Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 28

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), as prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), and to set the commercial and recreational ACLs and fishing seasons for red snapper for the 2013 fishing year. Amendment 28 and this final rule establish a process for determining whether limited commercial and recreational fishing seasons for red snapper in or from the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ) can occur during a given fishing year, beginning in 2013. Amendment 28 specifies the process and formulas for setting commercial and recreational annual catch limits (ACLs) for red snapper during limited fishing seasons. Amendment 28 and this final rule also establish management measures for red snapper during limited fishing seasons, including eliminating the red snapper minimum size limit, establishing a recreational bag limit, and establishing a commercial trip limit for red snapper. NMFS has determined that limited commercial and recreational fishing seasons can occur in 2013. Therefore, this final rule specifies the commercial and recreational ACLs for 2013, the opening and closing dates of the 2013 recreational fishing season, and the opening date of the 2013 commercial fishing season for South Atlantic red snapper. The purpose of this final rule is to continue rebuilding red snapper to sustainable levels and provide socio-economic benefits to snapper-grouper fishermen and communities that utilize the red snapper resource.