Snapper-grouper fishery Archives - Page 4 of 4

Reminder: SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting

Reminder: Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting Scheduled October 20-22, 2015

Meeting available via webinar, briefing book materials available

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) on October 20-22, 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 4831 Tanger Outlet Boulevard, North Charleston, SC.

The SSC will review projections and provide guidance on rebuilding strategies for the Florida Keys/East Florida hogfish stock, review measures for establishing Spawning Special Management Zones for snapper grouper species, the draft System Management Plan for Deepwater Marine Protected Areas, and proposed changes to the commercial black sea bass pot fishery. The SSC will receive reports on recreational catch estimation for rarely encountered/intercepted species, landings of Council managed stocks, the NOAA Fisheries stock assessment prioritization approach, and address other issues.

The SSC assists the Council in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of information relevant to fishery management plans and amendments. Additional information about the SSC is available from the Scientific and Statistical Committee page of the Council’s website.

The meeting is open to the public and public comment will be accepted. The meeting is also accessible via webinar as it occurs. Registration for the webinar is required. Information on how to register for the webinar, along with the meeting agenda, overview, and briefing book materials is now available from the Council’s website. For additional information contact John Carmichael, Science and Statistics Program Manager at john.carmichael@safmc.net.

Reminder: SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting

October 15, 2015 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Reminder: Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting Scheduled October 20-22, 2015

Meeting available via webinar, briefing book materials available

Trip Limit Decreased to 500 Pounds per Trip for Commercial Harvest of Gag in the South Atlantic

October 13, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Trip Limit Decreased to 500 Pounds per Trip for Commercial Harvest of Gag in the South Atlantic

The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of gag in the South Atlantic is reduced from 1,000 pounds gutted weight to 500 pounds gutted weight, effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) October 18, 2015. NOAA Fisheries has determined 75 percent of the quota of 295,459 pounds gutted weight has been landed.

Reduction of the commercial gag trip limit in the South Atlantic complies with regulations implemented under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. The 500-pound gutted weight trip limit applies to vessels with a South Atlantic Unlimited Snapper-Grouper Permit fishing for gag in or from the federal waters in the South Atlantic region. The 500-pound gutted weight trip limit will remain in effect until the quota is reached and gag closes or until the end of the current 2015 fishing season, whichever occurs first.

North Carolina: Weekly Update for Oct. 12, 2015

October 12, 2015 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN NEEDED TO REMOVE MARINE DEBRIS

The North Carolina Coastal Federation is currently accepting applications for its annual Derelict Fishing Gear Recovery Project. This project is open to commercial fishermen in northeastern North Carolina.

Watermen are accepted to this program annually to help N.C. Marine Patrol on select days during the “no-potting” period, typically from Jan. 15 – Feb. 7. The collection will take place in selected areas of Marine Patrol’s District 1, which includes the Northern coast from the Virginia state line, Manteo to Swanquarter, including the Outer Banks to Ocracoke. Local fishermen with knowledge of these waters will be given preference.

To qualify, fishermen must adhere to the following conditions: (1) have a valid Standard Commercial Fishing License (SCFL), (2) guarantee availability for work during the weeks of Jan. 18 and Jan. 25, 2016, (3) attend a mandatory training session to learn how to use project equipment (side-scan sonar and data collection tablets), as well as general project protocol.

Payment is $400 per boat, per day, and a captain and one mate is required. Three days of work are guaranteed with acceptance to the program. Approximately 12 boats (12 captains and 12 mates) will be accepted for the 2016 cleanup.

Funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, this project is intended to improve habitat and water quality, as well as support commercial watermen. Applications are due Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. Applications are available at www.nccoast.org/ and can be mailed to 128 Grenville Street, Manteo, NC 27954 or faxed to 252-473-2402. For more information contact Ladd Bayliss at 252-473-1607 or laddb@nccoast.org.

STATE SEEKS FOR-HIRE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP APPLICANTS

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking members for a For-Hire Stakeholder Advisory Group. The group will be tasked with studying whether the state should require charter and guide boat operators to submit logbooks summarizing their catch. The division is required to submit findings of the study to the N.C. General Assembly in January.

The Division of Marine Fisheries is no longer considering a requirement for a for-hire logbook at this time. However, the group will be asked for input as to what type of logbook, if any, they might like to see in the future.

