Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2019 Bluefish Specifications

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today we filed a final rule approving and implementing the 2019 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in cooperation with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

The final 2019 specifications are fundamentally the same as 2018, with only minor adjustments to the final commercial quota and recreational harvest limit to account for most recent full year of recreational catch data (2017), and a 4.0 million lb of quota transferred from the recreational to the commercial sector rather than 3.5 million lb in 2018.

Table 1 (below) provides the commercial fishery state allocations for 2019 based on the final 2019 coast-wide commercial quota, and the allocated percentages defined in the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan. No states exceeded their state-allocated quota in 2018; therefore, no accountability measures need to be implemented for the 2019 fishing year.

Table 1. 2019 Bluefish State Commercial Quota Allocations.

State Percent Share Quota Allocation (lb)
Maine 0.67 51,538
New Hampshire 0.41 31,956
Massachusetts 6.72 517,828
Rhode Island 6.81 524,874
Connecticut 1.27 97,626
New York 10.39 800,645
New Jersey 14.82 1,142,264
Delaware 1.88 144,801
Maryland 3.00 231,426
Virginia 11.88 915,857
North Carolina 32.06 2,471,746
South Carolina 0.04 2,714
Georgia 0.01 732
Florida 10.06 775,558
Total 100 7,709,565

For more details please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register and our permit holder bulletin.

Questions?
Fishermen: Contact Cynthia Ferrio, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9180
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175

SAFMC Meeting March 4-8, 2019 in Jekyll Island, GA

February 19, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Briefing book materials are now available for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s March 4-8, 2019 meeting at the Westin Jekyll Island, 110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, Georgia. The meeting week begins with a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council.

The briefing book materials, including agendas, overviews, and discussion documents, are now available from the Council’s website.

Agenda Highlights:

  • Red Snapper – The Snapper Grouper Committee is expected to receive an update from NOAA Fisheries on the status of the 2019 red snapper season.
  • Species Movement Northward – An Atlantic coast-wide discussion will take place during the Habitat Committee meeting. Members of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, New England Fishery Management Council, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will participate.
  • Sea Turtle Release Gear – The Council is scheduled to approve Snapper Grouper Amendment 42, allowing commercial and for-hire fishermen additional choices for turtle release gear.
  • Best Fishing Practices and Use of Powerhead Gear – The Snapper Grouper Committee will continue to discuss proposed requirements for the use of descending devices, venting tools, and circle hooks, as well as changes to restrictions on powerhead gear.
  • Dolphin Wahoo – The committee will continue to discuss management options for both dolphin and wahoo to include in draft Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan.
  • Allocations – The Council will meet as a Committee of the Whole to begin discussions of allocations between recreational and commercial sectors. In addition, the Committee of the Whole will also discuss the ABC Control Rule Amendment and an amendment to address Recreational Accountability Measures.

Additional Information:

Wednesday, March 6th 4:00 PM
The Council will hold a formal public comment session as part of the meeting week.

Online Public Comment

Members of the public may also provide written comments on agenda items via the Council’s Online Comment Form. Comments may also be viewed online as they are posted. Additional details are available from March meeting page.

Meeting via Webinar – Listen to the meeting and view presentations via webinar each day as the meeting occurs. Registration required. Click the links below to register for each day:

Mark Your Calendar – SAFMC Meeting March 4-8, 2019 in Jekyll Island, GA

February 11, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold their next meeting March 4-8, 2019 at the Westin Jekyll Island, 110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, Georgia. The meeting week begins with a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council. A public comment session will be held on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 4:00 PM. An online comment form will also be available for written comments, and the meeting will be available via webinar as it occurs.

Agenda Highlights:

  • Red Snapper – The Snapper Grouper Committee is expected to receive an update from NOAA Fisheries on the status of the 2019 red snapper season.
  • Species Movement Northward – An Atlantic coast-wide discussion will take place during the Habitat Committee meeting. Members of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, New England Fishery Management Council, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will participate.
  • Sea Turtle Release Gear – The Council is scheduled to approve Snapper Grouper Amendment 42, allowing commercial and for-hire fishermen additional choices for turtle release gear.
  • Best Fishing Practices and Use of Powerhead Gear – The Snapper Grouper Committee will continue to discuss proposed requirements for the use of descending devices, venting tools, and circle hooks, as well as changes to restrictions on powerhead gear.
  • Dolphin Wahoo – The committee will continue to discuss management options for both dolphin and wahoo to include in draft Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan.
  • Allocations – The Council will meet as a Committee of the Whole to begin discussions of allocations between recreational and commercial sectors. In addition, the Committee of the Whole will also discuss the ABC Control Rule Amendment and an amendment to address Recreational Accountability Measures.

Additional Information:

A meeting Schedule-at-a-Glance, links to webinar registration, and additional meeting information is currently available from the March 2019 Council Meeting page. Briefing book materials, including the meeting agenda, committee agendas/overviews, and the public comment form will be available on February 15, 2019.

