BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120404257–3325–02; RTID 0648-XE009]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South
Atlantic; 2024 Commercial Longline Closure for Golden
Tilefish in the South Atlantic
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure for the
commercial longline component of golden tilefish in South
Atlantic Federal waters. Commercial landings of golden
tilefish harvested by bottom longline gear are projected to
reach the 2024 commercial quota for the longline component.
Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial longline component of
golden tilefish in South Atlantic Federal waters. This
closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish
resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective from June 8, 2024,
through December 31, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack McGovern, NMFS
Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727-204-5518, email:
john.mcgovern@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of

the South Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is managed
under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper
Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). The FMP was
prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
(Council) and NMFS, and is implemented by NMFS under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50
CFR part 622.
The commercial sector for golden tilefish has two
components, each with its own quota: the longline and hookand-line components [50 CFR 622.190(a)(2)]. The commercial
annual catch limit (ACL) for golden tilefish is allocated
as 75 percent to the longline component and 25 percent to
the hook-and-line component. The total commercial ACL in
2024, which is equivalent to the total commercial quota, is
433,216 pounds (lb) or 196,503 kilograms (kg) in gutted
weight. The longline component quota for 2024 is 324,912 lb
(147,378 kg) in gutted weight [50 CFR
622.190(a)(2)(iii)(B)].
Under 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(ii), NMFS is required to
close the commercial longline component for the harvest of
golden tilefish when its quota has been reached or is
projected to be reached. After this closure, golden
tilefish may not be commercially fished or possessed by a
vessel with a South Atlantic golden tilefish longline
endorsement. NMFS projects that commercial landings of

golden tilefish harvested by bottom longline gear from
South Atlantic Federal waters will reach the 2024 component
quota by June 8, 2024. Accordingly, the commercial longline
component of South Atlantic golden tilefish is closed
beginning on June 8, 2024, and will remain closed through
the rest of the fishing year ending on December 31, 2024.
The sale or purchase of longline-caught golden
tilefish harvested from South Atlantic Federal waters is
prohibited during the commercial longline closure. The
operator of a vessel with a valid Federal commercial vessel
permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper and a valid
commercial longline endorsement for golden tilefish with
golden tilefish on board must have landed and bartered,
traded, or sold such golden tilefish before June 8, 2024.
The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to the
sale or purchase of longline-caught golden tilefish that
were harvested, landed ashore, and sold before June 8,
2024, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or
processor. Additionally, the recreational bag and
possession limits and the sale and purchase prohibitions
under the commercial quota closure apply to a person on
board a vessel with a golden tilefish longline endorsement
apply to the harvest of golden tilefish from state or
Federal waters, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1).
On March 1, 2024, NMFS also closed the recreational
harvest of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic for the

rest of 2024 (89 FR 14415, February 27, 2024). Therefore,
during the commercial longline closure and for the rest of
2024, all harvest or possession of golden tilefish in or
from South Atlantic Federal waters or adjacent state waters
is prohibited by a vessel with a golden tilefish longline
endorsement.
The 2025 fishing season for the commercial harvest of
South Atlantic golden tilefish with bottom longline gear
opens again on January 15, 2025 [50 CFR 622.183(b)(11)].
During the commercial longline closure, golden
tilefish may still be commercially harvested using hookand-line gear on a vessel with a South Atlantic unlimited
snapper-grouper commercial permit and without a longline
endorsement until the hook-and-line quota specified in 50
CFR 622.190(a)(2)(ii)(B) is reached. A vessel with a golden
tilefish longline endorsement at any time during a fishing
year is not eligible to fish for or possess golden tilefish
using hook-and-line gear under the hook-and-line commercial
trip limit, as specified in 50 CFR 622.191(a)(2)(ii).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
622.193(a)(1)(ii), issued pursuant to section 304(b), and
is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to
waive prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on

this action, as notice and comment are unnecessary and
contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the regulations associated with the
commercial closure of the golden tilefish longline
component have already been subject to notice and public
comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of
the closure. Prior notice and opportunity for public
comment on this action is contrary to the public interest
because of the need to immediately implement the commercial
longline component closure to protect the golden tilefish
resource in the South Atlantic. The capacity of the
longline fishing fleet allows for rapid harvest of the
commercial longline component quota, and any delay in the
commercial closure could result in the exceedance of the
commercial longline component quota. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would require time and would
potentially result in a harvest that exceeds the commercial
quota.
For the reasons just stated, NMFS also finds good
cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of
this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 31, 2024.



Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 2024-12373 Filed: 6/3/2024 4:15 pm; Publication Date: 6/6/2024]