December 17, 2003 CONTACT: Kim Iverson
Public Information Officer
(843) 571-4366
Council Begins Review of Management Options for Species in Snapper/Grouper Complex
Amendment 13B Options Considered
Fishermen came to the table to express their opinions last week as the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council took another step in the process to develop a plan amendment to address overfishing for some species found in the snapper/grouper management complex. Members of the Council’s Snapper/Grouper Advisory Panel, comprised of commercial, charter, and recreational fishermen as well as an environmental representative, met early in the week to provide input on Amendment 13B to the Council’s Snapper/Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP). There are 73 species found in the snapper/grouper management complex, more commonly known as “reef fish”. Amendment 13B could implement severe restrictions on the harvest of some of these species in order to meet mandates outlined by Congress to address overfishing. Management options considered in the document during the meeting included changes to aggregate bag limits, spawning season closures, and trip limits.
Management measures have been in place for some species, such as vermilion snapper and Nassau grouper, since the Council developed its original Snapper/Grouper FMP in 1983. Subsequent amendments to the FMP have been added for further protection. While these measures have worked to prevent overfishing for some species, the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 requires that all stocks in the management unit be rebuilt to healthy levels (if they are overfished), even those species for which little or no data exists. In an effort to help address the lack of data, Amendment 13B includes proposed species groupings, with a single indicator fish species for each group. These groups consist of species that are usually targeted collectively due to similar habitats, life histories and/or depth preferences. Indicator species are those for which at least some data exists.
Considering the snapper/grouper species groupings and data for the indicator species, members of the Advisory Panel provided first-hand observations regarding stock status and their opinions of the possible impacts of the proposed range of management options being considered. “I don’t mind cutting back a little bit, and we have been cut back – I just don’t want to be cut out,” stated Advisory Panel member Jimmy Harker, a head boat operator with 43 years of experience from Morehead City, N.C. The Advisory Panel also provided additional management options for consideration, including the possible use of Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) in the commercial fishery and creating separate management areas based on geographic regions.
Input from the Snapper/Grouper Advisory Panel was considered during a joint meeting with the Snapper/Grouper Committee and recommendations for preferred alternatives to Amendment 13B were presented to the Council for approval during the week-long meeting. The Council will continue to work on the development of Amendment 13B and public hearings will be held in late 2004.
Informational Public Hearings on Marine Protected Areas
In other actions, the Council agreed to move forward with informational public hearings to gather input regarding the social and economic impacts associated with proposed marine protected area (MPA) candidate sites. These nine candidate sites are being considered as a management option for Amendment 14 to the Snapper/Grouper FMP. The Amendment is designed to protect deepwater species found in the snapper/grouper management complex such as snowy grouper and golden tilefish. The informational hearings for MPAs are scheduled to begin in late January 2004. A final round of hearings regarding Amendment 14 will be held in early 2005.
Other Actions
The Council also addressed options for draft Amendment 6 to its Shrimp FMP addressing bycatch requirements, incidental turtle mortality, and possible permit requirements. Other issues addressed at the meeting included a review of options for king and Spanish mackerel to address the current permit moratorium and fishing year considerations. The Council also expressed its support for North Carolina’s efforts to develop a consistent winter bluefin tuna fishery for the south Atlantic as recommended during a meeting of its Highly Migratory Species Committee. The Council approved a motion to support Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary’s draft FMP and Environmental Impact Statement with a stipulation to re-examine the 3-hook regulation included in the plan.
For additional information please contact the Council office.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, one of eight regional councils, conserves and manages fish stocks from three to 200 miles offshore of North and South Carolina, Georgia and east Florida.