South Atlantic Archives - Page 71 of 136

Environmental groups will join 16 South Carolina cities to sue over offshore drilling tests

December 11, 2018 — Nine conservation groups and 16 South Carolina coastal communities are expected to sue the Trump administration Tuesday to stop leases to explore for natural gas and oil offshore.

Tracts off South Carolina are among the waters up for grabs. The groups said they will file two separate lawsuits, both in U.S. District Court in Charleston.

The lawsuits will claim the leases violate the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits harassing or killing animals such as whales or dolphins.

The exploration would include seismic blast testing that involves loud airguns considered harmful to marine mammals and other sea life.

“Ignoring the mounting opposition to offshore drilling, the decision to push forward with unnecessary seismic testing violates the law, let alone common sense,” said Charleston-based attorney Catherine Wannamaker, with the Southern Environmental Law Center.

“An overwhelming number of communities, businesses and elected officials have made it clear that seismic blasting — a precursor to drilling that nobody wants — has no place off our coasts,” she said.

The 16 municipalities are Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, Edisto Island, Seabrook Island, Kiawah Island, James Island, Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Port Royal, Awendaw, Pawleys Island, Briarcliffe Acres and North Myrtle Beach. Also part of the litigation is the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce.

The South Carolina Environmental Law Project sued on their behalf.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

Recreational Closure for Red Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on December 12, 2018

December 10, 2018 —The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Recreational Closure for Red Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on December 12, 2018

WHAT/WHEN:

The recreational harvest of red grouper in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, December 12, 2018.
Recreational harvest will open at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on May 1, 2019.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2018 recreational catch limit is 77,840 pounds whole weight.
Recreational landings have exceeded the recreational catch limit; therefore, recreational harvest must close.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limits of red grouper in or from federal waters are zero.

The prohibition on harvest or possession of red grouper applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

US fishing interests concerned over seismic air gun blasting in Atlantic Ocean

December 10, 2018 — A decision by NOAA Fisheries to issue five permits for seismic air gun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean has drawn sharp criticism from business and environmental leaders who fear the blasts could be harmful for fish and other marine wildlife.

The blasting will be used to conduct surveys that will provide data to oil and gas industry businesses, who may then seek to conduct offshore drilling in federal waters between Cape May, New Jersey and Cape Canaveral, Florida. President Trump opened the door for such exploration in an executive order last year.

“The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has responsibility for permitting geophysical surveys, and makes decisions about energy development in the waters of the outer continental shelf,” NOAA Fisheries said in a press release.

Observers will be aboard survey vessels and will notify operators if a protected species comes near the air guns. Shutdowns will be mandatory when certain species are seen.

However, opponents to the plan fear the blasts, which they claim can impact marine life thousands of miles away, will still be detrimental to marine life and those whose livelihoods depends on fishing. The Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast said it represents 42,000 business and 500,000 fishing families along the Atlantic coast.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

December South Atlantic Council Meeting Summary

December 10, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council held their December meeting in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Below are highlights from the Council’s week-long meeting. Additional information from the meeting is available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/ including a Meeting Report, Story Map, final committee reports, public comments, and briefing book materials.

Approved for Secretarial Review

Vision Blueprint Regulatory Amendment 26

After considering public comment and much discussion, the Council approved Regulatory Amendment 26 for review by the Secretary of Commerce. However, the Council chose not to take action on measures within the amendment that would have established a deepwater species aggregate (snowy grouper, misty grouper, yellowedge grouper, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, and wreckfish) and specified seasons and bag limits for the species within the aggregate. Council members noted that establishing two seasons, one proposed for January and February and the other May through August and modifying bag limits could unfairly impact fishermen in the region. The Council discussed seasonal differences in the fishery for deepwater species in Florida and North Carolina, especially for recreational fishermen targeting blueline tilefish and golden tilefish, and chose not to take action. As a result of the discussion, the Council decided to explore options for allocations of the species in the proposed deepwater species aggregate during its June 2019 meeting.

