Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; 2019 Recreational Fishing Seasons for Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico

NMFS announces the 2019 recreational fishing seasons for the private angling and Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) components for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this temporary rule. The season for the recreational sector for red snapper in the Gulf EEZ opens on June 1, each year. For recreational harvest by the private angling component, the season closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, June 1, 2019. NMFS has issued exempted fishing permits (EFPs) that allow each Gulf state (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) to set the private recreational season for red snapper that are landed from state and Federal waters in that state during 2018 and 2019. For recreational harvest by the Federal for-hire component, the season closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 2, 2019. These closures are necessary to prevent the private angling and Federal for-hire components from exceeding their respective quotas, equivalent to annual catch limits (ACLs), for the 2019 fishing year and to prevent overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.