Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region

Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council would revise the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), the commercial minimum size limit, the commercial seasonal trip limits, and the April spawning season closure for greater amberjack. In addition, Amendment 49 would revise the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, annual optimum yield, and sector allocations of the total ACL for greater amberjack. Amendment 49 would remove the recreational annual catch targets for species in the FMP. The purpose of Amendment 49 is to ensure catch limits are based on the best scientific information available and to ensure overfishing does not occur for the South Atlantic greater amberjack stock, while increasing social and economic benefits.