Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Extension of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Recreational Red Grouper Season

NMFS extends the recreational fishing season for the red grouper component of the reef fish fishery in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2014 fishing year through this temporary rule. On April 30, 2014, NMFS published a temporary rule to implement accountability measures and a closure for the recreational sector for red grouper. That temporary rule reduced the red grouper bag limit in the Gulf EEZ to three fish (within the current four-fish grouper aggregate bag limit) and announced a recreational fishing season closure date of September 16, 2014, based on a recreational annual catch limit (ACL) overage in 2013 and the reduced bag limit. However, using updated landings information from 2014, NMFS has determined that the recreational fishing season for red grouper may be extended for an additional 18 days. The purpose of this action is to provide fishermen the opportunity to harvest the recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf red grouper, and the opportunity to achieve the optimum yield for the fishery, thus enhancing social and economic benefits to the fishery.