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Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan

Gulf of Mexico

About

 

The reef fish management plan is designed to rebuild declining reef fish stocks and support the sustainable use of reef fish resources in the Gulf of Mexico.

See current rules that are open for comment here.

To reach Sustainable Fisheries staff, please call (727) 824-5305, or see individual Fishery Management Plan Actions for specific contacts.

More Information

Maps and GIS
​​​​​​Annual Catch Limit Monitoring Marine Protected Areas
Seasonal Closures Longline & Buoy Gear Restricted Area Map
Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Release Protocols Longline Seasonal Prohibition Map
Red Snapper Overview Shallow Water Grouper Closure Map
Species Managed and Stock Status  
Biological Opinion on the Reef Fish Fishery (Coming Soon)  
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program  
Dealer Permits and Reporting Amendment  
SIGN UP for Fishery Bulletins & Text Message Alerts  
RETURN to Gulf of Mexico  

Species Managed

Federally Managed Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Red Snapper

Actions

Current Recently Finalized Historical Actions

Framework Action: Modification to Gray Triggerfish Catch Limits

This framework and rule would increase the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) gray triggerfish catch limits.  The sector allocations of 79% recreational and 21% commercial, and the prior overfishing limit of 1,220,000 lbs whole weight (ww) would remain in effect. …
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Issued
06/29/2021

Amendment 53: Red Grouper Allocations and Catch Levels

Amendment 53 will consider alternatives to revise the Gulf of Mexico red grouper commercial and recreational sector allocation as well as the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, and sector annual catch limits and annual catch targets. These…
Notice
,
Gulf of Mexico
Published
05/14/2021

Framework Action to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico - Modification to the Recreational For-hire Red Snapper

This action would retain the 9 percent buffer between the annual catch target (ACT) and annual catch limit (ACL) for the red snapper for-hire component, which was implemented in 2019. The ACT is used to set the season length. This action will allow the…
Final Rule
Effective
03/23/2020

Framework Action: Modification of Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper Annual Catch Limits and Annual Catch Targets

The purpose of the rule is to continue the Gulf red grouper commercial and recreational annual catch limit (ACL) and annual catch target (ACT) reductions implemented in 2019. The reductions in harvest in 2019 were put in place through an emergency rule…
Proposed Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Published
07/19/2019

Carryover Provisions and Framework Modifications

The purpose of this amendment to is establish a carryover provision for managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) stocks. Carryover provisions would apply to stocks and stock complexes with sector allocations. Unused portions of the sector…
Information Gathering
,
Gulf of Mexico
Issued
03/11/2019

Modification of Fishing Access in Eastern Gulf of Mexico Marine Protected Areas

The amendment and rule would prohibit fishing and the possession of any species of Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish year-round in the Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps MPAs, with no exception for vessels in transit unless the vessel has an operating…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
08/20/2021

Framework Amendment to Modify Multi-Day Trip Possession Limits for Federal Permitted Charter/Headboat Vessels in the Gulf of Mexico

The rule would modify the on-board possession limit for federal for-hire trips in the Gulf of Mexico.  It would increase the required trip duration to greater than 30 hours, but would allow anglers to retain the second daily bag limit at any time after…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
03/26/2021

Gulf of Mexico Modifications to Charter Vessel and Headboat Reporting Requirements

The For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment would modify data reporting requirements for federally permitted for-hire vessels (charter vessels and headboats) in the Gulf of Mexico to declare (hail-out) the type of trip (for-hire or other) prior to…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
01/05/2021

Amendment 51: Establish Gray Snapper Status Determination Criteria and Modify Annual Catch Limits

Gray snapper is a federally managed species caught in the Gulf of Mexico. The species is targeted inshore and offshore on natural and artificial reefs. Amendment 51 would establish overfished and overfishing definitions for the Gulf of Mexico gray…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
12/17/2020

Framework Action: Replacement of Historical Captain Permits with Standard Federal Charter/Headboat Permits

This amendment and rule will provide an opportunity for eligible individuals to replace historical captain permits in the reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries with standard federal for-hire permits.  The rule would apply to individuals that…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
05/21/2020

Framework Action: Greater Amberjack Commercial Trip Limits

This framework and rule would reduce the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) greater amberjack commercial trip limit from 1,500 lbs gutted weight (gw) to 1,000 lbs gw with a step-down to 250 lbs gw when 75 percent of the quota has been landed.  The need for this…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
05/14/2020

Amendment 50A-F: State Management Program for Recreational Red Snapper

NOAA Fisheries, in collaboration with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council), is developing a State Management Program Amendment for Recreational Red Snapper to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
02/06/2020

2019 Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish In-Season Actions

This is a list of the in-season actions related to the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan, such as fishery closures, that occurred in the 2019 calendar year. 
Temporary Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Issued
12/31/2019

