Saving Seafood

They filleted their fish at sea. That’s against the law, Coast Guard says

February 7, 2020 — The U.S. Coast Guard stopped a sport fishing boat off Key Largo Monday and found several conservation violations, including the importation of queen conch, the harvest of which has been illegal in Florida since the 1980s, according to the agency.

A boarding party from the Cutter Charles David, Jr. pulled over the vessel, the Salt Shaker II, about 13 miles southeast of Key Largo and found 10 fillets of snapper and grouper, and 26 fillets of wahoo “in illegal carcass condition,” according to the Coast Guard, meaning the fish were filleted at sea.

Officer Bobby Dube, a spokesman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said any fish that has a legal bag limit, meaning anglers can only keep a certain amount, must be brought back to shore whole.

Read the full story at the Miami Herald

SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL: Reminder – Public Hearing/Scoping Meetings Begin This Week in Florida

January 23, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Join local representatives from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Council staff as public hearing and scoping meetings continue this week along Florida’s east coast.

The Council is holding a series of public hearing/scoping meetings to collect public input on proposed management measures for yellowtail snapper, red snapper options and the Vision Blueprint for the snapper grouper fishery.

Monday, January 23 

Lexington Hotel & Conference Center

1515 Prudential Drive

Jacksonville, FL

Tuesday, January 24

Hilton Cocoa Beach

1550 N. Atlantic Ave.

Cocoa Beach, FL

Wednesday, January 25

Flagler Place

201 S.W. Flagler Ave.

Stuart, FL

Thursday, January 26

Hilton Key Largo

97000 Overseas Hwy.

Key Largo, FL

Read the full release at the SAFMC

Gloucester’s Key Largo tows disabled fish boat into Boston

September 11, 2015 — The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Key Largo, homeported in Gloucester since April, assisted in the rescue of four people who were aboard a disabled fishing vessel 97 miles east of Boston.

The captain of the 80-foot fishing vessel Lydia and Mya, homeported in Boston, used a VHF-16 radio Wednesday about 9:30 a.m. to contact  Coast Guard Sector Boston to report Lydia and Mya was disabled due to mechanical problems.

Search and rescue coordinators at Sector Boston issued a marine assistance request broadcast soliciting assistance for Lydia and Mya from good Samaritans or a commercial salvage company. After the request went unanswered, the Coast Guard cutter Escanaba, a 270-foot cutter homeported in Boston, was sent to assist.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times