The following actions were approved as part of Regulatory Amendment 26:

Change the recreational minimum size limit of gray triggerfish from 14 inches to 12 inches (fork length) in federal waters off the east coast of Florida to maintain consistency with state regulations currently in place;
Modify the current 20-fish aggregate bag limit in place (for species without individual bag limits) to specify that no more than 10 fish can be of any one species within the 20-fish aggregate; and
Remove recreational minimum size limits for queen snapper, silk snapper, and blackfin snapper, currently set at 12 inches total length.
The regulatory amendment was developed as part of the Council’s 2017-2020 Vision Blueprint for the Snapper Grouper Fishery. NOAA Fisheries will solicit additional public input on the amendment during the Secretarial review process. Regulatory actions in the amendment will be implemented following the review process in 2019, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

Other Items:

Yellowtail Snapper – Regulatory Amendment 32

Council members voted to postpone consideration of Regulatory Amendment 32 that would revise accountability measures for yellowtail snapper with the intent to alleviate socio-economic impacts of in-season closures in the fishery. After considering recommendations from the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and public comment, the Council will delay further development of measures until a benchmark stock assessment for yellowtail snapper is completed in 2020.

Red Grouper – Regulatory Amendment 30
The Council delayed final action on Regulatory Amendment 30 addressing red grouper stock rebuilding, modifications to spawning season closures off the Carolinas, and establishment of a commercial trip limit for red grouper. Council members cited concerns about the need to consider new recreational fishing effort estimates from the Marine Recreational Information Program and the need to have input from its Scientific and Statistical Committee. The amendment will be considered again during the Council’s March 2019 meeting.

Citizen Science Program
The Council reviewed and adopted the Program’s Standard Operating Policies and Procedures that will guide the operation of the Program moving forward. The Program has two citizen science projects in development that fishermen will be able to get involved with in 2019. The first project will focus on collecting data on the lengths of scamp discards using a mobile application called, Release. The app will be available on both Android and iOs platforms and will be available in the Google Play Store and App Store in January 2019. The second project called FISHstory will use crowdsourcing to analyze historic photos from a Florida headboat fleet in the 1940s-70s to document species and length composition. For more information on the projects and getting involved, contact Program Manager Amber Von Harten.

Dolphin Wahoo
The Dolphin Wahoo Committee discussed a request from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to consider managing frigate mackerel and bullet mackerel as ecosystem components in the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP), acknowledging their role as prey species for both dolphin and wahoo. Discussions will continue during the March 2019 meeting. The Committee also identified potential additional items to include in Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP, including: allowing bag-limit sales of dolphin by dually permitted for-hire and commercial permit holders; revising annual catch limits and sector allocations for dolphin and wahoo to accommodate new MRIP data; consider modifying recreational vessel limits for dolphin; and modifying gear, bait, and training requirements in the commercial longline fishery to align with HMS requirements. Development of the amendment will continue throughout 2019 with opportunities for public comment.

Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management
The Committee received an update on collaborative efforts with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and New England Fishery Management Council to address the movement of species northward with changing oceanographic and environmental conditions. The Committee will continue to review landings data and discuss priorities and timing for addressing species movements at its March 2019 meeting with representatives of the Mid-Atlantic and New England Councils. The Committee also received presentations on renewable energy activities including the proposed Kitty Hawk Wind Development Project, a system of offshore wind generators proposed approximately 27 miles off the coast of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Presentations are available as part of the briefing book materials at: http://safmc.net/briefing-books/briefing-book-2018-december-council-meeting/.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for March 4-8, 2019 in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Briefing book materials will be available from the Council’s website two weeks prior to the meeting at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

FLORIDA: Where did all the lobsters and stone crabs go? How the fishing industry is bouncing back

December 7, 2018 — The red tide algae bloom plaguing Southwest Florida hasn’t hit the Florida Keys. And Hurricane Irma happened more than a year ago.

But they’re both affecting the island chain’s commercial fishing industry.

That’s a crucial impact because the industry is the second-largest stand-alone economic generator in the Keys next to tourism. Fishing is estimated by the Florida Keys Commercial Fishing Association to bring in about $900 million a year to the Monroe County economy. That includes transactions such as fuel sales, dockage fees, and boat and engine repairs.

Read the full story at The Miami Herald

While still rebuilding, red snapper fishermen are seeing good returns

December 5, 2018 — “It’s been another productive year for sure,” said Buddy Guindon, a fisherman and owner of Katie’s Seafood in Galveston, Texas.

Although technically still in a “rebuilding” status, the gulf red snapper population has come a long way since stock lows in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“We’re seeing more and more snapper in the eastern gulf, more than in the past 15 years,” said Jason DeLaCruz, a fisherman and owner of Wild Seafood Co. in Madeira Beach, Fla. “Our catches are doing a flip. They used to be so grouper-heavy and now they’re snapper-heavy,” he said.

