Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Amendment 49

Issuing agencies

Abstract

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). For greater amberjack, this final rule revises the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), the commercial minimum size limit, the commercial seasonal trip limits, and the April spawning season closure. In addition, Amendment 49 revises the overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual optimum yield (OY), and sector allocations of the total ACL, as well as removes the recreational annual catch targets (ACTs) for species in the FMP. The purpose of this final rule and Amendment 49 is to ensure catch limits are based on the best scientific information available and to ensure overfishing does not occur for the South Atlantic greater amberjack stock, while increasing social and economic benefits.