South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Archives

Reminder – SAFMC Meeting March 6-10 in Jekyll Island, GA

March 1, 2023 — The following was release by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet next week in Jekyll Island, Georgia to discuss federal fishery management issues. The meeting begins on Monday, March 6th and continues through Friday, March 10th at the Westin Jekyll Island. The meeting is open to the public and also available via webinar each day as it occurs. Register now for the webinar or review the week-long meeting agenda and plan to attend in person.

The Council and its Snapper Grouper Committee, SEDAR Committee, Mackerel Cobia Committee, and Habitat Committee will meet throughout the week. A public hearing will be held for proposed actions affecting the Wreckfish fishery (Snapper Grouper Amendment 48).

The Council is scheduled to take final action on Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35 addressing Red Snapper and Release Mortality Reduction, including a proposed requirement for recreational anglers to use single-hook rigs when fishing for snapper grouper species. Final action is also scheduled for management measures to address overfishing of Gag grouper through Snapper Grouper Amendment 53, including proposed recreational vessel limits for both Gag and Black Grouper of 2 fish per day for private recreational anglers and per trip for the for-hire sector. If approved by the Council during next week’s meeting, the amendments will be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce for review and final approval.

Meeting materials, including individual committee agendas and overviews, documents, and presentations are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/events/march-2023-council-meeting/.

Public Comment

A public comment session will be held Wednesday, March 8, 2023 beginning at 4 p.m., allowing for both in-person and remote (via webinar) verbal public comment. Details are available from the website. An online public comment form for written comments is also available and the comments posted for both Council members and the public to view via the website.

Learn More

Council members include citizens from each of the southeastern states (NC, SC, GA, and the east coast of FL), representatives from each state’s marine resource management agencies, NOAA Fisheries, and non-voting members from the U.S. Coast Guard, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the State Department.

The Council meets quarterly each year, holding regularly scheduled meetingsin Georgia in March, Florida in June, South Carolina in September, and its December meeting each year in North Carolina. Meetings are open to the public and multiple public comment opportunities are provided for each meeting.

Council Approves Management Measures for Snowy Grouper, Tilefish

December 14, 2022 — Read the full article at South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

After considering recommendations from its advisory panels, Scientific and Statistical Committee, and public input, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved three amendments for Secretarial review during its December meeting at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, measures proposed in the amendments would likely be implemented in 2023.

The Council approved Amendment 51 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to address Snowy Grouper management. The stock remains overfished and is experiencing overfishing, and a harvest reduction of approximately 43% is needed to achieve sustainable harvest levels and rebuild the stock. The amendment would adjust catch levels for both the commercial and recreational sectors, modify allocations, and implement management measures that include shortening the current recreational

season (May 1 through August 31) to end June 30^th. The current 1 fish per vessel per day possession limit would remain the same. Recreational accountability measures would also be modified.

Because the Golden Tilefish stock is not overfished nor undergoing overfishing, the Council has been working to allow a catch increase for the fishery. Snapper Grouper Amendment 52 will adjust catch levels for Golden Tilefish and also modify recreational measures for Blueline Tilefish. Recreational landings for Blueline Tilefish have exceeded the annual catch limit in recent years. The amendment would reduce the current bag limit from 3 fish to 2 fish per person per day, prohibit bag limit retention of Blueline Tilefish by captain and crew on federally permitted for-hire vessels, and modify the current accountability measures.

The Council also approved the Comprehensive Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule Amendment, outlining the method used to determine how much buffer (or reduction from the Overfishing Limit) is necessary to provide an acceptable risk of overfishing. The ABC control rule addresses uncertainty and risk in the management process. Risk specification is the responsibility of the Council and is based on the Council’s tolerance for overfishing occurring. Evaluating risk involves considering characteristics of the species, the stock, and the fishery. Per the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the risk of overfishing can not exceed 50%.

Red Snapper and Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35

The Council continued work on Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35 and approved the amendment for public hearings. The draft amendment contains options to reduce the Annual Catch Limit (ACL) for Red Snapper as required to address overfishing.

The Council’s preferred alternative would set the total ACL equal to the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), which must be reduced from 42,510 fish to 28,000 fish following the last stock assessment. This alternative allows for some harvest as the stock continues to rebuild. The ABC was recommended by the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee following the 2021 stock assessment and may not be exceeded by the Council.

