South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Archives - Page 39 of 42

Council Approves Measures to Extend Atlantic Cobia Season; End Overfishing for Hogfish

September 19th, 2016 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, new regulations will be implemented in 2017 for Atlantic cobia in federal waters offshore from Georgia to New York. The measures, approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council during their meeting this week in Myrtle Beach, SC, are designed to help extend the season for both recreational and commercial fishermen and help ensure consistent and stable fishing opportunities for the migratory stock. New regulations as proposed in Coastal Migratory Framework Amendment 4 would reduce the recreational bag limit from 2 fish to 1 fish per person per day, implement a vessel limit of 6 fish, and raise the recreational minimum size limit to 36” fork length. A commercial trip limit of 2 fish per person per day, with no more than 6 fish per vessel per day, whichever is more restrictive, would be established.

The recreational fishery for Atlantic cobia in federal waters closed on June 20, 2016. The closure occurred during the peak cobia season off the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia impacting both private anglers and charter captains targeting the popular species. The early closure for 2016 was required due to an overage of recreational annual catch limit of Atlantic cobia in 2015 and the accountability measure currently in place that requires a shortened season the subsequent year. Framework Amendment 4 would also modify the accountability measure.

“The Council considered numerous comments received during public hearings held in August, as well as comments received during a Q&A session held in May, public input during its June meeting, written comments, and comments from fishermen attending this week’s meeting,” said Council Chair Dr. Michelle Duval. “We heard from fishermen about the negative economic impacts of the Atlantic cobia closure, particularly off the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia. We’ve worked diligently, looking at various combinations of changes to bag limits, vessel limits and size limits, to help maximize fishing opportunities and to have new regulations in place in time for next year’s season,” said Dr. Duval. “A new Cobia sub-panel to the Council’s Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel will allow for additional input and expertise from fishermen on cobia management issues as we move forward.” The Council is also working with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop a complementary plan to allow additional management flexibility. The majority of cobia landings occur in state waters off the northeast coast of North Carolina and Virginia. Both states implemented additional restrictions in harvest in state waters following the federal closure in June. The Atlantic cobia annual catch limit includes landings from both state and federal waters.

Hogfish

The Council also approved measures for hogfish in federal waters that would establish two separate management units, a Florida Keys/East Florida stock and a Georgia/North Carolina stock and implement new regulations through Snapper Grouper Amendment 37. Hogfish are primarily harvested off the coast of Florida and a popular target for both divers and hook-and-line fishermen. A recent stock assessment found the Florida Keys/East Florida stock overfished and undergoing overfishing. Measures proposed to end overfishing and rebuild the stock include substantial reductions in the annual catch limits and limits to harvest.

If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the amendment would implement the following regulations for the Florida Keys/East Florida stock: 1) increase the minimum size limit from 12 inches fork length to 16 inches fork length for both commercial and recreational sectors; 2) decrease the recreational bag limit from 5 fish to 1 fish per person per day; 3) establish an annual recreational fishing season from May through October; and specify a commercial trip limit of 25 pounds (there is currently no trip limit in federal waters).

New regulations proposed for the Georgia/North Carolina hogfish stock include increasing the minimum size limit to 17 inches fork length, establishing a recreational bag limit of 2 fish per person per day and a commercial trip limit of 500 pounds gutted weight (there are currently no bag limits or commercial trip limits for hogfish off the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas).

Other Business

The Council also continued to develop management options to allow for limited harvest of red snapper. The fishery remains closed to harvest in federal waters in the South Atlantic. NOAA Fisheries estimated the total number of fish removed in 2015 exceeded the annual catch limit of 114,000 fish by more than double. The draft options paper includes the use of time/area closures to reduce bycatch and end overfishing along with several adaptive management measures. Options for the recreational fishery include a set fishing season with some combination of size and bag limits, designated fishing areas, a recreational stamp, and reporting requirements. Commercial options include closed seasons, new trip limits, size limits, and designated seasons. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will provide recommendations following its October meeting for the Council to consider as it moves forward in developing the options paper for Snapper Grouper Amendment 43 during its December meeting. Public scoping is planned for January/February 2017.

