Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Atlantic Coast Red Drum Fishery off the Atlantic States; Transfer of Management Authority

NMFS issues this final rule to repeal the Atlantic Coast Red Drum Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and to transfer the management authority of Atlantic red drum in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council), in cooperation with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Mid-Atlantic Council), under the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act), as requested by the Councils and the Commission. The intent of this final rule is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of managing Atlantic red drum.