Fishing closes the day landings are projected to hit the limit — an automatic trigger set in advance

1Not a judgment but a prior arrangement

Closing a fishery is a heavy measure, yet it fires on conditions set in advance rather than a decision taken at the time. The regulations state that where landings reach or are projected to reach the annual limit, the commercial sector is closed. The condition is met, so closure follows; no discretion is left to the agency.

2The number and the dates

The limit is written into the regulations to the pound. Once reaching it comes into view, closure fires, and commercial fishing stops for the remainder of the year.

3From science to regulation

1. 1Stock assessmentEstimating how much of the fish there is. This site also covers assessment sessions for this same species
2. 2Setting the catch limitThe assessment informs the annual limit set in regulation
3. 3Monitoring landingsLandings are tallied and reaching the limit is projected
4. 4The accountability measure firesOn projection of reaching the limit, the regulations close the sector

This site also covers a notice on the stock assessment for South Atlantic red snapper being conducted through public webinars. Assessment becomes a number, the number becomes a rule, and the rule fires by itself. Set the two documents side by side and the path from scientific estimate to operative regulation comes into view.

4Why there is no comment period

There is no comment period here because whether to close was settled in the earlier rulemaking, where the opportunity to comment existed. This document announces that a pre-set condition has been met and gives it effect. Nothing was skipped; the necessary procedure happened at an earlier stage.

5The next fishing year

The closure runs to the end of this fishing year, with the next year set separately. Limits are established annually and revised as the state of the resource changes. That closure fired this early means the year catch ran quickly against the limit.