What/When:
- The commercial harvest of red snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 6, 2024.
Why This Closure Is Happening:
- The 2024 commercial catch limit is 85,268 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit by August 6, 2024. According to the accountability measure, harvest must close to prevent the commercial catch limit from being exceeded.
- NOAA Fisheries published a temporary rule on June 14, 2024, to implement interim measures to reduce overfishing of red snapper. The temporary rule reduced the total, commercial, and recreational catch limits for red snapper in South Atlantic federal waters for 2024. For 2024, the total catch limit was reduced from 42,510 to 31,000 fish. The commercial catch limit was reduced from 124,815 to 85,268 pounds whole weight, and the recreational catch limit was reduced from 29,656 to 21,167 fish.
After The Closure:
- The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, regardless of where such fish are harvested or possessed, i.e., in state or federal waters.
- All harvest or possession, and sale or purchase of red snapper in or from South Atlantic federal waters is now prohibited. The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to red snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold before 12:01 am local time August 6, 2024, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR part 622 or at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/subpart-I/.
