See § 622.8 for general provisions regarding quota applicability and closure and reopening procedures. This section provides quotas and specific quota closure restrictions for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.
(a)South Atlantic snapper-grouper, excluding wreckfish. The quotas apply to persons who are not subject to the bag limits. (See § 622.11 for applicability of the bag limits.) The quotas are in gutted weight, that is eviscerated but otherwise whole, except for the quotas in paragraphs (a)(4) through (6) of this section which are in both gutted weight and round weight. (1)Snowy grouper - (i) From January 1 through June 30 each year. (A) 2023-73,330 lb (33,262 kg).(B) 2024-74,322 lb (33,712 kg).(C) 2025 and subsequent fishing years-75,312 lb (34,161 kg).(ii) From July 1 through December 31 each year.(A) 2023-31,427 lb (14,255 kg).(B) 2024-31,852 lb (14,448 kg).(C) 2025 and subsequent fishing years-32,277 lb (14,641 kg).(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.(2)Golden tilefish - (i)Commercial sector (hook-and-line and longline components combined). (A) For the 2023 fishing year-420,645 lb (190,801 kg).(B) For the 2024 fishing year-433,216 lb (196,503 kg).(C) For the 2025 fishing year-442,886 lb (200,890 kg).(D) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years-450,622 lb (204,399 kg).(ii)Hook-and-line component.(A) For the 2023 fishing year-105,161 lb (47,700 kg).(B) For the 2024 fishing year-108,304 lb (49,126 kg).(C) For the 2025 fishing year-110,722 lb (50,223 kg).(D) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years-112,656 lb (51,100 kg).(iii)Longline component.(A) For the 2023 fishing year-315,484 lb (143,101 kg).(B) For the 2024 fishing year-324,912 lb (147,378 kg).(C) For the 2025 fishing year-332,165 lb (150,668 kg).(D) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years-337,967 lb (153,299 kg).(3)Greater amberjack - (i) For the period of March 1 through August 31 each year.(A) For the 2023-2024 fishing year, 652,817 lb (296,113 kg).(B) For the 2024-2025 fishing year, 569,019 lb (258,103 kg).(C) For the 2025-2026 fishing year, 544,990 lb (247,203 kg).(D) For the 2026-2027 and subsequent fishing years, 538,933 lb (244,456 kg).(ii) For the period of September 1 through the end of February each year. (A) For the 2023-2024 fishing year, 435,212 lb (197,409 kg).(B) For the 2024-2025 fishing year, 379,346 lb (172,068 kg).(C) For the 2025-2026 fishing year, 363,327 lb (164,802 kg).(D) For the 2026-2027 and subsequent fishing years, 359,288 lb (162,970 kg).(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.(4)Vermilion snapper.(i) For the period January through June each year.(A) For the 2019 fishing year-483,658 lb (219,384 kg), gutted weight; 536,860 lb (243,516 kg), round weight.(B) For the 2020 fishing year-452,721 lb (205,351 kg), gutted weight; 502,520 lb (227,939 kg), round weight.(C) For the 2021 fishing year-431,279 lb (195,625 kg), gutted weight; 478,720 lb (217,144 kg), round weight.(D) For the 2022 fishing year-417,189 lb (189,234 kg), gutted weight; 463,080 lb (210,050 kg), round weight.(E) For the 2023 and subsequent fishing years-409,225 lb (185,621 kg), gutted weight; 454,240 lb (206,040 kg), round weight.(ii) For the period July through December each year.(A) For the 2019 fishing year-483,658 lb (219,384 kg), gutted weight; 536,860 lb (243,516 kg), round weight.(B) For the 2020 fishing year-452,721 lb (205,351 kg), gutted weight; 502,520 lb (227,939 kg), round weight.(C) For the 2021 fishing year-431,279 lb (195,625 kg), gutted weight; 478,720 lb (217,144 kg), round weight.(D) For the 2022 fishing year-417,189 lb (417,189 kg), gutted weight; 463,080 lb (210,050 kg), round weight.(E) For the 2023 and subsequent fishing years-409,225 lb (185,621 kg), gutted weight; 454,240 lb (206,040 kg), round weight.(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.(5)Black sea bass.