The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service has announced a six month closure for gag grouper in Gulf of Mexico federal waters. The closure will begin on January 1, 2011 and could be extended for an additional six months if NOAA deems it necessary. This interim rule will be in effect for 180 days and it could be extended for another 186 days upon further review.
At this time the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will not extend this closure to state waters less than nine nautical miles from shore. This rule will also not affect the recreational catch of red or black grouper.
NOAA’s Fisheries Service has announced a temporary rule that will prohibit recreational fishing for gag grouper in Gulf of Mexico federal waters. The six-month rule becomes effective on January 1, 2011, and can be extended an additional six months if necessary.
This rule will also reduce the commercial quota from 1.49 million pounds to 100,000 pounds and will prohibit the use of the red grouper multi-use individual fishing quota allocation for harvesting gag grouper. The quota will discourage commercial vessels from targeting gag or from fishing in areas with high accidental catch of gag, while still allowing the retention of some accidentally-caught gag that would otherwise be discarded dead at sea.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council requested the fisheries service implement this temporary rule while the council explores long-term measures to address the poor condition of the gag grouper population.
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