Saving Seafood

SAFMC Meeting December 2-6, 2019 in Wilmington, NC

November 18, 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 December 2-6, 2019 meeting at the Hotel Ballast, 301 N. Water Street, Wilmington, NC 28401. 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.

Agenda Highlights:

  • Red Snapper – The Council is considering actions to eliminate the current three-day minimum number of fishing days required for the red snapper seasons (recreational or commercial) to open, and to change the start date of the commercial fishing season to May 1st from the current 2nd Monday in July. The Council is scheduled to approve the measures in Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 33 at this meeting.
  • Mackerel Cobia – The Council is scheduled to approve measures affecting king mackerel commercial trip limits in season two (Framework Amendment 8). The Mackerel Cobia Committee will also discuss accountability measures for the Spanish mackerel fishery.
  • Citizen Science – The Council’s Citizen Science Committee will receive updates on the pilot projects SAFMC Scamp Release and FISHstory, review research priorities, discuss program evaluation, and more.
  • 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, December 4 – Formal Public Comment 4:00 PM
  • Online Public Comment
  • Members of the public may provide written 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 December 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.

Mark Your Calendar – SAFMC Meeting December 2-6, 2019

November 7, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold its next meeting December 2-6, 2019 at the Hotel Ballast (Hilton Riverside), 301 North Water Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401. The meeting week begins on Monday at 1:30 p.m. 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, December 4th 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 actions to eliminate the current three-day minimum number of fishing days required for the red snapper seasons (recreational or commercial) to open, and to change the start date of the commercial fishing season to May 1st from the current 2nd Monday in July. The Council is scheduled to approve the measures in Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 33 at this meeting.
  • Mackerel Cobia – The Council is scheduled to approve measures affecting king mackerel commercial trip limits in season two (Framework Amendment 8). The Mackerel Cobia Committee will also discuss accountability measures for the Spanish mackerel fishery.
  • Citizen Science – The Council’s Citizen Science Committee will receive updates on the pilot projects SAFMC Scamp Release and FISHstory, review research priorities, discuss program evaluation, and more.
  • Dolphin Wahoo – The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will continue to discuss management actions and alternatives for both dolphin and wahoo 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 November 15, 2019.

South Atlantic Update Newsletter

November 6, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

  • On Point – The Council Chair’s Perspective
    • Council Chair Jessica McCawley gives a shout out to those encouraging best fishing practices and notes the value of public input and guidance from the Council’s advisory panels in the fishery management process. Read More.
  • Council Approves Management Measures to Help Improve Survival of Released Fish
    • Requirements for descending devices and other best practices have received support from the fishing community. Approved by the Council in September, the new regulations are designed to improve survival of released fish. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, it would be the first time such measures have been required in federal waters in the U.S. Read More.
  • Changes Proposed for Red Snapper Seasons in the South Atlantic Region
    • In December, Council members are scheduled to approve measures to remove the current three-day minimum number of fishing days required for opening both commercial and recreational red snapper seasons, and change the start date of the commercial fishery to May 1st. Learn More.
  • Council Selects John Carmichael as New Executive Director
    • John Carmichael, the Council’s Deputy Director for Science and Statistics has been selected to serve as the Council’s new Executive Director following Gregg Waugh’s retirement in mid-December. Learn More.
  • From the Executive Director’s Desk
    • Executive Director Gregg Waugh bids farewell and acknowledges the fishermen, Council members, state partners, staff, and others that have been such an important part of his nearly 40-year career with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Read more.
  • December 2-6, 2019 Council Meeting Highlights
    • The Council’s next meeting will take place December 2-6, 2019 in the port city of Wilmington, NC. Agenda items include proposed changes to the red snapper fishing season, management options for dolphin and wahoo, Atlantic king mackerel and Spanish mackerel, Citizen Science Program, and other topics. Meeting Information.
  • FISHstory Citizen Science Project to Launch in Early 2020
    • If a picture is worth a thousand words, what stories can a black and white photograph tell? Step back in time to the docks of Daytona Beach, Florida from the 1940s-70s as a participant in the Council’s latest citizen science project, FISHstory (pronounced like history). Learn More – and see how you can get involved!

Notice to Offshore Fishing Fleet East of NC and VA

November 4, 2019 – The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

This fall and winter, Avangrid Renewables will continue to study the Kitty Hawk Offshore Wind Lease Area (OCS-A 0508) by conducting High-Resolution Geophysical Surveys to characterize the seabed within the lease area and cable corridor to the northwest. The survey will commence November 1 and is expected to run through January 30, 2020, weather dependent.

