Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America; Partial Holdback of Commercial Quota for the Other Shallow-Water Grouper Complex

NMFS issues this temporary rule to withhold a portion of the commercial allocation of the Other Shallow-Water Grouper (SWG) complex for the 2026 fishing year in anticipation of the upcoming rulemaking to implement a framework action under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf (FMP). If implemented by NMFS, the framework action would, in part, reduce the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) and commercial quota for the Other SWG complex. This temporary rule will withhold the distribution of a portion of the Other SWG individual fishing quota (IFQ) allocation on January 1, 2026, to shareholders in the Groupers and Tilefishes IFQ (GT-IFQ) program in the amount equal to the anticipated reduction in the commercial quota.