The amendment also includes an action to reduce release mortality for all snapper grouper species by restricting the recreational sector to the use of single hook rigs when targeting snapper grouper species. As the Red Snapper stock continues to rebuild, so do the number of released fish that die, driven primarily by the recreational sector targeting co-occurring snapper grouper species. Amendment 35 includes a comprehensive plan to expand outreach for best fishing practices, including continued promotion of descending devices. “This is not simply a Red Snapper issue, but a management challenge for the entire snapper grouper fishery,” explained Council Chair Dr. Carolyn Belcher. “The Council recognizes the frustration of anglers as Red Snapper harvest remains constricted, but we must get a handle on the release mortality occurring within the recreational fishery and are working through several avenues to do so.”

In addition to the regulatory actions in Regulatory Amendment 35, the Council is pursuing several courses of action to address release mortality in the snapper grouper fishery and end overfishing of red snapper. The Council is developing a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) to provide a more holistic approach to evaluating snapper grouper fishery management options. An amendment to require recreational permits for the snapper grouper fishery is also in development. In addition, ongoing research to estimate the number of Red Snapper in the South Atlantic from North Carolina to south Florida may improve the information available to the Council for managing Red Snapper.

Public hearings for Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35 are scheduled for January 17-19, 2023 in Pooler, GA, Charleston, SC, and Morehead City, NC. Hearings will be held in Florida January 24-26 with hearings planned in Jacksonville, Cocoa Beach, and Key Largo. An additional hearing via webinar will also be scheduled. Details will be available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/public-hearings-and-scoping/ as they become available.

Amendment 53 – Gag and Black Grouper

The South Atlantic Gag stock is overfished and undergoing overfishing. Amendment 53 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management plan will establish a rebuilding plan for Gag, revise catch levels, and implement management measures to end overfishing and rebuild the stock. The amendment includes actions to reduce the commercial trip limit for Gag, establish a recreational vessel limit, and prohibit retention by captain and crew on federally permitted for-hire vessels. Recreational measures would also apply to Black Grouper to reduce misidentification issues.

The Council will hold two public hearings via webinar on January 10 and 11, 2023 for Snapper Grouper Amendment 53 and is scheduled to approve the amendment for Secretarial review during its March meeting.

Information about the December 2022 Council meeting, including final committee reports, public comments, and meeting materials is available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/events/december-2022-council-meeting/. The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for March 6-10, 2023, in Jekyll Island, GA.

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

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 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

SAFMC September 2021 Meeting to be Held via Webinar

August 30, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation and increasing transmission rates in the region, the September 13-17, 2021meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be held via webinar. The meeting was originally scheduled to take place in Charleston, South Carolina.

Briefing book materials for the September meeting are now available from the Council’s website along with an online public comment form. The meeting materials include agendas and overviews for each committee meeting throughout the week along with meetings of the Full Council. Presentations and supporting documents are also included.

Council members will discuss federal management measures affecting:

Establishment of an allowable fishing area for the Rock Shrimp fishery along the western boundary of the Oculina Bank Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern off the east coast of Florida (Coral Amendment 10)
Management measures for Red Porgy, Greater Amberjack, Snowy Grouper, and Yellowtail Snapper
Catch level recommendations for Red Snapper
Information on the current “two-for-one” federal permit requirement for the commercial snapper grouper fishery

The meeting webinar begins Monday, September 13, 2021 with a meeting of the Full Council at 1 p.m. Meetings of the Council’s committees will continue through the week, concluding with a meeting of the Full Council on Friday, September 17th.

Public Comment Session – Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.
The Council will accept public comment on agenda items during this time. Public hearing comments will also be accepted for Snapper Grouper Amendment 50 addressing proposed management measures for Red Porgy.

Unless otherwise indicated, the meeting is open to the public via webinar. Registration is required. Register now and receive reminders as the meeting date approaches.

Meeting materials, the online public comment form and additional meeting information are all now available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

Citizen Science Project Expansion Provides Fishermen the Opportunity to Assist in Data Collection for Shallow Water Grouper

August 19, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

We need better data. It’s a phrase that fisheries managers are all too familiar with, including members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Acknowledging the challenges facing data collection, including long-term funding, the Council’s Citizen Science Program engages fishermen, scientists, and managers in creating projects to address research needs and help fill data gaps. The program allows fishermen and others the opportunity to contribute information valuable to fisheries science and management. The Council’s first Citizen Science Project “SAFMC Release” is expanding to allow private recreational anglers as well as charter captains and commercial fishermen the opportunity to provide details via a mobile app about shallow water grouper species that are released. In addition, the SAFMC Release project will now be housed under the new customizable citizen science app, SciFish.

