Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Amendment 51

Resumen

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 51 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 snowy grouper, this proposed rule would revise the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial seasonal quotas, recreational fishing season, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). In addition, Amendment 51 would revise the acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual optimum yield (OY), and sector allocations of the total ACL. The purpose of this proposed rule and Amendment 51 is to end overfishing of snowy grouper, rebuild the stock, and achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social and economic effects.