December 21, 2021 — The fruits of the sea are in high demand and consumers just can’t seem to get enough.
It seems to be especially true of the delectable, firm-fleshed red snapper, perhaps the most highly sought fish along the Texas gulf coast.
And where there’s demand, there’s money to be made, and legal niceties don’t apply.
Read the full story at SeafoodNews.com
December 15, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council are beginning to explore ways to reduce the number of fish that are released in the Snapper Grouper Management Complex and improve survival rates for those fish that are released. The multi-species complex includes 55 species of snappers, groupers, porgies, grunts, and amberjacks. “We simply have to get a handle on these regulatory discards,” explained Council Chair Mel Bell during the Council’s meeting last week in Beaufort, North Carolina. “Fishermen also play a key role in improving the survival rate for released fish and ultimately determining the future of the fishery.” The Council has consistently encouraged the use of Best Fishing Practices including a descending device requirement and hook modifications for snapper grouper fishermen in federal waters in place since July 15, 2020.
According to the latest stock assessment for Red Snapper, discard mortality (the number of fish that are released and die) accounts for 90% of the overall fishing mortality, primarily from the recreational fishery as anglers continue to fish year-round for other snapper grouper species. Large numbers of discards affect managers’ ability to prevent overfishing while also reducing the number of fish that can be kept and landed by the fishery. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee determined the Red Snapper stock continues to be overfished and undergoing overfishing largely due to discard mortality, and in September provided the Council a total Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) for Red Snapper of 25,000 pounds. Under law, the Council may not set an annual catch limit that exceeds that ABC, leaving little room for an opening of the fishery when the updated ABC is implemented. However, given that the majority of Red Snapper mortality is due to discarded fish, the Council recognizes that reducing discard losses is necessary to prevent overfishing and could possibly increase the amount of fish available to harvest.
The Council is moving forward with a Release Mortality Reduction Framework Amendment to address the Red Snapper ABC recommendation while looking at possible ways to reduce release mortality and end overfishing. After reviewing input from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, Council members discussed ideas for reducing the number of fish that are released and increasing survivorship of released fish, including: restricting access to specific areas (spatial or depth) where Red Snapper congregate; gear modifications such as requirements for single hooks, leader lengths, and lines per person; daily weight limits of per person; and seasonal openings. “The Council has a legal mandate to end overfishing and address the Acceptable Biological Catch level from its SSC,” said Jessica McCawley, Chair of the Council’s Snapper Grouper Committee. “We know some of these ideas may be of concern to fishermen and certainly welcome input as we consider things such as regional differences or sector differences in this fishery. One size may not fit all.”
The Council will begin soliciting public input and suggestions for how to best reduce the number of released fish and improve release mortality in early 2022 and discussions will continue during its March 2022 meeting in Jekyll Island, Georgia.
Over the last year the Council has been investigating recreational permits or licenses for the Snapper Grouper fishery as a tool to help identify the universe of fishermen and improve data collection. The Council will receive a final report from a Recreational Reporting Workgroup during its March 2022 meeting.
The Council is also considering a holistic approach to managing the Snapper Grouper fishery and approved the use of a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) to robustly evaluate management impacts across the fishery. The Council intends to use the MSE to evaluate varying strategies to achieve management objectives to rebuild overfished stocks and prevent overfishing, while balancing the needs for fishery access, resource use, and accommodating sector and geographical differences in the fishery. Updates on the MSE will be provided to the Council as the project gets underway.
Other Business
The Council approved Amendment 32 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan with actions affecting Gulf Migratory Group Cobia, including the Florida East Coast Zone. The fishery is managed jointly by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. A recent stock assessment for Gulf Migratory Group Cobia indicates the stock is not overfished but is undergoing overfishing. Actions in the amendment include a reduction in the daily possession limit from 2 fish to 1 fish per person per day with a vessel limit of two fish per trip. The reductions would apply to both recreational and commercial sectors. The amendment would also increase the minimum size limit to 36 inches fork length for the Florida East Coast Zone. Amendment 32 must be approved by the Secretary of Commerce before measures are implemented.
Additional information about the December 2021 Council meeting, including Story Maps, committee reports, and other materials is available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/. The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for March 7-11, 2022, at the Westin Hotel, Jekyll Island, Georgia.
November 12, 2021 — Starting November 15, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will close red snapper fishing in state waters. According to a release from the agency, red snapper fishing will reopen in January 2022 in Texas waters, while federal water will remain closed until the summer.