Reminder: Application Deadline for Advisory Panels and System Management Plan Workgroup

February 4, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats as well as fishing representatives to serve on the System Management Plan Workgroup. The Workgroup will address future needs of managed areas in federal waters in the South Atlantic. The Council’s advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans. Additional details are included in an earlier news release.

Applications are now being solicited for the following advisory panel positions:

  • Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel (1) GA Open Seat
  • Habitat Advisory Panel (1) NC Commercial and (1) NC Conservation; (1) FL Commercial; and (1) At-Large Research/Geologist Seat
  • Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (1) Open Seat
  • Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel (2) Open Seats
  • Shrimp Advisory Panel (1) Open NGO Seat and (1) Open Seat
  • Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel (3) Open Seats
  • Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel (1) SC Open Seat and (2) GA Open Seats
  • Spiny Lobster Advisory Panel (1) Open Seat

System Management Plan Workgroup Positions

The Council is also soliciting applicants to represent commercial and recreational interests on its System Management Plan (SMP) Workgroup. The workgroup will provide recommendations on managed areas in federal waters under the Council’s jurisdiction.

Open positions on the System Management Plan Workgroup:

  • Recreational Representatives (1) SC and (1) GA
  • Commercial Representatives (1) GA

How to Apply

Application forms for individual advisory panels and the SMP Workgroup are available online from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/. For questions about the advisory panel seats contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net or call the Council office at 843/571-4366. Questions regarding the SMP Workgroup should be directed to Dr. Chip Collier at chip.collier@safmc.net or by calling the Council office.

Advisory panel and Workgroup members will be selected during the Council’s March 4-8, 2019 meeting in Jekyll Island, GA. Applications must be received by February 8, 2019 for consideration by the Council during the March meeting.

SAFMC: Commercial Closure in Federal Waters for Atlantic Migratory Group Spanish Mackerel Southern Zone on February 5, 2019

February 4, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The commercial harvest of Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in the Atlantic southern zone will close at 6:00 a.m., local time, on February 5, 2019, and will open on March 1, 2019, for the March 2019 through February 2020 fishing season. The Atlantic southern zone includes federal waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida.
  • During the commercial closure, harvest or possession of Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in or from the Atlantic southern zone is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

  • The March 2018 through February 2019 commercial catch limit for the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel southern zone is 2,667,330 pounds. Commercial landings are projected to have met the commercial catch limit. According to the accountability measure, harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

  • The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 6:00 a.m., local time, February 5, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • During the closure, a person on board a vessel that has been issued a valid Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for coastal migratory pelagic fish may continue to retain, but not sell or purchase, Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in the Atlantic southern zone under the recreational bag and possession limits, as long as the recreational sector is open.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov.

Four newborn right whales spotted early in 2019 breeding season

February 1, 2019 — The end of 2018 contained more dark news for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, as scientists finding that the species decline had quickened.

An estimate by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) brought the total population count of the species to a maximum total of 411 individuals remaining, with as few as 100 of those remaining being females of breeding age. That news came on top of already grim finding that no new calves were born during the 2017-2018 breeding season.

But on 22 January, three new calves were reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. And on 25 January, the agency recorded a spotting of a fourth right whale calf off the coast of Georgia.

The North Atlantic right whales, one of the world’s three right whale populations, spend much of the winter in the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean off Florida and Georgia before migrating to New England the Canadian Maritimes for the summer. There, they face the danger of entanglement in fishing lines used in lobster and crab fishing.

In 2017, 17 right whales died from ship strikes or entanglements in fishing gear. In 2018, an additional three right whales died, with one of the deceased right whales found to have died from entanglement in snow crab gear used in Canada.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Atlantic Spanish Mackerel Southern Zone Commercial Trip Limit Reduction to 500 pounds on January 27, 2019

January 24, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone is reduced from 1,500 to 500 pounds effective 6:00 a.m., local time, on January 27, 2019.
  • The southern zone includes federal waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. The boundary for the southern zone is the North Carolina/South Carolina border and the Monroe/Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, border.

WHY THIS TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION IS HAPPENING:

  • The March 2018 through February 2019 commercial catch limit for the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel southern zone is 2,667,330 pounds, and the adjusted commercial catch limit is 2,417,330 pounds.
  • When commercial landings of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone reach or are projected to reach 100 percent of the adjusted commercial catch limit, the daily trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds. The trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest to avoid exceeding the commercial catch limit.

AFTER THE TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION:

The 500 pound commercial trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current fishing season on February 28, 2019, or when 100 percent of the commercial catch limit is reached or projected to be reached, whichever occurs first.

If 100 percent of the commercial catch limit is reached or projected to be reached, NMFS will close the commercial sector in the southern zone for the remainder of the fishing year.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov.

