Saving Seafood

SAFMC Recruitment Announcement

December 28, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, headquartered in North Charleston, S.C., 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 Meeting and Grants Coordinator/Office Assistant is responsible for all aspects of on-site support of various types of meetings, from public hearings to Council Meetings. Additionally, responsibilities include submission of grants and reports via the Federal Grants on-line system and general office support.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Assists the Administrative Officer and Technical Staff with support including but not limited to:

Selects, stages, loads, and transports recording and AV equipment to various meetings within our geographical area.

Sets up and operates the recording and AV equipment and troubleshoots as necessary. Takes roll of meeting participants for the record and ensures that Council Committee Chairs sign the certification pages of minutes.

Provides liaison between the meeting attendees and the hotel as necessary regarding the billing.

Submits grant reports to the regional office via Grants On-line. Coordinates our four states with the submission and proper documentation for payments under their annual contracts and provides documentation to the executive director for certification.

Coordinates the maintenance of all equipment with appropriate vendors, to include the copies, postage machines, and recording and AV equipment. Responsible for sending the landlord trouble tickets for repairs to the office as necessary.

Assists with running meetings via webinar.

Formats and tracks verbatim Council minutes to ensure that certification is documented.

Orders, tracks, and reconciles invoices and inventories for all purchases for the office.

Is available to travel an average of 14 weeks per year to meetings in support of Council and SEDAR activities.

Performs other general office duties, such as distributing mail, answering and directing phone calls, copying, and filing.

Prepares and distributes official office correspondence.

Performs other duties as assigned by the Administrative Officer.

Read more here

Recreational Closure for Red Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on December 12, 2018

December 10, 2018 —The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Recreational Closure for Red Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on December 12, 2018

WHAT/WHEN:

The recreational harvest of red grouper in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, December 12, 2018.
Recreational harvest will open at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on May 1, 2019.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2018 recreational catch limit is 77,840 pounds whole weight.
Recreational landings have exceeded the recreational catch limit; therefore, recreational harvest must close.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limits of red grouper in or from federal waters are zero.

The prohibition on harvest or possession of red grouper applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations.  Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

December South Atlantic Council Meeting Summary

December 10, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council held their December meeting in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Below are highlights from the Council’s week-long meeting. Additional information from the meeting is available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/ including a Meeting Report, Story Map, final committee reports, public comments, and briefing book materials.

Approved for Secretarial Review

Vision Blueprint Regulatory Amendment 26

After considering public comment and much discussion, the Council approved Regulatory Amendment 26 for review by the Secretary of Commerce. However, the Council chose not to take action on measures within the amendment that would have established a deepwater species aggregate (snowy grouper, misty grouper, yellowedge grouper, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, and wreckfish) and specified seasons and bag limits for the species within the aggregate. Council members noted that establishing two seasons, one proposed for January and February and the other May through August and modifying bag limits could unfairly impact fishermen in the region. The Council discussed seasonal differences in the fishery for deepwater species in Florida and North Carolina, especially for recreational fishermen targeting blueline tilefish and golden tilefish, and chose not to take action. As a result of the discussion, the Council decided to explore options for allocations of the species in the proposed deepwater species aggregate during its June 2019 meeting.

The following actions were approved as part of Regulatory Amendment 26:

  • Change the recreational minimum size limit of gray triggerfish from 14 inches to 12 inches (fork length) in federal waters off the east coast of Florida to maintain consistency with state regulations currently in place;
    Modify the current 20-fish aggregate bag limit in place (for species without individual bag limits) to specify that no more than 10 fish can be of any one species within the 20-fish aggregate; and
  • Remove recreational minimum size limits for queen snapper, silk snapper, and blackfin snapper, currently set at 12 inches total length.
  • The regulatory amendment was developed as part of the Council’s 2017-2020 Vision Blueprint for the Snapper Grouper Fishery. NOAA Fisheries will solicit additional public input on the amendment during the Secretarial review process. Regulatory actions in the amendment will be implemented following the review process in 2019, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

Other Items:

Yellowtail Snapper – Regulatory Amendment 32

Council members voted to postpone consideration of Regulatory Amendment 32 that would revise accountability measures for yellowtail snapper with the intent to alleviate socio-economic impacts of in-season closures in the fishery. After considering recommendations from the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and public comment, the Council will delay further development of measures until a benchmark stock assessment for yellowtail snapper is completed in 2020.

Red Grouper – Regulatory Amendment 30
The Council delayed final action on Regulatory Amendment 30 addressing red grouper stock rebuilding, modifications to spawning season closures off the Carolinas, and establishment of a commercial trip limit for red grouper. Council members cited concerns about the need to consider new recreational fishing effort estimates from the Marine Recreational Information Program and the need to have input from its Scientific and Statistical Committee. The amendment will be considered again during the Council’s March 2019 meeting.

