Saving Seafood

Fishermen hear red snapper options

May 26, 2016 — PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Charter boat captains and recreational anglers had a chance to weigh in how they think the recreational red snapper fishery should be managed during a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council hearing Tuesday night.

For the past few years the council has managed for-hire vessels and recreational anglers differently. For example, this year for-hire boats will have a 46-day season to fish federal waters while the recreational fishermen will have nine days.

It’s worth noting that recreational fishermen will have a 78-day season in state waters this year that for-hire vessels won’t be able to participate in.

The provision that allows the two groups to be managed differently at the federal level is set to expire at the end of 2017. The council offered three options to the few dozen fishermen who showed up for the meeting at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.

Read the full story at the Panama City News Herald

NOAA Announces Gulf Red Snapper Harvest to Open June 1

April 29, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries has announced the recreational season for the harvest of red snapper in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will open at 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2016. The bag and possession limit is two fish per person at a 16-inch minimum total length.

Last year, NOAA Fisheries, through the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council), made the decision to split the recreational red snapper quota into two distinct components – private anglers and charter vessels and headboats (for-hire). Each component has its own quota allocations based upon NOAA’s recreational red snapper harvest estimates. Private anglers will have a 9-day federal season running through June 9th closing at 11:59 p.m., and charter vessels / headboats will have a 46-day federal season, closing July 16th at 11:59 p.m.

The “Louisiana-only” season

The season for the recreational harvest of red snapper in Louisiana state waters is currently open, will remain open during the federal season, and will continue to be open after the federal season closes. LDWF monitors real-time red snapper harvest during 2016 through the LA Creel program.

Recreational Offshore Landing Permit

The Department reminds anglers that a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit is required in order to posses certain species, including red snapper. Anglers may obtain or new the permit, free of charge at https://rolp.wlf.la.gov.

The permit is required for any angler possessing tuna, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, snappers, hinds, wahoo, cobia and dolphin, except for anglers under 16 years of age or anglers fishing on a paid-for-hire trip where the captain holds a permit.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

NOAA Announces New Gulf Red Snapper Catch Limits, Targets and Seasons

April 28, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries approved Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 28) submitted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). A final rule implementing these measures will publish in the rFederal Register on April 28, 2016, with an effective date of May 31, 2016. As a result of this rule, NOAA provides notification of the 2016 private angling and federal for-hire red snapper fishing seasons.

The Council approved Amendment 28 to reallocate the red snapper harvest consistent with the 2014 red snapper update population assessment to ensure the allowable catch and recovery benefits from a rebuilding population are fairly and equitably allocated between commercial and recreational fishermen. The amendment reallocates the red snapper stock annual catch limit between the commercial and recreational sectors from 51:49 percent to 48.5:51.5 percent, respectively.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

NOAA Announces Modifications to Gag, Black Grouper Regs in Gulf of Mexico

April 27, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries Announces Modifications to Gag and Black Grouper Recreational Management Measures in the Gulf of Mexico

Small Entity Compliance Guide

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule changing gag and black grouper recreational management measures in the Gulf of Mexico. These changes include:

  • An increase in the gag recreational minimum size limit from 22 inches total length to 24 inches total length.
  • An increase in the black grouper recreational minimum size limit from 22 inches total length to 24 inches total length.
  • A lengthening of the gag recreational fishing season from July 1 – December 2, to June 1 – December 31.

Need for Action:
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has chosen to increase the recreational minimum size limits for gag and black grouper from 22 inches total length to 24 inches total length. This increase is expected to provide more opportunity for gag and black grouper to mature before entering the fishery, and creates consistent recreational size regulations with those developed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and State of Florida for gag and black grouper.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

Gulf Council Meets in Austin on Eve of 40th Anniversary of Magnuson Stevens

April 19, 2016 — As the eve of 40th anniversary of the signing of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act approached, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met in Austin to discuss numerous fishery issues. Included on the Council’s busy agenda were changes in king mackerel allocation, stock boundaries, and sale provisions; hogfish annual catch limits, minimum size and stock definition; red grouper catch limit increases; and charter and headboat reporting requirements. However, as usual, it was Gulf red snapper that once again stole the show as well as a majority of the Council’s time and energy.

Forty years have passed since Congress passed the sweeping legislation changed the landscape of the American seafood industry and established a comprehensive framework for governing marine fisheries management in U.S. federal waters. The Act created eight regional fishery management councils – including the Gulf Council – designed to address the unique, regional differences in marine fisheries across the country.

For years, red snapper has consumed a majority of the Councils time, and the Austin session proved no exception. Red snapper management for federally permitted charter vessels, the 2016 recreational red snapper season and the extension or elimination of the red snapper sector separation sunset provision all topped the agenda, as well as federal reef fish headboat management.

The Council received an update from the NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) on red snapper season projections for the coming year. Both the private recreational season and federal charter for-hire season will open on June 1. NMFS predicts a private recreational season of just six to nine days, and a federal charter for-hire season of between 38-56 days. The final 2016 recreational red snapper season closing dates will be announced in May prior to the start of the season.