Fishermen fishing or transiting northeast of Oregon Inlet, NC, and southeast of Virginia Beach, VA are encouraged to note the survey area locations, activities, and timing. From November 1 through November 15, the M/V Gerry Bordelon will be towing survey equipment up to 1,000′ astern, with limited maneuverability. Mariners are asked to maintain a 1 nautical mile closest point of approach, and fishermen are requested to move any fixed fishing gear out of the area during this period.

Additional information, including charts showing the sampling areas is available at: www.avangridrenewables.com/kittyhawk. For questions, contact Rick Robins, Fisheries Liaison, Avangrid Renewables, 757/876-3778.

Reminder! Seats Open on Federal Fishery Advisory Panels

October 31, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently seeking applicants for open seats on its advisory panels. Advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, industry representatives, scientists, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as environmental groups, fishing organizations, etc.

Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. The advisory panels generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings.

Seats are currently open on the Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel, Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel, Information & EducationAdvisory Panel, and the Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel. Details are available from the News Release.

Learn more about the advisory panels and access the online application from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/. For questions, please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, at kim.iverson@safmc.net or at 843/302-8440.

Reminder! Proposed SMZ Designations in NC and SC – Scoping Meetings Begin Today at 6 PM

October 28, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently seeking public comment proposed changes affecting federal fisheries management, including designating specified artificial reefs off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina as Special Management Zones to restrict the types of gear that can be used to harvest snapper grouper species. The designations are being considered at the request of each state’s marine resources agencies. Public comment is also being solicited on proposed changes to the trip limit for the commercial king mackerel fishery in the Southern Zone and measures to modify transit provisions for shrimp vessels.

Learn more about the proposed measures with summary documents and video presentations, provide written comment online, and participate in the webinars!

Public Scoping – Designation of Special Management Zones in NC and SC
Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34
October 28-30, 2019 6:00 PM
Webinars with Listening Stations in NC

The draft regulatory amendment contains actions to:

  • Establish 30 Special Management Zones (SMZs) at permitted artificial reef sites in federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Within the SMZs, harvest of snapper grouper species by spear would be limited to the recreational bag limit.
  • Establish four additional SMZs at permitted artificial reef sites in federal waters off the coast of South Carolina. Harvest of snapper grouper species would only be allowed with handline, rod and reel, and spear (without powerheads) and harvest would be limited to the recreational bag limits.

Webinars with Listening Stations for Proposed SMZ Designations
Monday, October 28
Register for Webinar
Listening Station:
Dare County Administration Bld., Manteo, NC

Tuesday, October 29
Register for Webinar
Listening Station:
NC Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office, Morehead City, NC

Wednesday, October 30
Register for Webinar
Listening Station:
NC Division of Marine Fisheries Southern District Office, Wilmington, NC

Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34 Summary Document, video presentation, and the Online Comment Form are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Register now to participate in the public scoping meetings via webinar or participate in-person at designated listening stations in North Carolina. Details are available from the Council’s website.

Public Hearings via Webinar – Modifications to Commercial Southern Zone King Mackerel Season 2 Trip Limits
Coastal Migratory Pelagics Framework Amendment 8
October 29-30, 2019 5:00 PM

Rhe draft amendment would modify the trip limit for the commercial king mackerel fishery in the Southern Zone (NC/SC line to Miami-Dade/Monroe Co. boundary) during Season 2 (October 1st to the end of February). Access the Public Hearing Summary, view the video, submit comments online and register now to participate in the scheduled webinars. https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Tuesday, October 29
Webinar Registration

Wednesday, October 30
Webinar Registration

Public Scoping via Webinar – Shrimp Vessel Transit Provisions
Amendment 11 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan
November 5 & 7, 2019 7:00 PM
Webinars

The draft amendment proposes modifications to current transit provisions during cold-weather closures of the fishery. Additional information is available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Tuesday, November 5
Webinar Registration

Thursday, November 7
Webinar Registration

SAFMC to Hold Scoping Webinars on Designation of Special Management Zones in NC and SC

October 23, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled scoping webinars and is soliciting public comments on potential designation of special management zones (SMZs) in federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina (Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34). The draft regulatory amendment contains actions to:

