SAFMC Archives - Saving Seafood

South Atlantic Council Moving Forward to Address Red Snapper and Reduce Release Mortality in Snapper Grouper Fishery

June 22, 2022 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will continue to develop measures to revise catch levels for Red Snapper and help reduce release mortality for all species managed in the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan. Reductions in catch levels for Red Snapper are required to end overfishing. The most recent stock assessment for Red Snapper shows the stock remains overfished and is undergoing overfishing, primarily due to the increasing number of fish that die after being released throughout the year as the stock continues to rebuild. Council members considered public input and recommendations from the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel during discussions at the Council meeting last week in Key West, Florida. The measures are proposed in Regulatory Amendment 35 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan and would apply to federal waters off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida.

Among measures the Council is considering to reduce release mortality for the snapper grouper fishery are gear modifications, seasons, and area closures. Options for gear modifications include disallowing the use of electric reels (exceptions would be made for individuals with physical disabilities) and requiring single hook rigs for the recreational sector. Alternative timing for the Red Snapper recreational season, options for a recreational snapper grouper season, and periodic area closures for the snapper grouper fishery could also be considered. Council members requested additional information and analyses and will continue discussion during the September 2022 meeting.

While not specific to Regulatory Amendment 35, Council members also stressed the need to expand outreach and education efforts for Best Fishing Practices, including the use of descending devices, proper handling, and other measures to improve the likelihood that released fish survive.

The Council approved two amendments for public hearings. Snapper Grouper Amendment 51 includes measures to end overfishing for Snowy Grouper. A reduction in harvest of approximately 43% is needed to end overfishing. In addition to modifying catch limits, the amendment proposes to revise sector allocations using updated recreational landings, shorten the current recreational season (May 1 – August 31), and modify recreational accountability measures. Snapper Grouper Amendment 52 includes proposed management measures for Golden Tilefish and Blueline Tilefish. The amendment allows for an increase in catch levels for Golden Tilefish based on the most recent stock assessment and would modify the recreational bag limit, season, and accountability measures for Blueline Tilefish. Public hearings for both amendments will be scheduled for later this summer via webinar and also held during the Council’s September 2022 meeting.

After considering public comment and recommendations from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, the Council modified management measures proposed for Greater Amberjack through Snapper Grouper Amendment 49. The stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, allowing for an increase in catch levels. An action to increase the recreational minimum size limit from 28” fork length was removed from the amendment. Actions to revise catch levels and sector allocations, reduce the commercial minimum size limit, modify commercial trip limits during split seasons, and revise the April spawning season closure remain. The Council will address the amendment again during its September meeting where the amendment is scheduled to be voted on for final approval.

Other Actions

Council members continued to hear concerns about the Dolphin fishery from fishermen and stakeholders. The Council is responsible for management of Dolphin in federal waters from Maine to the Florida Keys. Given the broad management area, expansive seasonal migratory patterns, and relatively short life span, management of Dolphin presents a unique challenge. To help the Council address these challenges, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center presented plans to begin work on a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) for the Dolphin fishery. The project goal is to develop an index-based management procedure that may provide more robust analytical support for catch levels and management evaluations for the fishery. The Council prioritized collaboration on the project, including assisting with stakeholder meetings to be held this summer and fall.

The Council is continuing to develop Regulatory Amendment 3 for the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan with options to modify the applicable geographic range of the minimum size limit for Dolphin as well as recreational bag and vessel limits. The Council will address Dolphin management during its December 2022 meeting.

During last week’s meeting, the Council received key findings from an initial program evaluation plan for its Citizen Science Program as well as project updates. The Citizen Science Program’s SAFMC Release Project allows fishermen the opportunity to provide information via a mobile app about releases of shallow water grouper species and Red Snapper. Additional information is available from the Council’s website: https://safmc.net/citizen-science/safmc-release/.

Additional information about the June Council meeting, including committee and Full Council reports, is available from the Council’s website at:https://safmc.net/events/2022-june-council-meeting/. The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for September 12-16, 2022, at the Town and Country Inn in Charleston, South Carolina.

