Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Regulatory Amendment 36

Official abstract: NMFS issues regulations to implement Regulatory Amendment 36 under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (Snapper-Grouper FMP). This final rule revises the recreational vessel limits for gag and black grouper. Additionally, this final rule revises the transit storage requirements for commercial on-demand, also known as ropeless, black sea bass pots. The purpose of these regulatory changes is to increase biological benefits to the gag and black grouper stocks, and to allow more practical transit of vessels through certain gear restricted areas with on-demand black sea bass pots on board, consistent with mandates in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).