National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 8, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule adjusts the quotas and retention limits and establishes the opening date for the 2024 fishing year for the Atlantic shark commercial fisheries. NMFS also changes the management measures for the 2024 and future fishing years to automatically open the commercial fishing year on January 1 of each year under the base quotas and default retention limits, and increases the default commercial retention limit for the large coastal shark (LCS) fisheries. Quotas are adjusted as required or allowable based on any underharvests from the previous fishing years. The final measures could affect fishing opportunities for commercial shark fishermen in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.

The SEDAR 88 assessment of Gulf of Mexico red grouper will consist of a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a public virtual meeting to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.