The Council reviewed comments received during public scoping for the Dolphin/Yellowtail Snapper Allocation Amendment and removed an action that would have established annual catch limits by gear type for dolphin for the commercial sector and continued to modify options for sector allocations. The Council will review the revised document during its December meeting. The Council also continued discussions regarding limited entry for federally permitted for-hire vessels, noting public comments received during its Snapper Grouper Visioning process and historical recommendations from the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, and acknowledged differing opinions on the issue. A scoping document will be developed for review at the Council’s December meeting.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for December 5-9, 2016 at the Doubletree by Hilton, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Final committee reports and other materials from this week’s meeting are available from the Council’s website at http://safmc.net/Sept2016CouncilMeeting.

Commercial Harvest of Blueline Tilefish in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Will Close on August 30, 2016

August 26, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m. (local time) August 30, 2016. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2017. The 2016 commercial catch limit is 87,521 pounds whole weight. Updated landings data indicate that commercial harvest of blueline tilefish will reach the annual catch limit by August 30, 2016. As a result, commercial harvest will close in federal waters of the South Atlantic.

The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper and who is landing blueline tilefish for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such blueline tilefish prior to 12:01 a.m., local time,

August 30, 2016.

During the closure:

Sale or purchase of blueline tilefish in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic is prohibited.

Harvest or possession of blueline tilefish in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.

These bag and possession limits apply in the South Atlantic on board a vessel for which a valid federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper grouper has been issued without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in state or federal waters.

This closure is necessary to protect the blueline tilefish fishery by limiting landings to the commercial annual catch limit.

Trip Limit Decreased to 500 Pounds per Trip for Commercial Harvest of Vermilion Snapper in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic

August 23, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of vermilion snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic is reduced from 1,000 pounds gutted weight to 500 pounds gutted weight, effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) August 28, 2016. NOAA Fisheries has determined 75 percent of the July-December quota of 431,460 pounds whole weight will be landed by August 28, 2016.

Reduction of the commercial vermilion snapper trip limit when 75 percent of the July-December quota is reached in federal waters of 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 vermilion snapper in or from the federal waters in the South Atlantic region. The 500-pound gutted weight trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current July – December 2016 fishing season or until the quota is reached and vermilion snapper closes, whichever occurs first.

Reminder: Federal Fishery Advisory Panel Seats Open

August 10, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting applicants for open seats on its advisory panels. Members include commercial and recreational fishermen, charter captains, seafood dealers and processors, non-government organizations (NGOs), scientists, and concerned citizens. The deadline for applications is August 15, 2016. The Council will select applicants in September for the following advisory panel seats:

Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel
(1) North Carolina Charter; (1) Florida Charter
Information & Education Advisory Panel
(1) Recreational; (1) Commercial
Law Enforcement Advisory Panel
(1) Recreational; (1) Commercial
Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel
(3) Open Seats; (1) NGO (non-governmental)
Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel
(1) North Carolina Open Seat
SEDAR Pool* Advisory Panel
Open Seats

*Applicants appointed to the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Pool are eligible to serve on species-specific panels for future stock assessments.

How Do I Apply?

It’s simple! Applications are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/news/news-releases. Links to PDF copies of the application are available from the web page. You can also contact the Council office by calling 843/571-4366 for a hard copy of the application form. Learn more about the Council’s 11 advisory panels.

VIRGINIA: Cobia hearings will play a role in future regulations

August 10, 2016 — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding public hearings this week and the input from anglers could play a role in the future management of cobia.

The SAFMC is proposing regulations that will further reduce next year’s allowable catch. The council forced closures in federal waters this year to reduce the catch, leaving North Carolina and Virginia to adopt tighter regulations that include a reduced season in state waters.

Opponents of increased closures and tighter regulations are asking that anglers attend as many of this week’s meetings as possible.

Read the full story at The Virginian-Pilot

ASMFC Initiates Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Cobia

August 3, 2016 — The following was released by the ASMFC:

Alexandria, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved the initiation of a new Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Atlantic Migratory Group of Cobia to complement fishery management efforts of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This action responds to a request by the Council for the Commission to consider joint or complementary management of the resource in light of the significant overage of the 2015 recreational annual catch limit (ACL), the impact of those overages to state management, and the observation that approximately 82% of reported recreational landings are harvested in state waters.