By law, the For-Hire Stakeholder Advisory Group is limited to those people who hold a For-Hire Coastal Recreational Fishing License or a Standard Commercial Fishing License and division staff. The membership should represent all major recreational fishing areas on the North Carolina coast.

Those who would like to serve on the stakeholder group should contact Don Hesselman, License and Statistics Section chief with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, at 252-808-8099 or Don.Hesselman@ncdenr.gov by 5 p.m. Oct. 19.

As the timeframe for the study is short, the division has tentatively scheduled a first meeting for Nov. 10. The location and time of this meeting will be announced later.

NMFS ANNOUNCES PROPOSED RULE TO IMPLEMENT ICCAT ELECTRONIC BLUEFIN TUNA CATCH DOCUMENTATION SYSTEM

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to implement recommendations by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to transition the current paper-based bluefin tuna catch documentation program (BCD program) to an electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation system (eBCD system). Comments are due Nov. 9, 2015. For more information see the news release.

NCFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS RESCHEDULED

The NCFA board meeting scheduled for today was canceled due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. at the Washington Civic Center located at 110 Gladden St. in Washington. As a reminder, members are welcomed and encouraged to attend, however, the board will be discussing the southern flounder management crisis at this meeting, and so we strongly urge all the fishery’s participants who are able to attend. We need your input on this critical issue.

INTERESTED CANDIDATES FOR SAFMC SEAT EXPIRING IN 2016

Members interested in serving in the obligatory seat for the South Atlantic Marine Fishery Commission, please let Lauren know. You can email or give her a call at 252-725-2468.

REGULATION AND RULE CHANGES:

–Commercial Scup Winter II quota and possession limits increase effective Nov. 1

DEADLINES:

Oct. 19 – For-Hire Advisory Group Applications

Oct. 29 – NMFS Proposed Rules for Snapper-Grouper, Dolphin and Golden Crab Comments

Nov. 4 – Atlantic HMS SEDAR Pool Nominations

Nov. 9 – NMFS Proposed Rule on ICCAT Bluefin Electronic Documentation Comments

Nov. 19 – Derelict Fishing Gear Recovery Project Applications

Dec. 16 – NMFS Draft Ecosystem-based Fishery Management Policy Comments

MEETINGS:

If you are aware of ANY meetings that should be of interest to commercial fishing that is not on this list, please contact us so we can include it here.

Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. – Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel Meeting, Radisson Hotel Providence Airport, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI

Oct. 21 at 10:30 a.m. – Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board Meeting, Department of Environmental Quality Regional Office, 127 N. Cardinal Dr. Ext., Wilmington, NC

Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. – Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel Meeting via webinar

Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. – Marine Fisheries Commission Nominating Committee Meeting, Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters, 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City

Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. – NCFA Board of Directors Meeting, Washington Civic Center, 110 Gladden St., Washington, NC

PROCLAMATIONS:

No proclamations have been issued.

View a PDF of the Oct. 12 Weekly Update

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to Regulations for Snapper-Grouper and Golden Crab in the South Atlantic, and Dolphin and Wahoo in the Atlantic Region

September 28, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Comment Period Ends October 29, 2015

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would:

Revise commercial and recreational sector allocations, and annual catch limits for dolphin in the South Atlantic. The recreational sector allocation for dolphin would change from 92.46% to 90% and the annual catch limit would change from 14,187,845 to 13,810,361 pounds whole weight. The commercial sector allocation for dolphin would increase from 7.54% to 10% and the commercial annual catch limit would change from 1,157,001 to 1,534,485 pounds whole weight.

Revise the accountability measures for black grouper, mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, greater amberjack, red porgy, gag, golden tilefish, red grouper, snowy grouper, gray triggerfish, hogfish, scamp, Atlantic spadefish, bar jack, the other snappers complex, the other jacks complex, the other shallow-water grouper complex, the other porgies complex; wreckfish (recreational), and golden crab (commercial).

Accountability measures are management controls to prevent annual catch limits from being exceeded and to correct overages of the catch limits if they do occur. Accountability measures include in-season closures, and post-season paybacks, such as reducing the length of the next fishing season or reducing the annual catch limit in the next fishing season. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information on accountability measures for the commercial and recreational sectors.

