Saving Seafood

Council’s Request for Red Snapper Season in 2017 Approved

October 27, 2017 — Charleston, S.C. — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: 

At the request of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and working closely with NOAA Fisheries, an interim annual catch limit has been approved that will open the red snapper fishery to limited harvest in 2017. NOAA Fisheries announced today that the red snapper recreational fishery in the South Atlantic region will open for two consecutive 3-day weekends beginning November 3rd. Recreational fishermen may harvest red snapper in federal waters (from 3 to 200 nautical miles) November 3rd through 5th and November 10th through 12th. The recreational bag limit is 1 fish per person/day and there is no minimum size limit. The commercial fishery will open November 2nd with a 75-pound (gutted weight) trip limit and no minimum size limit. Commercial trip limits are limits on the amount of the applicable species that may be possessed on board or landed, purchased, or sold from a vessel per day.

“We sincerely appreciate the decision by the Secretary of Commerce to allow limited harvest of red snapper this year,” said Council Chair Charlie Phillips. “Approving the Council’s request for an interim catch limit for 2017 will allow fishermen limited access to the resource as the stock continues to rebuild, provide an economic boost to fishing communities impacted by Hurricane Irma, and present an opportunity for data to be collected from both recreational and commercial fishermen.” The 2017 red snapper season is based on the approved interim annual catch limit of 42,510 fish. The recreational sector is allocated 71.93% of the total annual catch limit.

During the open red snapper season, state marine resource agency personnel will be conducting surveys at various locations and collecting samples from fishermen. Anglers are encouraged to cooperate with samplers and to provide carcasses (after fillets have been removed) for data collection.

Fishermen are also urged to use best fishing practices to minimize the number of released red snapper and help improve the likelihood that released fish will survive. “The red snapper fishery has remained closed since 2014 because mortality estimates of the number of released fish exceeded the annual catch limit,” explained Captain Mark Brown, Council Vice-Chair and a full-time charter captain based in Mt. Pleasant, SC. “It is imperative that we use best practices. The key to having future access to red snapper lies in reducing the mortality of fish that are released.”

Best Practices

  • Once you have met your red snapper bag limit, move away from areas likely to have red snapper. If you are approaching your vessel limit, move to a different area. When red snapper are out of season avoid areas where they are common.
  • Use single hook rigs – since the bag limit is 1 per person, this potentially reduces the number of red snapper caught on one drop.
  • If you catch a red snapper and plan to release the fish, keep the fish in the water as you remove the hook and return the fish back to the water as quickly as possible. Tips on how to use a dehooking device.
  • Recognize signs of barotrauma: bulging eyes, stomach protruding from mouth, distended intestines, bloated belly. Information on signs of barotrauma.

Use descending devices if releasing fish with barotrauma. There are a variety of devices available. Different types of descending devices and their use.

New Pilot Program for Recreational Reporting

Recreational anglers will have the opportunity to report individually about their red snapper fishing trips via a voluntary pilot program being tested for the first time as the red snapper mini-season opens. MyFishCount.com is a new web portal that allows anglers to report their catches using photos to document lengths, as well as depths fish are caught, release techniques, hook type, and other information. Anglers are encouraged to register online and to take photos and keep written records of the information while offshore.

Additional information on this pilot program as well as other items of interest for the upcoming red snapper season is available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/electronic-reporting-projects/red-snapper-reporting.

Season for 2018

In addition to the emergency rule request to allow an opening this year, the Council also approved measures in Amendment 43 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan during its September 25, 2017 meeting. The amendment would revise the process for calculating the annual catch limit with the intent to allow a red snapper season in 2018. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the recreational fishery would open the second Friday in July (July 13, 2018) and the commercial fishery the second Monday in July (July 9, 2018).

The catch rate during the 2017 season will be considered in setting the length of any 2018 season, so fishermen are encouraged to follow the best fishing practices and to be conservative in how many red snapper they catch during 2017. The amendment is currently under review and an announcement from NOAA Fisheries about a 2018 red snapper season is expected in early 2018.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, one of eight regional councils, conserves and manages fish stocks from three to 200 miles offshore of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and east Florida. For more information, visit: www.safmc.net. 

 

NOAA Announces 2017 Limited Opening of Recreational and Commercial Red Snapper Fishery in South Atlantic Federal Waters

October 27, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries: 

KEY MESSAGE:

  • Red snapper recreational and commercial seasons will open in South Atlantic federal waters for limited harvest in 2017 through emergency action.
  • The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested the opening after recent scientific information indicated a large increase in the size of the red snapper population since 2010.
  • NOAA Fisheries determined the limited harvest in 2017 is neither expected to result in overfishing, nor prevent continued rebuilding of the population.WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:
  • The recreational sector will open for harvest on weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) on the following days:
    • November 3, 4, and 5, 2017 – The recreational season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 3, 2017, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 6, 2017.
    • November 10, 11, and 12, 2017 – The recreational season opens again at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 10, 2017, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 13, 2017.
  • The commercial sector will open for harvest upon implementation of the emergency rule at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 2, 2017, and will close at 11:59 p.m., local time, on December 31, 2017, unless the commercial annual catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date.
    • NOAA Fisheries will announce if the commercial sector needs to close before 11:59 p.m., local time, on December 31, 2017.

