Saving Seafood

News for the South Atlantic Region

Scientists discover hidden deep-sea coral reef off South Carolina Coast

August 28, 2018 — If you think Charleston, South Carolina, has plenty of history within its pre-Colonial grounds, just look at what’s been hiding 160 miles off the city’s coast for thousands of years: a giant deep-sea coral reef system. The chief scientist who helped make the discovery called it unbelievable.

Little is known about the natural resources of the deep ocean off the United States’ Southeast coast from Virginia to Georgia, so Deep Search 2018 was created to learn more by exploring the deep sea ecosystems. The project, consisting of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the US Geological Survey, is nearing the end of its 15-day voyage aboard the research vessel Atlantis.

Read the full story at CNN

Commercial Closure for Atlantic Cobia Effective September 5, 2018

August 27, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office (SERO) has announced that commercial harvest of Atlantic Migratory Group cobia (Atlantic cobia; New York to Georgia) will close in federal waters on September 5, 2018 due to projections that the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) of 50,000 pounds will be reached on this date (FB18-060, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/bulletin/commercial-harvest-atlantic-group-cobia-georgia-new-york-will-close-federal-waters-0). For more information on this closure, please contact the SERO Sustainable Fisheries Division at 727.824.5305.

The Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Cobia complements these measures and requires that should the coastwide ACL be met, a coastwide commercial closure will occur (Sec. 4.2). Therefore, the states from New York to Georgia that harvest Atlantic cobia must close their commercial cobia fisheries in state waters by September 5, 2018.

For more information or questions about the Commission’s Cobia FMP, please contact Dr. Michael Schmidtke, FMP Coordinator, at mschmidtke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

A PDF of the announcement can be found here – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5b805da2SABoardMemo_2018CobiaClosure_Aug2018.pdf

Commercial Harvest of Atlantic Group Cobia (Georgia to New York) Will Close in Federal Waters on September 5, 2018

August 24, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • Commercial harvest of Atlantic group cobia (Georgia to New York) will close in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2018. Commercial harvest will reopen in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2019.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

  • The 2018 commercial annual catch limit is 50,000 pounds round or gutted weight. NOAA Fisheries projects the 2018 cobia annual catch limit for the commercial sector will be reached by September 5th based on reported landings to date and landings that are expected to be reported by dealers that do not have a federal dealer permit.
  • This closure is necessary to protect the Atlantic cobia resource by preventing the commercial annual catch limit from being exceeded.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

  • The operator of a vessel that is landing cobia for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such cobia prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, September 5, 2018. The prohibition on sale and purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of cobia that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2018, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

Recreational Harvest of Golden Tilefish Will Close in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic on August 28, 2018

August 24, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

Recreational harvest of golden tilefish in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on August 28, 2018.  Recreational harvest in federal waters will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2019.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

  • The 2018 recreational annual catch limit is 2,187 fish. Reports indicate that recreational landings have reached the 2018 annual catch limit for the recreational sector.
  • According to the regulations, NOAA Fisheries must close the harvest when the annual catch limit has been reached. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish population.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

  • Recreational harvest or possession of golden tilefish in or from the federal waters of the South Atlantic is prohibited.
  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels which have a valid charter/headboat permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • Commercial harvest or possession of golden tilefish in or from federal waters is also prohibited.

FLORIDA: ‘It’s Going To Be A Rough Year’: Key Largo Fishermen Feel Effects Of Chinese Lobster Tariffs

August 22, 2018 — At 6 a.m. on a recent Thursday morning, Ernie Piton and his son dragged wooden lobster traps across their dock in Key Largo. They stabbed sharp wires through ripe, glossy fish heads, preparing for the grind of baiting and checking Florida spiny lobster traps. As the fishermen turned the key, rumbling their boat to life, they hoped for a good haul.

Lobster fishing is grueling work, with long hours spent reeling in nearly 300 lobster traps each day. But it’s been the family’s livelihood for 35 years.

Piton sells lobster and stone crab through his family-run operation, Risky Business II. His 21-year-old son, Travis, also depends on this lobster boat for his full-time job.

For the last decade, the Pitons have sold almost exclusively to the Chinese market. During three of those years, they’ve sold lobster through a third-party buyer that works out of Miami, Ocean Dragon Seafood. But since June, the Trump Administration’s trade war with China has threatened their livelihood and that of many Florida fishermen. That comes as many are still recovering from losses during the 2017 hurricane season.