Citizen Science Program
The Council reviewed and adopted the Program’s Standard Operating Policies and Procedures that will guide the operation of the Program moving forward. The Program has two citizen science projects in development that fishermen will be able to get involved with in 2019. The first project will focus on collecting data on the lengths of scamp discards using a mobile application called, Release. The app will be available on both Android and iOs platforms and will be available in the Google Play Store and App Store in January 2019. The second project called FISHstory will use crowdsourcing to analyze historic photos from a Florida headboat fleet in the 1940s-70s to document species and length composition. For more information on the projects and getting involved, contact Program Manager Amber Von Harten.

Dolphin Wahoo
The Dolphin Wahoo Committee discussed a request from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to consider managing frigate mackerel and bullet mackerel as ecosystem components in the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP), acknowledging their role as prey species for both dolphin and wahoo. Discussions will continue during the March 2019 meeting. The Committee also identified potential additional items to include in Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP, including: allowing bag-limit sales of dolphin by dually permitted for-hire and commercial permit holders; revising annual catch limits and sector allocations for dolphin and wahoo to accommodate new MRIP data; consider modifying recreational vessel limits for dolphin; and modifying gear, bait, and training requirements in the commercial longline fishery to align with HMS requirements. Development of the amendment will continue throughout 2019 with opportunities for public comment.

Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management
The Committee received an update on collaborative efforts with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and New England Fishery Management Council to address the movement of species northward with changing oceanographic and environmental conditions. The Committee will continue to review landings data and discuss priorities and timing for addressing species movements at its March 2019 meeting with representatives of the Mid-Atlantic and New England Councils. The Committee also received presentations on renewable energy activities including the proposed Kitty Hawk Wind Development Project, a system of offshore wind generators proposed approximately 27 miles off the coast of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Presentations are available as part of the briefing book materials at: http://safmc.net/briefing-books/briefing-book-2018-december-council-meeting/.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for March 4-8, 2019 in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Briefing book materials will be available from the Council’s website two weeks prior to the meeting at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

New Federal Regulations for Golden Tilefish in the South Atlantic Region

December 5, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule which revises the catch limits for golden tilefish. The final rule reduces golden tilefish catch limits based on the most recent population assessment. The purpose of the final rule is to end overfishing (rate of removal is too high) of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

  • The final rule is effective on January 4, 2019.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

  • The final rule establishes a total catch limit at 342,000 pounds gutted weight (lbs gw).
  • This final rule specifies the commercial and recreational catch limits and component commercial quotas using the existing allocations.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER:
83 FR 62508, published December 4, 2018.

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

(NOTE: See the complete Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries for a list of Frequently Asked Questions and additional information.)

South Atlantic Fisheries Council meets this week in Kitty Hawk

December 3, 2018 — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk this Monday afternoon through Friday.

The council, headquartered in Charleston, S.C., is responsible for managing fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and east Florida to Key West.

On Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., a training session will be held for charter boat captains for a catch reporting system for the snapper, grouper, dolphin, wahoo and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about upcoming electronic reporting requirements for federal permit holders and to practice using available electronic reporting tools.

Read the full story at The Outer Banks Voice

Reminder: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting December 3-7, 2018

November 30, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina next week to address federal fishery management measures affecting offshore fisheries including snapper grouper, dolphin, wahoo, habitat protection and ecosystem-based management, and the Council’s Citizen Science Program. The Council will also host a For-Hire Electronic Reporting Training Sessions (see below for details). The meetings are open to the public unless otherwise specified, and public comment is now being accepted on agenda items.

Agendas, Overviews, and Briefing Materials:
The agenda for the week-long meeting, as well as individual committee agendas and helpful overviews, are available from the Council meeting website. Documents, summaries, presentations, and other briefing materials for the meeting are also available.

Attend the Meeting via Webinar:
The meeting may be accessed via webinar each day as it occurs. Registration for each day is required. Register now via the links below and receive email reminders for the upcoming sessions. (Note: The Council’s Personnel Committee is meeting in Closed Session on Monday and the meeting will not be available via webinar.)
– Tuesday, December 4 8:30 am – 5 pm
– Wednesday, December 5 8:30 am – 6 pm
– Thursday, December 6 8:30 am – 5 pm
– Friday, December 7 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Public Comment:
Comments on agenda items may be submitted using the online comment form. The form allows Council members immediate access to all comments and gives others the opportunity to read comments as they are posted. The Council will also solicit in-person public comment during the meeting beginning at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

Agenda Highlights:
Final Approval: The Council is scheduled to approve two amendments for review by the Secretary of Commerce during the meeting: Snapper Grouper Visioning Regulatory Amendment 26 (recreational measures as outlined in the Council’s Vision Blueprint for the Snapper Grouper Fishery); and Snapper Grouper Amendment 32 (Accountability Measures for Yellowtail Snapper).

