Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 53

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf)(FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council)(Amendment 53). This proposed rule and Amendment 53 would modify the allocation of Gulf red grouper catch between the commercial and recreational sectors as well as revise sector annual catch limits (ACLs) and annual catch targets (ACTs). The purposes of this proposed rule and Amendment 53 are to revise the red grouper sector allocations using the best scientific information available and to modify the allowable harvest of red grouper based on results of the recent stock assessment.