Saving Seafood

SCDNR Officer Hering Recognized as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

October 9, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Law enforcement personnel have been working tirelessly along coastal Carolina as the floodwaters from Hurricane Florence continue to invade homes and property. Officer Randy Hering with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ Law Enforcement Division knows this all to well as he and his fellow officers have worked around the clock conducting rescues, patrolling flooded areas, and assisting state and federal agencies to secure threatened areas along the Pee Dee River basin in Horry and Georgetown Counties.

Officer Hering was given a brief reprieve from working the flooded area as he received the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award during the Council’s meeting this week in Charleston, SC. The award, established by the Council in 2010, recognizes distinctive service, professionalism, and dedication to enforcing fisheries regulations in the South Atlantic. Nominees for the annual award may be submitted from each of the southeastern state law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and NOAA Fisheries.

“This year’s award is especially timely,” said Council Chair Jessica McCawley. “It is truly an honor to present this award to Officer Hering during our meeting here in South Carolina, and to have the opportunity to reflect on the work and dedication of enforcement personnel throughout the region during times of natural disasters.”

In addition to his willingness to work long hours when needed, Officer Hering is known for his positive working relationship with the commercial fishing industry and knowledge of federal fishing regulations. He works closely with federal enforcement efforts through the Joint Enforcement Agreement and has assisted in joint investigations resulting in 11 Federal Fisheries cases. One such case involved Officer Hering working a commercial offload in Georgetown, SC where he discovered the fisherman was over his legal limit of Cobia and operating without a commercial license, resulting in $3243.00 of product being seized. Other cases have involved illegal possession of undersized sharks, possession of grouper during the spawning season closure, and a dockside patrol that resulted in a federal charge for an undersize blue marlin and failure to possess a recreational permit for Highly Migratory Species.

“Officer Hering shows compassion and understanding while enforcing fisheries regulations,” said Kevin Mitchell, Field Officer with NOAA Fisheries Enforcement. “He has developed a rapport with fishermen in the area, is extremely knowledgeable about federal fisheries regulations, and is proficient at enforcing these regulations.” Mitchell noted Officer Hering’s willingness to go the extra mile in working cases, often driving long hours to assist when needed, and collecting evidence such as fish fillets for DNA testing for successful prosecution.

In his four years as a conservation officer, Hering has become the “go to guy” for questions regarding federal regulations for both commercial and recreational fisheries and is known for sharing his knowledge with other officers. “Randy has been instrumental in the last year with training of new officers in all aspects of federal fisheries enforcement including navigating offshore, boarding shrimp trawlers, and fish identification,” explained Sgt. Ryan Williams with SCDNR Law Enforcement.

“Randy Hering is an outstanding officer and very deserving of recognition. He is quick to learn and always willing to go the extra mile,” said Captain Henry Stackhouse with SDCNR Law Enforcement and in attendance at the Law Enforcement of the Year presentation. “It is a joy to have an officer this young acknowledged for his work and we are honored on behalf of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division to be here today.”

“I love my job and enjoy working the various aspects of being a law enforcement officer with SCDNR,” said Officer Hering after receiving the award. “This award means more to me than I can put into words, but I couldn’t do my job without the help and guidance of my fellow officers. We all share in this honor.”

Officer Hering lives in Georgetown, SC with his wife Taylor, daughter Harper, another baby on the way, and two Golden Retrievers – Dillon and Dayne.

SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting – October 15-17, 2018

October 4, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee October 15-17, 2018 in Charleston, SC. The SSC assists the Council in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of information relevant to fishery management plans and amendments. The meetings are open to the public and may also be access remotely via webinar.

Meeting Dates: October 15-17, 2018

Meeting Location:
Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29401

Agenda Highlights

  • Review of changes to the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data
  • Review of stock assessment revisions using the newly calibrated MRIP numbers for Blueline Tilefish, Black Sea Bass, Red Grouper, and Vermilion Snapper
  • Review of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission’s Red Snapper Gear Selectivity Study

Additional Information:

Following Florence: Carolina fishing families assess damages, prepare for fall fishing

October 3, 2018 — “We may be bruised, but we are not broken.”

These words were posted on Facebook by staff at R.E. Mayo Seafood shortly after Hurricane Florence pounded coastal North Carolina. Owned by Birdie and Carroll Potter, the business is located on the Intracoastal Waterway in Hobucken, N.C., and has long been known as the hub for locally caught fish, crabs, scallops and shrimp.

A bit further down the coast in Oriental, Endurance Seafood took a devastating hit, putting the company out of business.

“We are wiped out. No dock, no cooler, no freezer, no ice – Florence took it all. This storm was bad, it actually beat my walk-in cooler and freezer into pieces,” said owner Keith Bruno. Despite the destruction, he is optimistic.

“The important part is we are all safe,” said Bruno. “The rest — not so good.”

“You’ve got to move forward, you’ve got to keep going… because that’s what we do. We every once in a while have to pay a price to live so close to beauty. There is no doubt we’ll be back and stronger than ever. We will live up to our name and then some.”

Pamlico County fishermen were hit the hardest, according to Glenn Skinner, executive director of the North Carolina Fisheries Association.

“Some fish packing operations in Oriental and Vandemere were completely destroyed. It’s going to be a real hard winter for the industry,” said Skinner.

“We are kind of like farmers, we have a fall crop,” he explained. “The fall fisheries are big. We use that money and put it away for the winter time. The fisheries are going to be gone after this strong blow for several days. It will be next spring before we can make that up.”

