Gulf of Mexico Red Drum Historical Amendments and Rulemaking (1988-2002)

The following is a list of historic rulemakings to Fishery Management Plans for Gulf of Mexico red drum fishery resources effective 2002 and earlier.

See current rules that are open for comment here.

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Generic Amendment: Establishment of the Tortugas Marine Reserves

Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2
(Tortugas Marine Reserves)

• Proposed Rule, 67 FR 5780.
• Final Rule, 67 FR 47467. Effective August 19, 2002.

Amendment 3

Amendment 3 modified the framework procedure for specifying total allowable catch (TAC) by providing that the NOAA Fisheries would provide stock assessments biennially rather than annually.

• Proposed Rule, 57 FR 26814.
• Final Rule, 57 FR 40134. Effective October 2, 1992.

Generic Amendment for Addressing Essential Fish Habitat Requirements in the Gulf of Mexico

• Proposed Rule 63 FR 60287. November 9, 1998
• Partial Approval 64 FR 13363. Effective Feb 8, 1999

Amendment 2

Amendment 2, implemented in 1988, prohibited retention and possession of red drum from the exclusive economic zone. This action was based on a Southeast Fisheries Center (SEFC) stock assessment (Goodyear, 1987) which concluded annual fishing mortality for 1986 on the juvenile population was on the order of 2.0, and consequently escapement rates to the spawning stock biomass were likely less than 2.0 percent which would not maintain the SSB at a 20 percent spawning stock biomass per recruit (SSBR) relative to the unfished stock. In addition, fishing mortality on the offshore stock was estimated to be about 0.25 (22 percent annually). The 1987 Stock Assessment Panel report recommended that acceptable biological catch be set at zero for the EEZ and that the states increase the escapement rate from the estuaries to 30 percent.

The 1989 SEFC Stock Assessment report (Goodyear) indicated the SSBR would likely decline to 13 percent. The 1989 Stock Assessment Panel report recommended ABC for the EEZ be maintained at zero, and that the states increase escapement to 30 percent. During 1991, the Red Drum Stock Assessment Panel (panel) reviewed stock assessments prepared by NOAA Fisheries (Goodyear, 1991), the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (1991), and the State of Florida (Murphy, et. al. 1990). The panel (Condrey, al, 1991) recommendation was that ABC be set at zero. The Council recommended to NOAA Fisheries that total allowable catch be zero for 1992, and that a more comprehensive assessment of an SSBR level be provided in 1992.

• Proposed Rule, 53 FR 12790.
• Final Rule, 53 FR 34662. Effective June 29, 1988.

Amendment 1

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council prepared Amendment 1 to the fishery management plan (FMP), which was implemented on October 16, 1987. The amendment continued the prohibition of a directed commercial exclusive economic zone fishery, but converted the commercial and recreational estimated catch allowances into quotas that were restricted to EEZ waters off Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama (the primary area); harvest was prohibited from the EEZ off Florida and Texas (secondary areas). The Council also requested that all Gulf states implement rules within their jurisdictions that would provide for an escapement rate of juvenile fish to the SSB equivalent to 20 percent of those that would have escaped had there been no inshore fishery. Such an escapement rate was judged as necessary to maintain an SSB level that would prevent recruitment failure and collapse of the fishery.

• Proposed Rule, 52 FR 22822.
• Final Rule, 52 FR 34918. Effective October 16, 1987.

Original Fishery Management Plan

The Red Drum fishery management plan prohibited directed commercial harvest from the exclusive economic zone for 1987. The FMP provided for a recreational bag limit of one fish per person per trip, and an incidental catch allowance for commercial net and shrimp fishermen. Total harvest was estimated at 625,000 pounds; 300,000 by the commercial sector, and 325,000 by the recreational sector. The stock assessment sections of the FMP documented high inshore (state waters) fishing mortality on juvenile and sub-adult red drum and provided analysis that indicated significant long-term risks to the spawning stock biomass associated with reduced juvenile recruitment to the adult population and with continued exploitation of adults.

• Proposed Rule, 51 FR 36035.
• Final Rule, 51 FR 46675. Effective December 19, 1988.