Saving Seafood

Reminder – SAFMC Meeting Next Week in Charleston, SC

September 11, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet next week in Charleston to discuss a variety of federal fishery management issues affecting fisheries off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east coast of Florida.

  • Meeting Location: Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407.
  • The meeting week includes a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council. Unless otherwise indicated, the meeting is open to the public and available via webinar as it occurs (see list of links below). Briefing book materials, including agendas, overviews, and discussion documents are available from the Council’s website.

Agenda Highlights:

  • Red Snapper – The Snapper Grouper Committee will review public hearing comments and continue discussion of alternatives for modifying the start dates, days of the week, and minimum number of fishing days required for opening the red snapper seasons.
  • Best Fishing Practices and Use of Powerhead Gear – The Snapper Grouper Committee will continue to discuss proposed requirements for the use of descending devices, venting tools, and circle hooks, as well as changes to restrictions on powerhead gear. The Council is scheduled to approve Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 29 for formal Secretarial review at this meeting.
  • Dolphin Wahoo – The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will continue to discuss management options for both dolphin and wahoo to include in draft Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan.

Additional Information:

  • Wednesday, September 18 – Formal Public Comment 4:00 PM
  • Online Public Comment
    • Want to submit a comment on an issue? Read what others are saying?Provide comments on agenda items via the Council’s Online Comment Form. Comments may also be viewed online as they are posted. Additional details are available from the September Council Meeting page.
  • Meeting via Webinar – Listen to the meeting and view presentations via webinar each day as the meeting occurs. Registration required. Click the links below to register ahead for each day and receive an email reminder. Note – on Monday of the meeting week Council members receive training and the Personnel Committee meets in closed session. Thus webinar coverage begins on Tuesday.

SAFMC Meeting September 16-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

September 3, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Briefing book materials are now available for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s September 16-20, 2019 meeting at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407. The meeting week includes a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council.

The briefing book materials, including agendas, overviews, and discussion documents, are now available from the Council’s website.

Commercial Closure for Red Snapper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on August 30, 2019

August 27, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The commercial harvest of red snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 30, 2019. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of red snapper is prohibited.
  • All harvest or possession of red snapper in or from federal waters is now prohibited, as the recreational fishing season is also closed for 2019.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

  • The 2019 commercial catch limit is 124,815 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit. According to the accountability measure, harvest should close to prevent the annual catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for red snapper does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. on August 30, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • Unless specified otherwise, commercial harvest will open on July 13, 2020, for the 2020 commercial fishing season.

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.

SAFMC Meeting September 16-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

August 22, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold its next meeting September 16-20, 2019 at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407. The meeting week begins with a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council on Friday.

A formal public comment session will be held on Wednesday, September 18th beginning at 4:00 PM. An online comment form will be available for written comments, and the meeting will be available via webinar as it occurs.

Agenda Highlights:

  • Red Snapper – The Council is considering alternatives to modify the start dates, days of the week, and minimum number of fishing days required for opening the red snapper seasons. Public hearing comments received in August will be reviewed as the Snapper Grouper Committee continues discussion of Regulatory Amendment 33.
  • Best Fishing Practices and Use of Powerhead Gear – The Council is scheduled to approve Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 29 addressing best fishing practices including requirements for descending devices and modifications to current hook regulations. The amendment would also modify restrictions on powerhead gear.
  • Dolphin Wahoo – The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will continue to discuss management actions and alternatives for both dolphin and wahoo to include in draft Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan.

Additional Information:

Additional meeting information will be available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/ as it becomes available. Briefing book materials, including the meeting agenda, committee agendas/overviews, and the public comment form will be available on August 30, 2019.

Federal red snapper rules getting another look

August 14, 2019 — If you want a change in red snapper annual catch limits, if you’re itching for extended seasons or changing bag or trip limits, you’re out of luck. But some smaller changes could be coming as the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council examines red snapper regulations for the coming year.

Major changes, like significant changes to the season or catch limits, won’t be possible until the conclusion of the next stock assessment, which isn’t scheduled to start until 2021. Currently, however there are four actions proposed. Myra Brouwer, a fisheries scientist with the SAFMC, is leading webinars on the actions this week, at the end of which people can ask questions. There are webinars scheduled for this evening and Thursday evening.

“The first (action) would remove that minimum number of days for both (recreational and commercial) seasons, for each of those seasons to open,” Brouwer said during Monday’s webinar. “The second action would modify the start day for the recreational season. Action 3 would revise the days of the week that recreational harvest is allowed during an open season, and Action 4 would modify the start date for the commercial season.”

Read the full story at The Brunswick News

Reminder – Public Hearings for Red Snapper Season Begin Today at 6 PM

August 12, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on proposed changes to regulations for red snapper affecting how the current limited openings should be handled. Public hearings via webinar begin at 6 PM today and continue this week. Listening stations will also be available at various locations. The proposed changes included in Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 33 would:

  • Remove the minimum number of days for the South Atlantic red snapper seasons
  • Modify the start date for the recreational red snapper season
  • Revise the days of the week recreational harvest of red snapper would be allowed during an open season
  • Modify the start date of the commercial season

Note that the proposed changes would not extend recreational or commercial seasons, increase the annual catch limits for red snapper, or change the recreational bag limit or commercial trip limit.

Public Hearings via Webinar with Listening Stations

The webinars begin tonight at 6 PM with listening stations in Murrells Inlet, SC and Jacksonville, FL. Members of the public are invited to attend the public hearings via webinar or participate via a listening station and provide comment. Webinar registration is required. Council representatives will be in attendance at the various listening stations.

Additional hearings via webinar will be held this week, all beginning at 6 PM. Listening stations will be available in St. Augustine, FL, Mt. Pleasant, SC, Brunswick, GA, New Smyrna Beach, FL, Merritt Island, FL, and Morehead City, NC.

