South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Archives - Page 3 of 26

Reminder! Council Seeks Applicants for Habitat Advisory Panel and the System Management Plan Workgroup

May 8, 2019 — The following was published by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking applicants for open seats on its Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel and for the Council’s System Management Plan Workgroup. Members of the Council’s advisory panels provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of fishery management plans. The System Management Plan Workgroup will be responsible for drafting reports on the recommendations for size, configuration, and regulations for managed areas; discussing research, outreach and enforcement efforts; and commenting on research priorities. Travel and per diem expenses are covered for all in-person meetings.

See the news release for additional information and how to apply.

May 1st Triggers Opening of Shallow-Water Grouper and Other Species in the South Atlantic

April 26, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Spring is in the air – and that means fishing! Beginning May 1st, fishermen will have a few more species to target in South Atlantic federal waters (greater than 3 miles off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida). May 1st marks the beginning of the shallow-water grouper season, following the annual spawning season closure from January 1st through April 30th.

Regulations also change for red porgy, greater amberjack, snowy grouper, and several other species.

Check out the latest blog for more details.

Always Have the Latest Regulations with You!

Before heading offshore, download the Fish Rules mobile application. Then simply check for updates before your next fishing trip and you’ll have the information with you no matter how far your fishing trip takes you. No signal? No problem. None required to access the correct information once the app is updated.

Fish Rules Download:
iPhone or
Android

Questions? Contact Cameron Rhodes, Outreach Specialist at cameron.rhodes@safmc.net or Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer at kim.iverson@safmc.net or call the Council Office at 843/224-7258.

Reminder – Public Hearings on Best Fishing Practices, Powerhead Gear – Scheduled via Webinar Next Week

April 24, 2019 — The following was published by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently seeking public input on Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 29 that includes proposed requirements designed to help improve survival of released fish. The amendment would also modify current regulations for the use of powerhead gear. Public hearings on proposed measures and alternatives will be held next Tuesday, April 30 and Wednesday, May 1 via webinar beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The Council is also seeking public comment on a proposal to add two species of mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan as ecosystem-component species to recognize their importance as prey. Public scoping webinars are also scheduled in May as noted below.

PUBLIC HEARING AND SCOPING
Public Hearings (Webinar): Best Fishing Practices and Use of Powerhead Gear
(Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 29)
* Tuesday, April 30 at 6:00 PM Webinar registration
* Wednesday, May 1 at 6:00 PM Webinar registration

The draft amendment addresses use of best fishing practices to improve survival of released snapper-grouper species, including alternatives for the use of descending devices and/or venting tools to release fish experiencing barotrauma (injury due to the expansion of the gas when reeled up from depth) and modifications to current non-stainless steel circle hook requirements. The amendment also includes measures to modify powerhead regulations.

The public hearing summary and presentations are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/. The online public comment form is also available and public comment will be accepted until 5 p.m. on May 10, 2019.

Public Scoping (Webinar): Bullet and Frigate Mackerels

(Option to add species to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan)
* Tuesday, May 7 at 6:00 PM Webinar registration
* Thursday, May 9 at 6:00 PM Webinar registration

The Council is considering adding bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP as ecosystem component species, acknowledging the role the two currently unmanaged species play as important prey for both dolphin and wahoo.

Learn more and provide your comments!
http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/

Upcoming Advisory Panel and Public Hearing/Scoping Meetings

April 18, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold several advisory panel and public hearing/scoping meetings in the coming weeks on topics affecting federal fisheries management off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. Fishermen and others interested in offshore fisheries are encouraged to attend the meetings and provide their viewpoints and comments.

All meetings are open to the public and available via webinar. Meeting materials, including agendas/overviews, public comment forms, briefing book materials, and presentations, are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/ as noted below. The Council encourages the public to use public comment forms available from the website. Use of the public comment forms allows Council members access to comments as they are provided, as well as access to members of the public.

ADVISORY PANEL MEETINGS

Access all meeting materials, including agendas, briefing book materials, webinar registration links, and public comment forms for upcoming advisory panel meetings: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/current-advisory-panel-meetings/.

Read a full list of the meetings here

Commercial Closure for Gray Triggerfish in South Atlantic Waters on April 17, 2019

April 15, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of gray triggerfish in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on April 17, 2019. During the commercial closure, harvest or possession of gray triggerfish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2019 January through June commercial catch limit is 156,162 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the January through June commercial catch limit on April 17, 2019. According to the accountability measure, harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for gray triggerfish does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, on April 17, 2019, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
The commercial gray triggerfish July through December fishing season in the South Atlantic will open on July 1, 2019, with a catch limit of 156,162 pounds whole weight.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov.

