August 12, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on the proposed rule for Regulatory Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 16). The proposed rule for Regulatory Amendment 16 published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2016 (81 FR 53109). The comment period ends on September 12, 2016.
Currently, fishermen may not fish with black sea bass pots from November 1 through April 30, each year, in the entire management area for black sea bass in the South Atlantic. The seasonal prohibition was established in 2013 as a precautionary measure to prevent interactions between black sea bass pot gear and whales during periods of large whale migrations, and during the right whale calving season off the U.S. southeastern coast. Regulatory Amendment 16 would retain a November 1 through April 30 seasonal prohibition but would reduce the size of the prohibited area. The goal is to reduce the adverse socioeconomic impacts to fishermen resulting from the current seasonal prohibition while continuing to provide the necessary protection to large whales in the South Atlantic region.
Regulatory Amendment 16 would also require an additional 12-inch wide purple band in three locations on black sea bass pot lines. The goal is to enhance current gear marking requirements for black sea bass pots to distinguish black sea bass pot lines from other fishing lines.
More information, including Frequently Asked Questions for Regulatory Amendment 16, can be found online here.
Request for Comments
Comments on the regulatory amendment must be received no later than September 12, 2016, to be considered by NOAA Fisheries. See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments.
Electronic copies of Regulatory Amendment 16 may be obtained from the NOAA Fisheries website here, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal here, the Council’s Web site here.
Addresses
You may submit comments by the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go here, click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Mail:
NOAA Fisheries
Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
c/o Nikhil Mehta
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
All personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Comments received through means not specified in this bulletin (such as e-mail), may not be considered.
NOAA Fisheries Southeast is pleased to announce the introduction of our Text Message Alert Program. The program will allow you to sign up to receive important fishery related alerts via text message.
Text alerts you may receive include:
Immediate fishery openings and closures
Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly
How to opt-in
Sign up for one or more of the following groups:
South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777