Saving Seafood

News for the South Atlantic Region

SAFMC: Council Meeting to Focus on Recreational Issues in November

October 28, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a recreational information meeting on Monday, November 9, 2020 via webinar to review recreational fisheries issues and ongoing Council actions. The Council will review the status of several amendments that address recreational topics such as recreational permits and angler reporting requirements in the snapper grouper fishery and recreational accountability measures.The Council will also receive a final report on the MyFishCount voluntary recreational reporting pilot program.

Council members will receive an update on a joint workgroup convened by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to develop recommendations in response to Section 102 of the Modern Fish Act, designed to expand management flexibility. Given the importance of recreational fisheries in the Southeastern U.S. and the jurisdictional overlap between the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic stocks and fisheries, both Councils agreed to use this workgroup to develop initial strategies for implementing flexible management approaches for recreational fisheries.

The Council is using this meeting format primarily for informational and discussion purposes as Council members continue to consider options for improving data collection and management of recreational fisheries. Discussion questions are included as part of the meeting materials.

The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is open to the public via webinar. Registration is required. Meeting materials, public comment form and registration link are now available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

Advisory Bodies to SAFMC Have Openings for Commercial Representatives

October 26, 2020 — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting applicants for several open seats on its Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel, the Outreach and Communications Advisory Panel and a commercial representative on the Law Enforcement Advisory Panel.

The Council’s advisory panels inform and guide the Council in developing and implementing federal fishery management plans. Upcoming issues to be addressed in 2021 include an amendment modifying annual catch limits, sector allocations, recreational bag limits for Dolphin and Wahoo, a planned upgrade to the Council’s website, and input on law enforcement issues affecting several commercial fisheries.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Florida connection draws Publix into Atlantic Sapphire partnership

October 26, 2020 — A Florida connection has brought together pioneering salmon farming firm Atlantic Sapphire and the Publix supermarket chain.

Atlantic Sapphire, which recently celebrated its first commercial harvest at its new recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) farm in Miami, Florida, U.S.A., is teaming up with the Lakeland, Florida-based supermarket chain to begin offering its Bluehouse brand salmon in 269 of its 1,255 stores, mostly in the Miami area.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to Transit Provisions for SA Shrimp Fishery

October 23, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGES:

  • NOAA Fisheries announces changes to provisions for shrimp trawl vessels transiting through cold weather closed areas with brown, pink, or white shrimp on board in federal waters of the South Atlantic.
  • The rule will allow trawl doors in the rack (cradle), nets in the rigging and tied down, and try net on the deck during transit.
  • The final rule for Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region will update the regulations to more closely align with current fishing practices, reduce the socio-economic impacts for fishermen who transit these closed areas, and improve safety at sea while maintaining protection for overwintering white shrimp.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

  • Regulations will be effective November 23, 2020.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION:

  • 85 FR 67309; October 22, 2020.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

Where can I find more information on Amendment 11?

By Mail: Frank Helies
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505

By FAX: (727) 824-5308

By Phone: (727) 824-5305

Florida gains CARES Act spend plan approval

October 22, 2020 — Florida has become the latest U.S. state to gain approval for its CARES Act spend plan, allowing it to begin the application process to deliver aid to the seafood industry to offset the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The approval comes several months after the USD 300 million (EUR 253.7 million) in aid funding was approved in May. Florida represents the fourth-largest recipient of those funds, with the state receiving USD 23.6 million (EUR 19.9 million) in relief funding to be distributed among industry stakeholders.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

FB20-063: NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to Transit Provisions for the South Atlantic Shrimp Fishery

October 22, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGES:

  • NOAA Fisheries announces changes to provisions for shrimp trawl vessels transiting through cold weather closed areas with brown, pink, or white shrimp on board in federal waters of the South Atlantic.
  • The rule will allow trawl doors in the rack (cradle), nets in the rigging and tied down, and try net on the deck during transit.
  • The final rule for Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region will update the regulations to more closely align with current fishing practices, reduce the socio-economic impacts for fishermen who transit these closed areas, and improve safety at sea while maintaining protection for overwintering white shrimp.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

  • Regulations will be effective November 23, 2020

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION:

  • 85 FR 67309; October 22, 2020. 

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

Where can I find more information on Amendment 11? 

