SAFMC Screwing Us Once Again.

Bag restrict reductions aimed at expanding recreational fishing 12 months season

In an effort to retain recreational fishermen from exceeding annual catch limits (ACLs) set for black sea bass in the coming fishing yr, members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council accepted an amendment that, if accredited by the Secretary of Commerce, will lessen the recreational bag restrict for black sea bass from fifteen per man or woman/day to five per particular person/day starting June 1, 2011. The recreational fishery for black sea bass closed on February 12th of this yr soon after NOAA Fisheries Service projected the recreational allocation of 409,000 lbs had been met. The fishing 12 months for black sea bass in the South Atlantic region is from June 1st by way of Might 31st. The recreational allocation includes each private anglers and for-hire (charter and headboat) landings and represents 57% of the complete ACL.

The Council authorized Regulatory Amendment nine to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan during its meeting last week in St. Simons Island, GA. In addition to reducing the bag limit for black sea bass, the amendment also enables that in the long run, any unused portion of the ACL may be carried above from 1 fishing year to the following. Nevertheless, beneath the Magnuson-Stevens Act, for stocks listed as overfished, any overages of the latest ACL need to be deducted from the up coming fishing year’s ACL. The black sea bass stock is currently listed as overfished and recreational anglers may have exceeded the ACL this previous period. NOAA Fisheries Services is responsible for offering the final catch numbers and will do so prior to June 1st.

A new benchmark stock evaluation for black sea bass will be finished later on this year and the benefits presented to the Council throughout its December five-9, 2011 meeting in Raleigh, NC. The stock is currently in year five of a 10 year rebuilding plan, and the Council could build further management measures primarily based on the up to date stock evaluation. Fishermen have repeatedly furnished feedback to the Council regarding the negative financial impacts of the recreational closure that commenced in February. Charter and headboat operators rely on black sea bass for their fishing trips throughout the shallow-water grouper spawning period closure from January via April, an annual recreational vermilion snapper closed time November by means of March, and the latest year-spherical prohibition on the harvest of red snapper for equally business and recreational fishermen. Roughly 65 fishermen attended the public comment time period held in the course of previous week’s meeting.

In addition to measures affecting black sea bass, Regulatory Amendment nine would also develop industrial trip limits of 1500 kilos gutted fat (gw) for vermilion snapper and one thousand pounds (gw) for gag, the two measures designed to help extend the fishing period. The proposed trip restrict for higher amberjack would increase somewhat from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds (gw).

The Council’s intent is to have the amendment authorized by the Secretary of Commerce in time to apply the management measures, like the bag limit reductions for black sea bass, by June 1, 2011.

Other Actions:

The Council reviewed public comments obtained with regards to advancement of the Comprehensive ACL Amendment and continued to choose favored management measures. The amendment sets ACLs and accountability measures for snapper grouper species not outlined as overfished and undergoing overfishing, as well as dolphin (fish) and wahoo. Preferred measures for wahoo would retain the existing management measures in spot. Measures for dolphin would keep existing recreational bag limits, prohibit bag limit income by the for-employ sector (bag restrict sale is currently prohibited by personal anglers), and set up a 20” dimension limit off the coast of SC. The Council is scheduled to approve the amendment throughout its June 2011 meeting for review by the Secretary of Commerce.

The Council also reviewed public comments relative to the use of catch shares in business fisheries and authorized a movement to terminate all operate relative to catch share growth as at present outlined in draft Amendment 21 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Program (excluding catch share advancement for the golden crab and wreckfish fisheries).

Work continues on the improvement of an amendment to think about possibilities for addressing overfishing of speckled hind and warsaw grouper. Modern regulations restrict fishing for or retention of deepwater species (snowy grouper, blueline tilefish, yellowedge grouper, misty grouper, queen snapper, and silk snapper) in waters higher than 240 feet deep. The intent is to get rid of bycatch mortality when speckled hind and warsaw grouper are caught whilst fishermen are targeting other deepwater species. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will evaluation the draft amendment when it meets April five-7, 2010 and the Council will assessment the SSC suggestions throughout its June meeting in Important West, FL.

The Council approved Amendment 18 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Strategy for public hearings. The amendment establishes ACLs and accountability measures for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and cobia. Public hearings are scheduled for April 2011. Facts with regards to the hearings, which includes the Amendment eighteen Public Hearing Document, will be posted on the Council’s internet site at www.safmc.net as they become obtainable.

The following meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for June 12-17, 2011 in Crucial West, FL. Facts, which includes the meeting agenda and briefing guide components will be posted as they turn into accessible at www.safmc.net.

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