NOAA Fisheries has taken emergency action to increase the amount of red grouper fishers can harvest in the Gulf of Mexico, currently referred to as the Gulf of America by the U.S. government.
The move increases both the commercial and recreational annual catch limits (ACL) by roughly 50 percent.
The emergency rule was issued at the request of the Gulf Council, which claims fishers can sustainably harvest far more grouper this season than the original season regulation authorized.
“The most recent population assessment indicates Gulf red grouper catch limits can be substantially increased without harming the population,” the Gulf Council said in a release about the ACL increases. “This change is being made to increase economic opportunities for for-hire and commercial businesses and increase fishing opportunities for recreational anglers.”
In an 29 April letter, the Gulf Council told NOAA Fisheries that it was developing an amendment to modify red grouper ACLs but did not have time to make those changes for the ongoing red grouper season. Instead, the council asked NOAA Fisheries to take emergency action to increase the limit.
NOAA Fisheries’ 6 August emergency action increases the commercial ACL by 50 percent from 2.94 million pounds gutted weight (GW) to 4.42 million pounds GW. The recreational ACL was also increased 50 percent from 2.02 million pounds GW to 3.03 million pounds GW. The changes bring the ACL for the entire red grouper stock to 90 percent of the allowable biological catch.
“This emergency rule means more time on the water catching more red grouper, and it is good news for Gulf of America fishermen,” Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA Fisheries assistant administrator, said in a release. “NOAA Fisheries continues to promote opportunities for American men and women on the water, on the docks, and in the fisheries industries across our great nation.”
