Saving Seafood

Coronavirus halted some fish population research in SC. Now it’s ramping back up.

August 24, 2020 — Five months after social distancing began scuttling scientific field work around South Carolina, the marine researchers who watch over fish and other aquatic life have re-started monitoring efforts.

In a few cases, the gap in data could add uncertainty for years to come over decisions about when and how to allow certain fishing.

In March, the spread of COVID-19 prompted the S.C. Department of Natural Resources to pause its research vessel trips, including the inshore trawl of the Charleston Harbor that had run every month without interruption for four decades. The trawl drags a net along the harbor floor and researchers collect data on what comes up. Among other things, it allows state regulators to keep an eye on the shrimp population.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

SAFMC seeks applicants for advisory panels

July 14, 2020 — Local fishermen, commercial and recreational, as well as those with other connections to fishing and the marine environment have an opportunity to offer advice to interstate fishery managers.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats. The council is an interstate fishery management agency with jurisdiction in the federal waters off the Atlantic coast from the southeastern U.S., including North Carolina. The council’s advisory panels inform and guide the council in developing and implementing federal fishery management plans.

Applications must be received by Monday, Aug. 10 for consideration by the council during its Sept. 14-18 meeting currently scheduled for Charleston, S.C.

Instructions on how to apply and application forms for individual advisory panels are available online from the council’s website at safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/. For more information, contact SAFMC public information officer Kim Iverson by email at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net or call 843-571-4366.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

Joe Cunningham calls on NOAA to stop seismic airgun blasting permits off SC coast

June 29, 2020 — Representative Joe Cunningham sent a letter to Dr. Neil Jacobs, acting head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), regarding the agency’s recent decision to allow the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) “to proceed in processing seismic testing permits off South Carolina’s coast,” despite the state’s opposition.

Cunningham said that the ruling “highlights the Administration’s unwillingness to listen to the bipartisan majority of voices in our state that have made it clear seismic testing and offshore drilling is unwanted, unnecessary, and a threat to our way of life.”

Read the full story at WBTW

South Carolina officials expect healthy shrimp season for commercial trawlers in local waters

May 28, 2020 — As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, the commercial shrimp trawling season is open in all legal South Carolina waters, according to a press release from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

In the release, the SCDNR reported that this start date is in line with the average year and they expect there to be a healthy supply of roe white shrimp, which are typically plentiful in the spring shrimping season.

“Based on field sampling completed by SCDNR biologists earlier in the year, as well as reported landings of shrimp from federal waters and our provisional areas beginning in mid-April, our white shrimp abundance this year should be about average or slightly better in comparison to previous similar years,” said SCDNR Office of Fisheries Management director Mel Bell.

Read the full story at the Charleston City Paper

May 1st Triggers Opening of Shallow-Water Grouper and Other Species in the South Atlantic

April 29, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

If you are fortunate enough to be out on the water this spring, fishing can be a great way to ease stress while practicing social distancing and other safe measures to ensure public safety. Beginning May 1st, fishermen will have a few more species to target in South Atlantic federal waters (greater than 3 nautical miles off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida).

May 1st marks the beginning of the shallow-water grouper season, following the annual spawning season closure from January 1st through April 30th. The one exception is the Red Grouper season in federal waters off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina, which will open for harvest on June 1st.

Regulations also change for Greater Amberjack, Snowy Grouper, Hogfish and several other species.

Check out the latest blog for details.

High-tech advances in fishing gear threaten fish stocks off SC and worldwide

March 3, 2020 — Ultrasonic sensors that can follow a single fish along the seafloor, submersible cameras, satellites, big data tracking — put it all aboard a center console fishing boat with five engines that can cover 75 miles of sea in an hour.

The result: Any weekend warrior angler leaving Charleston with gear like that can return time after time to that same rock swarmed with snapper-grouper, then come back with coolers full of tasty seafood favorite fish that regulators are struggling to keep from being overfished.

Rapidly advancing technology is raking the ocean clean as conservationists and regulators plug in to keep up the chase.

