NOAA Final Ruling affecting 9 Snapper / Grouper Catch Limits

NOAA Announces the Publication of a Final Rule to Establish Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures for Nine South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Species

NOAA Fisheries Service has published a final rule implementing Amendment 17B to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 17B). This final rule, establishes annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for nine snapper-grouper species (golden tilefish, snowy grouper, speckled hind, warsaw grouper, gag, red grouper, black grouper, black sea bass, and vermilion snapper) as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. ACLs are set at levels that prevent overfishing (when the rate of removals is too high). AMs are management controls established to ensure that ACLs are not exceeded, or they may correct for overages if ACLs are exceeded during a fishing season.

In addition to specifying ACLs and AMs for nine snapper-grouper species, Amendment 17B allocates 97 percent of the golden tilefish ACL to the commercial sector and 3 percent of the ACL to the recreational sector, and specifies management measures intended to address overfishing, including:

• A prohibition on harvest and retention of speckled hind and warsaw grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic.

• A prohibition on harvest and retention of snowy grouper, blueline tilefish, yellowedge grouper, misty grouper, queen snapper, and silk snapper, beyond 240 feet (73 m) in federal waters of the South Atlantic.

This species prohibition is intended to reduce incidental catch of speckled hind and warsaw grouper.

• And a bag limit reduction for snowy grouper from one fish per person per day, to one fish per vessel per day.



Effective Date:

All measures in Amendment 17B will be effective January 31, 2011.

Addresses

Electronic copies of the final rule may be obtained from the e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Web site at http://www.safmc.net, or:

NOAA Fisheries Service

Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

More information:

Information on these and other actions contained in Amendment 17B can be found on the Council’s web site at http://www.safmc.net, in the Amendment 17B Frequently Asked Questions, and at the following NOAA Fisheries Service Southeast Region web site http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/SASnapperGrouperHomepage.htm.



Cheryl Gilgo

Public Affairs Assistant

252-808-8137