Gulf of America Reef Fish Fishery Amendment 62: Red Grouper Catch Limits and Seasonal Closure Revision
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
Amendment 62 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of America proposes revisions to catch limits and sector allocations specifically for Gulf red grouper, based on the latest available scientific information. The Gulf Council submitted this amendment to NMFS for review, approval, and implementation, reflecting updated stock assessments and management objectives. A key regulatory change involves removing the existing February 1 through March 31 recreational seasonal closure for shallow-water grouper (SWG) in Gulf Federal waters seaward of the 20-fathom boundary. This closure had previously restricted recreational fishing during those two months in deeper offshore federal waters. The amendment aims to align red grouper harvest levels with current biological data while also reducing unnecessary restrictions on recreational fishermen who operate beyond the 20-fathom line. The removal of the seasonal closure is intended to provide greater access flexibility for the recreational sector without compromising overall stock sustainability, subject to the revised catch limits. If approved by NMFS, Amendment 62 would update both the commercial and recreational sector allocations of Gulf red grouper, potentially shifting how the total allowable catch is distributed between the two sectors.
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Key Changes
- Catch limits for Gulf red grouper revised based on updated stock assessment and best available scientific information
- Sector allocations between commercial and recreational fisheries for Gulf red grouper revised
- February 1 – March 31 recreational seasonal closure for shallow-water grouper (SWG) removed in Gulf Federal waters seaward of the 20-fathom boundary
+ 2 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Commercial and recreational fishermen must comply with revised catch limits for Gulf red grouper as specified in Amendment 62 upon NMFS approval and implementation
Recreational fishermen must comply with updated sector allocation percentages for Gulf red grouper as established by Amendment 62
Commercial fishermen must comply with updated sector allocation percentages for Gulf red grouper as established by Amendment 62
Recreational fishermen may fish for shallow-water grouper in Gulf Federal waters seaward of the 20-fathom boundary during February 1 through March 31 without seasonal closure restrictions (upon Amendment 62 approval)
NMFS must review and approve or deny Amendment 62 submitted by the Gulf Council for the revised red grouper catch limits and seasonal closure removal