Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America; Amendment 62
Key claim: Federal rules will change how many Gulf red grouper can be caught and how that catch is split between commercial and recreational fishermen, and will end the February–March recreational closure for shallow-water grouper in deeper Gulf federal waters.
Abstract
(Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures described in Amendment 62 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf Council (Council). This final rule and Amendment 62 revise the catch limits and sector allocations for Gulf of America (Gulf) red grouper, based on the best scientific information available. Additionally, this final rule removes the shallow-water grouper (SWG) recreational seasonal closure, from February 1 through March 31, in Gulf Federal waters seaward of the 20-fathom boundary.
Why this matters
Amendment 62 is a routine but concrete reallocation decision in a long-running Gulf reef fish management dispute, shifting how much red grouper each sector can land and when recreational anglers can fish for shallow-water grouper offshore. Changes to seasonal closures and sector splits directly affect fishing businesses, port communities, and stock-rebuilding timelines, and they set a precedent for how NOAA balances commercial IFQ holders against recreational access.