The number of released fish is growing along the South Atlantic coast due to increasing fishing pressure and regulations. While dockside intercepts and other traditional data collection efforts provide information about species that are landed, limited data are available on released fish. In June of 2019, the Council’s Citizen Science Program began SAFMC Release as a pilot project, encouraging fishermen to voluntarily collect information on the release of Scamp grouper via a mobile app. A partnership with the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) helps ensure data quality and standards are met, making the data available for consideration in upcoming stock assessments and relevant management actions.

“Fishermen consistently express a desire to report to scientists and managers what they see on the water,” said Council Chair, Mel Bell. “Grouper are highly valued by both recreational and commercial fishermen here in the South Atlantic region. Now fishermen can be directly involved in helping scientists better understand what species of shallow water grouper are caught, as well as providing important details related to their release. Such data are very important in allowing for better estimations of how many of the released fish potentially survive after capture.”

The SAFMC Release project allows for data collection on all shallow water grouper managed by the Council. In addition to Scamp, fishermen can use the SciFish mobile app to provide information on Black Grouper, Coney, Gag, Graysby, Red Grouper, Red Hind, Rock Hind, Yellowfin Grouper and Yellowmouth Grouper. Data collected through the SAFMC Release project include length of the fish, depth of release, release condition, observed shark predation, and release treatment (e.g., use of a descending device or venting tool).

With its expansion, SAFMC Release will no longer be a stand-alone mobile app but a project under the new citizen science mobile app, “SciFish”. Powered by ACCSP, SciFish is a customizable citizen science mobile app that will eventually house multiple projects developed by ACCSP partners including state and federal marine resource agencies and regional fishery management councils. SciFish is also designed to act as a citizen science hub, allowing users the ability to participate in multiple citizen science projects along the entire east coast through a single mobile app.

“It has always been my feeling that anglers, as a user group, have a lot of useful information for managers,” said Rip Cunningham, Conservation Editor for Salt Water Sportsman magazine in a recent column. “How to get that information in a format that is usable for resource management has always been the issue. It now looks like more-universal citizen science is getting closer.”

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.

The South Atlantic Bite – Newsworthy Notes – August 4, 2021

August 5, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

SAVE The Date – South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting
September 13-17, 2021
Charleston, SC

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council are currently scheduled to meet at the Town and Country Inn in Charleston, South Carolina from September 13-17, 2021.

Council members will address a broad range of issues affecting federal fishery management during the week-long meeting including:

Changes to an allowable fishing area for the Rock Shrimp fishery within the Oculina Bank Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern off the east coast of Florida (Coral Amendment 10)
Management measures for Red Porgy, Greater Amberjack, Snowy Grouper, and Yellowtail Snapper
Catch level recommendations for Red Snapper
Evaluation of the current “two-for-one” federal permit requirement for the commercial snapper grouper fishery

A public hearing for measures proposed for Red Porgy will be held during the meeting. Meeting information, including the agenda and overview, public comment form, and briefing book materials will be posted on the Council’s website two weeks prior to the meeting. Public comment will also be accepted during the meeting.

Note: The Council will continue to monitor COVID-19 and CDC guidelines relative to holding the meeting in-person. If necessary, the meeting may be held via webinar. An announcement will be made from the Council office regarding any changes.

Help Us Improve the SAFMC Website

Work continues on the redesign of the Council’s website to improve user experience and provide you ease of access to the information you need most. Having input along the way will help us to better understand how content on the site can be grouped to better serve you.

Please take a few minutes to provide your input via this navigation exercise: https://s1u2yj8z.optimalworkshop.com/treejack/f7536837-0. Input will be accepted until August 18th, so click now!

Questions? Contact Cameron Rhodes at Cameron.Rhodes@safmc.net.