Jerry Schill, government affairs liaison for NCFA, says these types of storms have a big impact on the mental health of fishermen and other working class North Carolinians.

“If these guys don’t catch anything, they get nothing. It doesn’t matter how hard they work. That’s a lot of stress on a family,” said Schill.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

IMPORTANT: NC & GA/SC Revised Cobia PID Hearing Dates

September 17, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

North Carolina’s Public Hearing on Atlantic Cobia PID, which was scheduled for September 18th at 6 PM in Manteo, has been rescheduled for September 26th at 6 PM at the same location (Dare County Commissioners Office, 954 Marshall Collins Drive, Room 168, Manteo, NC). The Georgia/South Carolina Public Hearing on Atlantic Cobia PID, which was scheduled for September 12th at 6 PM, will be held on September 24th at 6 PM at the same location (National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, 175 Bourne Avenue, Pooler, GA).

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

NOAA to (briefly) reopen recreational red snapper fishing next month

July 27, 2018 –Recreational and commercial fishers will be able to catch red snapper off the South Carolina coast in limited amounts next month.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will allow South Atlantic anglers to keep their catch during the second and third weekends of August. The agency’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published the new regulation in the Federal Register on Thursday. Commercial fishing will be allowed starting Thursday.

Harvesting red snapper from the South Atlantic was prohibited in 2010 as NOAA worked to restore a population it said was depleted by overfishing. The agency allowed limited catches from 2012-2014, but halted the harvest as the resulting catch exceeded what it considered “acceptable.”

“It’s obvious from looking out in the field, that the stock is rebuilding,” South Carolina Office of Fisheries Management director Mel Bell said. “The stock’s rebuilding, but it’s just taking time.”

Read the full story at the South Carolina Radio Network

Looking for local red snapper? South Carolina limited fishing season will open soon

July 24, 2018 — A limited season for red snapper will open July 26 for recreational and commercial fishing in the South Atlantic Region, which includes South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council announced Monday in a release that scientific research showed an increase in the red snapper population since 2010. It states NOAA Fisheries determined limited harvest beginning in 2018 is not expected to result in overfishing, nor prevent a continued rebuilding of the population.

Recreational fishing will open for harvest on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It will run from July 26 to August 20.

Read the full story at The Island Packet

Feds could pull back on South Carolina offshore fishing rules

July 23, 2018 — Offshore fish stocks could soon be governed by better science or ravaged by loopholes in new rules, depending on which side you ask.

A contested bill to reorganize offshore fishing regulation is now in the U.S. Senate after passing the House of Representatives in a split vote. It pushes alternatives to the daily catch and season limits to restore game species.

Off South Carolina’s coast, it could dramatically change how much stock is caught of popular game and commercial fish such as snapper and grouper.

For example, under the proposed rules, any fishing restriction to rebuild the stock would be based partly on how quickly the fish reproduce, not on the standard 10-year timetable, and would have to take consumer concerns into account.

Fishing for nearly every sought-after offshore species is under a series of timetable restrictions because research indicates overfishing. Anglers have long argued their catches suggest more fish of nearly every regulated species are out there than current surveying suggests.

Federal regulators have conceded that and are working to improve the counts.

The proposed rules, a rework of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, would give anglers and regulators more line.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

Reminder: Review Continues for Red Snapper Opening in the South Atlantic for 2018

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

Fishermen are reminded that harvest and/or possession of red snapper is prohibited in federal waters off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. The fishery remains closed as NOAA Fisheries and the Secretary of Commerce continue final review of Amendment 43 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic Region. A Fishery Bulletin regarding approval is expected from NOAA Fisheries and the Secretary within the next two weeks. Given the timeline for the review process, it is likely that, IF the amendment is approved, a red snapper season would begin in August 2018.

The amendment specifies a total annual catch limit (ACL) for red snapper of 42,510 fish, with 29,656 fish allocated to the recreational sector. The bag limit for red snapper would be 1 fish per person/day with no minimum size limit. The recreational season would be weekends only (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The number of weekend openings for the recreational fishery would be determined by NOAA Fisheries and announced in advance. The commercial fishery would open with a 75-pound trip limit (gutted weight) with no minimum size limit, and close when the commercial ACL is met or projected to be met. The Council approved Amendment 43 for Secretarial review in September 2017. A benchmark stock assessment for red snapper will be conducted in 2020.

Sign up for E-News from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s website at www.safmc.net and receive Fishery Bulletins from NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/index.html.

Lionfish trapping may one day help South Carolina against ocean predator

July 6, 2018 — A garden full of poisonous, stinging lionfish — that’s what one diver said he found on the bottom offshore South Carolina.

The predators are taking over by the thousands, killing off snappers, groupers and other valued fish catches.

Traps to cut their numbers were first proposed three years ago. Now, literally billions of laid lionfish eggs later, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is about to give the go-ahead on a permit to set out 100 cages to study whether the traps can put a dent in their numbers.

None of the traps will be off South Carolina, where the original proposal called for some. But the study is at least a first step to maybe slowing down a fish that veteran Florida Keys trap fisherman Bill Kelly calls “the most aggressive invasive species that we’ll see in my lifetime.”

The lionfish is a seductively beautiful scorpion fish. It’s so colorfully camouflaged that it blends almost invisibly into the coral, like a rattlesnake blends into brush.

Read the full story at the Post and Courier