Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Regulatory Amendment 36

NMFS proposes regulations and seeks public comment on whether to implement Regulatory Amendment 36 under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented by NMFS, this proposed rule would revise the recreational vessel limits for gag and black grouper. Additionally, this proposed rule would revise the transit storage requirements for commercial on-demand, or rope-less, black sea bass pots. The purpose of this proposed rule and Regulatory Amendment 36 is to modify the recreational vessel limits for gag and black grouper to further aid the rebuilding of the South Atlantic gag stock, and to allow more practical transit of vessels with a new fishing gear modification that lowers the probability of negative interactions with marine mammals, while minimizing negative social and economic effects to the extent practicable, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and its National Standards.