Saving Seafood

Reminder: SAFMC March 1-5, 2021 Meeting via Webinar

February 23, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Join members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council as they convene their quarterly meeting next week, March 1-5, 2021. The meeting will be held via webinar and is available to the public as it occurs. A single webinar registration will allow access to each day of the meeting. Register now to receive email reminders as the meeting date approaches. Additional materials and meeting details are available from the Council’s website.

Agenda Highlights

  • Amendment 10 to the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery Management Plan
    • The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will review recent public comments and continue to work on the amendment with actions to modify catch levels and sector allocations for both Dolphin and Wahoo, reduce recreational vessel limits for Dolphin and Wahoo, reduce bag limits for Wahoo and other measures affecting the fishery along the Atlantic coast.
  • Shrimp Fishery Access Area in the Oculina Habitat Area of Particular Concern (Coral Amendment 10) – a public hearing on proposed measures will be held during the public comment session (see below)
  • Snapper Grouper Committee will address:
    • Red Porgy – (Snapper Grouper Amendment 50) – management measures to end overfishing and rebuild the stock
    • Greater Amberjack – (Snapper Grouper Amendment 49) – options to adjust catch levels and sector allocations
    • Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Program – proposed changes to modernize the existing program. Public scoping will be held during the public comment session (see below)
  • King Mackerel – options to adjust catch levels and sector allocations. Public scoping will be held during the public comment session (see below).

The meeting begins Monday afternoon, March 1, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. with a meeting of the Full Council. Meetings of the Council’s committees will continue through the week, concluding with a meeting of the Full Council on Friday, March 5th.

Public Comment Session – Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.

The Council will accept public comment on agenda items during this time. In addition, public hearing comments specific to Coral Amendment 10 (Shrimp Fishery Access Areas) and scoping comments for the Wreckfish ITQ Program and proposed management options for King Mackerel will also be solicited. A separate registration is required to provide public comment.

All meeting materials, the online comment form, and webinar registration information is available by selecting the appropriate tab from the March 2021 Council meeting page at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

SAFMC Meeting Scheduled via Webinar for March 1-5 , 2021

February 4, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meet March 1-5, 2021 via webinar. During the week-long meeting Council members will discuss federal management measures affecting:

  • Dolphin and Wahoo (along the entire Atlantic coast)
  • Greater Amberjack
  • Red Porgy
  • King Mackerel
  • Wreckfish

The meeting agenda also includes continued review of a proposed Shrimp Fishery Access Area in the Oculina Habitat Area of Particular Concern (Coral Amendment 10) and an update on the Council’s Habitat and Ecosystem Blueprint development.

The meeting begins Monday afternoon, March 1, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. with a meeting of the Full Council. Meetings of the Council’s committees will continue through the week, concluding with a meeting of the Full Council on Friday, March 5th.

Public Comment Session – Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.
The Council will accept public comment on agenda items during this time. In addition, public hearing comments specific to Coral Amendment 10 (Shrimp Fishery Access Areas) and scoping comments for the Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Program and proposed management options for King Mackerel will also be solicited.

Unless otherwise indicated, the meeting is open to the public via webinar. Registration is required. Register now and receive reminders as the meeting date approaches. Meeting materials and the public comment form will be posted to the Council’s website two weeks prior to the meeting at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

SAFMC: January 1, 2018 brings changes to federal fishing regulations in the South Atlantic!

December 21, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council reminds commercial and recreational fishermen about several fishery openings and closures in federal waters of the South Atlantic effective January 1, 2018. Below is a summary of the changes to regulations on January 1, 2018. Other regulatory openings and closures not listed here will occur later in the year. For detailed regulatory information including trip limits, size limits, and bag limits, please visit the Regulations & Fish ID page of the Council’s website.

Commercial Openings:

The following species REOPEN* to harvest on January 1, 2018:

• Golden tilefish • Gray triggerfish • Blueline tilefish • Jacks complex (includes almaco jack, banded rudderfish, and lesser amberjack) • Snowy grouper • Vermilion snapper • Hogfish (FL and FL Keys) • Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia (GA-NY)

Commercial Closures:

The following species are CLOSED to harvest effective January 1 through April 30, 2018. These fisheries will reopen May 1, 2018:

• Shallow water grouper, spawning season closure (includes gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney) • Red porgy

Recreational Openings:

The following species REOPEN* to harvest on January 1, 2018:

• Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia (GA-NY)

Recreational Closures:

The following species are CLOSED to harvest effective January 1 through April 30, 2018. These fisheries will reopen May 1, 2018:

• Shallow water grouper, spawning season closure (includes gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney) • Snowy grouper • Blueline tilefish

Additionally, harvest of wreckfish is CLOSED January 1 through June 30, 2018 and will reopen July 1, 2018.

Read the full release from the SAFMC here.

 

NOAA Fisheries Announces New Regulations for Snapper-Grouper and Golden Crab in the South Atlantic, and Dolphin and Wahoo in the Atlantic Region

January 25, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

The final rule for the Generic Accountability Measures and Dolphin Allocation Amendment including: Amendment 34 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Golden Crab of the South Atlantic Region, and Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic published in the Federal Registrar on January 22, 2016 (81 FR 3731). Regulations will be effective on February 22, 2016.

The final rule:

Revises commercial and recreational sector allocations, and annual catch limits for dolphin in the South Atlantic. The commercial sector allocation for dolphin will increase from 7.54% to 10%, and the commercial annual catch limit will increase from 1,157,001 to 1,534,485 pounds whole weight. The recreational sector allocation for dolphin will change from 92.46% to 90%, and the annual catch limit will change from 14,187,845 to 13,810,361 pounds whole weight.

Revises the accountability measures for black grouper, mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, greater amberjack, red porgy, gag, golden tilefish, red grouper, snowy grouper, gray triggerfish, hogfish, scamp, Atlantic spadefish, bar jack, the other snappers complex, the other jacks complex, the other shallow-water grouper complex, the other porgies complex; wreckfish (recreational), and golden crab (commercial).

Accountability measures are ways fishery managers prevent annual catch limits from being exceeded and to correct overages of the catch limits if they do occur. These measures can include in-season closures, and post-season paybacks, such as reducing the length of the next fishing season or reducing the annual catch limit in the next fishing season. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information on accountability measures for the commercial and recreational sectors.

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

For more information on the final rule for the Generic Accountability Measures and Dolphin Allocation Amendment, please follow this link to the Frequently Asked Questions.