A Public Hearing Summary Document, Presentation, and Story Map along with details for the scheduled listening stations and registration links for the webinars are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/. Written comments are also being accepted and may be submitted using the online public comment form, also available from the website. Comments are due by August 16, 2019.

Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting Scheduled August 19-21, 2019

August 8, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee to discuss the use of recreational fishing data collected through NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). The meeting will be held August 19-21, 2019 at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407. The meeting is open to the public.

Data collected through MRIP are used for stock assessments for species managed by the Council and subsequently in management decisions. The data collection program has transitioned from use of a Coastal Household Telephone Survey to using a Fishing Effort Survey by mail in recent years, due in part to the shift in phone usage from landline-based home phones to mobile phones. The transition to the Fishing Effort Survey by mail has resulted in some disparity for estimates between the two survey methods. The SSC will address this disparity for selected species and also establish approaches for the use of the Fishing Effort Survey estimates for unassessed species managed by the Council.

Additional information about the meeting is available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/scientific-and-statistical-committee-meetings/. The briefing book materials for the meeting, including the agenda and overview are posted along with public comment forms. The meeting will be available via webinar each day as it occurs. Registration is required and links are available from the website.

Council Seeks Input on Proposed Changes for Red Snapper Season

July 29, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on proposed changes to regulations for red snapper affecting how the current limited openings should be handled. A series of public hearings will be held via webinar from August 12-15, 2019 with listening stations established along the South Atlantic coast (see schedule below). The proposed changes include: 1) removing the minimum number of days for the South Atlantic red snapper seasons; 2) modifying the start date for the recreational red snapper season; 3) revising the days of the week recreational harvest of red snapper would be allowed during an open season; and 4) modifying the start date of the commercial season. The changes are proposed in Regulatory Amendment 33 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan. Note that the proposed changes would not extend recreational or commercial seasons, increase the annual catch limits for red snapper, or change the recreational bag limit or commercial trip limit.

Each year, NOAA Fisheries uses data collected by the states to predict how long to allow harvest of red snapper the following year. Catch rates are applied to annual catch limits (for recreational and commercial sectors) to predict how long harvest can be open. The red snapper allocation is divided 72% recreational and 28% commercial, with a recreational annual catch limit of 29,656 fish and commercial limit of 124,815 pounds. Catch rates can vary based on factors such as day of the week (e.g., more angler fish on weekends), geographic location, weather, etc. Currently, commercial and recreational harvest of red snapper is not allowed if predictions indicate the season would last three days or fewer. The Council is considering removing this limit to maximize fishing opportunities for red snapper.

The commercial red snapper season begins each year on the second Monday in July and the recreational season begins on the second Friday in July. The Council is considering alternatives to modify the days of the week that are open to red snapper recreational harvest, should harvest be allowed, to help maximize opportunity in the event of bad weather. In addition, fishermen have expressed concern that harvest is being allowed during summer months while red snapper are spawning. Modifying the start date for the commercial season is being considered to maintain fairness and equitability between the sectors.

Public Hearings

The public hearings are being held via webinar. Listening stations will also be available at various locations. Attendees participating via webinar must register prior to each hearing. The hearings will begin at 6:00 PM. Council staff will provide an overview of the actions and alternatives included in the amendment via webinar. Area Council members will be present at each listening station. Formal public comment will be accepted during the hearings. Written comments will also be accepted. Additional details, including the public hearing document and presentation and registration links­­­­ are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Commercial Closure for Snowy Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on August 3, 2019

July 29, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of snowy grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 3, 2019. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of snowy grouper is prohibited, and harvest or possession of snowy grouper in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2019 commercial catch limit is 153,935 pounds gutted weight, or 181,644 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit. According to the accountability measure, harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for snowy grouper does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. on August 3, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • The 2020 commercial fishing season for snowy grouper in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2020, with a catch limit of 153,935 pounds gutted weight, or 181,644 pounds whole weight.

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.

NOAA Fisheries Announces New Modifications to Gear Requirements and Commercial Management Measures for the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic Spiny Lobster Fishery

July 29, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGES:

These requirements are for federal waters off Florida and address bully net gear requirements, commercial daily possession limits when using bully nets or diving for the harvest of spiny lobster, and the soak period for spiny lobster traps.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

Regulations for commercial trap soak period are effective July 26, 2019. For the 2019/2020 fishing season, commercial spiny lobster traps may be baited and placed in Federal waters beginning Saturday, July 27, 2019.
Regulations for the rest of the rule will be effective August 30, 2019.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:

  • Spiny lobster commercial harvesters using bully net gear:
    • must have a bully net permit from Florida,
    • must mark buoys with the harvester’s Florida bully net permit number using reflective paint or other reflective material,
    • are prohibited from having trap pullers onboard,
    • are prohibited from the simultaneous possession of a bully net and any underwater breathing apparatus (not including dive masks or snorkels) onboard a vessel used to harvest or transport spiny lobster for commercial purposes.
  • Commercial spiny lobster daily vessel harvest and possession limits:
    • 250 per day/vessel for spiny lobsters harvested by bully net in or from all federal waters off Florida,
    • 250 per day/vessel for spiny lobsters harvested by diving in or from federal waters only off Broward, Dade, Monroe, Collier, and Lee Counties, Florida.
  • Existing language in spiny lobster federal regulations that incorporates Florida regulations by reference has been updated, which includes a new commercial trap soak start time.
    • Commercial spiny lobster traps may be baited and placed in the water beginning on the Saturday immediately following the recreational mini season.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: FR 2019-16265, will publish on July 31, 2019.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.