Can Underwater Cameras on Remotely Operated Vehicles Measure the Size of Reef Fish?
New research shows how effective the cameras can be

Offshore bottom fishermen know that reef fish communities along the Atlantic coast and northern Gulf of Mexico contain a wide variety of ecologically and economically important fishes, including snappers, groupers, triggerfishes, and jacks. Several aspects of these fishes’ life history are often related to their length, including age, maturity, and egg production.

Collecting length information, in addition to identifying which species and how many are present at each reef, can provide insights helpful for stock assessments as well as assessing an ecosystem’s condition and productivity.

A recent blog post from N.C. Sea Grant’s Hook, Line & Science online series provides details on how scientists are using GoPro underwater cameras to obtain accurate length estimates.You can even watch an underwater video from the GoPro’s point of view!

Additional Snippets:

National Academies Completes Draft Report on Recreational Fishing Data, Strategies to Support In-Season Management

A recent study completed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine provides recommendations that could improve in-season management tools for recreational fisheries. The draft report, Data and Management Strategies for Recreational Fisheries with Annual Catch Limits is now available, providing recommendations for the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Have questions about recreational fishing data collection or estimation? Email Dave Bard at david.bard@noaa.gov or visit: countmyfish.noaa.gov.

Congressmen Huffman, Case Introduce the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act – Legislation to Update Federal Fisheries Management

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) Chair of the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee and subcommittee member Ed Case (D-Honolulu) have introduced the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act, legislation to update and reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the primary law governing federal fisheries management and conservation that has made the U.S. a global leader in sustainable fisheries. See the press release to learn more and to access a one page summary of the bill and the bill in its entirety.

Four Decades of Fresh Fish

August 2021 marks the 40th anniversary for Hull’s Seafood Market and Restaurant in Ormond Beach, Florida. Jimmy Hull, owner of Hull’s Seafood and Chair of the Council’s Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, was recently featured in an article in the Ormond Beach Observer, telling the story of how a small boat at the age of 14 would spark a love of fishing that grew into a successful business through dedication and hard work.

Mark Your Calendar

August 17, 2021
Allocation Decision Tree Blueprint Meeting
Meeting details
Webinar registration

September 13-17, 2021
SAFMC September Meeting
Charleston, SC

The South Atlantic Bite – Newsworthy Notes – July 22, 2021

July 22, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting to Address Red Snapper Catch Levels
Wednesday, July 28
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. via webinar

Join members of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) as they meet next week to discuss catch level recommendations for Red Snapper based on the most recent stock assessment. The SSC reviewed the assessment in April 2021 and requested additional information be provided before making catch level recommendations, including a presentation on the usage rates of descending devices when releasing Red Snapper. The stock assessment used data through 2019.

In 2020, new regulations were implemented requiring a descending device be on board when harvesting or possessing species in the Snapper Grouper complex in federal waters, including Red Snapper. The SSC will receive presentations on estimating usage rate of descending devices and other information before setting catch level recommendations. The Council will receive a report from the SSC during the September 2021 Council meeting in Charleston, SC.

The SSC will also discuss managing annual catch limits for data-limited stocks and guidance for developing catch level projections. Meeting information, including the agenda and overview, public comment form, and briefing book materials are available from the Council’s website. Public comment will also be accepted during the meeting. Register now for the SSC meeting webinar and receive email reminders.

Learn more about descending device requirements and other best fishing practices from the Best Fishing Practices page of the Council’s website.

Get Your Fish On
Tour the best fishing guide of Gray’s Reef
Thursday, August 5
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. via webinar

Responsible recreation has kept Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary an ideal fishing destination for over 40 years. Join the sanctuary as they introduce an online best fishing practice guide for you to make the most of your trip to Gray’s Reef. Learn about the sanctuary’s regulations and other applicable federal and state fishing regulations, how to properly rig a fish descending device, and learn about apps to help you log your catch. Register now for the webinar.

Located 19 miles east of Sapelo Island, Georgia, Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is in the South Atlantic Bight (the offshore area between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida) on an area of the continental shelf where temperate and tropical waters mingle west of the Gulf Stream. Because of Gray’s Reef’s unique location at the intersection of temperate and tropical waters, the sanctuary serves as a sentinel point for various monitoring programs of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Learn more about Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary as it celebrates its 40th Anniversary!

Can You Name That Fish?
Test your fish ID skills and share your photos

Occasionally we receive email inquiries from fishermen and others asking for help to identify a fish that doesn’t commonly land on a boat deck. It is exciting to see the photos and the challenge of identifying the fish is always welcome.

