Federal Register #2026-17113

Temporary Commercial Closure for Blueline Tilefish, Scamp, and Yellowmouth Grouper in the South Atlantic EEZ

This opportunity is a regulatory action by NOAA and NMFS under the Department of Commerce, not a procurement or award. - Government Buyer: - National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Regional Office - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Department of Commerce - OEMs and Vendors: - No commercial OEMs or vendors are involved; only federal agencies are mentioned - Products/Services Requested: - Temporary closure of the commercial sector for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ - Temporary closure of the commercial sector for the scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex in the South Atlantic EEZ - No physical products or commercial services are being procured - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Closures are triggered by reaching the annual catch limits for these species - All sale or purchase of blueline tilefish, scamp, and yellowmouth grouper is prohibited during the closure period - Harvest or possession is restricted to recreational bag and possession limits - The action is intended to prevent overfishing and protect fishery resources under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region - Period of Performance: - Closures are effective from August 24, 2026, through December 31, 2026 - No contract value, product line items, or commercial competitors are relevant to this notice

Description

NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS estimates that commercial landings of blueline tilefish will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2026 fishing year. Accordingly, NMFS closes the commercial sector of blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ to protect the blueline tilefish resource from overfishing. This temporary rule is effective from August 24, 2026, through December 31, 2026. During the closure, all sale or purchase of blueline tilefish is prohibited and harvest or possession is limited to recreational bag and possession limits.

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