Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Red Grouper Rebuilding Plan

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Secretarial Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Secretarial Amendment 1). Secretarial Amendment 1 was prepared by the Secretary of Commerce and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) pursuant to the rebuilding requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act). This final rule establishes a quota for red grouper, provides for closure of the entire shallow-water grouper fishery when either the shallow-water grouper quota or the red grouper quota is reached, establishes a bag limit of two red grouper per person per day, reduces the shallow-water grouper quota, reduces the deep-water grouper quota, and establishes a quota for tilefishes. In addition, for red grouper in the Gulf of Mexico, Secretarial Amendment 1 establishes a 10-year stock rebuilding plan, biological reference points, and stock status determination criteria consistent with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This final rule is designed to end overfishing and rebuild the red grouper resource.