Snapper Grouper Amendment 61
Amendment Summary
Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Unit Revision
Purpose of the Amendment: Evaluate whether 17 species currently in the FMU should remain, be removed, or be designated as ecosystem component species. Note: this amendment supersedes an earlier proposed amendment to specify ABCs for unassessed snapper grouper species.
Action Summary: To determine the need for conservation and management of 17 snapper grouper species.
Ecosystem Component Species: species that is included in a fishery management plan to address ecosystem management objectives but does not require management measures such as annual catch limits, restrictive retention limits, or size limits.
Key Events:
- March 2025: The Council initiated work on the amendment.
- September 2025: Council approved the amendment for scoping.
- December 2025: Council reviewed scoping and AP comments, draft ecosystem management objectives for EC species, and requested additional information before further developing the amendment.
- March 2026: Council reviewed draft purpose and need statements. Narrowed down the scope of species considered in the amendment to 14.
Amendment documents
- Final approval
- Implementation
- Pre-scoping
- Public hearing
- Rule making
- Scoping
- Secretarial review