NOAA Issues Final Rule on Gulf of Mexico Recreational Red Snapper Calibrations

(WASHINGTON — Dec. 2, 2022) Today, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released the final rule to implement two actions in the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery: 1) to calibrate the state-specific red snapper private angler annual catch limits (ACLs) to reflect each state’s monitoring program, and 2) to increase the recreational and commercial sector red snapper ACLs and annual catch targets (ACTs).

“Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) supports this final rule to ensure the red snapper fishery continues to rebuild, that management of the fishery is compliant with federal law, and that fishing levels are sustainable. Throughout the drafting of the State Management Program for Private Recreational Red Snapper, EDF has been supportive of a solution that provides private anglers secure access to the resource while ensuring that each sector adheres to their respective red snapper catch limits, a legally required component to ensure the stock rebuilds and leaves a thriving fishery for future generations. We encourage NMFS and the state fishery agencies in the Gulf to continue working together to update the calibration ratios through science-based decision making to ensure a healthy and abundant red snapper fishery.”

• Sepp Haukebo, Senior Manager, Global Fisheries Initiatives