Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Amendment 53

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NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). For gag, this proposed rule would revise the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial trip limits, recreational bag, vessel, and possession limits, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). For black grouper, this proposed rule would revise the recreational bag, vessel, and possession limits. In addition, Amendment 53 would establish a rebuilding plan, and revise the overfishing levels, acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual optimum yield (OY), and sector allocations for gag. The purpose of this proposed rule and Amendment 53 is to end overfishing of gag, rebuild the stock, and achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social and economic effects.