South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Archives

South Atlantic council opens door to ‘ropeless’ fish trap gear

September 18, 2023 — Developing on-demand or ‘ropeless’ fish trap gear could allow more fishermen to keep working in the black sea bass fishery from the Carolinas to Florida, even with seasonal closures to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from gear entanglement.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has begun moving toward making pop-up fish pot gear allowable at all times, after three years of testing under an experimental fishery permit from the council.

In 2017 the fishery was tasked with two seasonal closures from December to March and November to April to protect migrating right whales. Adapting the pot fishery to use on-demand gear – without vertical lines, and buoys that can be summoned by signal from fishermen to pop up for retrieval – underwent testing under the council’s EFP.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Reminder! SAFMC Meeting September 11-15, 2023 in Charleston, SC

September 5, 2023 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet September 11-15, 2023 in Charleston, SC to address federal fishery management issues. The meeting begins on Monday, September 11th and continues through noon on Friday at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407.

The meeting is open to the public and also available via webinar each day as it occurs. Register now to attend the meeting via webinar and receive email reminders, or review the week-long meeting agenda and plan to attend in person.

The Council will meet in Full Session at the beginning and end of the meeting week, and hold meetings of its Mackerel Cobia Committee, Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-based Management Committee, SEDAR Committee, and Snapper Grouper Committee throughout the week.

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

Public Comment

A public comment session will be held Wednesday, September 13, 2023beginning 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, with comments posted for both Council members and the public to view via the website.

NORTH CAROLINA: 2023 commercial red snapper season closed

August 28, 2023 — The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and NOAA Fisheries announced that the commercial harvest of red snapper in state and federal waters of the South Atlantic was closed on August 18, 2023. All sales and purchases of red snapper will be prohibited during the commercial closure.

The North Carolina Proclamation FF23-053 states that “it is unlawful to possess red snapper taken from waters under the jurisdiction of North Carolina or the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Unless specified otherwise, the fishery will re-open July 8, 2024.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Council Seeks Applicants for Federal Fishery Advisory Panels and Workgroups

March 30, 2023 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Interested in federal fisheries management and want to become more involved? Apply now for open seats on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s 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. The Workgroup includes ecologists, coral scientists, mapping specialists, researchers, law enforcement and outreach representatives, and commercial and recreational fishermen.

The Council’s advisory panels inform and guide the Council in developing and implementing federal fishery management plans and amendments. Upcoming issues to be addressed by advisory panel members in 2023 include a holistic approach to managing the snapper grouper fishery through a Management Strategy Evaluation and options for recreational permits, options for Dolphin management along the Atlantic coast, Spanish Mackerel management measures and mackerel port meetings, conservation of newly discovered deep water coral ecosystems, and input on law enforcement issues affecting several fisheries.

System Management Plan Workgroup

(1) NC Recreational and (1) SC Commercial Representative

Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel

(2) Open Seats for Mid-Atlantic Representatives

Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel

(1) NC Seat, (1) SC Seat, and (1) GA Seat

Law Enforcement Advisory Panel

(1) Open Seat

Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel

(2) Open Seats

Shrimp Advisory Panel

(4) Open Seats

Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel

(1) NC Commercial and (2) NC Charter Seats;

(1) SC Commercial and (2) SC Recreational/Charter Seats;

(1) GA Open Seat; and

(3) FL Commercial Seats and (2) FL Recreational Seats

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.

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/.