The Gulf Council took final action on Reef Fish Amendment 63 to develop a 3-year program to set aside a portion of the red grouper commercial quota for distribution to participants of the Grouper/Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. The quota pool will be established using a percentage of the quota increase that is expected to be distributed when Reef Fish Amendment 62 is implemented.
The Council recommends establishing a quota pool beginning in 2027 if the commercial annual catch target is above 4,280,000 pounds. That quota pool would be populated with 50% of the quota increase above 4,280,000 million pounds gutted weight. Annual allocation would be non-transferable and would be distributed to commercial reef fish permit holders that have landed at least 500 pounds of red grouper during a rolling two-year reference period. Half of the quota pool will be distributed to active red grouper fishermen without red grouper shares and half will be distributed to active fishermen with red grouper shares; both would receive distributions proportionally based on red grouper landings.
Reef Fish Amendment 63 will be transmitted to the Secretary of Commerce for consideration and implementation as soon as practicable.
About The Gulf Council: The Gulf Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of America.