Amendment 49: Modify Sea Turtle Release Gear and the Reef Fish Framework Procedure

The final rule for Amendment 49 adds three newly approved sea turtle release devices and updates the regulations to simplify and clarify the specifications for other release gear requirements.  The new devices and updates provide more options to fulfill…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
06/17/2019

Emergency Rule to Modify the Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper Annual Catch Limit

This temporary rule would reduce the Gulf red grouper commercial and recreational annual catch limits and associated annual catch targets to provide increased protections to the stock. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council requested commercial…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
05/17/2019

Framework Action: Modification to the Recreational Red Snapper Annual Catch Target Buffers & Modification of Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper and West

The actions in these two framework amendments will be combined during the rule making process, allowing the public to see the resulting ACLs and provide comment.  The purpose of the framework actions are to  modify the annual catch limits (ACLs) for…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
04/04/2019

Framework Action: Modification of Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper and West Florida Hogfish Annual Catch Limits

The purpose of the framework is to modify the annual catch limits (ACLs) for Gulf red snapper and west Florida hogfish based on the most recent stock assessments. The assessments indicated that neither stock was overfished or experiencing overfishing. …
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
04/04/2019

Framework Action: Modification to the Recreational Red Snapper Annual Catch Target Buffers

The purpose of this framework is to reduce the federal for-hire component's red snapper annual catch target (ACT) buffer to a level that would allow a greater harvest in 2019 while continuing to constrain landings to the for-hire component and total…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
04/04/2019

Framework Action: Modifications to Mutton Snapper and Gag Management Measures

This framework modifies mutton snapper allowable harvest based on revised scientific recommendations and considers simplified management measures allowing for consistency of mutton and gag regulations between sectors, between state and federal waters,…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
07/23/2018

Reef Fish Amendment 36A: Modifications to Commercial Individual Fishing Quota Programs

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council took final action on Amendment 36A at their April 2017 meeting. The purpose of this action improve compliance and increase management flexibility in the Gulf individual fishing quota (IFQ) programs as well…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
07/12/2018

Reef Fish Amendment 47: Establish a Vermilion Snapper MSY Proxy and Adjust the Stock Annual Catch Limit

This Amendment and proposed rule address the calculation for the estimate of the vermilion snapper stock's maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and an increase in the stock annual catch limit (ACL). For vermilion snapper, there is a high degree of…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
06/13/2018

Framework Action to Modify the Greater Amberjack Fishing Year and the Recreational Fixed Closed Season

This framework modifies the recreational fishing year and fixed closed season for Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack. Amendment Modifications to the Greater Amberjack Fishing Year and the Recreational Fixed Closed Season
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
04/30/2018

Framework Action to Modify the Number of Unrigged Hooks Carried Onboard Bottom Longline Vessels

This framework allows for an unlimited number of unrigged hooks onboard commercial reef fish vessels with a bottom longline  endorsement; however, no more than 750 hooks can be fished or rigged for fishing.  Amendment Modify Number of Unrigged…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
02/06/2018

Framework Action to Modify Greater Amberjack Allowable Harvest and Rebuilding Plan

This framework modifies the allowable harvest and rebuilding plan for the Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack stock as a result of the most recent stock assessment and modifies the recreational fixed closed season. Amendment Modifications to Greater…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
01/27/2018

Reef Fish Amendment 46: Gray Triggerfish Rebuilding Plan

This Amendment and proposed rule address a determination that the rebuilding of the Gulf gray triggerfish stock is not making adequate progress.  The amendment and rule would establish a 9-year rebuilding time period, retain the current gray triggerfish…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
01/16/2018

Amendment 44: Minimum Stock Size Threshold Revision for Reef Fish Stocks with Existing Status Determination Criteria

A stock is considered overfished when the population size is considered too low.  If this occurs, a rebuilding plan is needed.  For managed stocks, overfished thresholds (also known as minimum stock size thresholds) are established so that if the…
Final Rule
Effective
12/28/2017

Modifications to Federally Permitted Seafood Dealer Reporting Requirements

Effective August 7, 2014, the action modifies permitting and reporting requirements for seafood dealers who first receive federally managed species.  This action is intended to improve the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness of data…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
08/07/2014

Modification of the Coastal Migratory Pelagic and Reef Fish Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit Renewal and Transfer Requirements

March 2013 Regulations implemented through the Coastal Migratory Pelagic and Reef Fish Fishery Management Plans limit Gulf for-hire permit transfers and renewals to vessels that have the same passenger capacity or a lower passenger capacity.  This…
Final Rule
,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
08/30/2013

Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Historical Amendments and Rulemaking (1983-2017)

The following is a list of historic rulemakings to the Fishery Management Plan for Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Resources effective 2017 and earlier. The reef fish management plan is designed to rebuild declining reef fish stocks and support the sustainable…
Final Rule
,
Southeast
Published
12/31/1983

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 06/09/2021