The deep-water grouper complex is comprised of warsaw grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, and speckled hind, and is managed with a single annual catch limit for the complex. After hearing a summary of public comments received, the Council took final action on Reef Fish Amendment 58B which considers deep-water grouper catch limits, allocations, and recreational accountability measures. The Council chose to modify the criteria used to define when the stock is experiencing overfishing. The Council also established catch limits for the complex that represent approximately a 50% reduction in allowable harvest to end overfishing of yellowedge grouper. The Council also chose to establish sector allocations and sector specific annual catch limits based on the most recent 5 years of landings. This would allocate 10.21% to the recreational sector and 89.79% to the commercial sector. The Council decided to create a recreational accountability measure that would trigger a reduction in the recreational season if the 3-year average landings exceeded the annual catch limit. Newly recommended deep-water grouper catch limits expressed in pounds gutted weight and in MRIP-FES recreational data units are:

These changes are being made in response to results of a yellowedge grouper stock assessment and recommendations to decrease allowable harvest and end overfishing from the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). The yellowedge grouper assessment indicated that fewer young fish are surviving to adulthood (indicating low recruitment) and that recreational harvest has been increasing. While yellowedge grouper is the most commonly landed species in the deep-water grouper complex, it is frequently caught with the other deep-water grouper species so, the SSC also recommended updated catch limits for the other deep-water grouper species based on average historical landings. Establishing allocations and modifying the recreational accountability measure are expected to prevent overfishing in the future.

This Amendment will be transmitted to the secretary of Commerce for consideration and implementation as soon as practicable.

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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.