All size limits in this section are minimum size limits unless specified otherwise. A fish not in compliance with its size limit, as specified in this section, in or from the Gulf, South Atlantic, or Mid-Atlantic EEZ, as appropriate, may not be possessed, sold, or purchased. A fish not in compliance with its size limit must be released immediately with a minimum of harm. The operator of a vessel that fishes in the EEZ is responsible for ensuring that fish on board are in compliance with the size limits specified in this section.

(a) Cobia.

(1) Gulf migratory group

(i) Gulf zone—36 inches (91.4 cm), fork length.

(ii) Florida east coast zone—33 inches (83.8 cm), fork length.

(2) [Reserved]

(b) King mackerel in the Gulf, South Atlantic, or Mid-Atlantic—24 inches (61.0 cm), fork length, except that a vessel fishing under a quota for king mackerel specified in §622.384(b) may possess undersized king mackerel in quantities not exceeding 5 percent, by weight, of the king mackerel on board.

(c) Spanish mackerel in the Gulf, South Atlantic, or Mid-Atlantic—12 inches (30.5 cm), fork length, except that a vessel fishing under a quota for Spanish mackerel specified in §622.384(c) may possess undersized Spanish mackerel in quantities not exceeding 5 percent, by weight, of the Spanish mackerel on board.

[78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 82 FR 36347, Aug. 4, 2017; 84 FR 4736, Feb. 19, 2019; 85 FR 10331, Feb. 24, 2020]