SAFMC: Citizen Science Project Expands to Include Red Snapper

April 19, 2022 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Fishermen releasing Red Snapper along the South Atlantic coast can now help contribute data considered for effective management of the stock as it continues to rebuild. SAFMC Release, a project of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Citizen Science Program that offers fishermen the opportunity to provide data on shallow water grouper species being released, has now expanded to include Red Snapper. Information, including length of the fish, depth of release, optional location, any observed shark predation, and release treatment (e.g., use of a descending device or venting tool) is provided using the SciFish mobile app.

The number of released fish is growing along the South Atlantic coast due to many factors including increasing fishing pressure and regulations. This is especially true for species like Red Snapper where seasons are very limited for both recreational and commercial fishermen as the stock continues to rebuild. While dockside intercepts and other traditional data collection efforts provide information about species that are landed, very little data are available on released fish. As a result, there is an increasing need to document release length and discard mortality rates for shallow water grouper and Red Snapper populations. SAFMC Release allows private recreational fishermen, charter captains, and commercial fishermen an easy-to-use tool designed to fill data gaps.

The decision to expand the SAFMC Release project to include Red Snapper was influenced by feedback from fishermen targeting snapper grouper species managed by the Council. The SAFMC Release project began as a pilot project in 2019, with fishermen logging release information on Scamp Grouper. In 2021, the project expanded to include all shallow water grouper (Black Grouper, Coney, Gag, Graysby, Red Grouper, Red Hind, Rock Hind, Scamp Grouper, Yellowfin Grouper and Yellowmouth Grouper) and the project was housed under the citizen science mobile app, SciFish. SciFish is a customizable citizen science mobile app that will eventually house multiple projects developed by state and federal marine resources agencies and regional fishery management councils. As partners in the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program, data standards are maintained for the projects.

“The expansion of the SAFMC Release project to include Red Snapper is timely and provides a unique opportunity for fishermen to fill data gaps,” said Council Chair Mel Bell. “The project is not designed to estimate the total number of fish being released, nor does it aim to collect information on catch levels or catch rates,” explained Chairman Bell. “Instead, data collected through SAFMC Release will help managers better characterize the size of released fish and survival rates.” Collecting data on released fish has been identified as a research priority for the Council’s Citizen Science Program and in various stock assessments. “The success of this project relies on fishermen that are willing to participate in providing these data as fish are released year-round.”

To participate in SAFMC Release and begin sharing data, fishermen can visit the SAFMC Release project webpage for additional details or contact Julia Byrd, Citizen Science Program Manager at Julia.byrd@safmc.net or 843-302-8493.

East Coast fisheries ‘climate scenario’ workshop planned

April 5, 2022 — East Coast fisheries managers will host a June 21-23 workshop with fishermen and other stakeholders to develop possible scenarios for how management could adapt to shifting fishing stocks and biological and economic changes coming with climate change.

Since late 2020 the East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning Initiative, fishery scientists and managers have been “working collaboratively and engaging diverse fishery stakeholders to explore jurisdictional and governance issues related to climate change and shifting fishery stocks,” according to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

The initiative is a joint project of the Mid-Atlantic, New England and South Atlantic fishery management councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and NMFS.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Recruitment Announcement: Citizen Science Project Coordinator

March 28, 2022 — The following was released by The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a Citizen Science Project Coordinator that will support the Council’s Citizen Science Program and help coordinate individual citizen science projects. The Council, headquartered in North Charleston, SC, is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to Key West. The Council’s Citizen Science Program aims to work with fishermen and scientists to facilitate and support the development of projects to address Council-specific research needs.

The Citizen Science Project Coordinator is a full-time, time-limited contract position that will work closely with the Citizen Science Program Manager. The position will primarily focus on coordinating the SAFMC Release project and the continued development of the SciFish customizable citizen science mobile application. The SAFMC Release project works with commercial, recreational, and for-hire fishermen to collect information on released fish via a mobile app. SciFish is being developed to serve as an umbrella mobile application that would support data collection for different fishery-related citizen science projects developed by partners along the Atlantic coast.

See the complete recruitment announcement available from the Council’s website for additional information and application instructions. Applications must be received by April 20, 2022.

Fishing Then & Now: A look at marine protected areas

March 7, 2022 — Thirty years ago, [National Fisherman’s] then-editor Jim Fullilove made a prophetic statement on no-take marine reserves.

