Rule2026-05873
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2026 Recreational Season Announcement and Closure Date for Golden Tilefish in the South Atlantic
Primary source
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Published
March 26, 2026
Effective
December 31, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces the closure date of the 2026 recreational fishing season for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. The 2026 recreational fishing season for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ is closed starting on March 27, 2026. This closure is necessary to prevent recreational landings of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ from exceeding the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) and to protect the golden tilefish resource from overfishing.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 58 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 58 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14651-14652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05873]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 231101-0256]
RTID 0648-XF558
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2026 Recreational
Season Announcement and Closure Date for Golden Tilefish in the South
Atlantic
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the closure date of the 2026 recreational
fishing season for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
of the South Atlantic. The 2026 recreational fishing season for golden
tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ is closed starting on March 27,
2026. This closure is necessary to prevent recreational landings of
golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ from exceeding the
recreational annual catch limit (ACL) and to protect the golden
tilefish resource from overfishing.
DATES: This closure is effective from March 27 through December 31,
2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla Gore, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#137872617f723d747c6176537d7c72723d747c65"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="412a20332d206f262e3324012f2e20206f262e37">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by NMFS and the South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, and is implemented by NMFS under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.193(a)(2) specify the 2026 recreational
ACL for golden tilefish at 2,741 fish and the recreational AMs. The
recreational AMs state, in part, that NMFS will project the length of
the recreational fishing season for golden tilefish based on catch
rates from the previous fishing year and annually announce the end date
of the recreational season [50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)]. The fishing year and
season for recreational harvest of golden tilefish started on January
1, 2026. Data from the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center informed
NMFS' projection that recreational landings will reach the recreational
ACL for 2026 by March 27. Therefore, NMFS announces that the last day
of the recreational season for golden tilefish is March 26, 2026. The
2026 recreational fishing season for golden tilefish in the South
Atlantic EEZ is closed starting on March 27, 2026, and continues to be
closed through the end of the calendar year. During the recreational
closure, the bag and possession limits for golden tilefish in or from
the South Atlantic EEZ are zero. The next recreational fishing season
for golden tilefish begins on January 1, 2027.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(a)(2), 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 are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the rule that established the
recreational ACL and AMs for golden tilefish has already been subject
to notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of
the end date of the recreational season. Such procedures are contrary
to the public interest because of the need to immediately implement
this action to prevent overfishing of the golden tilefish stock. The
recreational ACL will soon be reached and prior notice and opportunity
for public comment would require additional time, potentially resulting
in a harvest well in excess of the established ACL.
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For the reasons just stated, there is also 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: March 23, 2026.
David R. Blankinship,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-05873 Filed 3-24-26; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 26, 2026.
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