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

Current Recently Finalized Historical Actions

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 or trip-limit changes, that occurred in the 2020 calendar year.  For more information, please visit our Annual…
Temporary Rule
,
South Atlantic
Issued
12/31/2020

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 from 1,000 pounds gutted weight to 1,500 pounds gutted weight in federal waters of the South…
Emergency Rule
,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/17/2020

Regulatory Amendment 33: Red Snapper Fishing Seasons

Regulatory Amendment 33 would remove the requirement that if projections indicate the South Atlantic red snapper season (commercial or recreational) would be three days or fewer, the commercial and/or recreational seasons would not open for that fishing…
Proposed Rule
,
South Atlantic
Published
05/14/2020

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.  The framework amendment would establish 30 sites off North Carolina and four off South Carolina.  The…
Proposed Rule
,
South Atlantic
Issued
01/01/2020

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…
Final Rule
,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/01/2020

Abbreviated Framework Amendment 3: Blueline Tilefish

Abbreviated Framework Amendment 3 would adjust the annual catch limits and the recreational annual catch target for blueline tilefish based on the acceptable biological catch recommendations from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s…
Final Rule
,
South Atlantic
Effective
08/17/2020

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

Regulatory Amendment 29 (Regulatory Amendment 29) to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper Grouper FMP) would modify gear requirements for South Atlantic snapper-grouper species. Actions…
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…
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…
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…
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 would add three newly approved sea turtle release devices and update the regulations to simplify and clarify the specifications for other release gear requirements.  The new devices and updates would provide more options to fulfill the…
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 or trip-limit changes, 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…
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. The commercial and recreational sector ACLs and component  commercial quotas are specified using existing sector allocations…
Final Rule
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 rule, the…
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 and minimum…
Final Rule
,
South Atlantic
Effective
02/10/2018

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

The following is a list of historic rulemakings to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery, effective during 2017 and earlier. While our website is in transition, to view historical amendments that are not found on this page, please…
Final Rule
,
South Atlantic
Issued
03/01/1983

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 06/25/2019