Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 16

NMFS issues this final rule to implement the approved measures of Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP)(Amendment 16), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule establishes a seasonal closure of the recreational and commercial fisheries for gag and associated shallow- water grouper species; establishes a seasonal closure of the recreational fishery for vermilion snapper; reduces the aggregate bag limit for grouper and tilefish; reduces the bag limit for gag or black grouper combined; reduces the bag limit for vermilion snapper; prohibits captain and crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat from retaining any fish under the aggregate bag limit for grouper and tilefish or the vermilion snapper bag limit; establishes semiannual quotas for the commercial vermilion snapper fishery; establishes a quota for the commercial gag fishery; establishes restrictions on the possession, sale, and purchase of gag and associated shallow-water grouper species after the gag commercial quota is reached; and requires possession of a dehooking device on board a vessel when fishing for South Atlantic snapper- grouper and use of such device as needed to release fish with a minimum of injury. In addition, Amendment 16, for both gag and vermilion snapper, revises the definitions of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and optimum yield (OY), specifies total allowable catch (TAC), and establishes interim allocations of TACs for the recreational and commercial sectors. Amendment 16 also specifies a minimum stock size threshold (MSST) for gag and, based on the new assessment, for vermilion snapper. The intended effects of this final rule are to end overfishing of gag and vermilion snapper, protect shallow-water grouper during their spawning season, and reduce bycatch mortality of snapper- grouper species in the South Atlantic.