SAFMC Archives - Page 2 of 25

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.

Commercial Closure for Blueline Tilefish in South Atlantic Federal Waters on July 30, 2019

July 25, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time on July 30, 2019. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of blueline tilefish is prohibited, and harvest or possession of blueline tilefish 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 87,521 pounds whole weight. 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 2020 commercial fishing season for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2020, with a commercial catch limit of 87,521 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.

Commercial Closure of the Golden Tilefish Hook-and-Line Component in South Atlantic Federal Waters on July 23, 2019

July 19, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 23, 2019.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2019 commercial catch limit for the golden tilefish hook-and-line component is 82,935 pounds gutted weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit and harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

DURING AND AFTER THE CLOSURE:

The closure prohibitions for the commercial hook-and-line component apply in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper permit.
The South Atlantic golden tilefish commercial longline component closed on March 14, 2019, and the recreational sector closed on June 17, 2019, for the remainder of the fishing year. Therefore, because the commercial longline component and the recreational sector are already closed, and the commercial hook-and-line component will close on July 23, 2019, all harvest and possession of South Atlantic golden tilefish will be prohibited effective at 12:01 a.m., local time, July 23, 2019.
The prohibitions on harvest or possession and sale or purchase during the closure do not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 23, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
The 2020 fishing season for golden tilefish commercial hook-and-line component in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2020, with a commercial catch limit of 82,935 pounds gutted weight.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. The complete list of 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.

Fishermen Encouraged to Use Best Practices and Assist with Data Collection During Red Snapper Opening

July 2, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

As anglers get ready to head offshore with the upcoming opening of red snapper season, there are a few things that can make your trip a success not only for you, but for the fish you release, and for fishery biologists hard at work to gather information while the season is underway.

First, know the rules. The recreational red snapper fishery will open for harvest on July 12, 13, and 14 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), and again on July 19 and 20, 2019 (Friday and Saturday). The bag limit is one fish per person/day with no minimum size limit. A reminder, dehookers are required when fishing for snapper grouper species, including red snapper. The use of non-stainless-steel circle hooks (offset or non-offset) is also required when using natural baits north of 28 degrees north latitude (just south of Melbourne, FL). Note that the number of fishing days is determined by NOAA Fisheries each year. For additional information, including a Q&A reference, visit: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/bulletin/noaa-fisheries-announces-limited-openings-recreational-and-commercial-red-snapper.

Plan ahead. Expect to release fish and know how to properly do so. Be prepared to help improve the chances that a fish captured in deeper water will survive by having a descending device rigged and ready and/or properly use a venting tool. Fish caught in deep water, typically 50 feet or greater, may experience barotrauma, an expansion of gas in the fish’s swim bladder due to pressure changes that causes damage to the swim bladder or other internal organs. When a fish suffering from barotrauma is released, it is often unable to swim back down to the depth it was captured, making it difficult to survive. No one wants to see a “floater”. If a fish needs to be released and shows signs of barotrauma, venting or the use of a descending device will go a long way in making sure the fish is available to catch another day. Learn more at: http://safmc.net/regulations/regulations-by-species/red-snapper/.

Do your part to help improve fisheries management by using MyFishCount, a recreational reporting app and web-portal that allows anglers to voluntarily report their catches through the MyFishCount website or free mobile application. Learn more and download the app by visiting: https://www.myfishcount.com. In addition, cooperate with the fishery biologists that you may encounter dockside when you’ve finished your fishing trip. The red snapper opening offers an opportunity for staff from state marine resource agencies to collect data and learn from your fishing trips. Your cooperation during these sampling efforts will go a long way in providing better data and ultimately lead to better management.

Finally – be safe, be courteous, and enjoy your fishing trip!

SAFMC Launches its First Citizen Science Pilot Project

June 20, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Estimating the number of fish harvested by offshore fishermen has consistently been a challenge for federal fishery managers. Gathering information about what fishermen release during a fishing trip is even more so. To help fill these data gaps, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has initiated its first Citizen Science pilot project, SAFMC Scamp Release. The project allows fishermen to use the mobile app, SAFMC Release, to provide information on released scamp grouper. The mobile app was developed by Harbor Light Software with the support of The Pew Charitable Trusts and Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program with the Citizen Science Association serving as a fiscal sponsor.

“Fishermen have consistently offered to help collect data, many offering their boats to act as research platforms for sampling and observations,” explained Council Chair Jessica McCawley. “The Council’s Citizen Science Program, developed over the last three years with the guidance of a wide array of stakeholders and partners, now allows for that information to be collected. We are very proud of this new program and hopeful that data collected in this first pilot project can be used in an upcoming stock assessment for scamp.” A stock assessment for scamp grouper is scheduled to begin later this year and completed in 2021.

