Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Amendment 52

Resumo

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 52 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (FMP), as submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (the Council). For golden tilefish, this final rule revises the annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial longline component fishing season, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). For blueline tilefish, this final rule reduces the recreational bag limit, modifies the possession limits, and revises the recreational AMs. In addition, Amendment 52 updates the acceptable biological catch (ABC), overfishing limit (OFL), and annual optimum yield (OY). The purpose of this final rule and Amendment 52 is to respond to the most recent stock assessment for golden tilefish, and to prevent recreational landings from exceeding the recreational ACLs for golden tilefish and blueline tilefish.