Commercial harvest of vermilion snapper in South Atlantic waters will close at 12:01 a.m. (local time) 19 April, 2014.
The 2014 January-June commercial catch limit is 446,080 pounds whole weight. Reports indicate the catch limit will be met by 19 April, 2014. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on 1 July, 2014.
The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper and that is landing vermilion snapper for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such vermilion snapper prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, 19 April, 2014.
The prohibition on sale does not apply to sale or purchase of vermilion snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time) April 19, 2014, and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
During the closure:
• Harvest or possession of vermilion snapper in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits.
• Sale and purchase of vermilion snapper in or from federal waters is prohibited.
• The closure applies in both state and federal waters for a person onboard a vessel with a federal snapper-grouper permit.
• This closure is necessary to protect the snapper-grouper resource.