“The perceived simplicity of the no-harvest zone idea makes it dangerous,” Fullilove wrote on page 6 of the March 1992 edition. “Fencing off reserves is a fishery management tool that could become the darling of politicians and special-interest groups with anti-fishing agendas and little regard for the complexity of fish population dynamics.”

At the time, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council was considering roping off 20 percent of the coastal waters off of each state in the region to be designated as reserves.

As of Feb. 12, 2009, the council had established eight deep-water marine protected areas off the four states in its jurisdiction — North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Despite the fact that the council spent the better part of two decades designing and establishing these areas, there is no conclusive evidence — more than a decade after their implementation — that they are working.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

The Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program (SEFHIER) Thanks Program Participants and Offers Year End Reminders

December 17, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Key Message:

•NOAA Fisheries thanks fishermen for their participation in the SEFHIER program, informs participants about program requirements, reminds participants of frequently asked questions (FAQs), and provides an update of the program progress.

•For further information, SEFHIER participants can contact the program help desk at 1-833- 707-1632, and select option 3, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., ET, excluding federal holidays. Also, fishermen can visit the program website at https://go.usa.gov/xMBjm for more information about the program.

Thank You:

•As the first year of NOAA Fisheries’ SEFHIER program comes to a close, SEFHIER extends a sincere thank you to the constituents who are participating in the program and have offered suggestions for improving the program.

•Over the past year, SEFHIER staff has made many enhancements to the program based on input from fishermen. Through Fishery Management Council meetings, webinars, mailings, region specific toolkits, conference calls, dock talks, and calls to our hotline, constituents have listened, provided feedback, complied with regulations, and helped make this program a success.

•SEFHIER also thanks the staff of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils for helping to host webinars, create and distribute informational toolkits, and sharing SEFHIER messages to reach federally permitted for-hire fishermen.

Preliminary 2021 Highlights:

•70,834 Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South Atlantic/Atlantic logbooks received,

•41,033 Gulf declarations received,

•~64% of Gulf for-hire federally permitted vessels and ~60% of South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted vessels have registered an account with an approved reporting vendor,

•SEFHIER staff answered more than 1,000 incoming calls and assisted constituents with program-related outreach on nearly 6,000 outgoing customer service calls.

Regulation Reminders:

(Please refer to the SEFHIER FAQs page for more information.)

•Federally permitted Gulf for-hire vessels

•Trip declarations are required every time a vessel moves on the water (i.e., bait/ice trips, transportation to/from marinas and private docks, sunset cruises).

•For dually federally permitted for-hire and commercial reef fish vessels, you must complete both a commercial reef fish and for-hire trip declaration when going on a for-hire trip. NOAA Fisheries is actively investigating how to streamline the vessel monitoring system (VMS) declaration process for dually commercial reef fish and for-hire federally permitted vessels. Currently, these programs have different regulatory declaration requirements.

•For-hire declarations can only be completed using a SEFHIER approved reporting platform (VMS or software). Gulf for-hire declarations are not approved for submission on the VMS IVR line.

•All federally permitted for-hire vessels

•All federally permitted for-hire vessels are required to submit logbooks with information on catch and effort. This information is required to be reported regardless of where the vessel is fishing. All logbooks must be submitted electronically through SEFHIER approved software.

•Gulf federally permitted for-hire vessels: Logbooks must be submitted prior to removing fish from the vessel. If no fish were harvested, the logbook must be submitted within 30 minutes of landing.

•South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessels: Logbooks must be submitted weekly, by 11:59 pm, local time, the Tuesday following a reporting week (Monday-Sunday). A no-fishing report must be submitted if a vessel does not go fishing in a reporting week (Monday through Sunday).

• Reporting Highly Migratory Species (HMS)

•If you are using eTrips/Mobile2, the application will prompt for the HMS required questions, and only one submission is required to comply with both SEFHIER and HMS programs. If you are using the VESL reporting application, you will still need to complete the HMS reports using the HMS Program.

FAQ Reminders:

•Questions from participants have often been related to trip type, trip activity, economic questions, and reporting errors.