Under an agreement between TPWD and the National Marine Fisheries Service, TPWD can establish the opening and closing dates of the annual red snapper fishery in federal waters, while also continuing to manage red snapper fishing in state water. As part of this agreement, however, Texas must close the entire fishery when the state’s allotted poundage is reached for the year.
Read the full story at LMT Online
October 28, 2021 — The following was release by NOAA Fisheries:
Commercial Reopening for Red Snapper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on November 2, 2021, for Four Days
What/When:
•The commercial harvest of red snapper in South Atlantic federal waters will reopen at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 2, 2021, and close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 6, 2021. During the four-day reopening, the commercial trip limit for red snapper is 75 pounds gutted weight.
Why This Reopening Is Happening:
•The 2021 commercial catch limit for red snapper is 124,815 pounds whole weight. On September 14, 2021, the commercial catch limit for the 2021 season was projected to be met, and NOAA Fisheries closed commercial harvest. However, new information indicates that the red snapper commercial catch limit was not met.
•As a reminder, recreational harvest is closed. Therefore, the recreational bag and possession limit for red snapper in or from South Atlantic federal waters is zero.
After The Reopening:
•The 2022 fishing season for the red snapper commercial sector opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 11, 2022, unless otherwise specified.
•The 2022 recreational season, which consists of weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), begins on the 2nd Friday in July, unless otherwise specified.
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/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#_top.
Sign Up for Text Message Alerts
NOAA’s Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message and data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.
Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:
•Gulf of Mexico Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
•Gulf of Mexico Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
•South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
•South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
•Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH
Other Contacts
Media: Kim Amendola (727) 551-5705, Allison Garrett (727) 551-5750
September 20, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
It has been seven years since expansion of the northern end of the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) was approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Designed to provide additional protection for the rare, slow growing, deepwater Oculina coral found off the central east coast of Florida, the expansion also included historic fishing grounds for the economically important rock shrimp fishery, shutting off access along the eastern boundary. The initial Oculina Coral HAPC, established in 1984, was the first deepwater coral protected area in the U. S., and its boundaries were developed in cooperation with the rock shrimp industry. Vessel Monitoring Systems have been in place since 2003 for the fishery. Following expansion of the Coral HAPC in 2014, the Council assured rock shrimp fishermen that the area would be reviewed to determine if the historic trawling areas could be reopened. During its quarterly meeting this week, members of the Council voted to approve Coral Amendment 10 to establish the rock shrimp fishery access area. The amendment must be approved by the Secretary of Commerce before the measures are implemented.
The decision to reopen the fishery access area, a narrow strip along the eastern edge of the Coral HAPC measuring approximately 22-square miles, was not without controversy. Over the years, the Oculina Bank has suffered extensive habitat damage due to mobile fishing gear (trawls and dredges) and anchoring. Council members considered recommendations from its advisory panels and received public comment both in support of and against the rock shrimp fishery access area.
Letters in support of the fishery access area included those from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, fishing industry leaders, and a former Council member. Coral biologists, scientists, and environmental groups were among those who expressed concerns that reopening the trawling area could damage existing coral habitat, noting the negative impacts of sediment from trawling activities. “We’ve heard from both sides on this issue and sincerely appreciate all of the letters and public comment received,” said Council Chair, Mel Bell. “After exploring options, including additional mapping and bottom surveys, we felt it important to move forward with this amendment.” If approved by the Secretary, the new regulations would become effective in 2022.
Red Snapper
Discussion of Red Snapper management continued to focus on the challenge of dealing with the increasing number of fish that are released throughout the year as the stock continues to rebuild, and the estimated number of released fish that don’t survive. In June 2021, the Council received the results of the most recent stock assessment for Red Snapper, which indicated that the stock is not yet rebuilt and experiencing overfishing. According to the stock assessment, released fish account for 90% of the fishing mortality for Red Snapper in the South Atlantic.
After receiving a report from its Scientific and Statistical Committee at this week’s meeting, the Council agreed to immediately look at actions to help reduce the number Red Snapper killed by discarding. Measures to be considered include gear modifications (single hook rigs, larger hooks, leader modifications, natural bait prohibition), consideration of a slot limit, increased outreach on best fishing practices, and data collection through the Council’s Citizen Science Project, SAFMC Release. The Council also requested a Research Track stock assessment be conducted for Red Snapper at the next available opportunity. Council members acknowledged the need to consider the multi-species snapper grouper fishery as a whole and will form a work group to lead a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) approach to reduce discards and increase landed yield across the entire snapper grouper fishery.
