SAFMC Meetings Scheduled

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled the following meetings:

July 20, 2011 – Law Enforcement Advisory Panel Meeting: Renaissance Orlando Hotel Airport, 5445 Forbes Place, Orlando, FL 32812

     The AP will provide recommendations on the Council’s Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment, Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 11 (addressing the current restrictions for harvest of some species in waters greater than 240’ in depth) and other issues.  Draft copies of the documents are available and posted as part of the briefing book materials (see link below).  The Council is scheduled to approve both the Comprehensive ACL Amendment and Snapper Grouper Amendment 11 for submission to the Secretary of Commerce during its August 9, 2011 meeting in Charleston, SC.

July 26, 2011 – Golden Crab Advisory Panel Meeting: Crowne Plaza Ft. Lauderdale Airport, 455 State Road 84, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

     The Golden Crab AP will review draft Amendment 6 to the Golden Crab Fishery Management Plan regarding alternatives for establishing a catch share program for the commercial fishery and provide recommendations for the Council’s consideration.

August 9, 2011 – SAFMC Meeting: Charleston Marriott Hotel, 170 Lockwood Blvd., Charleston, SC 29403

     The Council is scheduled to review and approve three amendments for review by the Secretary of Commerce:

Amendment 18 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan - establishes ACLs and accountability measures for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and cobia;

Comprehensive ACL Amendment – establishes ACLs and accountability measures for species not currently undergoing overfishing

Snapper Grouper Amendment 11 (240’ closure)

Note: Copies of the agendas and briefing book materials for the advisory panel meetings are available from the Council’s website at: http://www.safmc.net/Meetings/AdvisoryPanelandCommitteeMeetings/tabid/616/Default.aspx

The agenda for the Council’s August 9, 2011 meeting is currently available at:

http://www.safmc.net/Meetings/CouncilMeetings/tabid/400/Default.aspx

NOAA's Annual Report to Congress on the Status of US Fisheries

Picture from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries website

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service recently released the 14th Annual Report to Congress on the Status of US Fisheries. The report shows steady progress toward rebuilding the nation's fisheries. Scientists examined more stocks than ever before in this edition of the report. Each year since 1997, NOAA Fisheries Service reports to Congress the number of stocks that are and are not undergoing overfishing or being overfished. The findings are based on findings and results made throughout the reporting year and years prior. To view the full report visit http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2011/07/docs/report.pdf and to view a 4-page summary of the report visit http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2011/07/docs/handout.pdf. Also visit NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service website for more information.

Aquaculture and Our Shrinking Fish Population

There is an interesting article and blog that came out recently about aquaculture. It's becoming more and more important today with shrinking fish populations and the growing demand for fish around the world. Please check both of these articles out for a great read and some food for thought.

Time Magazine Article - The End of the Line

Ecocentric Blog - Can the US Close It's Seafood Trade Deficit?

SAFMC News: Fishery Managers Make Decisions Affecting Both S. Atlantic and GOM Fisheries

Members of both the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils recently met in Key West, FL to approve measures impacting species managed by both councils. They approved regulations for spiny lobster, king and Spanish mackerel and cobia. Below are the approved regulations:

The Councils approved Spiny Lobster Amendment 10 for submission to the Secretary of Commerce, establishing Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability Measures (AMs) as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Several changes were made during the joint committee meeting, based on input from the council’s Spiny Lobster Advisory Panels and testimony from the public received during public hearings held in April. Important changes include: increasing the Annual Catch Target to 6.6 million pounds (previously 6 million pounds); and delaying action on proposed closed areas for lobster trap fishing as well as new requirements to mark trap lines. Area closures and gear markings would help protect threatened Acropora corals and other protected resources. The protection measures, which are required by law for the lobster fishery, will be addressed in a later amendment. This will allow more time to work with the commercial industry and representatives from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in order to improve alternatives to better protect the corals.

The two councils moved forward with measures to establish ACLs and AMs for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia through Amendment 18 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan. For Atlantic Migratory Group king mackerel, the amendment would establish an ACL of 10.46 million pounds, with a commercial quota of 3.88 million pounds, up slightly from the current 3.71 million pounds. A recreational ACL of 6.58 million pounds was established, allowing current size and bag limits to remain in place. However, for Spanish mackerel the proposed ACL of 5.69 million pounds represents a decrease in the current total allowable catch of 7.04 million pounds. The South Atlantic Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will review the numbers for Spanish mackerel in July. The amendment would also set an ACL of 1,571,399 million pounds for cobia and establish an allocation of 92% recreational and 8% commercial. The current bag limit of two fish per person per day would remain the same. Final approval of the amendment for submission to the Secretary of Commerce is scheduled for August.

For more information visit http://www.safmc.net/.

Northwest FL Regional Boating and Waterways Workshop

Are you going to be in the Northwest region of Florida in August? Want to learn more about boating and waterways issues in the northern Gulf of Mexico? Are you a planner, manager, policy maker, marine and boating industry, navigation district, port authority, etc. member and work on boating and waterways issues? Then this is a great workshop for you to attend.

