Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; 2018 Recreational Fishing Seasons for Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico

NMFS announces the 2018 recreational fishing seasons for the private angling and Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) components for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this temporary rule. The Federal recreational season for red snapper in the Gulf EEZ begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2018. For recreational harvest by the private angling component, the season closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2018. For recreational harvest by the Federal for-hire component, the season closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 22, 2018. These closures are necessary to prevent the private angling and Federal for-hire components from exceeding their respective quotas, equivalent to annual catch limits (ACLs), for the 2018 fishing year and to prevent overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.