Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 37
Amendment Summary
Black Sea Bass Management Measures
Purpose of the Amendment: Address the depleted status of black sea bass in the South Atlantic immediately with management measures aimed at reducing regulatory discards and protecting the spawning stock.
Action Summary: Establish recreational and commercial annual catch targets and revise accountability measures, reduce the recreational bag limit, and implement an annual spawning season closure in February and March for both commercial and recreational sectors.
Key Events:
- June 2025: Council initiated work on the amendment (see Amendment 56 for earlier relevant discussions and developments)
- September 2025: Council approves for public hearings
- December 2025: Reviewed public comment and approved for submission
Amendment documents
- Final approval
- Implementation
- Pre-scoping
- Public hearing
- Rule making
- Scoping
- Secretarial review