As required, the Council will also begin an amendment to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to revise management parameters for Red Snapper based on the latest stock assessment and recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee. The amendment will incorporate the results of the MSE project and consider additional actions for the snapper grouper fishery to address widespread fishery issues such as discard losses. The Council will receive input from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and continue work during its December 2021 meeting.
September 13, 2021 — A NOAA bulletin confirmed that the commercial harvest of red snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 14, 2021.
During the closure, the sale or purchase of red snapper is prohibited. The harvest/possession of red snapper in or from South Atlantic federal waters is now prohibited, as the recreational fishing season is also closed for 2021.
Read the full story at Seafood News
September 9, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
What/When:
Why This Closure is Happening:
After the Closure:
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/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#se50.12.622_1193.
August 9, 2021 — A recent committee meeting started the discussions on a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and slave labor in the seafood supply chain.
The bill, H.R. 3075, was covered during a recent meeting of the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee. It would enact the expansion of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to cover all seafood and seafood products – the program, initiated in 2016, originally included tuna, king crab, blue crab, red snapper, Pacific and Atlantic cod, dolphinfish, grouper, sea cucumber, swordfish, and sharks in its coverage requirements, with shrimp added in 2019.
July 27, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
What/When:
Why this Closure is Happening:
After the Closure:
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/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#se50.12.622_1193.
July 22, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting to Address Red Snapper Catch Levels
Wednesday, July 28
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. via webinar
Join members of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) as they meet next week to discuss catch level recommendations for Red Snapper based on the most recent stock assessment. The SSC reviewed the assessment in April 2021 and requested additional information be provided before making catch level recommendations, including a presentation on the usage rates of descending devices when releasing Red Snapper. The stock assessment used data through 2019.
In 2020, new regulations were implemented requiring a descending device be on board when harvesting or possessing species in the Snapper Grouper complex in federal waters, including Red Snapper. The SSC will receive presentations on estimating usage rate of descending devices and other information before setting catch level recommendations. The Council will receive a report from the SSC during the September 2021 Council meeting in Charleston, SC.
The SSC will also discuss managing annual catch limits for data-limited stocks and guidance for developing catch level projections. Meeting information, including the agenda and overview, public comment form, and briefing book materials are available from the Council’s website. Public comment will also be accepted during the meeting. Register now for the SSC meeting webinar and receive email reminders.
Learn more about descending device requirements and other best fishing practices from the Best Fishing Practices page of the Council’s website.
Get Your Fish On
Tour the best fishing guide of Gray’s Reef
Thursday, August 5
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. via webinar
Responsible recreation has kept Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary an ideal fishing destination for over 40 years. Join the sanctuary as they introduce an online best fishing practice guide for you to make the most of your trip to Gray’s Reef. Learn about the sanctuary’s regulations and other applicable federal and state fishing regulations, how to properly rig a fish descending device, and learn about apps to help you log your catch. Register now for the webinar.
Located 19 miles east of Sapelo Island, Georgia, Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is in the South Atlantic Bight (the offshore area between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida) on an area of the continental shelf where temperate and tropical waters mingle west of the Gulf Stream. Because of Gray’s Reef’s unique location at the intersection of temperate and tropical waters, the sanctuary serves as a sentinel point for various monitoring programs of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Learn more about Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary as it celebrates its 40th Anniversary!
Can You Name That Fish?
Test your fish ID skills and share your photos
Occasionally we receive email inquiries from fishermen and others asking for help to identify a fish that doesn’t commonly land on a boat deck. It is exciting to see the photos and the challenge of identifying the fish is always welcome.
This photo was recently sent to the Council office from Graham Harrison, a commercial snapper grouper fisherman from Hatteras, North Carolina. He was fishing off of Cape Hatteras, about 135 fathoms (810 feet) deep, near the Continental Shelf, when this Blackbar Drum (Pareques iwamotoi) took the squid bait he was using.
The deepwater drum is found off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the U.S., the Caribbean, and South America. It has some interesting color variations and body shape transitions from juvenile to adult. While sometimes observed by scientists from deepwater submersibles and caught by commercial fishermen, Captain Harrison has fished for over 30 years and said he’s never seen one! Special thanks to the NCFishes.com team for their helpful online resource: Drum and Croaker Diversity in North Carolina.
Do you have an unusual fish photo and story to share? If so, send it our way. Kim Iverson at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net