 THE REGULATIONS DURING THE LIMITED SEASONS ARE:

  • For the recreational sector, the bag limit is one red snapper per person per day. This applies to private and charterboat/headboat vessels (the captain and crew on for-hire vessels may retain the recreational bag limit).
  • For the commercial sector, the trip limit is 75 pounds gutted weight.
  • There are no minimum size limits for the recreational and commercial sectors.
  • The recreational and commercial catch limits are 29,656 fish and 124,815 pounds whole weight, respectively.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) 

When are the 2017 South Atlantic recreational and commercial red snapper seasons?

  • The recreational sector will open for harvest on weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) on the following days:
    • November 3, 4, and 5, 2017 – The recreational season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 3, 2017, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 6, 2017.
    • November 10, 11, and 12, 2017 – The recreational season opens again at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 10, 2017, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 13, 2017.
  • The commercial sector will open for harvest upon implementation of the emergency rule at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 2, 2017, and will close at 11:59 p.m., local time, on December 31, 2017, unless the commercial annual catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date.
    NOAA Fisheries will announce if the commercial sector needs to close before December 31, 2017.

    • NOAA Fisheries will announce if the commercial sector needs to close before December 31, 2017.

What are the regulations for red snapper during these seasons?

    • Recreational annual catch limit of 29,656 fish.
    • The recreational bag limit is one red snapper per person per day.
    • Commercial annual catch limit of 124,815 pounds whole weight.
    • The commercial trip limit is 75 pounds gutted weight.
    • There is no minimum size limit for both the recreational and commercial sectors.

What is the history of red snapper harvest and prohibitions in the South Atlantic Region?  

  • Harvest of red snapper from South Atlantic federal waters was prohibited in 2010 when the population was determined to be severely overfished and undergoing overfishing (Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review [SEDAR] 15).
  • Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region established a process that allowed harvest if total removals (landings plus dead discards) were below the acceptable biological catch in the previous year.
  • Limited harvest of red snapper was allowed in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
  • The estimated total removals of red snapper exceeded the acceptable biological catch in 2014, 2015, and 2016, resulting in no allowable harvest since 2014.

What is the current status of the red snapper population in the South Atlantic Region?

  • The latest population assessment (SEDAR 41) was completed in 2016 and revised in 2017. It indicated the South Atlantic red snapper population is overfished and undergoing overfishing; however, the population is rebuilding.
  • The red snapper overfishing determination in the assessment came from 2012-2014 when only a small amount of harvest was allowed to occur. However, discards during this time period were high due to fishermen targeting species that co-occur with red snapper, which likely contributed to the overfishing determination.
  • SEDAR 41 stated that recreational discards were one of the most important and uncertain sources of information used in the stock assessment during the harvest prohibition from 2010-2014.
  • The harvest prohibition in 2015 and 2016 has contributed towards addressing overfishing of red snapper supported by an increase in population biomass of red snapper since 2010.

Why is limited harvest of red snapper being allowed in 2017?

  • Recently available fisheries independent studies by the Southeast Reef Fish Survey program available here and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission available here have shown relative abundance of red snapper has increased since 2014, and was highest in 2017.
  • The scientific studies also show a greater number of large red snapper and a broader range of ages in recent years suggesting rebuilding of the red snapper population despite the limited harvest allowed in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
  • The total annual catch limit implemented by this temporary rule equals the landings of red snapper during the limited harvest in 2014.
  • The harvest prohibitions of red snapper since 2010 have resulted in adverse socio-economic effects to fishermen and fishing communities such as loss of additional revenue and recreational opportunities, as well as indirect benefits to businesses that provide supplies for fishing trips.
  • Collection of fishery dependent data is limited during harvest prohibitions. Federal and state personnel will collect information, including catch data and biological samples during the open season in 2017, which will inform future population assessments for red snapper.

How will the limited harvest in 2017 affect the overfishing and overfished status of red snapper?

  • NOAA Fisheries has determined that the limited harvest in 2017 is not expected to result in overfishing and will not prevent the continued rebuilding of the red snapper population.

What are some Best Fishing Practices while fishing for red snapper?
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council identified the following best practices to reduce release mortality and further protect the population as it rebuilds:

    • Avoid areas likely to have red snapper if you already have met your recreational bag limit. If you are approaching your commercial vessel limit, move to a different area.
    • When red snapper are out of season, avoid areas where they are common.
    • Use single hook rigs since the recreational bag limit for red snapper during the limited fishing season is one per person per day. This will potentially reduce the number of red snapper that are caught on one drop.
    • Use a dehooking device to remove the hook. Keep fish in the water if you plan to release them or return them as quickly as possible.
    • Use descending devices when releasing fish with signs of barotrauma.

Where can I find more information on the environmental assessment and temporary final rule through emergency action?

  • Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

By Mail: Nikhil Mehta

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505

By FAX: (727) 824-5308

By Phone: (727) 824-5305

The environmental assessment and temporary final rule through emergency action may be found online at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Web site at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2017/red_snapper_er_2017/index.html 

Additional information on management of red snapper in the South Atlantic may be found at: http://safmc.net/regulations/regulations-by-species/red-snapper/

Access this and other Fishery Bulletins from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office by clicking here.