Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2014 Recreational Accountability Measure and Closure for the South Atlantic Porgy Complex

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the recreational porgy complex in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. In the South Atlantic, the porgy complex includes jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, whitebone porgy, scup, and saucereye porgy. Because recreational landings for the porgy complex in the 2013 fishing year exceeded the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for the complex NMFS monitored recreational landings in 2014 for a persistence in increased landings. Through this temporary rule NMFS now closes the recreational sector for the porgy complex in the South Atlantic EEZ on September 17, 2014, as the recreational ACL has been projected to have been met for the 2014 fishing year. This closure is necessary to protect the porgy complex resource.