Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries has delayed the effectiveness of two final rules affecting fishermen in Atlantic waters: a requirement to mark buoy lines for black sea bass pots in the South Atlantic with purple marks, and a 4,000-pound whole weight trip limit for dolphin in the Atlantic after 75 percent of the commercial sector annual catch limit has been met or projected to be met. The delay is in accordance with a memorandum dated January 20, 2017, issued by the White House.
How Long Will the Delay Last:
The delay in effectiveness began on January 20, 2017, and ends on March 21, 2017.
What This Means:
Black Sea Bass:
- The requirement to mark buoy lines for black sea bass pots with purple marks is not effective now, but will be effective on March 21, 2017.
- The final rule for Regulatory Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery published on December 29, 2016 (81 FR 95893).
- The required additional buoy line markings for black sea bass pot gear (50 C.F.R. Part 622.189(g)) would have been effective on January 30, 2017.
- This final rule also revised the seasonal prohibition on the use of black sea bass pot gear in the South Atlantic (effective December 29, 2016). The delay in effectiveness of the buoy line markings does not affect the modifications to the seasonal prohibition. Therefore, fishers can continue fishing with black sea bass pots as per the final rule for Regulatory Amendment 16.
Dolphin
- The commercial trip limit for dolphin of 4,000 pounds whole weight after 75 percent of the commercial sector annual catch limit has been met or projected to be met is not effective now, but will be effective on March 21, 2017.
- The final rule for Regulatory Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic published on December 30, 2016 (81 FR 96388).
- This commercial trip limit for dolphin (50 C.F.R. Part 622.278(a)(3)(i)) would have been effective January 30, 2017.
Formal Federal Register Name/Number: Memorandum announcing the delay in implementation of regulations (82 FR 8346, published January 24, 2017). Notice announcing the delay in implementations of final rules for black sea bass (Regulatory Amendment 16) and dolphin (Regulatory Amendment 1) (82 FR 8820, published January 31, 2017).
NOAA Fisheries Southeast is pleased to announce the introduction of our Text Message Alert Program. The program will allow you to sign up to receive important fishery related alerts via text message. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures, and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.
How to opt-in
Sign up for related alerts for one or more of the following groups. Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time.
- Gulf of Mexico Recreational Fisheries: Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
- Gulf of Mexico Commercial Fisheries: Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
- South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries: Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
- South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries: Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
- Caribbean Fisheries: Text CARIBFISH to 888777