(i) For the 2019 fishing year-276,949 lb (125,622 kg), gutted weight; 326,800 lb (148,234 kg), round weight.(ii) For the 2020 fishing year-243,788 lb (110,580 kg), gutted weight; 287,670 lb (130,485 kg), round weight.(iii) For the 2021 fishing year and subsequent fishing years-234,314 lb (106,283 kg), gutted weight; 276,490 lb (125,414 kg), round weight.(6)Red porgy - (i) For the period January 1 through April 30 each year.(A) For the 2022 fishing year-11,127 lb (5,047 kg).(B) For the 2023 fishing year-12,017 lb (5,451 kg).(C) For the 2024 fishing year-12,907 lb (5,855 kg).(D) For the 2025 fishing year-13,500 lb (6,123 kg).(E) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years-14,094 lb (6,393 kg).(ii) For the period May 1 through December 31 each year.(A) For the 2022 fishing year-25,962 lb (11,776 kg).(B) For the 2023 fishing year-28,039 lb (12,718 kg).(C) For the 2024 fishing year-30,116 lb (13,660 kg).(D) For the 2025 fishing year-31,501 lb (14,289 kg).(E) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years-32,886 lb (14,917 kg).(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.(7)Gag.(i) For the 2023 fishing year-85,326 lb (38,703 kg).(ii) For the 2024 fishing year-128,096 lb (58,103 kg).(iii) For the 2025 fishing year-171,687 lb (77,876 kg).(iv) For the 2026 fishing year-215,051 lb (97,545 kg).(v) For the 2027 fishing year-259,823 lb (117,854 kg).(vi) For the 2028 fishing year-306,400 lb (138,981 kg).(vii) For the 2029 fishing year-353,220 lb (160,218 kg).(viii) For the 2030 fishing year-397,555 lb (180,328 kg).(ix) For the 2031 fishing year-437,390 lb (198,397 kg).(x) For the 2032 and subsequent fishing years-471,966 lb (214,080 kg).(8)Gray triggerfish.(i) For the period January through June each year-156,162 lb (70,834 kg), round weight.(ii) For the period July through December each year-156,162 lb (70,834 kg), round weight.(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.(b)Wreckfish.(1) The quotas for wreckfish apply to wreckfish shareholders, or their employees, contractors, or agents. The quotas are given round weight. See § 622.172 for information on the wreckfish shareholder under the ITQ system. (i) For the 2015 fishing year-411,350 lb (186,585 kg).(ii) For the 2016 fishing year-402,515 (182,578 kg).(iii) For the 2017 fishing year-393,490 lb (178,484 kg).(iv) For the 2018 fishing year-385,985 lb (175,080 kg).(v) For the 2019 fishing year-376,960 lb (170,986 kg).(vi) For the 2020 and subsequent fishing years-369,645 lb (167,668 kg).(c)Restrictions applicable after a commercial quota closure -(1)South Atlantic gag, greater amberjack, snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, red porgy, wreckfish, and gray triggerfish.(i) The appropriate bag limits specified in § 622.187(b) and the possession limits specified in § 622.187(c) apply to all harvest or possession of the applicable species in or from the South Atlantic EEZ, and the sale or purchase of the applicable species taken from or possessed in the EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on sale/purchase during a closure for the applicable species does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to the effective date of the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.(ii) The bag and possession limits for the applicable species and the prohibition on sale/purchase apply in the South Atlantic on board a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued, without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in state or Federal waters.78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 78 FR 23863 Apr. 23, 2013; 78 FR 47579, Aug. 6, 2013; 78 FR 49195, Aug. 13, 2013 81 FR 3738, 1/22/2016; 83 FR 70, 1/2/2018; 83 FR 62512, 1/4/2019; 84 FR 14024, 5/9/2019; 85 FR 4594, 1/27/2020; 87 FR 77747, 1/19/2023; 88 FR 65146, 10/23/2023; 88 FR 65822, 10/26/2023; 88 FR 76701, 12/7/2023; 88 FR 83868, 1/2/2024