Potential Impacts of Eliminating Amendment 30B Permit Restrictions

In 2009, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) approved a requirement that federally permitted for-hire vessels abide by federal reef fish regulations if more restrictive than state regulations when fishing in state waters. The purpose of this requirement was to improve the effectiveness of federal management measures in instances where states adopted less restrictive regulations. Currently, the Council is reconsidering this permit restriction, as states are more frequently adopting inconsistent regulations due to shortened federal fishing season lengths (particularly for red snapper). The Council is developing a framework action which includes alternatives to: 1) retain 30B permit restrictions, 2) rescind 30B permit restrictions but only for red snapper and/or gag, 3) rescind 30B permit restrictions for all reef fish, and 4) extend 30B permit restrictions to private recreational vessels fishing in state waters. The following analysis summarizes the potential impacts of eliminating or extending 30B permit restrictions. 2014 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) SER (Southeast Region) Submitted Public Domain 1930