Rule2025-16675
Fisheries of the Gulf of America; 2025 Commercial Closure for Gulf Greater Amberjack
Primary source
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Published
August 29, 2025
Effective
September 2, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the Gulf of America (Gulf) greater amberjack commercial sector for the 2025 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that Gulf greater amberjack commercial landings have reached the commercial annual catch target (ACT). Therefore, the 2025 commercial fishing season for greater amberjack in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will close on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and will remain closed through December 31, 2025. These actions are necessary to protect the Gulf greater amberjack resource.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 166 (Friday, August 29, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 166 (Friday, August 29, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42138-42139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-16675]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 1206013412-2517-02; RTID 0648-XF136]
Fisheries of the Gulf of America; 2025 Commercial Closure for
Gulf Greater Amberjack
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the Gulf of
America (Gulf) greater amberjack commercial sector for the 2025 fishing
year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that Gulf greater
amberjack commercial landings have reached the commercial annual catch
target (ACT). Therefore, the 2025 commercial fishing season for greater
amberjack in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will close on
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and will remain closed through December 31,
2025. These actions are necessary to protect the Gulf greater amberjack
resource.
DATES: The commercial closure is effective 12:01 a.m., local time,
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelli O'Donnell, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, 727-824-5305, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1c77797070753273787372727970705c72737d7d327b736a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c1aaa4adada8efaea5aeafafa4adad81afaea0a0efa6aeb7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS and the Gulf Council manage the reef
fish fishery of the Gulf, which includes greater amberjack, under the
Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf (FMP).
The FMP was prepared by the Gulf Council, approved by the Secretary of
Commerce, and is implemented by NMFS through regulations at 50 CFR part
622 under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). All greater amberjack
weights discussed in this temporary rule are in round weight.
For Gulf greater amberjack, the commercial annual catch limit (ACL)
and quota (commercial ACT) are 101,000 pounds (lb)(45,813 kilograms
(kg)) and 93,930 lb (42,606 kg), respectively (50 CFR 622.41(a)(2)(iii)
and 622.39(a)(2)(ii)). As described at 50 CFR 622.7, the fishing year
for the Gulf greater amberjack commercial sector is January 1 through
December 31.
[[Page 42139]]
Under 50 CFR 622.41(a)(1)(i), NMFS is required to close the greater
amberjack commercial sector when the commercial ACT is reached, or is
projected to be reached, by filing a notification to that effect with
the Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has determined that the 2025
commercial ACT of 93,930 lb (42,606 kg) has been reached. Accordingly,
NMFS closes the commercial harvest of greater amberjack from the Gulf
EEZ effective 12:01 a.m., local time, Tuesday, September 2, 2025
through December 31, 2025.
During the commercial closure, the sale or purchase of greater
amberjack taken from the Gulf EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on
sale or purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of greater
amberjack that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01
a.m., local time, Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and were held in cold
storage by a dealer or processor. The commercial sector for greater
amberjack will re-open on January 1, 2026, the beginning of the 2026
greater amberjack commercial fishing season.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.41(a)(1), which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the regulations associated with the
closure of the greater amberjack commercial sector at 50 CFR
622.41(a)(1) have already been subject to notice and public comment,
and all that remains is to notify the public of the commercial closure.
Prior notice and opportunity for public comment are contrary to the
public interest because there is a need to immediately implement this
action to protect the greater amberjack stock. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would require time and could result in a
harvest well in excess of the commercial ACL. NMFS is required to
reduce the 2026 commercial ACT and ACL by the amount of any overage of
the 2025 commercial ACL, which would then reduce the 2026 fishing
season.
For the aforementioned reasons, the NMFS also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 27, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-16675 Filed 8-28-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 29, 2025.
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