For at least the past several years, gulf vessels on both coasts have brought to dock nearly 100 percent of quota.

According to numbers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the average ex-vessel price for red snapper in 2018 in the state was $3.94.

But both Guindon on the west Gulf Coast and DeLaCruz on the east say red snapper in their area has fetched $5 or more a pound for several years.

“I think we got up to an ex-vessel price of about $5 a pound about four or five years ago, and since then it has crept up to anywhere from $5.20 to $6,” said Guindon.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

New Federal Regulations for Golden Tilefish in the South Atlantic Region

December 5, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule which revises the catch limits for golden tilefish. The final rule reduces golden tilefish catch limits based on the most recent population assessment. The purpose of the final rule is to end overfishing (rate of removal is too high) of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

The final rule is effective on January 4, 2019.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

The final rule establishes a total catch limit at 342,000 pounds gutted weight (lbs gw).
This final rule specifies the commercial and recreational catch limits and component commercial quotas using the existing allocations.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER:
83 FR 62508, published December 4, 2018.

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

(NOTE: See the complete Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries for a list of Frequently Asked Questions and additional information.)

Opponents Say Seismic Tests Could Lead To Atlantic Oil Drilling, Harming Right Whales

December 3, 2018 — The Trump administration has approved a first step toward offshore oil and gas drilling on the Atlantic coast.

The National Marine Fisheries Service issued permits Friday for five private companies to conduct offshore seismic tests from New Jersey to Florida.

The tests fire acoustic pulses into the sea floor in search of oil and gas deposits.

Such tests haven’t occurred in the Atlantic as part of hydrocarbon exploration since around the 1980s, according to federal officials, though academic seismic tests have happened more recently.

These permits, which were denied under the Obama administration in 2017, will allow the companies to disturb protected marine mammals during their surveys.

Read the full story at New England Public Radio

South Atlantic Fisheries Council meets this week in Kitty Hawk

December 3, 2018 — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk this Monday afternoon through Friday.

The council, headquartered in Charleston, S.C., is responsible for managing fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and east Florida to Key West.

On Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., a training session will be held for charter boat captains for a catch reporting system for the snapper, grouper, dolphin, wahoo and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about upcoming electronic reporting requirements for federal permit holders and to practice using available electronic reporting tools.

Read the full story at The Outer Banks Voice

Reminder: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting December 3-7, 2018

November 30, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina next week to address federal fishery management measures affecting offshore fisheries including snapper grouper, dolphin, wahoo, habitat protection and ecosystem-based management, and the Council’s Citizen Science Program. The Council will also host a For-Hire Electronic Reporting Training Sessions (see below for details). The meetings are open to the public unless otherwise specified, and public comment is now being accepted on agenda items.

Agendas, Overviews, and Briefing Materials:
The agenda for the week-long meeting, as well as individual committee agendas and helpful overviews, are available from the Council meeting website. Documents, summaries, presentations, and other briefing materials for the meeting are also available.

Attend the Meeting via Webinar:
The meeting may be accessed via webinar each day as it occurs. Registration for each day is required. Register now via the links below and receive email reminders for the upcoming sessions. (Note: The Council’s Personnel Committee is meeting in Closed Session on Monday and the meeting will not be available via webinar.)
– Tuesday, December 4 8:30 am – 5 pm
– Wednesday, December 5 8:30 am – 6 pm
– Thursday, December 6 8:30 am – 5 pm
– Friday, December 7 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Public Comment:
Comments on agenda items may be submitted using the online comment form. The form allows Council members immediate access to all comments and gives others the opportunity to read comments as they are posted. The Council will also solicit in-person public comment during the meeting beginning at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

Agenda Highlights:
Final Approval: The Council is scheduled to approve two amendments for review by the Secretary of Commerce during the meeting: Snapper Grouper Visioning Regulatory Amendment 26 (recreational measures as outlined in the Council’s Vision Blueprint for the Snapper Grouper Fishery); and Snapper Grouper Amendment 32 (Accountability Measures for Yellowtail Snapper).

Additional agenda highlights are available online. Access all of the meeting information, submit comments, and listen live as the meeting occurs.

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