Data Collection Improvements for Commercial and For-Hire (Charter) Fishermen Council members continued to develop management alternatives to improve the collection of data from both commercial and for-hire fishermen through the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 3. The amendment currently includes measures that increase the frequency of reporting by charter and headboat fishermen and provides for the use […]
Gag Grouper and Shallow Water Grouper Closure Anticipated With landings currently at 77.8% of the commercial ACL for gag grouper (352,940 pounds gutted weight), the commercial fishery could close before the end of the fishing year, triggering a closure of associated shallow water grouper (gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth […]
Yellowtail Snapper Emergency Rule Request An anticipated closure of the commercial yellowtail snapper fishery was delayed after reported landings were updated shortly before the beginning of last week’s Council meeting. An updated stock assessment, recently completed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, shows the stock is healthy and not undergoing overfishing or overfished. […]
Generic Seafood Dealer Amendment (Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic) The Council approved the Generic Dealer Amendment during last week’s meeting. Developed jointly with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the amendment will improve data collection efforts by increasing the number of species that require purchase through a federally licensed dealer, improving the timeliness […]
Amendment 9 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan The Council approved Amendment 9 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan for submission to the Secretary of Commerce. The amendment includes measures to improve the timeliness and ability to close federal waters to shrimp harvest concurrently with state waters at the state’s request when there is concern […]
Next Meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for December 3-7, 2012 in Wilmington, NC. Details for the meeting and meeting materials will be posted on the Council’s website at www.safmc.net as they become available. Next Meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery […]
Reappointment of SAFMC Chair and Vice-Chair The Council unanimously re-elected Council Chairman David Cupka and Council Vice-Chairman Ben Hartig, during its meeting last week. Chairman Cupka, an At-large representative from Charleston, SC was elected to an unprecedented third term as chairman. Vice-Chairman Hartig is a commercial fisherman from Hobe Sound, FL. Reappointment of SAFMC Chair […]
Secretary of Commerce Appoints Two New Committee Members to NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee; Reappoints Four Members (August 23, 2012) Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank has announced the appointment of two new advisors and the reappointment of four current members to NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee. The Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, or MAFAC, advises […]
NOAA Fisheries Requests Public Comments on a Proposed Rule to Allow Transfer of Black Sea Bass Pot Endorsements (Comment Period Ends September 25, 2012) NOAA Fisheries requests public comments on proposed regulations for a resubmitted action from Amendment 18A to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment […]