Additional agenda highlights are available online. Access all of the meeting information, submit comments, and listen live as the meeting occurs.

Read more

South Atlantic Council to Offer Training for Federally Permitted Charter Captains on Upcoming Electronic Reporting Requirements

November 29, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is continuing its series of hands-on training sessions for federally permitted charter captains.

TRAINING LOCATIONS: The next stop in the series is in North Carolina next week with trainings in Morehead City, Wednesday (12/5) and Kitty Hawk, Thursday (12/6). See the detailed schedule below.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Charter captains with South Atlantic federal, for-hire permits (Snapper Grouper, Dolphin Wahoo, and/or Coastal Migratory Pelagic fisheries).

TRAINING TOPICS:
  • Overview of the South Atlantic For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment and rulemaking process;
  • Proposed reporting requirements;
  • Timeline for possible implementation;
  • Hands-on training to learn how to use web-based and tablet reporting tools

Check the webpage for additional information.

Can’t attend an in-person training? Council staff will also host informational webinars twice a month for federal for-hire permit holders to provide information about electronic reporting, the proposed amendment, and upcoming training sessions. Registration is required.
Below is the current schedule for informational webinars:

South Atlantic Update Fall 2018 Newsletter

November 28, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Inside this issue:

Managed Areas and the New System Management Plan Workgroup

We focus on areas managed by the Council including Deepwater MPAs, The Oculina Bank, and Spawning Special Management Zones – and the workgroup tasked to develop a comprehensive plan…

New Council Member Appointment

Learn more about South Carolina representative David Whitaker, the most recent Council member appointed by the Secretary of Commerce…

Marine Resources Education Program (MREP) Southeast

Connect the dots between fishery science and management through this popular program! Apply now to participate in 2019…

December Council Meeting and For-Hire Electronic Reporting Training Sessions

Take a minute now to register to attend the Council’s December 3-7, 2018 meeting via webinar or join us in person in Kitty Hawk, NC. For-Hire Electronic Reporting Training Sessions are also scheduled…

Read the full newsletter here

Atlantic cobia management up for discussion

November 19, 2018 — Plans are in motion to remove Atlantic cobia from management at the federal level, and turn over management of the fish in federal waters, from Georgia to New York, to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a cooperative effort of East Coast states.

The ASMFC generally helps regulate the first three miles from shore — that which is under state control — and provides a framework so that recreational and commercial fishermen deal with relatively consistent state regulations along the East Coast, rather than a hodgepodge.

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced the opening of a public comment period Nov. 9, that’s slated to run through Dec. 10. Presently, Atlantic cobia in the federal waters off Georgia are managed through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, which also deals with other fisheries in federal waters in this region.

A period of public hearings nearly a year ago led to the conclusion, according to the SAFMC’s summary, that removing “Atlantic cobia from federal management as soon as possible” would be best for the fishery.

At the SAFMC meeting on Jekyll Island in March, the topic received a fair bit of discussion, with the plan to move management from the SAFMC to the ASMFC winning approval in committee by a vote of 6-5-1. The council ended up delaying a decision until its June meeting, in which it was approved for formal review.

According to the NMFS bulletin announcing the public comment period, “most existing management measures in federal waters for commercial and recreational harvest of Atlantic cobia from Georgia through New York would not change through this amendment.”

Read the full story at the The Brunswick News

Commercial Closure for Hogfish in Federal Waters off the Florida Keys/East Florida Beginning November 16, 2018

November 12, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:
  • The commercial harvest for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish in federal waters of the South Atlantic and part of the Gulf of Mexico will close at 12:01 a.m. local time on November 16, 2018, and will open on January 1, 2019. The boundaries of the Florida Keys/East Florida population are from the 25 09′ N. latitude line off the west coast of Florida (near Cape Sable, Florida), east around South Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border.
  • During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of hogfish in or from federal waters off the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida, and south ofthe 25 09′ N latitude off the west coast of Florida is prohibited, and harvest or possession of hogfish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.
  • The commercial closure for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper and/or Gulf Reef Fish.
WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:
  • The 2018 commercial catch limit for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish is 4,524 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit by November 16, 2018.
  • According to the accountability measures, commercial harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.
AFTER THE CLOSURE:
  • The 2019 commercial fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will open on January 1, 2019, with a commercial catch limit of 5,670 pounds whole weight. This catch limit is scheduled to increase annually through 2027.