This is the 3rd in a series of workshops throughout the state discussing boating and waterways issues.These regional workshops are meant to examine innovative strategies to balance economic vitality with ecologically sound management practices along FL's waterways. For more information about this workshop visit Florida Sea Grant. Visit Charlotte County Sea Grant Extension for information about the Southwest FL Regional workshop held in September 2010 and visit Miami Dade County Sea Grant Extension for information about the Southeast FL Regional workshop held in March 2011.

Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference

The Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference is from October 3-5, 2011 at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, FL. Early registration deadline is August 8th and hotel reservation deadline is September 2nd. Visit http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/sehac/ for more information.

The Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference brings together more than 175 applicators, educators, and industry representatives to learn new techniques and refresh core competencies in aquatic and upland weed control.   This course focuses on invasive and exotic species affecting the Southeast and provides many networking opportunities so that participants may share field experiences and lessons learned.

The conference is generally divided into two types of sessions.  General sessions which cover CORE standards and concurrent sessions on Aquatics and Right-of-Ways & Natural Areas.  Participants have the flexibility to determine which sessions best help them reach their CEU credit quotas as credits are distributed after each session, rather than at the end of the conference.


You will benefit by attending this program if you:

•  Need CEUs for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, or South Carolina Applicator Licenses.
  
  
• Need Pesticide Applicator CEUs for categories such as:
      - Aquatic
      - Right-of-Way
      - Natural Areas
      - Forestry
      - Private
      - General Standards (CORE)    
  
  
• Conduct weed control in canals, lakes, water retention ponds, golf course ponds, rivers, parks, highway rights-of-ways, transmission lines.
  
  
• Are employed by a public agency or private company which is responsible for vegetation management along right-of- ways and in natural areas.
  
  
• Are an employee of a basic manufacturer or a distributor that markets aquatic or vegetation management herbicides.
  
  
• Use biological control techniques to suppress aquatic weed growth.
  
  
• Establish and maintain wetland mitigation areas.

Oyster Restoration Volunteers Needed

Ever wanted to help with an oyster restoration project? Well now's your chance. Here's a request from The Nature Conservancy, Brevard Zoo, and University of Central Florida for volunteers.

We still have a few openings for volunteers to help with oyster mat supply delivery, raking and deployment as follows:

·         June 20 - hours:  9 AM-2 PM
·         June 22 - hours:  9 AM-1 PM
·         June 23 - hours:  1-4PM

All days are subject to different activities, including reef prep, moving materials, raking dead margins, and laying mats.  This year is different as we do not have access to the amphibious excavator as we did in the past to rake down dead margins, so we are working as a team to do it all by hand. 

No one day is ever just raking dead margins though, so please feel free to sign up with confidence and know it will be a wonderful and productive day regardless of what you do!

If you are interested in helping, please contact Jody Palmer at JPalmer@BrevardZoo.org or 321.254.9453 ext. 265.

Latest Issue of the South Atlantic Update Newsletter Now Available

The latest issue of the South Atlantic Update newsletter from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.  In this issue:

·         Update on Regulatory Amendment 9 Affecting Black Sea Bass; Commercial Trip Limits

·         How Eye Sea It: An Ecosystem-Based Management Perspective

·         In the News: Deepwater Coral Research Underway; Catch Shares Tabled for Now

·         Council Receives National Award from NAEP

·         Mackerel and Spiny Lobster Management Issues to be Addressed in June

·         SAFMC Schedules Additional Meeting for August 9, 2011

·         Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment Scheduled for Approval

·         Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment Update

·         Recreational Regulations Summary for Snapper Grouper Species

·         Joint South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Council Meetings in June

·         SAFMC June 12-16, 2011 Meeting Agenda

A copy of the newsletter will be available from the Council’s website at www.safmc.net.

Aquaculture of Marine Baitfish Workshop

This is an exciting workshop discussing aquaculture of marine baitfish being held at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce, FL on June 21st.
There will be several presentations covering topics such as:

• Background on species of marine baitfish
• Bull minnow: Spawning, air incubation or eggs, larval culture, growout, future research
• Induced spawning methods for marine fish
• Pinfish: Spawning, larval culture, growout, future research
• Pigfish: Spawning, larval culture, growout, future research
• Aquaculture research with other species of marine baitfish: Croaker, Atlantic spot, Goggle eye
• Market survey of Florida bait stores

These talks will be followed by a tour of the IRREC Aquaculture Research and Demonstration Facility. Contact Dr. Cortney Ohs at cohs@ufl.edu or 772-468-3922 x130 to register. 

Local Seafood Class This Tuesday Evening!

This Tuesday May 24th will be the next Local Seafood Class being held at the Cocoa Extension Office. If you haven't attended a class yet or just want to get some new recipes come on over. The class is only $10 and we provide samples of local seafood along with information on seafood sustainability, types of local seafood available, and food safety. Register today at http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu/ClassReg/EdClass.aspx.