This photo was recently sent to the Council office from Graham Harrison, a commercial snapper grouper fisherman from Hatteras, North Carolina. He was fishing off of Cape Hatteras, about 135 fathoms (810 feet) deep, near the Continental Shelf, when this Blackbar Drum (Pareques iwamotoi) took the squid bait he was using.

The deepwater drum is found off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the U.S., the Caribbean, and South America. It has some interesting color variations and body shape transitions from juvenile to adult. While sometimes observed by scientists from deepwater submersibles and caught by commercial fishermen, Captain Harrison has fished for over 30 years and said he’s never seen one! Special thanks to the NCFishes.com team for their helpful online resource: Drum and Croaker Diversity in North Carolina.

Do you have an unusual fish photo and story to share? If so, send it our way. Kim Iverson at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net

The South Atlantic Bite – Newsworthy Notes – July 7, 2021

July 7, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

SAFMC Seminar Series
Release Mortality Estimation of South Atlantic Reef Fishes
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. via webinar

Release mortality, or the number of fish that die when released by anglers, is one of the most pervasive threats to fisheries sustainability, according to Dr. Brendan Runde with NC State University. For many reef fishes in the southeast, discards now exceed harvests as a result of increasingly strict regulations. As a result, the mortality of released fish has become a crucial component of assessing stocks. Interest in techniques to help mitigate release mortality, such as the use of descending devices, has subsequently increased.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s seminar series continues in July with the Council hosting a presentation from NC State University scientists on Release Mortality Estimation of the South Atlantic Reef Fishes. Join Council members and others as they learn more about research conducted to better estimate release mortality and how this information may help guide future management.

This seminar series features informational presentations on scientific studies relevant to fisheries in federal waters off the South Atlantic. The presentation is for informational purposes only and no management actions will be taken. The seminars are open to the public and include the opportunity for registrants to participate in discussions. Register now for the webinar and receive email reminders as the date approaches!

Recreational Fishing Community Leads Effort to Promote Conservation Through Use of Descending Devices
FishSmart project demonstrates continued angler support for improving fish survival in the South Atlantic

A recent news release from the American Sportfishing Association highlights the FishSmart South Atlantic Red Snapper and Red Drum Conservation Effort programs and the 2,600 anglers that participated by taking action to increase fish survival rates through the use of descending devices for Red Snapper, and short leader circle hooks for Red Drum. According to the release, the three-year FishSmart project provided an opportunity for researchers to determine the true capability of anglers to adopt the use of descending devices.

For the Red Snapper component, survey results show that two-thirds of anglers had little knowledge of descending devices prior to enrolling in the programs. Nearly 75 percent of the anglers surveyed believe that descending devices will help reduce discard mortality and plan to use the devices in the future. A fact sheet about the project provides additional details.

“The FishSmart survey results, and those from an earlier effort in the Gulf of Mexico, reaffirm that anglers are a tremendous force for conservation when provided with information and tools proven to improve the survival of released fish,” remarked Mike Leonard, ASA’s vice president of Government Affairs. “We’re encouraged by the strong support behind descending devices, which reinforces the importance of their use, and we ask that fishery managers take this support into account as they develop fishing regulations.”

Department of Commerce Announces 2021 Appointments to Regional Fishery Management Councils

On June 28, 2021 the Secretary of Commerce announced the appointment of 31 new and returning members of the the eight regional fishery management councils. Established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, councils are responsible for developing region-specific fishery management plans that safeguard and enhance the nation’s fisheries resources. Council members represent diverse groups, including commercial and recreational fishing industries, environmental organizations, and academia.

Each year, the Secretary of Commerce appoints approximately one-third of the total 72 appointed members to the eight regional councils. The members are nominated by the governors of fishing states, territories, and tribal governments. Council members are appointed to both state-specific and regional seats – also known as obligatory and at-large seats, respectively. Council members serve a three-year term and may be reappointed to serve three consecutive terms.

The following appointments were made to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Obligatory Seats
Laurilee Thompson (Florida)
Judy Helmey (Georgia)

At-large Seats
Arnold G. ‘Spud’ Woodward* (Georgia)
Thomas Roller (North Carolina)

Asterisk indicates reappointment. The appointments are effective August 11, 2021.