Emergency Rule to Increase Catch Limits for Gulf of America Red Grouper

In a letter dated April 29, 2025, the Gulf Council recommended that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issue an emergency rule as soon as possible that would set the Gulf red grouper stock annual catch limit (ACL) at 90% of the acceptable biological catch (ABC) using the Florida State Reef Fish Survey (SRFS) private recreational data, and that no other management measure, such as changes in recreational and commercial allocation, would be included in the emergency rule. This emergency action is being considered to prevent significant direct economic loss to recreational anglers, federally permitted for-hire operators, and commercial fishermen while the Council develops permanent measures to increase Gulf red grouper catch limits through an amendment to the Reef Fish FMP. In addition, this Emergency Rule will benefit private recreational anglers by allowing them increased opportunity to harvest red grouper for a greater portion of the year, thus relieving social impacts associated with current catch levels.

This Emergency Rule would increase the 2025 Gulf red grouper overfishing limit (OFL) to 10.64 million pounds (mp) gutted weight (gw), the acceptable biological catch (ABC) to and 8.28 mp gw, the stock annual catch limit (ACL) to 7.45 mp gw, and split the sector ACL and ACTs based on current regulations. These catch limits would be consistent with the Council’s April 29, 2025, request for an emergency rule, as well as with the recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 88 stock assessment found that Gulf red grouper catch limits could be substantially increased while sustainably managing this stock. SEDAR 88 used private recreational data from the SRFS, which estimates lower recreational landings than the Marine Recreational Information Program-Fishing Effort Survey, which was used in the prior Gulf red grouper stock assessment and is currently used to monitor recreational landings. At its May 2025 meeting, the Council’s SSC determined that SEDAR 88 was based on the best scientific information available, and set The SSC determined that since more than 95% of red grouper landings occurred in Florida, it was appropriate to use SRFS for monitoring Florida private recreational landings.