South Atlantic Grouper Catch Limits Get Protection Plan
Published Date: 8/25/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
Fishermen and seafood lovers in the South Atlantic, heads up! New rules are coming to better protect scamp and yellowmouth grouper by setting catch limits and rebuilding their populations. These changes start soon and aim to keep fishing fun and fair while helping grouper numbers bounce back without hurting local communities.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
New scamp & yellowmouth grouper complex
The rule would remove yellowmouth grouper from the 'other South Atlantic shallow water grouper' group and create a new scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex. If you fish in the South Atlantic, this changes which species are managed together and which rules will apply to your catch.
New management rules for scamp & yellowmouth
The rule would set catch levels, sector management measures, and accountability measures for the new scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex, and would put in place a rebuilding plan, sector allocations, and status determination criteria. If you fish these species in the South Atlantic, these new rules would determine how much can be caught and how sectors are allocated and monitored.
Catch levels set for revised SASWG complex
The rule would establish catch levels for the revised 'other South Atlantic shallow water grouper' complex after yellowmouth grouper is removed. If you target species in that revised group in the South Atlantic, the total allowable catch for that group will be defined under the new rule.
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Key Dates
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