Federal Fishery Council Seeks Applicants for Advisory Panels and Workgroup

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

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats as well as fishing representatives to serve on the System Management Plan Workgroup. The Workgroup will address future needs of managed areas in federal waters in the South Atlantic. The Council currently has system management plans in place for Deepwater Marine Protected Areas, Spawning Special Management Zones, and the Oculina Experimental Closed Area. Additional areas will be added, with the goal to eventually have a single System Management Plan in place for all managed areas. The System Management Plan Workgroup will be responsible for drafting reports on the recommendations for size, configuration, and regulations for managed areas; discussing research, outreach, and enforcement efforts; and commenting on research priorities. Travel and per diem expenses will be covered if in-person meetings are held.

The Council’s advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as environmental groups, fishing organizations, etc., and concerned citizens. Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. The Council’s advisory panels generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings.

Applications are now being solicited for the following positions:

Habitat Advisory Panel
(1) NC Commercial Seat
(1) FL Commercial Seat
(1) At-large Research/Geologist

System Management Plan Workgroup
(1) GA Commercial Seat

How to Apply

Application forms for individual advisory panels and the SMP Workgroup are available online from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/. For questions about the advisory panel seats please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net or call the Council office at 843/571-4366. Questions regarding the SMP Workgroup should be directed to Dr. Chip Collier at chip.collier@safmc.net or by calling the Council office.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact area Council representatives to discuss their interest in serving. Contact information for all Council members is available from the “About Us” section of the Council’s website at www.safmc.net or through the Council office.

Applications must be received by May 10, 2019 for consideration by the Council during its June 10-14 meeting in Hutchinson Island, Florida.

Mark Your Calendars – Upcoming Meetings and Public Hearing/Scoping

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

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold several meetings and public hearing/scoping meetings in the coming weeks on topics affecting federal fisheries management off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. Fishermen and others interested in offshore fisheries are encouraged to attend the meetings and provide their viewpoints and comments on a variety of fisheries including snapper grouper, dolphin wahoo, and mackerel.

Scientific and Statistical Committee and Socio-Economic Panel Meeting

April 8-11, 2019

Town and Country Inn

Charleston, SC

The Council’s SSC and SEP will meet next week to discuss fisheries issues and provide recommendations for Council consideration. The SSC and its Socio-Economic Panel assists the Council in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of information relevant to fishery management plans and amendments. The meeting week begins with a meeting of the SEP on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning and continues with the SSC. Agenda highlights:

* Risk Tolerance and the ABC Control Rule Amendment

* Recent revisions to recreational harvest estimates and calibrations

* Ecopath Modeling, tools, and evaluation

* South Atlantic Research and Monitoring Prioritization

Access meeting materials, webinar registration, comment forms and more: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/scientific-and-statistical-committee-meetings/.

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Seeks Scientific Advisors

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

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting scientists interested in serving on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Membership is open to any qualified scientist, regardless of affiliation or geographic location. The Council will review applications during its June 10-14, 2019 meeting in Hutchinson Island, Florida. Applications received by April 29, 2019 will be submitted to the Council for consideration in June.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils in the country. Each council has an SSC responsible for reviewing the scientific basis of council management plans and actions, and developing fishing level recommendations in accordance with national fisheries management guidelines. The South Atlantic Council’s SSC meets at least twice a year to address a broad range of topics, including stock assessments, management action evaluations, social and economic analyses, habitat evaluations, and ecosystem management issues. SSC members also play a key role in developing and reviewing stock assessments through participation in SEDAR, the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review program. South Atlantic Council SSC members serve 3-year terms and may be appointed to multiple terms.

Anyone with expertise and experience in the areas of fisheries biology, population dynamics, fisheries research and monitoring, and social and economic analyses of natural resources, especially as applied to fish species in the South Atlantic, is encouraged to apply by submitting a CV, NOAA Fisheries Financial Disclosure Statement, and a cover letter. The cover letter should highlight qualifications and experience, and indicate receipt and acceptance of the Council’s SSC job description.

Application materials, including the required financial disclosure form and SSC job description, and details on the application process, are available from the Council’s website or by contacting Dr. Mike Errigo at mike.errigo@safmc.net or (843) 302-8441.

Federal regulators scramble as SC fish start to range north for cooler seas

March 25, 2019 — Shrimp boats from North Carolina pulled up to the McClellanville dock last week, loaded down with catch.

They had been trawling unrestricted ocean waters along the North Carolina-Virginia state line — in other words, hauling in shrimp that spawned in the Chesapeake Bay.

Until a few years ago that was unheard of: The bay just didn’t produce shrimp. It’s too far north.

But fish species are shifting their range as seas warm — four times faster than land species, according to a recent study.

The concerns are for a lot more than shrimp. It’s deep-water finfish as well as surface roamers, species like wahoo, snapper, grouper and cobia. Those are among the most sought after game and seafood fish, and the rules for all of them are under review.

As the waters warm this spring, the near-shore shrimping grounds will open. More of the half-million licensed recreational anglers in South Carolina will crank up boat motors and head out. Commercial boats are out there already. While the pressure on species from overfishing is a long-recognized and long-regulated issue, now there is a new one: How long will this fish even be there?

