NOAA Fisheries will provide 30 days' notice prior to potential commercial and recreational openings. Therefore, the opening of the commercial and recreational fishing seasons for red snapper will not occur in July 2013.
A fishery bulletin announcing the potential opening of red snapper in the South Atlantic will occur with the publication of the final rule for Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region.
Amendment 28 specifies the annual process to determine possible red snapper fishing seasons and harvest amounts. More specifically, Amendment 28 would establish (1) a process to determine if a fishing season will occur each year, which would include specification of the allowable harvest and season length for the commercial and recreational sectors; (2) an equation to determine the annual catch limit amount for each sector; and (3) management measures if fishing is allowed.
The intent of Amendment 28 is to provide fishermen the opportunity to harvest the red snapper annual catch limit and enhance the social and economic benefits to the fishery.
More information, including Frequently Asked Questions for the 2013 red snapper fishing seasons can be found online at:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/SASnapperGrouperHomepage.htm.