Read the full story at the Gulf Seafood Institute

 

Projections for red snapper season are in

April 14, 2016 — DESTIN, Fla. — Although the end date is still uncertain, the start of red snapper season is June 1.

“But good news is on the way,” said Capt. Gary Jarvis of the Back Down2 and president of the Destin Charter Boat Association.

Jarvis is anticipating a 50 day season for the charter for-hire boats in federal waters.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met last week in Texas to discuss catch limits, requirements and allocations of various fisheries – among them red snapper.

In recent years the red snapper fishery, which was deemed overfished by regulators, has started to rebound and this year anglers may get a few more days.

See the full story at Northwest Florida Daily News

Gulf Council 2016 Update

April 14, 2016 — The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met in Austin, Texas, April 4 – 7, 2016, to discuss a number of fishery issues, such as Red Grouper Catch Limit Increases, Charter and Headboat Reporting Requirements, Changes in King Mackerel Allocation, Stock Boundaries, and Sale Provisions, and the Hogfish Annual Catch Limit, Minimum Size Limit, and Stock Definition.

Recreational Red Snapper 2016 Season
The Council received an update from NOAA Fisheries Service on the red snapper season projections for 2016. Both the private recreational season and federal charter for-hire season will open on June 1. National Marine Fisheries predicts a private recreational season of 6-9 days and a federal charter for-hire season of 38-56 days. The final 2016 recreational red snapper season closing dates will be announced in May prior to the start of the season. To read more about how the season was calculated, visit http://gulfcouncil.blogspot.com/.

Red Snapper Management for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels – Amendment 41
The Council reviewed the updated Reef Fish Amendment 41 including input received from the Ad Hoc Red Snapper Charter For-Hire Advisory Panel. This amendment considers creating a red snapper management plan for federally permitted for-hire vessels fishing under the for-hire component of the recreational red snapper allocation. The Council provided guidance to staff on developing the draft amendment and agreed to reconvene its Ad Hoc Red Snapper Charter For-Hire Advisory Panel to continue work on the design of an allocation-based management plan for red snapper. Additionally, the Council requested that the Advisory Panel discuss a harvest tag program that provides recreational anglers with annual allocation distributed in the form of harvest tags which may be used on the charter vessel of their choice, and to evaluate the pros and cons of such a program. The Council will review a revised draft of the amendment in June.

See the full story at The Fishing Wire

Gulf Council to Convene Headboat Advisory Panel

April 14, 2016 — The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils will convene its Ad Hoc Reef Fish Headboat Advisory Panel (AP) May 3-4, 2016 at the Council office – 2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, in Tampa, Florida. The meeting is scheduled from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm May 3, and from 9:00 am – noon May 4.

The charge of the Ad Hoc Advisory Panel is to make recommendations to the Council relative to the design and implementation of flexible measures for the management of reef fish for the headboat component of the for-hire sector.

After hearing a summary of the April Gulf Council meeting, the AP will discuss the management goals and objectives for the headboat management program and review the management alternatives contained in Reef Fish Amendment 42. AP recommendations will be presented to the Council in June.

See the full story at The Fishing Wire

Commercial fishermen threaten legal action over Gulf red snapper quota reallocation

April 8, 2016 — A reallocation of the 2016 and 2017 quota of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico will benefit recreational anglers at the expense of commercial fishermen, and may result in legal action.

The decision, made in August 2015 by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and approved 30 March, 2016, by the National Marine Fisheries Service, will transfer 2.5 percent of the Gulf red snapper quota, or 352,000 lbs. whole weight, from commercial to recreational use, lowering the commercial share of the quota to 48.5 percent and raising the recreational share to 51.5 percent. As a result, the decision will extend the 2015 red snapper fishing season for private anglers fishing from their own boats in federal waters from six to nine days.

Andy Strelcheck, NMFS deputy regional administrator for the Southeast, said the change was made after new and improved survey methods gave his agency a more accurate picture of how many snapper recreational anglers were harvesting.

“Once we began implementing those improvements, our data essentially indicated that our catch estimates for recreational fishermen fishing for red snapper previously were underestimated,” Strelcheck said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Gulf Council to Convene Law Enforcement Tech Committee

March 2, 2016 — The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a meeting of its Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETC), formerly known as the Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP). The LETC will meet jointly with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Law Enforcement Committee (LEC). The meeting will convene Wednesday, March 16, 2016, from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn San Antonio Riverwalk Hotel, 217 N. St. Mary’s Street in San Antonio Texas.

The committees are scheduled to discuss enforcement implications of the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama 9-mile Reef Fish Boundary and the Offshore Aquaculture Fishery Management Plan.

The committees will also review the following draft Council amendments:

  • Reef Fish Amendment 36A – Red Snapper IFQ Modifications
  • Draft Reef Fish Amendment 43 – Hogfish Stock Definition, Status Determination Criteria, and Annual Catch Limit
  • Framework Action Addressing Circle Hook Requirement when Fishing for Yellowtail Snapper
  • Shrimp Amendment 17B – Optimum Yield, Number of Permits, Permit Pool, and Transit Provisions
  • CMP Amendment 26 – Reallocation of King Mackerel

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire