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South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan

South Atlantic

About

Under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council manages 55 species of fishes. Management is designed to support the sustainable use of snapper-grouper resources.  

Species managed include snappers, groupers, porgys, triggerfish, jacks, tilefishes, grunts, spadefishes, wrasses, and sea basses.

To reach Sustainable Fisheries staff, please call 727-824-5305.

More Information

Actions

Under Development Implemented Actions

Amendment 55: Establish a new Scamp and Yellowmouth Grouper complex, with rebuilding plan, catch levels, and management measures; and modify catch

Amendment 55 to the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan
Notice,
South Atlantic
Comments Close
05/16/2025

Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region

NOAA Fisheries intends to prepare Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region
Notice,
South Atlantic
Published
01/14/2025

Amendment 48 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region

Amendment 48 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region: Modernization of the Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota Program
Notice,
South Atlantic
Published
12/19/2024

Interim Rule and 2024 South Atlantic Red Snapper Season

Interim Rule to reduce overfishing and implement the 2024 South Atlantic red snapper fishing season
Interim Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
06/14/2024

Comprehensive Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule Amendment: Revisions to the ABC Control Rule and specifications for carry-overs and phase

Comprehensive Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule Amendment: Revisions to the ABC Control Rule and specifications for carry-overs and phase-ins
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
02/02/2024

Amendment 51: Changes to catch levels, allocations, and the recreational season and accountability measures for snowy grouper

Amendment 51 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic includes changes to catch levels, allocations, and the recreational season and accountability measures for snowy grouper
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
01/02/2024

Amendment 52: Changes to Catch levels, Allocations, Accountability Measures, and Management Measures for Blueline Tilefish and Golden Tilefish

Amendment 52: Changes to catch levels, allocations, and recreational accountability measures for golden tilefish and to the recreational bag and possession limit and recreational accountability measures for blueline tilefish
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
12/07/2023

Amendment 49: Catch Level Adjustments and Management Measure Modifications for Greater Amberjack

South Atlantic snapper grouper greater amberjack catch level adjustments and management measures
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
10/26/2023

Amendment 53: Rebuilding Plan for Gag and Management of Gag and Black Grouper

Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region would modify management of South Atlantic gag and black grouper.
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
10/23/2023

Amendment 50: Catch level adjustments, rebuilding schedule and allocations for red porgy

South Atlantic red porgy catch level adjustments, rebuilding schedule and allocations
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
01/19/2023

Regulatory Amendment 34: Special Management Zones (SMZ)

Regulatory Amendment 34 would establish Special Management Zones (SMZ) at artificial reef sites off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina.
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
05/03/2021

2020 South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper In-Season Actions

This is a list of the in-season actions related to the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan, such as fishery closures, that occurred in the 2020 calendar year.
Temporary Rule,
South Atlantic
Issued
12/31/2020

Regulatory Amendment 33: Red Snapper Fishing Seasons

South Atlantic red snapper fishing seasons
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
11/13/2020

Emergency Rule: Vermilion Snapper Commercial Trip Limit & Atlantic King Mackerel Recreational Bag Limit

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested a temporary rule for emergency action to increase the commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper and recreational bag limit for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel.
Emergency Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/17/2020

South Atlantic Modifications to Charter Vessel and Headboat Reporting Requirements

The For-Hire Amendment includes Amendment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, Amendment 9 to the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic, and Amendment 27 to the Coastal Migra
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/01/2020

Abbreviated Framework Amendment 3: Catch Levels for Blueline Tilefish

Abbreviated Framework Amendment 3; blueline tilefish annual catch limits
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
08/17/2020

Regulatory Amendment 29: Gear Requirements for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Species

Regulatory Amendment 29 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
07/15/2020

Regulatory Amendment 26: Vision Blueprint Recreational Measures

Vision Blueprint Regulatory Amendment 26 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 26) addresses specific action items in the 2016-2020 Vision Blueprint for the Recreational Sec
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
03/30/2020

Regulatory Amendment 30: Red Grouper Rebuilding Plan

Regulatory Amendment 30 (Regulatory Amendment 30) to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper Grouper FMP) would revise the rebuilding schedule for red grouper based on the most recent stock assessm
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
03/06/2020

Regulatory Amendment 27: Vision Blueprint Commercial Measures

Vision Blueprint Commercial Regulatory Amendment 27 (Regulatory Amendment 27) to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper Grouper FMP) addresses specific action items in the 2016-2020 Vision Bl
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
02/26/2020

Amendment 42: Modifications to Sea Turtle Release Gear and Framework Procedure for the Snapper Grouper Fishery

Amendment 42: Modifications to Sea Turtle Release Gear and Framework Procedure for the Snapper Grouper Fishery
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
01/08/2020

2019 South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper In-Season Actions

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

Abbreviated Framework Amendment 2: Vermilion Snapper and Black Sea Bass

Abbreviated Framework 2 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region proposes to adjust the annual catch limits for South Atlantic vermilion snapper and black sea bass in response to the results of the l
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
04/09/2019

Regulatory Amendment 28: Golden Tilefish Annual Catch Limits

Regulatory Amendment 28 ends overfishing of golden tilefish by reducing the total annual catch limit (ACL) to 342,000 lb.
Final Rule,
Southeast
Effective
01/04/2019

Abbreviated Framework Amendment 1: Red Grouper Annual Catch Limits

Actions adjusted the annual catch limits (ACL) for South Atlantic red grouper in response to the results of the latest stock assessment. Amendment Abbreviated Framework Amendment 1
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
08/27/2018

Amendment 43: Red Snapper Annual Catch Limits

Actions address overfishing of red snapper and recreational reporting. Amendment Amendment 43: Red Snapper Annual Catch Limits
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
07/26/2018

Golden Tilefish Interim Measures

The proposed temporary measures reduced the golden tilefish annual catch limits (ACL) (total, commercial, and recreational) for 2018. Currently the total ACL for golden tilefish is 558,036 pounds gutted weight (lbs gw). Under the interim
Interim Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
07/02/2018

Amendment 41: Mutton Snapper Management Measures

Fishery managers implemented regulations through Amendment 41 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 41). Measures for Amendment 41 specify the maximum sustainable yield
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
02/10/2018

Action to Establish Spawning Special Management Zones

Amendment 36 considers alternatives to implement special management zones (SMZs) in the exclusive economic zone of the South Atlantic to protect spawning fish from fishing activities.
Final Rule
Issued
07/31/2017

Framework Action to Remove and/or Modify a Commercial Pot Prohibition

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is considering removal and/or modification of the prohibition on the use of black sea bass pots annually from November 1 through April 30 that was implemented through Regulatory Amendment 19 and became effecti
Final Rule
Issued
03/21/2017

South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Historical Amendments and Rulemaking (1983-2017)

Historic rulemakings to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery (2017 and earlier).
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
03/01/1983

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 01/30/2025