Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 32

NMFS issues this final rule to implement management measures described in Amendment 32 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 32) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This rule adjusts the commercial gag quota and recreational annual catch target (ACT) for 2012 through 2015 and subsequent fishing years, consistent with the gag rebuilding plan established in Amendment 32; adjusts the shallow-water grouper (SWG) quota; adjusts the commercial and recreational sector annual catch limits (ACLs) for gag and red grouper; adjusts the commercial ACL for SWG; establishes a formula-based method for setting gag and red grouper multi-use allocation for the grouper/ tilefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) program in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf); sets the recreational gag fishing season from July 1 through October 31; reduces the gag commercial size limit to 22 inches (59 cm) total length (TL); and modifies the gag and red grouper accountability measures (AMs). In addition, Amendment 32 establishes gag commercial ACTs and a 10-year gag rebuilding plan consistent with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). This final rule is intended to end overfishing of gag, allow the gag stock to rebuild, and adjust red grouper management measures to allow the harvest of optimum yield (OY).