Fishery Bulletin

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on Regulatory Amendment 25 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 25). The proposed rule for Regulatory Amendment 25 published in the Federal Register on June 1, 2016 (81 FR 34944). The comment period ends on June 16, 2016.
 
Regulatory Amendment 25 proposes the following changes:
 
Black sea bass

• Increase the recreational bag limit for black sea bass from five to seven fish per person per day. The higher bag limit would increase the probability that the recreational annual catch limit is reached.

Blueline Tilefish

• Increase the annual catch limits for blueline tilefish to 87,521 pounds (commercial sector) and 87,277 pounds (recreational sector).
• Increase the commercial trip limit from 100 to 300 pounds gutted weight.
• Increase the recreational bag limit from one per vessel to three fish per person per day for the months of May through August. There would continue to be no recreational retention of blueline tilefish during the months of January through April and September through December, each year.

Yellowtail Snapper

• Change the yellowtail snapper fishing year start date for both the commercial and recreational sectors from January 1 to August 1, each year. Changing the start of the fishing year to August 1 would benefit both sectors because it would ensure that harvest is open during the winter months when yellowtail snapper obtain a higher price per pound commercially, and during peak tourist season in south Florida where the majority of yellowtail harvest takes place.

Request for Comments
Comments on the amendment must be received no later than June 16, 2016, to be considered by NOAA Fisheries. See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments.
 
Electronic copies of Amendment 25 may be obtained from the NOAA Fisheries Web site
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2015/reg_am25/index.html, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, the Council’s Web site at http://www.safmc.net.
 
Addresses
You may submit comments by the following methods:

• Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
  https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0042  click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
  
•  Mail

All personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Comments received through means not specified in this bulletin may not be considered.
 
More information, including Frequently Asked Questions for Regulatory Amendment 25 can be found online at:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2015/reg_am25/index.html.
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.