Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2024 Commercial Closure for Snowy Grouper in the South Atlantic

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622 [Docket No. 231127-0277; RTID 0648-XE001] AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the commercial harvest of snowy grouper in South Atlantic Federal waters. NMFS projects commercial landings of snowy grouper will reach the commercial quota for the January through June season. Therefore, NMFS closes Federal waters in the South Atlantic for the commercial harvest of snowy grouper until the July through December season begins. This closure is necessary to protect the snowy grouper resource. DATES: This temporary rule is effective from June 4, 2024, through June 30, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack McGovern, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, phone: 727-204-5518, email: john.mcgovern@noaa.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South Atlantic includes snowy grouper and is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NMFS, and is implemented by NMFS under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622 . All weights described in this temporary rule are in gutted weight. The…