•For answers to these and additional SEFHIER questions, please refer to our SEFHIER FAQs page (broken out by topic) for detailed answers to some of our most frequently asked questions:

•General Program Requirements

•General Reporting Requirements

•Electronic Logbook Questions

•Gulf Trip Declaration Questions

•Gulf of Mexico VMS requirement Questions

•Gulf of Mexico Intercept Validation Survey Questions

•Dually Permitted For-Hire Vessel Questions

Reporting Reminders:

•eTrips:

•While eTrips/Mobile2 is approved, eTrips/Online is not approved for SEFHIER. See the program website, under Approved Software, for more information on what software is approved for the program.

•For South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessels, no fishing reports are only accepted 30 days in advance per program requirements, regardless of what the application will allow. Any form submitted in excess of the 30 days will not count towards program compliance and will need to be resubmitted.

•Landing location is a required field on the Gulf declaration. SEFHIER declarations combine traditional hail-out and hail-in information into one form. The hail-in information, estimated return time and landing location, are used by law enforcement and SEFHIER Validation Surveyors to know in advance when a vessel will be landing with catch.

•To submit a logbook, click the send/submit button on the application. Without clicking send/submit, the logbook will remain pending in the application. A confirmation screen will confirm a successful submission. This report is then saved to your device; if needed, you can show a law enforcement officer your trip submission confirmation.

•Software application vendors are required to have helpdesks. Please call them if/when you have trouble with your application. They are here to help you!

•eTrips: Help Desk Phone Number: 1-800-984-0810

•VESL: Help Desk Phone Number: 1-202-883-8375

SEFHIER Staff Are Also Here To Help You:

•SEFHIER website

•Toll free phone number: 1-833-707-1632 (8:00 am – 4:30 pm ET, Monday through Friday),

•Program email: ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov

•SEFHIER specific For-Hire Fishery Bulletins are now available: sign up for and view Fishery Bulletins here

•Sign up for recreational fisheries related NOAA text alerts (standard text messaging rates apply) by texting:

•GULFRECFISH to 888777 (Gulf) or

•SATLRECFISH to 888777 (South Atlantic)

Recruitment Announcement Communication and Digital Media Specialist

December 17, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), headquartered in North Charleston, South Carolina, is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to Key West. The Council is responsible for Coastal Migratory Pelagics from New York to Florida and for Dolphin/Wahoo, from Maine to Florida.

The Communication and Digital Media Specialist (CDM) position is responsible for developing a wide range of communication products in support of Council activities. The CDM serves as the Council’s webmaster and administrator for outreach and communication software products and assists other staff in developing documents and graphics to support the Council’s communication needs. Duties include developing digital and print media outreach materials, working closely with other staff to develop graphics and visual aids for Council documents and presentations, and managing the Council’s website and application platforms. The CDM is expected to work effectively in a team-oriented environment with minimal direct supervision while managing multiple tasks simultaneously and meeting deadlines.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

•Manage website structure and framework

•Manage and post website content

•Serve as the POC for website design and hosting contractors

•Monitor website use and analytics to inform decision making relevant to updates

•Coordinate third party software vendors and software applications

•Stay current with digital media developments and assist with design or selection of future applications

•Create user-friendly digital and print media in support of Council activities

•Develop documents and graphics to effectively convey technical information to general audiences

•Foster cohesively branded content across multiple communication products and tools

•Manage end-to-end digital projects and coordinate workflow both internally and with outside collaborators

•Serve as a liaison with federal, state, and NGO partners for digital media management

•Participate in outreach activities and events

•Other duties as assigned

See the complete recruitment announcement available from the Council’s website for additional information and application instructions.

Council Exploring Options to Reduce Release Mortality and a Holistic Approach to Management of Snapper Grouper Species

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.

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. James Bruce Recognized as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

December 10, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

As the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Southeast Regional Fisheries Training Center, Lieutenant James Bruce reflects the dedication of the U.S. Coast to the protection and enforcement of the region’s Living Marine Resources. For his service and work to improve training operations, Lt. Bruce received the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award at this week’s meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in Beaufort, North Carolina. (Pictured are Lt. James Bruce, Council Chair Mel Bell (right) and Spud Woodward, Chair of the Council’s Law Enforcement Committee.)