Read the full story at WJCT

SAFMC: Reminder! Applications for Advisory Panels and System Management Plan Workgroup Due

August 21, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

If you are considering applying for an open seat on one of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s advisory panels or serving as a fisherman on the Council’s new System Management Plan Workgroup, today is the day to do so! 

Applications must be received by tomorrow, August 22, 2018 for consideration by the Council during its September 16-20, 2018 meeting. Complete the online application using the instructions below.

Applications are being solicited for the following advisory panel positions:
Coral Advisory Panel
  • (3) Open Seats
Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel
  • (1) SC Open Seat 
  • (1) GA Open Seat
Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel
  • (1) NC Commercial
  • (1) NC Conservation
  • (1) FL Recreational 
  • (1) FL Commercial
  • (1) At-Large Research/Geologist Seat
Law Enforcement Advisory Panel
  • (2) Recreational Seats
Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel
  • (3) Open Seats
Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel
  • (3) NC Open Seats
  • (1) SC Open Seat
  • (1) GA Open Seat
  • (2) Florida Open Seats
  • (1) NGO Seat
The Council is also soliciting applicants to represent commercial and recreational interests on its System Management Plan (SMP) Workgroup. The newly formed workgroup will provide recommendations on managed areas in federal waters under the Council’s jurisdiction. 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.

Scallop population rebounding in Florida Panhandle

August 21, 2018 — Wildlife officials say the scallop population is rebounding following a bout of red tide in Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s Panhandle.

A survey of the adult population of St. Joseph Bay scallops posted last week by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows the population is nearly four times what it was last year.

The News Herald reports the St. Joseph Bay scallop population remains “vulnerable,” which is the wildlife agency’s category for adult populations of between two and 20 scallops per square meter. During the most recent survey, researchers found 8.1 scallops per square meter.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at My Plainview

The blood of horseshoe crabs is important for its medical benefits. Now they’ll get a relaxing place to recover.

August 20, 2018 — William Hall, a retired marine scientist, is scheduled for cataract surgery soon, and a horseshoe crab will play a crucial role in the surgery’s success.

The blood of horseshoe crabs contains an agent that clots when exposed to gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella. Since the 1980s, the blood has been used to detect toxins in medical procedures, including inoculations, intravenous drugs and even rabies shots for pets.

Decades ago, scientists conducted less accurate toxin tests on rabbits. If the injected rabbit got a fever, the sample was contaminated.

Now, they use the blood of hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs. But blood extraction stresses the creatures. Fishermen under contract collect them from their habitat and haul them to a lab, where technicians extract their blood before they are carried back to the ocean and released. About 15 percent die from the process.

Thanks in part to funding from North Carolina Sea Grant, a Greensboro-based life sciences company plans to establish natural salt-water ponds where horseshoe crabs can rest and eat after having their blood extracted.

Read the full story at The Virginian-Pilot

Florida fish, tourism losses grow from red tide

August 20, 2018 — Florida, U.S.A. restaurants and other businesses are suffering losses from red tide and blue green algae, which have killed millions of fish and impacted public perception of the region.

Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency last week, after the red tide bloom expanded to affect around 130 miles of coastline in Southwest Florida. The new declaration for Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties will provide money and resources to combat the ongoing red tide and blue green algae problems.

In Lee County, around 2.7 million pounds of dead fish have been found on the beaches in August. Dead fish from red tide have turned up in multiple locations in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

While FWC officials say that Gulf of Mexico and Florida seafood sold in stores and served at restaurants are safe to eat, some restaurants along the coast of Florida have experienced plummeting sales since the red tide began earlier this summer.

“What we are hearing is that most folks are fine, but some folks on the water are experiencing decreased sales,” Amanda Handley, press secretary for the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, told SeafoodSource.

When restaurants and hotels receive questions about whether they are serving seafood impacted by red tide or blue green algae, they explain that their seafood is purchased through distributors that have to be inspected by the state.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Commercial Closure for Blueline Tilefish in South Atlantic Federal Waters on August 22, 2018

August 20, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time on August 22, 2018. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of blueline tilefish is prohibited, and harvest or possession of blueline tilefish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2018 commercial catch limit is 87,521 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit by August 22, 2018. According to the accountability measure, harvest should 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 2019 commercial fishing season for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2019, with a commercial catch limit of 87,521 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/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#se50.12.622_1193.