Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic; 2026 Commercial Closure for the Scamp and Yellowmouth Grouper Complex in the South Atlantic
Key claim: Federal fisheries managers are shutting down commercial fishing for scamp and yellowmouth grouper in South Atlantic federal waters for 2026 because the year’s catch limit is projected to be reached.
Abstract
(Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the commercial harvest of the scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex in South Atlantic Federal waters. NMFS projects that commercial landings of the scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for 2026. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector of the scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex in South Atlantic Federal waters to protect the scamp and yellowmouth grouper resource from overfishing.
Why this matters
In-season accountability closures like this one directly determine when Southeast commercial fishermen can land species and affect the seasonal availability and price of grouper for wholesalers, restaurants, and consumers along the South Atlantic coast. The closure also operationalizes the newly separated scamp/yellowmouth grouper complex created under Amendment 55, showing how rebuilding-plan catch limits translate into concrete harvest interruptions. Tracking these routine closures helps map the cumulative economic pressure on the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fleet.