Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Amendment 50

Resumo

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 50 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 red porgy, this final rule revises the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial seasonal quotas, commercial trip limits, recreational bag and possession limits, recreational fishing season, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). In addition, Amendment 50 establishes a new rebuilding plan, and revises the acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual optimum yield (OY), and sector allocations. The purpose of this final rule and Amendment 50 is to end overfishing of red porgy, rebuild the stock, and achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social and economic effects.