NOAA Fisheries has determined 75 per cent of the July-December quota will be landed by October 16, 2013.
Regulatory Amendment 18 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region reduced the commercial trip limit from 1,500 pounds gutted weight to 1,000 pounds gutted weight.
The final rule also implemented measures, which reduce the trip limit to 500 pounds gutted weight when 75 per cent of the quota is met or projected to be met.
Reduction of the commercial vermilion snapper trip limit in the South Atlantic complies with regulations implemented under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region.
The 500-pound gutted weight trip limit applies to vessels with a South Atlantic Unlimited Snapper-Grouper Permit, fishing for vermilion snapper in or from the federal waters in the South Atlantic region.
The 500-pound gutted weight trip limit will remain in effect until the quota is reached and vermilion snapper closes or until the end of the current fishing year (December 31, 2013), whichever occurs first.
