Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Gag Management Measures

NMFS implements management measures described in a framework action to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule establishes a closure date for the 2013 recreational sector for the harvest of gag based on the projected annual catch target (ACT), and reduces the geographic extent of the recreational shallow-water grouper (SWG) fixed seasonal closure. In the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), SWG consists of gag, red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, and yellowmouth grouper. The purpose of this rule is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) for the Gulf gag and other SWG resources and prevent overfishing from the stocks in the SWG complex.