Key Message:
- NOAA Fisheries requests your comments on the notice of availability and proposed rule for Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region.
- If implemented, Amendment 53 and the proposed rule would modify management of South Atlantic gag through establishing a rebuilding plan, and revising the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, annual optimum yield, sector allocations, recreational accountability measures, and management measures for the commercial and recreational sectors.
- Amendment 53 and the proposed rule would also modify recreational management measures for black grouper. Comments are due by August 11, 2023.
Summary of Proposed Changes:
- Rebuilding Plan
- Amendment 53 would establish a rebuilding plan schedule equal to 10 years, starting in 2023 and ending in 2032.
- Catch Levels and Sector Allocations
- The proposed total annual catch limit would be equal to the acceptable biological catch of 175,632 pounds (lbs) gutted weight (gw), for 2023, and would increase each year throughout the rebuilding timeframe. The total annual catch limit would be 948,911 lbs gw, for 2032 and subsequent fishing years.
- The proposed gag sector annual catch limits are based on a revised commercial and recreational allocation of 49% commercial and 51% recreational for 2023 through 2026. Each year thereafter would be a 50% commercial and 50% recreational allocation.
- The commercial annual catch limit would be 85,326 lbs gw, for 2023, and would increase each year throughout the rebuilding timeframe. The commercial annual catch limit would be 471,966 lbs gw, for 2032 and subsequent fishing years.
- The recreational annual catch limit would be 90,306 lbs gw, for 2023, and would increase each year throughout the rebuilding timeframe. The commercial annual catch limit would be 476,945 lbs gw, for 2032 and subsequent fishing years.
- Management Measures
- The commercial trip limits for gag would be reduced to 300 lbs gw.
- The proposed rule would establish private recreational vessel limits for gag and black grouper of 2 fish per vessel per day not to exceed the daily bag limit of 1 fish per person per day, whichever is more restrictive and a charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) recreational vessel limit for gag and black grouper of 2 fish per vessel per trip not to exceed the daily bag limit of 1 fish per person per day, whichever is more restrictive.
- The proposed rule would set the gag and black grouper bag limit for captain and crew on a for-hire vessel with a Federal for-hire snapper-grouper permit at zero.
- Recreational Accountability Measures
- The current in-season closure would be retained. The post-season recreational accountability measure would be revised and triggered in the following fishing year if the recreational annual catch limit is exceeded. If recreational landings exceed the recreational annual catch limit, the length of the following year’s recreational fishing season would be reduced by the amount necessary to prevent the recreational annual catch limit from being exceeded in the following year.
How to Comment on the Notice of Availability and Proposed Rule:
The comment period for the notice of availability is open now through August 11, 2023. The comment period on the proposed rule is expected to fall within this same timeframe, and comments on both the amendment and proposed rule will be considered in the final rule. You may submit comments by electronic submission (described below) or by postal mail. Comments received after the end of the comment period may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.
Federal Register Citation: 88 FR 38011, published June 12, 2023
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
1. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2023-0045-0002.
2. Click the "Comment Now!" icon, complete the required fields.
3. Enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Frank Helies, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Where can I find more information on Amendment 53?
- Amendment 53 may be found online at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-53-rebuilding-plan-gag-and-management-gag-and-black-grouper/.
- By Mail: Frank Helies
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
By FAX: (727) 824-5308
By Phone: (727) 824-5305
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why are changes to management of South Atlantic gag being proposed?
- Amendment 53 would modify management of South Atlantic gag in response to the latest population assessment.
- The results of the latest assessment indicated that the stock has experienced over harvest and needs to rebuild to target levels.
Why are changes to the commercial and recreational allocations for gag being considered?
- Estimates of recreational landings have changed to incorporate Marine Recreational Information Program’s Fishing Effort Survey (MRIP FES) method, which has replaced the Marine Recreational Information Program’s Coastal Household Telephone Survey.
- Amendment 53 would adjust the commercial and recreational sector allocations based on a unique allocation formula (split reduction method) that accounts for the revisions to calibrated recreational landings estimates from the MRIP FES.
