Amendment 51 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 51)

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council developed Amendment 51 to respond to the most recent stock assessment for South Atlantic snowy grouper (SEDAR 36 Update 2020). The findings of the assessment indicated that the South Atlantic snowy grouper stock is overfished and undergoing overfishing. A rebuilding plan is currently in place, and NMFS expects the stock to continue rebuilding under the existing rebuilding plan. Amendment 51 would end overfishing of South Atlantic snowy grouper, rebuild the stock, and achieve optimum yield while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social and economic effects.

Amendment 51 and the proposed rule would modify management of South Atlantic snowy grouper. The amendment and proposed rule would lower the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits (ACL), and annual optimum yield from 218,848 pounds (lbs) whole weight (ww) to 119,654 lbs ww in 2023. Amendment 51 and the proposed rule would change accountability measures (AM) and management measures for the recreational sectors, while raising the commercial allocation by 4.55% to 87.55%.