The SAFMC Release app provides an easy-to-use platform for fishermen to collect data on scamp that are released, including information on length, depth, and location of released scamp, as well as release treatment and the condition of the fish when released. Information on released fish is a research priority identified by the Council and an important data component for stock assessments. Data collected by individual fishermen through the pilot project will be confidential.

“We are now recruiting offshore fishermen that target snapper grouper species to participate in this initial pilot project,” said Julia Byrd, the Council’s Citizen Science Program Coordinator. “Timing is key – and we need fishermen to begin collecting data now,” said Byrd. “The ability to collect this data through the SAFMC Releaseapp offers a unique opportunity and we’re excited about the prospect to supplement data that will be used in future management of scamp.”

The aim of the Council’s Citizen Science Program is to engage fishermen, scientists and managers in co-creating projects that align with the Council’s research needs.This pilot project is designed to show that citizen science is a cost-effective way to supplement existing data collection efforts. Additional information about the SAFMC Scamp Release pilot project is available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/cit-sci/scamp-release/.

Fishermen interested in providing data through the SAFMC Scamp Release pilot project should contact Julia Byrd at julia.byrd@safmc.net or by calling 843/571-4366.

Council Requests Emergency Action for Commercial Mackerel Fishery

June 17, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Nearly 40 fishermen and others interested in federal fishery management issues spoke during a public hearing held this week as part of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s week-long meeting in Stuart, Florida. The majority of comments focused on the need for an increase in the commercial king mackerel fishery off the southeastern coast of Florida during the second season that extends into the winter months (October 1st through the end of February). Since the 2015-16 season, the commercial fishery in the Southern Zone (Flagler/Volusia county line south) has harvested under 60% of their annual catch limit. The value of the unharvested quota is estimated $3,885,647 per season over the past four fishing seasons.

Fishermen explained that the current limit of 50 fish per trip often marginalizes profit and keeps fishermen from carrying crew, preventing a new generation of fishermen from getting involved in the fishery and presenting safety at sea issues. Fishermen also spoke about the recent negative economic impacts of severe weather and environmental factors such as poor water quality.

After considering public comment and recommendations from its Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel, the Council approved a motion to request NOAA Fisheries use emergency action to increase the second season commercial king mackerel trip limit from 50 fish to 75 fish in the Southern Zone. The Council made the request with the intention of having the increase in place by the beginning of the October 1, 2019 opening. The Atlantic king mackerel stock is not overfished or undergoing overfishing, and it is not anticipated that the commercial quota will be exceeded with the increased trip limit.

“We sincerely appreciate the Council’s support in recognizing the importance of increasing the commercial king mackerel trip limit here in South Florida,” said Ira Laks, Chairman of the Council’s Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel and a dual-permitted commercial/charter captain from Jupiter, Florida. “The Council considered input from its advisory panel as well as a number of mackerel fishermen who attended Wednesday night’s public hearing,” explained Laks. “I want to also thank all of the fishermen who took the time and effort to attend the hearing. It made a difference.”

Other Items
Red Grouper
A 2017 stock assessment for red grouper indicates the stock is overfished and undergoing overfishing. As a result, the Council reduced the annual catch limit for red grouper in 2018, but further measures are needed. The Council approved Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 30 during its meeting this week. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the amendment will revise the rebuilding schedule for the red grouper stock and modify the spawning season prohibition off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina, adding the month of May to the current January through April closure. The amendment would also establish a commercial trip limit of 200 pounds gutted weight for red grouper in federal waters.

Red Snapper
The Council also discussed options for the red snapper fishery. The number of recreational fishing days for red snapper in federal waters in the South Atlantic is determined by NOAA Fisheries each year, based on the estimated harvest from the previous year. If fishing is allowed, the opening dates of both the recreational fishery and commercial fishery currently begin in July. The Council is considering options for modifying the current parameters in place, including the season start dates as well as days of the week when red snapper harvest is allowed to allow more flexibility for the season and reduce the number of fish that must be released.

Regulatory Amendment 33 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan would address these modifications and includes action to remove the minimum number of days for allowing a red snapper season (currently 3 days or more), modify the start date of the recreational red snapper season, revise the days of the week harvest would be allowed, and modify the start date of the red snapper commercial fishery. Public hearings via webinar and listening stations will be scheduled for August and the Council will review public comments during its September 16-20, 2019 meeting in Charleston, SC. The public hearing schedule will be publicized as soon as it becomes available.