- This method would implement the reductions in total harvest needed to achieve the new total annual catch limit proportionally for each sector, based upon the distribution of landings under more recent time periods that better reflect the way the fishery is currently operating. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) chose the 5-year average of commercial and recreational landings from 2015 through 2019 for the baseline landings. The Council's selected allocation alternative splits the reduction needed to achieve the new annual catch limit in 2023 proportionally, based on the sector’s landings from the baseline years. Each subsequent year, throughout the rebuilding plan, as the annual catch limit increases, the allowable poundage increase is allocated equally between both sectors and added to each sector’s respective annual catch limit from the previous year.
- The proposed adjustments would result in allocation percentages of 49% commercial and 51% recreational for 2023 through 2026. Each year thereafter would be a 50% commercial and 50% recreational allocation.
- The Council determined that the preferred sector allocation method more fairly deals with the initial reduction in landings that results from the updated catch levels and reduces the proportion of each sector’s allowable catch based on recent landings so the effect on each sector is more equitable.
What are the proposed catch levels and management measures for the commercial sector?
- The commercial annual catch limits would be 85,326 lbs gw, for 2023; 128,096 lbs gw, for 2024; 171,687 lbs gw, for 2025; 215,051 lbs gw, for 2026; 259,823 lbs gw, for 2027; 306,400 lbs gw, for 2028; 353,220 lbs gw, for 2029; 397,555 lbs gw, for 2030; 437,390 lbs gw, for 2031; and 471,966 lbs gw, for 2032 and subsequent years.
- The commercial trip limits for gag would be reduced to 300 lbs gw. The current commercial trip limit for gag is 1,000 lbs gw, until 75% of the commercial quota is met, at which time the commercial trip limit is reduced to 500 lbs gw.
- The lower trip limit would allow commercial fishermen to retain a sufficient amount of gag over the longest amount of time during a fishing year and would increase the likelihood of gag remaining open to commercial harvest and available to consumers for as long as possible during the year.
What are the proposed management measures for the recreational sector for gag and black grouper?
- The current recreational bag and possession limits for gag and black grouper in the South Atlantic are 1 fish per person per day within the 3 fish grouper aggregate (no more than 1 grouper may be gag or black grouper). This is not being modified.
- The proposed rule would establish private recreational vessel limits for gag and black grouper of 2 fish per vessel per day not to exceed the daily bag limit of 1 fish per person per day, whichever is more restrictive.
- The proposed rule would establish charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) recreational vessel limits for gag and black grouper of 2 fish per vessel per trip not to exceed the daily bag limit of 1 fish per person per day, whichever is more restrictive.
- The proposed rule would set the gag and black grouper bag limit for captain and crew on a for-hire vessel with a Federal for-hire snapper-grouper permit at zero.
- Given the substantial reduction in harvest needed to end overfishing immediately and to increase the likelihood of rebuilding the gag stock, the Council decided to establish recreational vessel limits that would continue to allow recreational retention and help constrain harvest to the reduced recreational catch limits.
Why are the recreational management measures for black grouper being modified?
- Gag and black grouper are often misidentified by recreational fishermen. Because of these misidentification issues, and with the need to greatly reduce the harvest of gag to rebuild the stock, Amendment 53 would also implement recreational harvest constraints for black grouper to indirectly benefit the gag portion of the snapper-grouper fishery because of the identification challenges between the two species.
Why are recreational accountability measures being modified?
- The current in-season closure would be retained. The post-season recreational accountability measure would be revised and triggered in the following fishing year if the recreational annual catch limit is exceeded. If recreational landings exceed the recreational annual catch limit, the length of the following year’s recreational fishing season would be reduced by the amount necessary to prevent the recreational annual catch limit from being exceeded in the following year.
- The proposed measure would remove the current potential duplicate application of a reduction in the recreational season length and an overage adjustment (payback) of the recreational catch limit overage if the total annual catch limit was exceeded.
- The proposed modification would ensure that overages in the recreational sector do not affect the catch levels for the commercial sector.
- Amendment 53 would not revise the commercial accountability measures because the Council determined that the current commercial measure remains sufficient to ensure commercial landings would not exceed either the current or revised commercial catch limits.
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NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time.
Text alerts you may receive include:
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Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office
Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.
Media Contact: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202