Designate 30 artificial reefs in federal waters off North Carolina as SMZs

  • Prohibit use of efficient gear (e.g., bandit, pots, sink nets, buoy gear) on those reefs
  • Restrict harvest of snapper grouper species with spear on those reefs to the recreational bag limit

Designate 4 artificial reefs in federal waters off South Carolina as SMZs

  • Prohibit use of efficient gear (e.g., bandit, pots, sink nets, buoy gear) on those reefs
  • All harvest of snapper grouper species on those reefs would be limited to the recreational bag limit

Three scoping webinars will be held on October 28, 29, and 30 at 6:00 p.m. Registration is required:

Individuals can also participate in the webinars in-person at designated listening stations in North Carolina. Details are available here.

The Scoping Summary Document, video presentation, and the Online Comment Form are now available from the South Atlantic Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Commercial Closure for Gray Triggerfish in South Atlantic Federal Waters on October 27, 2019

October 23, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN

The commercial harvest of gray triggerfish in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 27, 2019. During the commercial closure, harvest or possession of gray triggerfish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2019 July through December commercial catch limit is 156,162 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the July through December commercial catch limit. According to the accountability measure, harvest must 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 gray triggerfish does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 27, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

The commercial gray triggerfish 2020 fishing season in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2020, with a catch limit of 156,162 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/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#se50.12.622_1190.

Provide Comment on Proposed Changes to Federal Fisheries Management

October 18, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently seeking public comment on a variety of proposed changes affecting federal fisheries management, including designating specified artificial reefs off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina as Special Management Zones to restrict the types of gear that can be used to harvest snapper grouper species. The designations are being considered at the request of each state’s marine resources agencies. Public comment is also being solicited on proposed changes to the trip limit for the commercial king mackerel fishery in the Southern Zone and measures to modify transit provisions for shrimp vessels.

Learn more about the proposed measures with summary documents and video presentations, provide written comment online, and mark your calendar to participate in the webinars!

Public Scoping – Designation of Special Management Zones in NC and SC
Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34
October 28-30, 2019 6:00 PM
Webinars with Listening Stations in NC

The draft regulatory amendment contains actions to:

* Establish 30 Special Management Zones (SMZs) at permitted artificial reef sites in federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Within the SMZs, harvest of snapper grouper species by spear would be limited to the recreational bag limit.

* Establish four additional SMZs at permitted artificial reef sites in federal waters off the coast of South Carolina. Harvest of snapper grouper species would only be allowed with handline, rod and reel, and spear (without powerheads) and harvest would be limited to the recreational bag limits.

SMZ Public Comment Period Now Open – Webinars with Listening Stations Scheduled

Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34 Summary Document, video presentation, and the Online Comment Form are now available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Register now to participate in the public scoping meetings via webinar or participate in-person at designated listening stations in North Carolina. Details are available from the Council’s website.

Public Hearings – Modifications to Commercial Southern Zone King Mackerel Season 2 Trip Limits
Coastal Migratory Pelagics Framework Amendment 8
October 29-30, 2019 5:00 PM
Webinars

The draft amendment would modify the trip limit for the commercial king mackerel fishery in the Southern Zone (NC/SC line to Miami-Dade/Monroe Co. boundary) during Season 2 (October 1st to the end of February). Access the Public Hearing Summary, view the video, submit comments online and register now to participate in the scheduled webinars. https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Public Scoping – Shrimp Transit Provisions
Amendment 11 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan
November 5 & 7, 2019 7:00 PM
Webinars

The draft amendment proposes modifications to current transit provisions during cold-weather closures of the fishery. Additional information is available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

SAFMC Seeks Applicants for Federal Fishery Advisory Panels

October 16, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats. Advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as environmental groups, fishing organizations, etc., and concerned citizens. Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. The Council’s advisory panels generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings.

Applications are now being solicited for the following positions:
Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel
(1) Open Seat

Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel
(1) NC Seat; (1) SC Seat; and (1) FL Seat

Information and Education Advisory Panel
(1) Recreational Seat and (1) Commercial Seat

Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel
(3) Open Seats

How to Apply

Additional information including application forms for individual advisory panels is available online from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/. For questions about the advisory panel seats please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net or call the Council office at 843/571-4366.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact area Council representatives to discuss their interest in serving. Contact information for all Council members is available at: https://safmc.net/council-members/.

Applications must be received by November 6, 2019 for consideration by the Council during its December 2-6, 2019 meeting in Wilmington, NC.