Lt. Bruce oversees the training, curriculum, and certification for the more than 150 Coast Guard Law Enforcement Officers that annually enter the Fisheries Training Program in Charleston, South Carolina. The Southeast Regional Fisheries Training Center (SRFTC) is one of five such training centers regionally located around the country. “We are fortunate to have an excellent U.S. Coast Guard Fisheries Training Center in Charleston,” said Chairman Bell. “With his strong academic background in fisheries, including a master’s degree from Scripps, Lt. Bruce has been actively involved in the fisheries management process and a dedicated advocate for improving fisheries enforcement.”

Since assuming command of the Training Center in 2019, Lt Bruce has pioneered initiatives directly impacting fisheries enforcement. These include a coordinated effort to expand the footprint of the Training Center by providing operational support for fisheries boardings and surge operations in federal waters, resulting in a 13% increase in fisheries boardings in the South Atlantic between 2019 and 2020. Working with NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species (HMS) office, Lt. Bruce led the effort to create a “Status of Fisheries” website, tracking regulations in real-time to provide information to enforcement officers. Lt Bruce also led staff at SRFTC in producing the first-of-its-kind “QR” coded reference guides for on-scene enforcement officers dealing with possible violations of HMS Lacey Act and Florida recreational lobster regulations.

The Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award was established by the Council in 2010 to recognize distinctive service, professionalism, and dedication to enforcing fisheries regulations in the South Atlantic region. Nominees for the annual award may be submitted from each of the southeastern state law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and NOAA Fisheries.

According to his peers, Lt. Bruce is known for his unyielding curiosity and purposeful drive, utilizing his academic background in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation to speak formally through education programs, engage with local fish houses, and bring a real-world viewpoint to the officers he trains.

“I have to say I am humbled by the selection, especially knowing the caliber and esteem of the state and federal fisheries enforcement officers that I get the privilege to work with,” said Lt. Bruce. “The real prize is getting to work alongside NOAA OLE and the many state agencies in our South Atlantic region. It’s really great that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council makes such an effort to recognize law enforcement and our collective effort to enforce fisheries regulations and the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act to prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, and increase the long-term economic and social benefits in our region.”

The South Atlantic Bite – Newsworthy Notes – November 3, 2021

November 4, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Proposed Changes to Atlantic King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel Management

There was good news for Atlantic migratory group King Mackerel as the most recent stock assessment update (SEDAR 38) shows the stock continues to not be overfished or undergoing overfishing. Atlantic group King Mackerel are managed in federal waters from the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line in Florida north to the New York/Connecticut/Rhode Island state line.

Based on the latest assessment update, annual catch limits, optimum yield, and allocations for Atlantic King Mackerel must be revised and these additional measures are being considered through Amendment 34 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan:

•Increase the daily Atlantic King Mackerel bag limit in federal waters off the east coast of Florida to 3 fish per person (currently 2 fish to match FL state regulations)

•Decrease the minimum size limit for Atlantic King Mackerel for both recreational and commercial sectors from 24-inches fork length to 22-inches fork length

•Modify the recreational requirement for Atlantic King and Spanish Mackerel to be landed with heads and fins in tact (options to allow retention of cut/damaged fish due to shark predation)

Public hearing documents, including a video presentation and an online public comment form are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

•Monday, November 15, 2021 at 6 PM

•Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 6 PM

Written comments are due by 5 p.m. on November 17th.

Reminder! Apply Now for Open Seats on the Council’s Advisory Panels and System Management Plan Workgroup

Applications due November 12th

The South Atlantic Council is currently seeking applicants for open seats on several of its advisory panels or to serve as a fishing representative on the System Management Plan (SMP) Workgroup. The SMP Workgroup addresses the needs of managed areas in federal waters in the South Atlantic. Advisory panel members provide recommendations for the Council’s consideration at the grassroots level. They provide advice on trends in fisheries, environmental concerns relative to fishery ecosystems, enforcement issues, and management impacts on fishermen and fishing communities.

See the news release for details, including a list of open seats. Application forms are available online and due by Friday, November 12, 2021 for consideration by the Council during its December meeting.

SAFMC Seminar Series

Red Porgy Distribution

The Council’s seminar series continues this month with a presentation scheduled for Tuesday, November 9th from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Red Porgy and changes in distribution of the stock. The presentation will be given by staff from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is part of an ongoing seminar series hosted by the Council, featuring scientific studies relevant to fisheries in federal waters of the South Atlantic.

