SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] February 6, 2015 — The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a Webinar in early March to review and take final action on certain recreational red snapper reccomendations that will reallocate more fish to the sector.
During the Council's January 26-29 meeting in Alabama, an updated Red Snapper Stock Assessment was presented that included information on the 2014 provisional red snapper catch estiamtes. The Council also received the overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).
The Council asked staff to prepare a framework action to increase the red snapper annual catch limit (ACL) based on revised ABCs using the 2014 provisional red snapper catch estimates. Because the SSC has not yet seen the provisional catch estimates or revised ABCs, they must review those estimates and determine whether to approve the revised ABCs.
The SSC will meet via webinar February 19, 2015 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm eastern time.
The Council will then hold a special meeting via Webinar, March 3, 2015, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm eastern time, to review the SSC ABC recommendations and take final action on a framework action to increase the ACL accordingly.
The Council reviewed a revised draft of Amendment 28, which considers reallocating a portion of the commercial quota to the recreational sector. After amending the purpose and need statement, the Council added two alternatives to Action 1.
Alternative 8 – The increase in allowable harvest (due to changes in recreational data) from the update assessment will be allocated to the recreational sector. The percentage increase for the recreational sector should be that amount attributable to recalibration of MRIP catch estimates.
Alternative 9 – The increase in allowable harvest (due to changes in recreational data) from the update assessment will be allocated to the recreational sector. The percentage increase for the recreational sector should be that amount attributable to recalibration of MRIP catch estimates and the change in size selectivity.
The Council will review Amendment 28 again during its March/April meeting and could take final action as early as June.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.