NOAA Announces New Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Recreational Accountability Measures

The following Southeast Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office is provided as a courtesy to our subscribers.   SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN   (Gulf of Mexico)   FB15-019 Peter Hood 727-824-5305      March 19, 2015       NOAA Announces New Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper  Recreational Accountability Measures Small Entity Compliance Guide  NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule that adds two long-term recreational accountability measures for red snapper. Accountability measures reduce the chances the harvest will exceed the quota, and if the quota is exceeded, take corrective action. The final rule will be effective April 20, 2015. The first accountability measure establishes a recreational annual catch target. The annual catch target is 20 percent less than the recreational quota. Projected recreational seasons will be based on the annual catch target rather than the quota. This measure is expected to reduce the probability of exceeding the quota in any given year from 50 percent to 15 percent. The second accountability measure is an overage adjustment that is only applied when the red snapper population is considered overfished (the population is too low). In the event the recreational quota is exceeded, the recreational quota will be reduced in the year following the overage by the amount of the overage. This quota reduction could be modified if the best scientific information available determines that a different amount is necessary. Under this measure, the recreational annual catch target would be set at 20 percent below the adjusted quota.   Other information This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This bulletin provides only a summary of the information about the rule. Discrepancies between this bulletin and the rule as published in the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register. Copies of the final rule are available by contacting NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Regional Office at 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 or by downloading it off the Southeast Regional Office's Web site for reef fish at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/reef_fish/2014/rs_am_framework/index.html About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.

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