Widely distributed throughout the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, cobia are managed as two distinct groups – the Gulf Migratory Group and the Atlantic Migratory Group. The Atlantic Migratory Group, which ranges from New York to Georgia, is managed by the Council. Recreational landings of the Atlantic Migratory Group in 2015 were approximately 1.5 million pounds, 145% over the ACL, resulting in a June 20, 2016 closure of the fishery by NOAA Fisheries. Commercial cobia landings in 2015 were 83,148 pounds, 38% over the ACL. Late landings reports in 2015 precluded a timely closure of the commercial fishery.

Concerns were expressed by individual states whose recreational seasons were significantly reduced by the closure due to the overage of the 2015 quota. North Carolina and Virginia developed alternate management strategies to avoid the June 20, 2016 closure enacted by NOAA Fisheries for federal waters. South Carolina has recently implemented more restrictive measures that are consistent with the actions of NOAA Fisheries in some areas. A complementary Commission FMP for cobia will provide the states the flexibility to respond to changes in the fishery and stock that meet their state fisheries needs while staying within the ACL

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Actions to Implement a Commercial Trip Limit for Dolphin in the Atlantic

July 1, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on the proposed rule implementing Regulatory Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic (Regulatory Amendment 1). The proposed rule for Regulatory Amendment 1 published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2016 (81 FR 42625). The comment period ends on August 1, 2016.

Regulatory Amendment 1 would establish a commercial trip limit for dolphin of 4,000 pounds whole weight after 75 percent of the commercial sector annual catch limit has been reached. The trip limit applies to dolphin caught commercially from Maine through the east coast of Florida. The trip limit would remain in place until the end of the fishing year or until the entire commercial annual catch limit is met, whichever comes first. The purpose of the trip limit is to reduce the chance of an in-season closure of the dolphin commercial sector as a result of the annual catch limit being reached during the fishing year and to reduce the severity of social and economic impacts caused by these closures.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Regulatory Amendment 1 to NOAA Fisheries for review and implementation. All comments specifically directed toward the proposed rule will be addressed in the final rule.

For more information on Regulatory Amendment 1, please visit the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Website at:

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/dw/2016/reg_am1/index.html.

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Addresses Management Options for Red Snapper

June 19, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council listened intently as a draft list of management options for red snapper was presented for consideration during their meeting this week in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The options include a comprehensive adaptive management approach that may allow harvest of red snapper as the stock continues to rebuild. The red snapper fishery remains closed for the second year in a row in federal waters after NOAA Fisheries estimated the total number of fish removed in 2015 exceeded the annual catch limit of 114,000 fish by more than double. The majority of the total removals, an estimated 276,729 fish, are attributed to dead discards within the private recreational fishery as fishermen encounter more red snapper while targeting other species. Scientists estimate that approximately 40% of red snapper that are released do not survive.

“No one wants to continue to see the large numbers of red snapper being discarded while this valuable fishery remains closed to harvest,” said Council Chair Dr. Michelle Duval. “Stakeholders have made it clear that managers must consider alternative management options and we agree. The Council must also balance the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act as the stock recovers.” The proposed comprehensive management approach includes options to reduce discards by establishing a federal private recreational snapper grouper fishing season, allowing a limited recreational bag limit for red snapper during the season, use of descending devices and venting tools, changes to size limits, and limiting the number of hooks allowed. The approach also includes requirements for a federal recreational snapper grouper stamp. The Council voted to address options for a limited entry program for the for-hire sector in a separate amendment. There are also recommendations for improving data collection for the fishery that include electronic reporting using logbooks for private recreational fishermen, increased biological sampling, discard monitoring using cooperative research and citizen science projects, tagging programs, and other methods. “Many of the ideas included in this approach are similar to those heard during our port meetings as part of the Visioning process for the snapper grouper fishery,” said Dr. Duval. The Council agreed to move forward with development of a scoping document for further review during their September 2016 meeting.

