Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries requests your comments on the notice of availability and proposed rule for Amendment 50 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 50). The latest population assessment determined South Atlantic red porgy is overfished and undergoing overfishing. If implemented, Amendment 50 and the proposed rule would modify management of South Atlantic red porgy through establishing a new rebuilding plan, and revising the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, annual optimum yield, sector allocations, accountability measures, and management measures for the commercial and recreational sectors. The management measures would reduce the commercial trip and recreational bag and possession limit, and implement a 2-month recreational fishing season. Comments are due by November 8, 2022.
Summary of Proposed Changes:
- Rebuilding Plan
- Amendment 50 would establish a new rebuilding plan schedule equal to 26 years with it starting in 2022 and ending in 2047.
- Catch Levels and Sector Allocations
- The proposed total annual catch limit would be equal to the acceptable biological catch of 75,000 pounds whole weight (lb ww) for 2022; 81,000 lb ww for 2023; 87,000 lb ww for 2024; 91,000 lb ww for 2025; and 95,000 lb ww for 2026 and subsequent fishing years.
- The proposed red porgy sector annual catch limits are based on a revised commercial and recreational allocation of 51.43% and 48.57%, respectively.
- The commercial annual catch limits would be 37,089 lb gutted weight (gw) for 2022; 40,056 lb gw, for 2023; 43,023 lb gw for 2024; 45,001 lb gw for 2025; and 46,979 lb gw for 2026 and subsequent years.
- The recreational annual catch limits would be 35,026 lb gw for 2022; 37,829 lb gw for 2023; 40,631 lb gw for 2024; 42,499 lb gw for 2025; and 44,367 lb gw for 2026 and subsequent years.
- Management Measures
- The commercial trip limits for red porgy would be reduced to 15 fish for both Seasons 1 and 2.
- The recreational bag and possession limits would be reduced to 1 fish per person per day, or 1 fish per person per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
- The proposed rule would establish a recreational fishing season for red porgy where harvest would be allowed May 1 through June 30.
- Recreational Accountability Measures
- The current in-season closure and stock status based post-season accountability measure would be removed. If recreational landings exceed the recreational annual catch limit, the length of the following year’s recreational fishing season would be reduced by the amount necessary to prevent the recreational annual catch limit from being exceeded in the following year.
How to Comment on the Notice of Availability and Proposed Rule:
The comment period for the notice of availability is open now through November 8, 2022. The comment period on the proposed rule is expected to fall within this same time frame, and comments on both the amendment and proposed rule will be considered in the final rule. You may submit comments by electronic submission (described below) or by postal mail. Comments received after the end of the comment period may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.
Federal Register Citation: 87 FR 55376, published September 9, 2022
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
1. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NMFS-2022-0054/document.
2. Click the "Comment Now!" icon, complete the required fields.
3. Enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Frank Helies, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Where can I find more information on Amendment 50?
- Amendment 50 may be found online at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-50-catch-level-adjustments-rebuilding-schedule-and-allocations-red-porgy/.
- By Mail: Frank Helies
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
By FAX: (727) 824-5308
By Phone: (727) 824-5305
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why are changes to management of South Atlantic red porgy being proposed?
- Amendment 50 would modify management of South Atlantic red porgy in response to the latest population assessment.
- The results of the latest assessment indicated that the stock has experienced over harvest and needs to rebuild to target levels.
Why are changes to the commercial and recreational allocations for red porgy being considered?
- Estimates of recreational landings have changed to incorporate Marine Recreational Information Program’s Fishing Effort Survey method, which has replaced the Marine Recreational Information Program’s Coastal Household Telephone Survey.
- The new allocations result in a small increase to the commercial sector.
What are the proposed catch levels and management measures for the commercial sector?
- The commercial sector annual catch limits are split into two commercial fishing seasons with 30% allocated to Season 1 (January through April) and 70% allocated to Season 2 (May through December). Any remaining commercial quota from Season 1 would be added to the commercial quota in Season 2. Any remaining quota from Season 2 would not be carried forward into the next fishing year.
- The commercial quotas in 2022 for Season 1 would be 11,127 lb gw and Season 2 would be 25,962 lb gw; in 2023, Season 1 would be 12,017 lb gw and Season 2 would be 28,039 lb gw; in 2024, Season 1 would be 12,907 lb gw and Season 2 would be 30,116 lb gw; in 2025, Season 1 would be 13,500 lb gw and Season 2 would be 31,501 lb gw; and for 2026 and subsequent years, Season 1 would be 14,094 lb gw and Season 2 would be 32,886 lb gw. This proposed rule would not alter the current fishing seasons or commercial season quota allocations.
- The commercial trip limits for red porgy would be reduced to 15 fish for both Seasons 1 and 2. The current commercial trip limit for red porgy is 60 fish from January 1 through April 30 and 120 fish from May 1 through December 31.
- The lower trip limits would allow commercial fishermen to retain small numbers of red porgy over the longest amount of time and thus minimize discards of incidentally harvested red porgy when targeting other species such as gray triggerfish and vermilion snapper.
What are the proposed management measures for the recreational sector?
- The recreational bag limit for red porgy would be reduced to 1 fish per person per day, or 1 fish per person per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
- The current recreational bag limit is 3 per person per day, or 3 per person per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
- Recreational harvest of red porgy is currently allowed year-round. The proposed rule would establish a recreational fishing season for red porgy where harvest would be allowed May 1 through June 30.
- Given the substantial reduction in harvest needed to end red porgy overfishing immediately and to increase the likelihood of rebuilding the stock, the low bag limit and short fishing season would allow recreational retention for a portion of the year and help constrain harvest to the reduced recreational catch levels.
Why are recreational accountability measures being modified?
- The intent in revising the recreational accountability measure is to avoid in-season closures of the recreational sector and extend maximum fishing opportunities to the sector.
- The proposed measure would remove the current potential duplicate application of a reduction in the recreational season length and a payback of the recreational annual catch limit overage if the total annual catch limit is exceeded. Under this proposed measure, the trigger would not be tied to the total annual catch limit, but only to the recreational annual catch limit.
- The proposed modification would ensure that overages in the recreational sector do not affect the catch levels for the commercial sector.
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NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time.
Text alerts you may receive include:
- Immediate fishery openings and closures
- Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly
Sign up for one or more of the following groups:
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- Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
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- Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
- South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
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- Text CARIBFISH to 888777
Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office
Other contacts:
Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
