Rule2026-06421
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America; 2026 Red Snapper Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season in the Gulf of America
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 2, 2026
Effective
October 26, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces the 2026 recreational fishing season for the Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) component for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of America (Gulf) through this temporary rule. The red snapper recreational for-hire component in the Gulf EEZ opens on June 1, 2026, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 26, 2026. This closure is necessary to prevent the Federal for-hire component from exceeding its quota and to prevent overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16580-16581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06421]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 140818679-5356-02; RTID 0648-XF640]
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America; 2026 Red Snapper
Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season in the Gulf of America
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 2026 recreational fishing season for the
Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) component for red snapper in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of America (Gulf) through
this temporary rule. The red snapper recreational for-hire component in
the Gulf EEZ opens on June 1, 2026, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local
time, on October 26, 2026. This closure is necessary to prevent the
Federal for-hire component from exceeding its quota and to prevent
overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.
DATES: The closure is effective at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October
26, 2026, until 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2027.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Luers, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, 727-209-5988, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2246434c4b474e0c4e57475051624c4d43430c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cda9aca3a4a8a1e3a1b8a8bfbe8da3a2acace3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf reef fish fishery, which includes
red snapper, is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef
Fish Resources of the Gulf (FMP). The Gulf Council prepared the FMP,
which was 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).
Through this temporary rule, NMFS announces the recreational
fishing season for the red snapper recreational sector for-hire
component in the Gulf for the 2026 fishing year. The final rule
implementing Amendment 40 to the FMP established two components within
the recreational sector fishing for Gulf red snapper: the private
angling component and the Federal for-hire component (80 FR 22422,
April 22, 2015). Amendment 40 also allocated the red snapper
recreational annual catch limit (recreational quota) between the
components and established separate seasonal closures for the two
components. The Federal for-hire component's red snapper annual catch
target (ACT) is 9 percent below the for-hire component quota (87 FR
74014, December 2, 2022; 50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
The red snapper for-hire component seasonal closure is projected
based on an evaluation of when landings are expected to reach the
component's ACT. Projecting the for-hire component's seasonal closure
using the ACT reduces the likelihood of the harvest exceeding the
component quota and the total recreational quota. The Federal for-hire
component ACT for red snapper in the Gulf EEZ is 3,076,322 pounds
(1,395,396 kilograms), round weight (50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
NMFS has determined that the 2026 Federal Gulf red snapper for-hire
fishing
[[Page 16581]]
season will be 147 days. This is 19 days longer than the 2025 season
(90 FR 20127, May 12, 2025; 90 FR 55513, December 12, 2025).
NMFS considered season length projections based on average catch
rates for 2021-2023, 2021-2025, and 2023-2025, and using only 2025
preliminary landings. This resulted in a range of season lengths from
97 to 214 days. NMFS decided to set the season at 147 days based on
catch rates from the 2023-2025 fishing seasons, which takes into
account the variability during the most recent 3-year time period.
Therefore, the 2026 recreational season for the Federal for-hire
component will begin at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2026, and
close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 26, 2026.
On and after the effective date of the Federal for-hire component
closure, the bag and possession limits for red snapper for Federal for-
hire vessels are zero. When the Federal for-hire component is closed,
these bag and possession limits apply in the Gulf on board a vessel for
which a valid Federal for-hire permit for Gulf reef fish has been
issued, without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in
state or Federal waters. In addition, a person aboard a vessel that has
been issued a charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish any
time during the fishing year may not harvest or possess red snapper in
or from the Gulf EEZ when the Federal charter vessel/headboat component
is closed.
NMFS will monitor landings of the Federal for-hire component for
red snapper during the 2026 fishing season. If landings of the for-hire
component from the season are less than that of the component ACT, then
NMFS may reopen the fishing season to allow harvest of the remaining
component ACT (50 CFR 622.8(c)).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(i) and
(ii), 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 rules implementing the red
snapper for-hire quota and ACT, and the requirement to close the for-
hire component when its ACT is projected to be reached have already
been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify
the public of the closure. Such procedures are contrary to the public
interest because many for-hire operations book trips for clients in
advance and require as much notice as NMFS is able to provide to adjust
their business plans to account for the fishing season.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 31, 2026.
David R. Blankinship,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-06421 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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