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In 2017, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council amended its Tilefish Fishery Management Plan to include implementing permitting and reporting for private recreational tilefish anglers to obtain better information on recreational tilefish landings in the Mid-Atlantic. In the final rule implementing that amendment, NMFS noted that further discussions were needed on permitting and reporting and additional rulemaking would take place at a later date. This rulemaking establishes permitting and reporting for private recreational tilefish anglers by requiring private recreational tilefish anglers to obtain a Federal private recreational tilefish vessel permit to fish for and/or retain golden and blueline tilefish. The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office would issue the permits through an online application system. This action also proposed that private recreational tilefish anglers be required to submit a vessel trip report within 72 hours of returning to port for any trip that targets tilefish in the Mid-Atlantic.