Reminder: SAFMC Public Scoping Webinars Tonight at 6 PM and Tomorrow at 6 PM

January 23, 2019 — The following was published by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking public scoping comment on two amendments affecting how federal fisheries are managed under its jurisdiction. Scoping is the first stage in the process to amend a fishery management plan (FMP) and offers the public an opportunity to comment on options being considered.

Scoping documents along with presentations (both PDF and video) are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/. Public comment forms are also available from the website. Written comments are due to the Council office by February 1, 2019.

SCOPING WEBINARS:
Two webinars will be held to provide an overview of the two amendments and answer any questions prior to taking formal public comment. Registration for the webinars is required.
* Wednesday, January 23 at 6:00 PM Webinar Registration
* Thursday, January 24 at 6:00 PM Webinar Registration

AMENDMENTS FOR SCOPING:
Modifications to Recreational Accountability Measures
(Regulatory Amendment 31 to the Snapper Grouper FMP and Regulatory Amendment 2 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP)

Frustrated with recreational fishing seasons that begin and end at different times from one year to the next? Wish that you could plan your fishing trips well in advance and know if a season will be open or closed? Have ideas on how to improve fishing seasons while meeting the requirements not to exceed annual catch limits?

The Council is considering modifying in-season and post-season accountability measures (AMs) used to help ensure annual catch limits are not exceeded. These may include closing a fishery during the fishing year (in-season), reducing the length of a fishing season in a subsequent year if the catch limit is exceeded, or reducing bag limits (post-season). Currently, accountability measures for the recreational sector vary for species in the snapper grouper management complex and for dolphin and wahoo. The Council’s intent is to reduce complexity and make it easier for recreational fishermen to understand how the AMs would be applied.

The Amendment also includes options to institute a policy to announce when a recreational fishing season will begin and end prior to the fishing year, and revise the units used for tracking recreational annual catch limits.

Comprehensive ABC Control Rule Amendment
(Modifications to the Allowable Biolgical Catch Control Rule)

This amendment may seem a bit complicated – and it is. But the concepts are important. The ABC Control Rule (a set of guidelines), determines how two key factors – scientific uncertainty and the risk of overfishing – are evaluated and applied to available fishery information and subsequently determine the Acceptable Biological Catch (or the amount of fish you get to keep). And that’s important to everyone.

Read More, Register for Webinars, and Submit Your Comments
Click Now
Council March Meeting Update
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting scheduled for March 4-8, 2019 in Jekyll Island, Georgia will be held as scheduled despite the federal government shutdown at this time. Additional information about the meeting, including agendas and briefing book materials will be available February 14th from the Council’s website.

Massachusetts Joins Several States to Support Offshore Drilling Bans

January 9, 2019 — Legislators from several states, including Massachusetts, announced a collaborative effort to protect their regions from offshore drilling.

More than 225 lawmakers from coastal states have voiced their opposition to the Trump Administration’s proposed OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program.

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket State Representative Dylan Fernandes joined legislators from Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon, New Hampshire and Rhode Island to announce legislative initiatives in each state to block offshore drilling in state waters now and in the future.

Connecticut legislators could not participate on the conference call but will also introduce a ban bill.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

SAFMC Recruitment Announcement

December 28, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, headquartered in North Charleston, S.C., is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to Key West. The Council is responsible for Coastal Migratory Pelagics from New York to Florida and for Dolphin/Wahoo, from Maine to Florida.

The Meeting and Grants Coordinator/Office Assistant is responsible for all aspects of on-site support of various types of meetings, from public hearings to Council Meetings. Additionally, responsibilities include submission of grants and reports via the Federal Grants on-line system and general office support.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Assists the Administrative Officer and Technical Staff with support including but not limited to:

Selects, stages, loads, and transports recording and AV equipment to various meetings within our geographical area.

Sets up and operates the recording and AV equipment and troubleshoots as necessary. Takes roll of meeting participants for the record and ensures that Council Committee Chairs sign the certification pages of minutes.

Provides liaison between the meeting attendees and the hotel as necessary regarding the billing.

Submits grant reports to the regional office via Grants On-line. Coordinates our four states with the submission and proper documentation for payments under their annual contracts and provides documentation to the executive director for certification.

Coordinates the maintenance of all equipment with appropriate vendors, to include the copies, postage machines, and recording and AV equipment. Responsible for sending the landlord trouble tickets for repairs to the office as necessary.

Assists with running meetings via webinar.

Formats and tracks verbatim Council minutes to ensure that certification is documented.

Orders, tracks, and reconciles invoices and inventories for all purchases for the office.

Is available to travel an average of 14 weeks per year to meetings in support of Council and SEDAR activities.

Performs other general office duties, such as distributing mail, answering and directing phone calls, copying, and filing.

Prepares and distributes official office correspondence.

Performs other duties as assigned by the Administrative Officer.

Read more here