The proposed rule will publish on September 29, 2015, with a 30-day comment period starting on September 29, 2015, and ending on October 29, 2015.

Request for Comments

Comments on the proposed rule must be received no later than October 29, 2015, to be considered by NOAA Fisheries. See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments.

Addresses

Electronic or hardcopies of the proposed rule may be obtained from:

The NOAA Fisheries Web site:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/2014/am_dolphin_allocation/index.html.

You may submit comments by the following methods:

Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0181, click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

Mail:

Mary Janine Vara

NOAA Fisheries

Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13^th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

More Information

For more information on the proposed rule for the Generic Accountability Measures and Dolphin Allocation Amendment, please follow this link to the Frequently Asked Questions:

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/2014/am_dolphin_allocation/index.html.

NORTH CAROLINA: Spawning site to help rebuild snapper-grouper fishery

September 23, 2015 — A spawning site off of the North Carolina coast is one of five locations selected to help in efforts to rebuild declining stocks in the snapper-grouper fishery.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Sept. 14-18 at Hilton Head, S.C., and identified the sites to be considered for final designation as Spawning Special Management Zones (SMZs).

The council recently held a series of public hearings on a proposal to establish up to nine SMZs off the coast from North Carolina to eastern Florida to protect valuable spawning sites.

While bottom fishing for the snapper-grouper species would be prohibited in the zones, activities such as trolling for tuna, dolphin and billfish would still be allowed.

There were four proposed sites off the North Carolina coast ranging in size from 1-2 square miles to a proposed site of 4-12 square miles.

The council selected the South Cape Lookout site, which is five square miles, as the preferred site.

Read the full story at Jacksonville Daily News

Commercial Harvest of Snowy Grouper and Vermilion Snapper Will Close on September 22, 2015 in South Atlantic Waters

September 16, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA:

Commercial harvest of snowy grouper and vermilion snapper in South Atlantic waters will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on September 22, 2015.

Snowy Grouper
The commercial sector of snowy grouper was closed on June 30, 2015, because the catch limit was met. On August 20, 2015, the final rule for Regulatory Amendment 20 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region increased the catch limit to 115,451 pounds gutted weight. Reports indicate the revised catch limit will be met by September 22, 2015. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2016.

Vermilion Snapper
The 2015 July-December commercial catch limit of vermilion snapper is 438,260 pounds whole weight. Reports indicate the catch limit will be met by September 22, 2015. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2016.

The operator of a vessel with a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper that is landing snowy grouper or vermilion snapper for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such snowy grouper and vermilion snapper prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time), September 22, 2015. The prohibition on sale does not apply to sale or purchase of snowy grouper or vermilion snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time), September 22, 2015, and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

During the closure:

Harvest or possession of snowy grouper or vermilion snapper is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits.
Sale or purchase of snowy grouper or vermilion snapper is prohibited.
The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of snowy grouper or vermilion snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, September 22, 2015, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
The closure applies in both state and federal waters for a vessel with a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper.

These closures are necessary to protect the snapper-grouper fishery.

NORTH CAROLINA: Few Attend Important Hearing on Snapper-Grouper Fishery

August 15, 2015 — MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. — Few people showed up for a public hearing on a proposal that federal fisheries officials say could have a big impact on rebuilding declining stocks in the snapper-grouper fishery.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding a series of public hearings this week and next on a proposal that would establish up to nine Special Management Zones from North Carolina to eastern Florida to protect valuable spawning sites.

While bottom fishing for the snapper grouper species would be prohibited, activities such as trolling for tuna, dolphin and billfish would still be allowed.

SAFMC Deputy Executive Director Gregg Waugh said the proposed SMZs are smaller, more targeted areas focused on spawning sites rather than the larger scale Marine Protected Areas that have met with opposition in the past.

The idea is to designate small, localized areas that are proven to be productive spawning locations for snapper-grouper species that have seen a decline in population.

It’s a more strategized effort to help rebuild populations by targeting spawning grounds.

“This is a way we can get a lot more bang for the investment and higher return on investment,” he said.

The proposed sites off of North Carolina range in size from one to five square miles.

This is the final round of public hearings before the council makes a decision at its September meeting on which sites to consider for final designation.

Read the full story at The Daily News