The seminars are open to the public and a Q&A session will be held following the presentation. The presentations are for informational purposes only and no management actions will be taken. Registration is required.

New Review of the Atlantic Shark Fishery Includes Section on Depredation

Webinar for the Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE) scheduled for December 8, 2021.

Does this photo look familiar? Take note: NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division (HMS), the agency responsible for shark management in the U.S., recently released a draft of their Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE). While there are no proposed changes to current regulations or management measures associated with SHARE, the document does include a section on shark depredation. Concerns about shark depredation have continued to increase from fishermen along the Atlantic coast and members of the South Atlantic Council have provided letters to NOAA Fisheries outlining those concerns in the past.

NOAA Fisheries HMS Division has scheduled a webinar and conference on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. to review SHARE and allow public comment. “We encourage anyone affected or otherwise interested in the general management of the Atlantic shark fishery to review the draft document,” said Karyl Brewster-Geisz, HMS Coordinator with NOAA Fisheries.

Additional information, including webinar registration information, a copy of the draft document, and instructions for providing written comment is available from the NOAA Fisheries website. Written comments are being accepted until January 3, 2022. Questions? Contact Karyl Brewster-Geisz at (301) 427-8503.

Additional Snippets:

How Does Catching Fish Support Fisheries Science?

AFS Symposium offers unique opportunity for fishermen to tune in

Anglers play an important role in providing scientists and managers with valuable data about the state of our fisheries. As new forms of electronic reporting come online, providing high resolution data that could barely have been imagined just a few decades ago, anglers are becoming ever more important to fisheries research.

See how anglers are making a difference in fisheries across the U.S. and Canada by joining a symposium on Sunday, November 7, 2021 for a live-stream event highlighting projects ranging from Florida’s Trophy Catch program to how anglers have been contributing for over 20 years to the management of sturgeon on the Fraser River in British Columbia. The live-stream event is open to the public and anglers are encouraged to participate. Register now. The Symposium is part of the American Fisheries Society’s annual conference taking place in Baltimore, MD November 6-10, 2021. For more information about the symposium contact Sean Simmons at 250-613-7727 or email sean@anglersatlas.com.

Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful – NOAA Soliciting Public Comment

Public comment sessions scheduled for November 8th and 16th

President Biden has challenged Americans to join together in an inclusive and locally led effort to conserve at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030. On May 6, 2021, the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Commerce, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality released a preliminary report on Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful. Learn more about the report and NOAA’s efforts to gather public input on this initiative, including links to virtual listening sessions scheduled for Monday, November 8th from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and Tuesday, November 16th from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. https://www.noaa.gov/america-the-beautiful.

Heavy Lift Barge Departs Golden Ray Site After Yearlong Wreck Removal

For those of you following the saga of the 656-foot Golden Ray cargo vessel salvage, after more than two years of salvage work, the port community of Brunswick, Georgia has finally recovered its scenic seaside view! The giant heavy lift barge used as part of the salvage effort departed St. Simons Sound earlier this week, bringing its long tenure at the wreck site of the Golden Ray to an end. Read more from the Maritime Executive newsletter. See how GA DNR’s Coastal Resources Division used parts of the salvaged ship, including the propeller, to enhance artificial reefs off the coast of Georgia.

The Queen of Kings…King Mackerel That Is

Today, more and more women are becoming a part of the competitive landscape. The world of fishing is no exception. See how 65-year-old Brenda Cooper of Topsail Island, NC is breaking stereotypes as part of the Back-Lash Fishing Team in this recent article by Captain Tim Wilson with Saltwater Angler online.

Mark Your Calendar

Keep track of meetings scheduled by the Council from the website and register for meeting webinars as information becomes available. Register early and receive email reminders as the meeting date(s) approach!

November 9, 2021

SAFMC Seminar Series – Red Porgy Distribution
1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Webinar Registration

November 15 and 16, 2021 at 6 p.m.

King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel Public Scoping Meetings
(Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 34)
Monday, November 15 – Webinar Registration
Tuesday, November 16 – Webinar Registration

November 18-19, 2021

Outreach and Communications Advisory Panel Meeting
Webinar Registration

December 6-10, 2021

SAFMC Meeting
Beaufort Hotel
Beaufort, NC