Federal Fisheries Managers Hold Meetings of Public Interest
If you fish in federal waters more than three miles off the South Atlantic coast, chances are there is a meeting scheduled in the coming weeks regarding federal fisheries that is of interest to you. Please see the list below and mark your calendars. All meetings are open to the public and public comment is being solicited as noted below. Additional information, including meeting agendas and briefing book materials will be posted on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Web site at www.safmc.net as they become available.
Upcoming meetings include:
August 10-11 – SAFMC Law Enforcement Advisory Panel Meeting
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 2-day meeting of its Law Enforcement AP. Agenda items include discussion of compliance rates, updates on enforcement efforts relative to the 2010 closures for species in the snapper grouper management complex, and a presentation on new U.S. Coast Guard enforcement assets in the South Atlantic region. The AP will also discuss Surveillance and Enforcement of Remote Maritime Areas (SERMA) relative to the 8 existing deepwater Marine Protected Areas in the South Atlantic and the recently created deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs). The Coral HAPCs afford protection of deepwater corals encompassing more than 23,000 square miles off the southeast coast. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Charleston Airport, 5265 International Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29418.
August 16-17 – SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Meeting
The SSC is the body responsible for reviewing the regional fishery management council’s scientific materials as outlined in the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s SSC will meet in Charleston, SC to discuss control rules for setting Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) levels for species that do not currently have peer reviewed stock assessments and consider ABC recommendations for golden crab, coral, wreckfish, and sargassum. Meeting location: Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; Hotel phone (800) 334-6660.
August 18 – SAFMC Golden Crab Advisory Panel Meeting
The Council will hold a meeting of its Golden Crab AP to review a draft catch shares amendment to the Golden Crab Fishery Management Plan, review Annual Catch Limits and Overfishing Level values, and provide recommendations to the Council for consideration. The meeting will be held at the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council office, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; phone 843/571-4366 or Toll Free 866/SAFMC-10.
SEDAR 24: Stock Assessment for Red Snapper – Ongoing Workshops and Public Comment Period
The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment for red snapper in the South Atlantic region continues with webinars scheduled as part of the Assessment Workshop for August 13th and 24th, and September 9th and 21st. The SEDAR stock assessment process involves three workshops: 1) Data Workshop, 2) Assessment Workshop, and 3) a Review Workshop. The week-long Data Workshop for red snapper was held in May and the ongoing Assessment Workshop is being conducted through a series of webinars.
Public Comment Period: During the SEDAR Assessment Workshop process there will be a public comment period for the Draft Stock Assessment Report. Public comment will be accepted August 16 – September 6, 2010. The final two webinars for the Assessment Workshop, scheduled in September, will consider revisions or additions in response to comments received prior to the draft assessment being released to the independent review panel. The Review Workshop is scheduled for October 12-14, 2010 at the Hilton DeSoto, 15 East Liberty Street, Savannah, GA 31414. Persons interested in participating in the webinars or submitting public comment should contact Kari Fenske, SEDAR Coordinator at ka*********@sa***.net or call 843/571-4366. Additional information is available at www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar and on the Council’s Web site at www.safmc.net.
The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for
September 13-17, 2010 in Charleston, SC
Federal Fisheries Managers Hold Meetings of Public Interest
If you fish in federal waters more than three miles off the South Atlantic coast, chances are there is a meeting scheduled in the coming weeks regarding federal fisheries that is of interest to you. Please see the list below and mark your calendars. All meetings are open to the public and public comment is being solicited as noted below. Additional information, including meeting agendas and briefing book materials will be posted on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Web site at www.safmc.net as they become available.
Upcoming meetings include:
August 10-11 – SAFMC Law Enforcement Advisory Panel Meeting
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 2-day meeting of its Law Enforcement AP. Agenda items include discussion of compliance rates, updates on enforcement efforts relative to the 2010 closures for species in the snapper grouper management complex, and a presentation on new U.S. Coast Guard enforcement assets in the South Atlantic region. The AP will also discuss Surveillance and Enforcement of Remote Maritime Areas (SERMA) relative to the 8 existing deepwater Marine Protected Areas in the South Atlantic and the recently created deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs). The Coral HAPCs afford protection of deepwater corals encompassing more than 23,000 square miles off the southeast coast. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Charleston Airport, 5265 International Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29418.
August 16-17 – SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Meeting
The SSC is the body responsible for reviewing the regional fishery management council’s scientific materials as outlined in the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s SSC will meet in Charleston, SC to discuss control rules for setting Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) levels for species that do not currently have peer reviewed stock assessments and consider ABC recommendations for golden crab, coral, wreckfish, and sargassum. Meeting location: Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; Hotel phone (800) 334-6660.
August 18 – SAFMC Golden Crab Advisory Panel Meeting
The Council will hold a meeting of its Golden Crab AP to review a draft catch shares amendment to the Golden Crab Fishery Management Plan, review Annual Catch Limits and Overfishing Level values, and provide recommendations to the Council for consideration. The meeting will be held at the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council office, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; phone 843/571-4366 or Toll Free 866/SAFMC-10.
SEDAR 24: Stock Assessment for Red Snapper – Ongoing Workshops and Public Comment Period
The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment for red snapper in the South Atlantic region continues with webinars scheduled as part of the Assessment Workshop for August 13th and 24th, and September 9th and 21st. The SEDAR stock assessment process involves three workshops: 1) Data Workshop, 2) Assessment Workshop, and 3) a Review Workshop. The week-long Data Workshop for red snapper was held in May and the ongoing Assessment Workshop is being conducted through a series of webinars.
Public Comment Period: During the SEDAR Assessment Workshop process there will be a public comment period for the Draft Stock Assessment Report. Public comment will be accepted August 16 – September 6, 2010. The final two webinars for the Assessment Workshop, scheduled in September, will consider revisions or additions in response to comments received prior to the draft assessment being released to the independent review panel. The Review Workshop is scheduled for October 12-14, 2010 at the Hilton DeSoto, 15 East Liberty Street, Savannah, GA 31414. Persons interested in participating in the webinars or submitting public comment should contact Kari Fenske, SEDAR Coordinator at ka*********@sa***.net or call 843/571-4366. Additional information is available at www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar and on the Council’s Web site at www.safmc.net.
The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for
September 13-17, 2010 in Charleston, SC