Dolphin Wahoo
The Council also continued to work on management measures for dolphin fish and wahoo through Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan. The amendment currently includes actions to revise annual catch limits, sector allocations, and accountability measures and options to reduce the vessel limit for dolphin. The amendment would also remove operator card requirements, addresses retention and gear training requirements for commercial vessels and options for allowing for-hire vessels north of the North Carolina/Virginia border to fillet dolphin with skin intact under the condition that two fillets equal one fish. Dolphin and wahoo are managed in federal waters along the Atlantic coast by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in cooperation with the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils. There is no minimum size limit for dolphin in federal waters off of North Carolina northward. The Council’s Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel had requested the Council considers allowing the sale of bag limit dolphin by dual-federally permitted (charter and commercial) vessels. After considering public comment and input received during this week’s public hearing, and much discussion, the Council decided to remove the action as part of Amendment 10. The Council will continue to discuss the amendment in September.

At the request of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and after considering public scoping comments, the South Atlantic Council will move forward to develop an amendment to designate bullet and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component species within the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan and evaluate appropriate regulatory actions. The designation, widely supported during the scoping process, would acknowledge the important role the two species play as forage fish for dolphin and wahoo.

The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for September 16-20, 2019 at the Town and Country Inn in Charleston, SC. Additional information for this week’s meeting, including final committee reports, an interactive story map, and meeting report is available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

NOAA Fisheries – FB19-032: Recreational Harvest of Golden Tilefish Will Close in Federal Waters of South Atlantic on June 17, 2019

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

WHAT/WHEN:

The 2019 recreational fishing season for golden tilefish in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on June 17, 2019. Recreational harvest for the 2020 fishing year in South Atlantic federal waters will open at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2020.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2019 golden tilefish recreational catch limit is 2,316 fish. Reports indicate that recreational landings have reached the 2019 recreational catch limit.

According to the regulations, NOAA Fisheries must close the recreational sector when the recreational catch limit has been reached. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish population.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

Recreational harvest or possession of golden tilefish in or from federal waters of the South Atlantic is prohibited.

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.

Early South Atlantic Snapper Closure Draws Ire

June 10, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Another early mandated closure of yellowtail snapper commercial fishery has local commercial fishermen again calling for a reallocation of that species because the recreational fishing side has not been meeting its annual allocation every year.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will close the fishery Friday, June 7, and will reopen it Aug. 1, which is the start of a new fishing year for yellowtail snapper. The fishing year for yellowtail runs from Aug. 1 to July 31.

The August 2018 through July 2019 commercial catch limit is 1,596,510 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit and harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded, according to the South Atlantic Fishery Management.

During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of yellowtail snapper is prohibited, and harvest or possession of yellowtail snapper in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open, according to council.

This is the second straight year the council closed the commercial yellowtail fishery roughly two months early.

Yellowtail snapper is one of the most profitable commercial fin fisheries in the Keys. The Keys account for 90 percent of the yellowtail landings in the United States.

The top five communities with the highest levels of commercial landings of yellowtail snapper include the Florida communities of Key West, Miami, Marathon, Fort Lauderdale and Key Largo, according to the South Atlantic Council. The top Florida communities for recreational fishing also include communities in South Florida and the Florida Keys.

For the past several years, Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association Executive Director Bill Kelly has lobbied state and federal fishery managers to reallocate some of the unused yellowtail annual catch allocation from the recreational sector to the commercial sector.

The annual catch limit for commercially harvested yellowtail is about 1.6 million pounds and the recreational annual catch limit is roughly 1.4 million pounds.

The recreational side has not harvested 500,000 to 700,000 pounds of yellowtail in South Atlantic waters for the past six of seven years and 500,000 pounds in Gulf waters, according to Kelly.

“The recreational sector has not harvested more than 50 percent in the past 10 years, but still we have early closures,” Kelly said.

Reallocation is a hugely controversial issue when it comes to all fisheries. The federal General Accounting Office is currently taking input on fishery reallocation and is interviewing fishermen this week at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council this week at Gulf Council’s meeting in Florida.

The General Accounting Office will be at the South Atlantic’s meeting next week in Stuart, Florida to take input.

This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

REMINDER: SAFMC Meeting Starts Next Week in Stuart, FL

June 4, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet next week (June 10-14, 2019) in Stuart, Florida to discuss a number of federal fishery issues affecting offshore fisheries from NC to the Florida Keys. The meeting will be held at the Hutchinson Island Marriott, 555 NE Ocean Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34996. The meeting week begins with a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council.

There are several opportunities for public comment relative to the upcoming meeting. The briefing book materials, including agendas, overviews, and discussion documents, are available from the Council’s website. An online public comment form is now available from the meeting page, and in-person public comment will be taken at the meeting. You may also view public comments from the website.

Commercial Closure for Yellowtail Snapper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on June 7, 2019

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

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, June 7, 2019. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of yellowtail snapper is prohibited, and harvest or possession of yellowtail snapper 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:

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 August 2019 through July 2020 yellowtail snapper season in the South Atlantic will open on August 1, 2019, with a 1,596,510 pounds whole weight catch limit.

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.