Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment for the South Atlantic Region

Revisions to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) in 2006 require that NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service must establish ACLs for all fisheries determined to be undergoing overfishing by 2010.  The Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates for all Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) determined by the Secretary of Commerce as subject to overfishing, ACLs must be established at a level that prevents overfishing and does not exceed the recommendations of the respective Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee or other established peer review processes.  These FMPs are also required to establish, within this time frame, measures to ensure accountability.  Accountability measures (AMs) are management controls that ensure that the ACLs are not exceeded.  Examples include corrective measures if overages occur and implementation of an in-season monitoring program.

By 2011, FMPs for all other fisheries, except fisheries for species with annual life cycles, must meet these requirements.  The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has met the requirements outlined above for ten species undergoing overfishing through Amendments 17A and 17B to the Snapper Grouper FMP.  The requirements for the remaining species that are not undergoing overfishing will be met through the Comprehensive ACL Amendment.  This amendment addresses species in the FMPs for Snapper-Grouper, Dolphin and Wahoo, Golden crab, and Sargassum.

FB12-053: NOAA Fisheries Has Revised the Commercial Quota for Greater Amberjack in the South Atlantic

FB12-017: NOAA Fisheries Service Announces New Regulations for Snapper-Grouper, Golden Crab, and Sargassum Habitat in the South Atlantic Region; and Dolphin and Wahoo in the Atlantic

Comprehensive ACL Amendment

Amended Proposed Rule

Supplemental Proposed Rule - Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit Amendment for the South Atlantic Region Revision of Commercial Quota for Greater Amberjack

Supplemental Final Rule

 

• Remove some species from South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper FMU.
  
  
• Designation of ecosystem component species.
  
  
• Consider multi-species groupings for specifying ACLs, annual catch targets (ACTs), and AMs.
  
  
• Establish acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules for species not undergoing overfishing.
  
  
• Establish ABCs, ACLs, ACTs, and AMs for species not undergoing overfishing.
  
  
• Specify sector allocations among the commercial, recreational, and for-hire sectors, for species not undergoing overfishing.
  
  
• Establish jurisdictional allocations for black grouper and yellowtail snapper between the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
  
  
• Modify management measures to limit total mortality to the ACL.

To view the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) of the Comprehensive ACL Amendment, please click the links below:

Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment for the South Atlantic Region

• Appendices

Proposed Rule

Amended Proposed Rule

Final Rule

Supplemental Proposed Rule

Supplemental Final Rule