Council members also had many questions regarding the data used for the latest red snapper stock assessment and the determination by their Scientific and Statistical Committee that the stock remains overfished and undergoing overfishing, as the number of dead discards increases. “The fact that the stock is showing a strong biomass and recovering age structure is encouraging,” said Dr. Luiz Barbieri, senior research scientist with the Florida Marine Research Institute and member of the committee. Red snapper are long-lived, with some fish living up to 50 years, and the stock assessment shows there are still not enough older fish needed for a healthy stock due to overfishing for the past few decades. Dr. Barbieri acknowledged the uncertainty associated with the stock assessment and data available since the red snapper fishery was initially closed in 2010 with subsequent mini recreational seasons in 2012, 2013 and again in 2014. The Council requested the Scientific and Statistical Committee reexamine the assessment and the stock status determination when it meets again in October. The Scientific and Statistical Committee will also review the Council’s proposed changes to stock reference points as noted in the adaptive management approach.

Management Changes for Atlantic Cobia and Mutton Snapper Approved for Public Hearings

The Council approved management actions and alternatives for Atlantic cobia to take out to public hearings scheduled for August 2016. The measures, as outlined in draft Framework Amendment 4 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan would reduce harvest of cobia in federal waters along the Atlantic coast from Georgia to New York. The new measures are designed to help ensure consistent and stable fishing opportunities for all participants in the fishery. The recreational fishery in federal waters will close on June 20, 2016 when the annual catch limit is projected to be met. The early closure for 2016 was required due to the overage of recreational harvest of Atlantic cobia in 2015 and the accountability measure that requires a shortened season the subsequent year. The 2016 recreational closure of the seasonal fishery occurs during the peak fishing season in North Carolina and Virginia. The Council reviewed the numerous written and public comments before choosing alternatives for public hearings. Actions include reducing the recreational bag limit with a preferred alternative to reduce the daily bag limit from 2 per person/day to 1 fish per person/day with a vessel limit of 3 fish/per day, modifying the recreational fishing year with a preferred alternative for the year to begin May 1st, modifying the current accountability measure, and changes to the commercial trip limit.

The Council also approved measures for mutton snapper, a popular species found primarily in South Florida and the Florida Keys. Stakeholders have expressed concerns about fishing pressure that occurs each spring as mutton snapper gather to spawn. Snapper Grouper Amendment 41 includes actions to modify the annual catch limit based on the most recent stock assessment for mutton snapper, reduce the current bag limit of 10 fish per person/day with a preferred alternative of 3 fish per person/day year round, establish a commercial trip limit with the preferred alternative of 300 pounds, and modify the minimum size limit, with the Council’s preferred alternative to increase the size limit from 16 to 18 inches total length. Public hearings are scheduled for August. Details are available from the Council’s website at http://safmc.net/meetings/public-hearing-and-scoping-meeting-schedule.

Other Business

The Council also discussed options for establishing a limited entry program for the federally permitted for-hire sector (Snapper Grouper, Dolphin/Wahoo and Coastal Migratory Pelagic federal permits). The Council approved a control date of June 15, 2016 for the open access charter vessel/headboat permits. The control date is designed to alert fishermen that the Council may use that date for making future management decisions. The Council approved development of an amendment to establish a for-hire limited entry program.

Council to consider loosening red snapper fishing rules

June 15, 2016 — COCOA BEACH, Fla. — A regional fish management panel meets this week to consider — among other things — whether to allow more time for fishermen to bag a red snapper.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries closed the red snapper fishery on Jan. 4, 2010, to protect the species from fishing pressure. Fishery managers said the ban was necessary because the species had been “overfished.”

The council in recent years had reopened the fishery for short seasons lasting only a few days, after new scientific information projected red snapper could continue to grow in numbers, even with some allowable catch.

Consideration of allowing up to a six-month red snapper fishing season — possibly by 2018 — will come up at around 1:30 p.m. at the Wednesday, June 15 council meeting, held at the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, 1550 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach.

Read the full story at Florida Today

Latest Issue of the SAFMC South Atlantic Update Newsletter Now Available

June 2, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Latest Issue of the South Atlantic Update Newsletter Now Available:

Inside this issue:

Council Approves Five Spawning Special Management Zones
Red Snapper Management Options
Mutton Mania – New regulations being considered for mutton snapper
Regulations Snapshot and more…

Read the full newsletter at the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council