatrout endorsement.
b. If two or more net fishermen possessing
the Spotted Seatrout endorsement are aboard a vessel commercially harvesting
Spotted Seatrout, all fishermen aboard the vessel are required to possess the
Spotted Seatrout endorsement.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
M. It is unlawful for
any commercial fisherman to possess a daily bag limit of more than three (3)
Tripletail per person.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305,
49-15-307 and 50 CFR
622.38.
N. If any person,
firm, or corporation, barters, sells, offers to sell or transports for sale or
possesses for sale in the State of Mississippi any species of fish under the
lengths or for which the fishing season is closed as prescribed in Title 22
Part 3 said person, firm or corporation shall possess valid documentation from
the state or country of origin evidencing that the fish were legally harvested.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
O. Any individual or vessel commercially
harvesting small coastal or large coastal sharks in Mississippi's territorial
waters must possess a MDMR shark endorsement (10.00) in addition to a current
applicable harvester license. In addition, all individuals applying for a shark
endorsement must be a Mississippi resident and present documentation of the
successful completion of a MDMR approved shark identification exam and
protected species safe handling workshop. The open season in Mississippi
territorial waters for the commercial harvest of sharks shall run concurrent
with federal shark seasons for the Western Gulf of Mexico Sub-Region.
1. The practice of "finning", that is,
removing only the fins and returning the remainder of the shark to the sea is
unlawful. All sharks commercially harvested in Mississippi state territorial
water must be landed in whole form with fins naturally attached by at least
some portion of uncut skin. Sharks may be gutted prior to landing.
2. It is unlawful for any commercial
fisherman to possess a daily bag limit of more than twenty-five (25) small and
large coastal sharks in aggregate per vessel per day.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305,
49-15-307 and 50 CFR
622.38.
P. It is
unlawful to barter, sell, offer for sale, transport for sale, or possess for
sale Atlantic Tarpon (
Megalops atlanticus).
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
Q. It is unlawful for any commercial
fishermen to possess any Atlantic Tarpon smaller than seventy-five (75) inches
fork length or to possess more than a daily bag limit of one (1) Atlantic
Tarpon per vessel.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305,
49-15-307 and 50 CFR
622.38.
R. Licensed
commercial shrimp fishermen may keep in whole for personal consumption only,
the following fish which are caught in shrimp nets or trawls of the vessel:
White Trout, Atlantic Croaker, Black Drum, and Ground Mullet (Family
Sciaenidae); Sheepshead (Family Sparidae); Gafftopsail Catfish (Family
Ariidae); and flounders in the families Pleuronectidae and Bothidae. The
cumulative total weight of fish shall not exceed twenty-five (25) pounds. These
exemptions for personal consumption do not apply to fish that are otherwise
illegal to possess.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
S. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to
possess more than one (1) Red Drum exceeding thirty (30) inches total length
for a single day's catch.
Miss. Code Ann. §§
49-15-1,
49-15-3,
49-15-5,
49-15-15,
49-15-30,
49-15-35,
49-15-35,
49-15-63,
49-15-71,
49-15-75,
49-15-303,
49-15-304,
49-15-305 and
49-15-307.
T. It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale,
barter, trade, or purchase cobia landed in Mississippi. Cobia and any species
of finfish that have an established annual quota and are landed legally
elsewhere and/or transported into or within Mississippi for sale, must be
accompanied by an affidavit or certificate from the regulating agency of the
point of origin stating that the fish were legally landed or accompanied by a
Bill of Lading if imported from a foreign country. Cobia and any species of
finfish that have an established annual quota and are raised on permitted
aquaculture facilities must be accompanied by a Bill of Lading with the permit
number attached and may be sold below the prescribed minimum lengths.