“GPS navigation can put you within inches of a fishing spot, and with the advances in sonar and use of inexpensive submersible cameras, it’s possible to see, not just schools of fish, but individual fish in great detail,” said Tom Swatzel, director of the South Carolina-based Council for Sustainable Fishing, which represents both commercial and recreational fishing interests.

Nearly a half-million people have saltwater fishing licenses in South Carolina, and tens if not hundreds of thousands of them own boats capable of cruising out of sight of land. It’s been estimated more than a half-million trips are run offshore each year.

The numbers alone make it problematic to count how many fish get caught, much less enforce catch or season limits. Unlike commercial captains, recreational anglers don’t have to report their catches. A half-million coolers can carry off a lot of fish.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

NOAA Fisheries – FB20-002: Atlantic Spanish Mackerel Southern Zone Commercial Trip Limit Reduction to 500 Pounds on January 29, 2020

January 27, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone is reduced from 1,500 to 500 pounds, effective at 6:00 a.m., local time, on January 29, 2020.
  • The southern zone includes federal waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. The boundary for the southern zone is the North Carolina/South Carolina border and the Monroe/Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, border.

WHY THIS TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION IS HAPPENING:

  • When landings of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone reach or are projected to reach 100 percent of the adjusted commercial quota, the daily trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds.
  • The trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest to avoid exceeding the commercial quota.

AFTER THE TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION:

  • The 500 pound trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current fishing season on February 29, 2020, or when 100 percent of the commercial quota is reached or projected to be reached, whichever occurs first. If 100 percent of the quota is reached or projected to be reached, NOAA Fisheries will close the fishery.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=76c2b80788a139f1549b85d3764437b0&mc=true&n=pt50.12.622&r=PART&ty=HTML#sp50.12.622.q.

Trump administration sued over endangered Florida sea turtle protection from climate change

January 9, 2020 — Several environmental groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming agencies in the Trump administration have failed to protect green sea turtle habitat as required by the Endangered Species Act.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, says the turtles’ nesting beaches in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as their ocean habitat, face threats from sea level rise brought on by climate change and plastic pollution, according to a news release from the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the plaintiffs.

Other plaintiffs are the Sea Turtle Oversight Protection and the Turtle Island Restoration Network.

Read the full story at the Treasure Coast Newspaper

SAFMC Recruitment Announcement for Meeting Coordinator/Office Assistant

January 8, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, headquartered in North Charleston, South Carolina, is currently soliciting applicants for a Meeting Coordinator/Office Assistant. The person in the position will be responsible for all aspects of on-site support of various types of meetings, ranging from public hearings to Council meetings. Significant travel is required. Additional responsibilities include report submission, workflow tracking, and general office support.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to Key West. The Council is responsible for Coastal Migratory Pelagics from New York to Florida and for Dolphin/Wahoo from Maine to Florida.

Additional information including a list of Primary Duties and Responsibilities, Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications required, and how to apply for the position is available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/council-news/. Please note the closing date for the position is January 20, 2020. Questions should be addressed to Kelly Klasnick, Administrative Officer, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council at kelly.klasnick@safmc.net or by calling the Council office at 843/571-4366.

Reminder – The New Year Brings Changes to South Atlantic Federal Fishing Regulations

December 30, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Fishermen are reminded that several changes in federal fishing regulations occur beginning January 1st as we ring in 2020 – and a new fishing year for some species in the snapper grouper management complex. The South Atlantic regulation changes apply to federal waters ranging from 3 to 200 nautical miles offshore of NC, SC, GA, and the east coast of Florida.

For example, a spawning season closure for shallow-water grouper goes into place to help protect species such as gag grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, yellowmouth grouper, and others. The season will reopen May 1st. Some other snapper grouper species will open for harvest January 1st.

See the Regulations Summary (click the image) available from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council for changes effective January 1, 2020. To keep up with federal regulations and changes throughout the year (recreational and commercial), download the free FishRules mobile app.

Additional regulation information and other helpful resources are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/regulations/.