Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Amendment 53

Issuing agencies

Abstract

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). For gag, this final rule revises the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial trip limits, recreational bag, vessel, and possession limits, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). For black grouper, this final rule revises the recreational bag, vessel, and possession limits. In addition, Amendment 53 establishes a rebuilding plan, and revises the overfishing levels, acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual optimum yield (OY), and sector allocations for gag. The purpose of this final rule and Amendment 53 is to end overfishing of gag, rebuild the stock, and achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social and economic effects.