Anxiety is starting to churn in fishing communities over what will happen to their livelihoods or hobbies. The value to South Carolina of its rich shrimp and finfish waters has been estimated at $44 billion per year for both recreational and commercial fishing combined.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

Council Receives Red Snapper Update; Will Consider Flexibility for Seasonal Dates Beginning in 2020

March 8, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

A presentation by NOAA Fisheries on the 2019 red snapper season evoked questions and much discussion from members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council during their week-long meeting in Jekyll Island, Georgia. The meeting week began with a notification on Monday by NOAA Fisheries that there would be a 2019 season for red snapper. The Council received a presentation on how the 2019 red snapper season was determined and the rationale for the 5-day recreational season. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for determining if a red snapper season can be held each year and the number of days the season will last. The Council has the authority to determine when the season would occur, if harvest is allowed.

In 2013, the Council established protocol that, if a red snapper season were allowed, it would open during the same time period each year – the second weekend in July for the recreational sector (not to open for less than 3 days) and the second Monday in July for the commercial fishery. This year, the recreational red snapper season will open July 12-14, 2019, with an additional two days the following Friday and Saturday, July 19-20. The recreational bag limit is one per/person day with no minimum size limit. The commercial fishery will open Monday, July 8th and close once the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) is met or on January 1, 2020. The sector allocation for red snapper is 71.93% recreational and 28.07% commercial. Currently, the total ACL is 42,510 fish. A new stock assessment for red snapper will begin in 2020.

“We recognize that fishermen want a longer season for red snapper as the stock rebuilds, and we will continue to work toward that goal,” said Council Chair Jessica McCawley. “We appreciate NOAA Fisheries announcing this season early enough for fishermen to plan for the July opening and encourage anglers to exercise best fishing practices during the 2019 season – and throughout the year.”

The Council discussed the need for additional flexibility when determining what days (weekends/weekdays) and the time of the year the red snapper season would occur if an opening is allowed. “When these dates were originally established, I don’t think that fishermen believed this would be the new norm for red snapper fishing,” said Council member Spud Woodward. “Considering the input we received during recent recreational workshops, we need to reexamine when these limited number of red snapper fishing days should occur.” The Council will begin work on a framework amendment to allow modification of the seasonal dates and continue to address this at its June 2019 meeting. Public comments will be taken at the June meeting.

Best Practices

For red snapper, and many other species in the Snapper Grouper Management Complex, the use of best fishing practices can help fishermen avoid non-targeted species and increase the survivability of fish that are released. Fishermen can now take advantage of a new Best Fishing Practices online tutorial specifically designed for fishermen that bottom fish for snapper grouper species. Developed by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation with guidance from Council staff, the tutorial is easy to use and addresses issues of hook injury, handing, predation after release, and barotrauma. Fishermen completing the tutorial are eligible to receive a free SeaQualizer descending device. Learn more at: http://safmc.net/electronic-reporting-projects/myfishcount/.

Private recreational anglers are also encouraged to participate in MyFishCount, a voluntary reporting program that allows anglers to report their fishing activity, including fish landed and released, using a mobile application. Learn more at: http://safmc.net/electronic-reporting-projects/myfishcount/.

The Council is currently developing Regulatory Amendment 29 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to address best fishing practices for snapper grouper species, including requirements for the use of descending devices and/or venting devices, modifying current requirements for non-stainless-steel circle hooks, and adjusting the prohibition on the use of powerhead gear by divers. Public hearings on the amendment will be scheduled prior to the Council’s June 2019 meeting.

Other Business

The Council continued work on management options to include in the Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 10, narrowing down the number of options for the amendment. Options currently include: allowing bag limit sale of dolphin for dually-permitted for-hire and commercial federal permit holders, removal of the Operator Card requirement in the dolphin wahoo fishery, reducing the recreational vessel limit for dolphin, gear modifications and training requirements for the commercial longline fishery, allowing adaptive management of sector ACLs for dolphin, revising accountability measures for dolphin, allowing properly permitted vessels with gear onboard that are not authorized for use in the dolphin wahoo fishery to possess dolphin or wahoo, and modifications to biological parameters for dolphin. The Council will continue to develop the amendment at its June 2019 meeting.

The Council also received a report from the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), and Yamaha Marine Group on Exploring Approaches for Innovated Management of the Private Recreational Sector of the South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery. ASA, in conjunction with the CCA and Yamaha Marine Group recently launched a project to explore new ideas for management of the private recreational sector targeting snapper grouper species. A workshop with Council members was held in 2018, and subsequent regional meetings were held from November 2018 until January 2019 to get input from local representatives in the recreational community. The report includes input from the workshops on angler preferences, harvest rate management, harvest tags for certain species, use of a recreational stamp, electronic reporting, and reducing release mortality. The Council reviewed the report and will consider the recommendations in future management decisions.

Additional information for this week’s meeting, including an interactive Story Map and meeting report is available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for June 10-14, 2019 at the Hutchinson Island Marriott in Stuart, Florida. Additional information for the meeting will be posted at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.