See §622.8 for general provisions regarding quota applicability and closure and reopening procedures. This section provides quotas and specific quota closure restrictions for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.

(a) South Atlantic snapper-grouper, excluding wreckfish. The quotas apply to persons who are not subject to the bag limits. (See §622.11 for applicability of the bag limits.) The quotas are in gutted weight, that is eviscerated but otherwise whole, except for the quotas in paragraphs (a)(4) through (7) of this section which are in both gutted weight and round weight.

(1) Snowy grouper—(i) For the period January 1 through June 30 each year—107,754 lb (48,876 kg).

(ii) For the period July 1 through December 31 each year—46,181 lb (20,947 kg).

(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.

(2) Golden tilefish.

(i) Commercial sector (hook-and-line and longline components combined)—331,740 lb (150,475 kg).

(ii) Hook-and-line component—82,935 lb (37,619 kg).

(iii) Longline component—248,805 lb (112,856 kg).

(3) Greater amberjack—(i) For the period March 1 through August 31 each year—461,633 lb (209,393 kg).

(ii) For the period September 1 through the end of February each year—307,755 lb (139,595 kg).

(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.

(4) Vermilion snapper.

(i) For the period January through June each year.

(A) For the 2019 fishing year—483,658 lb (219,384 kg), gutted weight; 536,860 lb (243,516 kg), round weight.

(B) For the 2020 fishing year—452,721 lb (205,351 kg), gutted weight; 502,520 lb (227,939 kg), round weight.

(C) For the 2021 fishing year—431,279 lb (195,625 kg), gutted weight; 478,720 lb (217,144 kg), round weight.

(D) For the 2022 fishing year—417,189 lb (189,234 kg), gutted weight; 463,080 lb (210,050 kg), round weight.

(E) For the 2023 and subsequent fishing years—409,225 lb (185,621 kg), gutted weight; 454,240 lb (206,040 kg), round weight.

(ii) For the period July through December each year.

(A) For the 2019 fishing year—483,658 lb (219,384 kg), gutted weight; 536,860 lb (243,516 kg), round weight.

(B) For the 2020 fishing year—452,721 lb (205,351 kg), gutted weight; 502,520 lb (227,939 kg), round weight.

(C) For the 2021 fishing year—431,279 lb (195,625 kg), gutted weight; 478,720 lb (217,144 kg), round weight.

(D) For the 2022 fishing year—417,189 lb (417,189 kg), gutted weight; 463,080 lb (210,050 kg), round weight.

(E) For the 2023 and subsequent fishing years—409,225 lb (185,621 kg), gutted weight; 454,240 lb (206,040 kg), round weight.

(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.

(5) Black sea bass.

(i) For the 2019 fishing year—276,949 lb (125,622 kg), gutted weight; 326,800 lb (148,234 kg), round weight.

(ii) For the 2020 fishing year—243,788 lb (110,580 kg), gutted weight; 287,670 lb (130,485 kg), round weight.

(iii) For the 2021 fishing year and subsequent fishing years—234,314 lb (106,283 kg), gutted weight; 276,490 lb (125,414 kg), round weight.

(6) Red porgy—(i) For the period January 1 through April 30 each year—47,308 lb (21,458 kg), gutted weight; 49,200 lb (22,317 kg), round weight.

(ii) For the period May 1 through December 31 each year—110,384 lb (50,069 kg), gutted weight; 114,800 lb (52,072 kg), round weight.

(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(6)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.

(7) Gag—(i) For the 2015 fishing year—295,459 lb (134,018 kg), gutted weight; 348,642 lb (158,141 kg), round weight.

(ii) For the 2016 fishing year—297,882 lb (135,117 kg), gutted weight; 351,501 (159,438 kg), round weight.

(iii) For the 2017 fishing year—318,231 lb (144,347 kg), gutted weight; 375,513 lb (170,330 kg), round weight.

(iv) For the 2018 fishing year—335,188 lb (152,039 kg), gutted weight; 395,522 lb (179,406 kg), round weight.

(v) For the 2019 and subsequent fishing years—347,301 lb (157,533 kg), gutted weight; 409,816 lb (185,889 kg), round weight.

(8) Gray triggerfish.

(i) For the period January through June each year—156,162 lb (70,834 kg), round weight.

(ii) For the period July through December each year—156,162 lb (70,834 kg), round weight.

(iii) Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(i) of this section will be added to the quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(ii) of this section. Any unused portion of the quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(ii) of this section, including any addition of quota specified in paragraph (a)(8)(i) of this section that was unused, will become void and will not be added to any subsequent quota.

(b) Wreckfish.

(1) The quotas for wreckfish apply to wreckfish shareholders, or their employees, contractors, or agents. The quotas are given round weight. See §622.172 for information on the wreckfish shareholder under the ITQ system.

(i) For the 2015 fishing year—411,350 lb (186,585 kg).

(ii) For the 2016 fishing year—402,515 (182,578 kg).

(iii) For the 2017 fishing year—393,490 lb (178,484 kg).

(iv) For the 2018 fishing year—385,985 lb (175,080 kg).

(v) For the 2019 fishing year—376,960 lb (170,986 kg).

(vi) For the 2020 and subsequent fishing years—369,645 lb (167,668 kg).

(2) [Reserved]

(c) Restrictions applicable after a commercial quota closure—(1) South Atlantic gag, greater amberjack, snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, red porgy, wreckfish, and gray triggerfish.

(i) The appropriate bag limits specified in §622.187(b) and the possession limits specified in §622.187(c) apply to all harvest or possession of the applicable species in or from the South Atlantic EEZ, and the sale or purchase of the applicable species taken from or possessed in the EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on sale/purchase during a closure for the applicable species does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to the effective date of the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

(ii) The bag and possession limits for the applicable species and the prohibition on sale/purchase apply in the South Atlantic on board a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued, without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in state or Federal waters.

(2) [Reserved]

[78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 78 FR 23863 Apr. 23, 2013; 78 FR 47579, Aug. 6, 2013; 78 FR 49195, Aug. 13, 2013]; 78 FR 58253, Sept. 23, 2013; 79 FR 66322, Nov. 7, 2014; 80 FR 30953, June 1, 2015; 80 FR 43038, July 21, 2015; 80 FR 48278, Aug. 12, 2015; 81 FR 3738, Jan. 22, 2016; 83 FR 62512, Dec. 4, 2018; 83 FR 14024, Apr. 9, 2019; 85 FR 4594, Jan. 27, 2020]