  • By Phone: (727) 824-5305
  • By FAX: (727) 824-5308

SAFMC: Reminder: Advisory Panel Seats Open

October 22, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The application deadline is approaching for open seats on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s advisory panels. Several seats are currently open on the Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel as well as the Outreach and Communications Advisory Panel. Are you a commercial fisherman or involved in commercial fisheries? There is an open seat on the Council’s Law Enforcement Advisory Panel for a commercial representative as well.

Advisory panel members provide key input to the Council as it develops and implements federal management plans and amendments. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, scientists, non-governmental organization representatives, and concerned citizens. The Council is currently considering management measures for Dolphin and Wahoo including modifying annual catch limits, sector allocations, and recreational bag limits. Members of the Outreach and Communications Advisory Panel, including fishermen, will guide the Council as it begins upgrading its website 2021.

Check out the open seats as advertised in a recent news release. Learn more about the Council’s advisory panels and access the online application forms at: https://safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/. The Council will consider applications during its December 7-10, 2020 meeting scheduled via webinar.

ASMFC South Atlantic Board Approves Atlantic Cobia Addendum I

October 22, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s South Atlantic States/Federal Fisheries Management Board approved Addendum I to Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia. The Addendum modifies: (1) the allocation of the resource between the commercial and recreational sectors, (2) the methodology to calculate the commercial trigger for in-season closures; and (3) and commercial and recreational de minimis measures.

The Addendum changes the allocation of the resource between the recreational and commercial fisheries from 92% and 8% respectively to and 96% and 4% respectively. The change was primarily based on new recreational catch estimates that resulted from changes in survey methodology by the Marine Recreational Information Program. The new catch estimates were, on average, about two times higher than previously estimated, impacting the allocation between the two sectors. In considering the new allocation percentages, the Board took into account the increase in the recreational catch and the harvest levels of the commercial fishery in recent years. The new commercial allocation allows the fishery to operate at its current level with some room for landings to increase as the stock range expands further north.

The Addendum also modifies the calculation of the commercial trigger, which determines when an in-season coastwide commercial closure occurs. The approved trigger is set up to provide states with enough time to close the fishery via their administrative processes without exceeding the quota.

Changes to de minimis measures, which are applied to states with relatively small commercial or recreational harvest, include adjusting the commercial allocation set aside and recreational regulations. For de minimis measures, the Addendum establishes a commercial de minimis set aside of 4% of the commercial quota with a maximum cap of 5,000 pounds to account for potential landings in de minimis states not tracked in-season against the quota. States that are de minimis for their recreational fisheries may choose to match the recreational management measures implemented by an adjacent non-de minimis state (or the nearest non-de minimis state if none are adjacent), or limit its recreational fishery to 1 fish per vessel per trip with a minimum size of 33 inches fork length (or an equivalent total length of 37 inches).

States are required to implement the new measures by January 1, 2021. For more information, please contact Savannah Lewis, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at slewis@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Board Approves TAC for 2021-2022

October 21, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board (Board) approved a total allowable catch (TAC) of 194,400 metric tons (mt) for the 2021 and 2022 fishing seasons, which represents a 10% reduction from the 2018-2020 TAC level. The 2021-2022 TAC was set based on the ecological reference points (ERPs) approved by the Board in August, and reaffirms the Board’s commitment to manage the fishery in a way that accounts for the species role as a forage fish.

“This TAC represents a measured and deliberate way for this Board to move into the realm of ecosystem-based management,” said Board Chair Spud Woodward of Georgia. “The TAC strikes a balance between stakeholder interests to maintain harvest on menhaden at recent levels, while also allowing the ERP models to do what they are intended to do.”

Based on projections, the TAC is estimated to have a 58.5% and 52.5% probability of exceeding the ERP fishing mortality (F) target in the first and second year, respectively. The TAC will be made available to the states based on the state-by-state allocation established by Amendment 3 (see accompanying table for 2021 and 2022 based on a TAC of 194,400 mt).

In determining which level to set the TAC, the Board also considered recent updates to the fecundity (FEC) reference points, and current stock condition. According to the latest assessment results, the 2017 estimate of fecundity, a measure of reproductive potential, was above both the ERP FEC target and threshold, indicating the stock was not overfished. A stock assessment update is scheduled for 2022 which will inform the TAC for 2023 and beyond.

For more information, please contact Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, or Toni Kerns, ISFMP Director, at mappelman@asmfc.org or tkerns@asmfc.org, respectively.