Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Amendment 22 to the Fishery Management Plan for Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic

Résumé

NMFS, Southeast Region, in collaboration with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), intends to prepare an EIS to describe and analyze a range of alternatives for management actions to be included in an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). These alternatives will consider measures to establish a long-term red snapper fishery management program in the South Atlantic to optimize yield and rebuild the stock, while minimizing socioeconomic impacts. More specifically, these alternatives will consider the elimination of harvest restrictions on red snapper as the stock increases in biomass. The purpose of this NOI is to solicit public comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS.