November 2, 2015 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:
REMINDER: WEBINAR Q&A SNAPPER GROUPER REGULATORY AMENDMENT 25 TONIGHT!
NOAA REPORT FINDS 2014 COMMERCIAL CATCH OF U.S. SEAFOOD ON PAR WITH 2013
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and New Bedford, Mass., remain top fishing ports; recreational anglers took 68 million fishing trips in 2014.
America’s commercial and recreational fisheries show continued stability and make a large contribution to the nation’s economy thanks to sustainable fisheries management policies, according to a new report from NOAA Fisheries. U.S. fishermen landed 9.5 billion pounds of fish and shellfish, valued at $5.4 billion, in 2014, according to the new edition of NOAA Fisheries’ annual report, Fisheries of the United States 2014, released today. These figures are similar to those from 2013; both the volume and value continue to remain higher than the average for the past five years.Figures for recreational fishing activities remained strong; 10.4 million anglers took 68 million trips and caught nearly 392 million fish in 2014. See the full report here.
MAFMC COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING
The council’s Collaborative Research Committee will meet via webinar on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. to identify research priorities for the council’s upcoming collaborative research funding opportunity. The council has undertaken a short-term (2015-17) initiative and intends to provide funding for several projects that address specific, council-defined research topics pertaining to mid-Atlantic fisheries. During this meeting, the committee will identify approximately 4-6 research priorities which will be used to guide the solicitation of proposals and selection of projects to receive funding. A detailed agenda and background documents will be made available on the council’s website prior to the meeting.
ASMFC 74TH ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA AND MATERIALS
REGULATION AND RULE CHANGES:
–Commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper in South Atlantic federal waters will close Oct. 31
DEADLINES:
Nov. 4 – Atlantic HMS SEDAR Pool Nominations
Nov. 9 – NMFS Proposed Rule on ICCAT Bluefin Electronic Documentation Comments
Nov. 16 – SAFMC Proposed Federal Management Measures Comments
Nov. 19 – Derelict Fishing Gear Recovery Project Applications
Dec. 16 – NMFS Draft Ecosystem-based Fishery Management Policy Comments
MEETINGS:
If you are aware of ANY meetings that should be of interest to commercial fishing that is not on this list, please contact us so we can include it here.
Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. – Question and Answer Webinar for Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 25
Nov. 2-5 – ASMFC Annual Meeting, World Golf Village Renaissance, St. Augustine Resort, 500 Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, Fl
Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.– SAMFC Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 25 Public Hearing
Nov. 9-10 – Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee Meeting, Providence Biltmore, 11 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI
Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. – SAFMC Dolphin Wahoo Regulatory Amendment 1 Public Hearing to address commerical trip limits for dolphin
Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. – MAFMC Collaborative Research Committee Meeting via webinar
Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. – Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel Meeting via webinar
Nov. 18-20 – Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting, Jennette’s Pier, 7223 South Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head
Nov. 18-20 – ASMFC River Herring Data Collection Standardization Workshop, Linthicum, MD
Nov. 30 at 12:30 p.m. – NCFA Board of Directors Meeting, Washington Civic Center, 110 Gladden St., Washington
PROCLAMATIONS:
SCUP – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN-NORTH OF CAPE HATTERAS
SPINY DOGFISH-COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS
SNAPPER-GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL PURPOSES (YELLOWTAIL SNAPPER)
RULE SUSPENSION – GILL NET RESTRICTIONS: INTERNAL COASTAL WATERS – OPENING MANAGEMENT UNITS B AND D1