The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council just released information on Public Hearings coming up on black sea bass, red grouper and wreckfish fisheries. The closest hearing will be on November 16th in Cape Canaveral at the Radisson Resort at the Port. Please see the press release below for more information.
Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council will hold a series of seven public hearings beginning November
14, 2011 to solicit public input on management measures impacting
federal fisheries for black sea bass, red grouper, and wreckfish.
Amendments are being developed to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management
Plan in order to: address overcapacity in the commercial black sea bass
pot fishery and reduce the rate of harvest for both commercial and
recreational sectors; end overfishing and rebuild the red grouper stock;
and address the current Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) program for
wreckfish.
Black Sea Bass Restrictions: Amendment 18A
Annual Catch Limits (in numbers of pounds) have been
established by the Council for black sea bass as mandated in the
Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act to end overfishing and
help rebuild the stock. Increased restrictions on the harvest of other
species in the snapper grouper complex have led to an increase in
fishing effort for black sea bass. As a result, the catch limits have
been reached earlier by both commercial and recreational fishermen,
resulting in closures. The fishing year for black sea bass begins June
1st. For the 2011/2012 fishing season, the commercial fishery met its
ACL in just 45 days and the fishery was closed. After NOAA Fisheries
Service accounted for overages in landings by the recreational sector
for the 2010/2011 season, it was announced the recreational fishery had
met its adjusted ACL of 341,747 pounds for this fishing year. The
recreational black sea bass fishery will close on October 17, 2011 and
reopen June 1, 2012. Amendment 18A is being developed to limit the
commercial black sea bass pot fishery and reduce harvest rates for both
commercial and recreational sectors. A new stock assessment for black
sea bass is currently underway. The Council will receive the results of
the assessment during its December 5-9, 2011 meeting in Raleigh, NC.
Measures Included in Amendment 18A:
• For the commercial black sea bass pot fishery: limit
participation through an endorsement program, limit the number of pots
used during a permit year, and other measures to limit harvest and
reduce bycatch
• Establish commercial trip limits (all gear types)
• Increase size limits (commercial and recreational)
• Establish a spawning season closure (for both commercial and recreational sectors)
• Modify the current rebuilding strategy to allow for an increase in the
Annual Catch Limit as the stock continues to rebuild, based on the
results of the most recent stock assessment.
• Improve commercial and for-hire data reporting requirements
Ending Overfishing and Rebuilding Red Grouper: Amendment 24
A stock assessment conducted in 2010 identified the red
grouper stock in the South Atlantic region as overfished and undergoing
overfishing. Amendment 24 will set Annual Catch Limits and
Accountability Measures, establish a rebuilding plan, and revise certain
population parameters for red grouper to end overfishing and rebuild
the stock. The amendment also establishes allocations between
recreational and commercial sectors.
Wreckfish ITQs: Amendment 20A
Wreckfish, a deepwater species in the snapper grouper management
complex, is currently harvested through an Individual Transferable Quota
(ITQ) program. With an anticipated reduction in the Annual Catch Limit
for wreckfish, the Council is considering measures to adjust the
distribution of wreckfish shares in order to remove inactive effort and
allow the commercial sector’s ACL to be harvested effectively.
Public hearings for the amendments will take place from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM unless otherwise noted. Note:
some hearings will be held on concurrent dates. Council staff will
provide an overview of each amendment and be on hand to answer
questions. Local Council representatives will take formal comments on
the public hearing documents any time between those hours. The Council is accepting written and email comments from October 21, 2011 until 5:00 p.m. on November 21, 2011.
Copies of the public hearing documents with details on how to submit
written comments will be posted on the Council’s web site at www.safmc.net and available by contacting the Council office at 843/571-4366 or Toll Free 866/SAFMC-10.
Public Hearing Schedule
Monday, November 14
Avista Resort
300 N. Ocean Boulevard
Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Phone: 843/249-2521
Monday, November 14
Hampton Inn Savannah/Midtown
20 Johnston Street
Savannah, GA 31405
Phone: 912/721-3700
Tuesday, November 15 (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
Charleston Marriott Hotel
170 Lockwood Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843/723-3000
Tuesday, November 15
Jacksonville Marriott
4670 Salisbury Road
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Phone: 904/296-2222
Wednesday, November 16
Radisson Resort at the Port
8701 Astronaut Blvd. meeting
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Phone: 321/784-0000
Thursday, November 17
Key Largo Bay Marriott
103800 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
Phone: 305/453-0000
*Tuesday, December 6
Holiday Inn Brownstone
1707 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27605
Phone: 919/828-0811
*Hearing in conjunction with the December 5-9, 2011 Council meeting. Begins at 5:30 PM
