Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Adjusted Closure of the 2013 Gulf of Mexico Recreational Sector for Red Snapper

NMFS announces an adjusted closure of the recreational sector for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2013 fishing season through this temporary rule. On May 31, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Texas, Brownsville Division, set aside a March 25, 2013, emergency rule that gave the NMFS Regional Administrator the authority to close the recreational sector for red snapper in the EEZ off individual Gulf states. Therefore, NMFS adjusts the closure of the recreational sector for red snapper by closing the entire Gulf EEZ on June 29, 2013, instead of closing the EEZ on different days off individual Gulf states. This Gulf-wide EEZ closure is based on the Court decision and is necessary to prevent the recreational sector from exceeding its quota for the fishing year and prevent overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.