The South Atlantic Council also develops amendments that are broad in scope that address a specific topic in several fisheries. For example, the Council works on amendments dealing with data collection, reporting and framework issues that would affect several fisheries managed by the Council. Often, these amendments have implications for management measures in other regions (Gulf of Mexico, Mid-Atlantic, etc.)and are developed jointly with other Councils.
Amendments Under Development
Recreational Accountability Measures (in progress)
- Revisions to recreational accountability measures in the Snapper Grouper, Dolphin Wahoo, & Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plans
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule (in progress)
- Revisions to the control rule for Acceptable Biological Catch: this is a comprehensive amendment that will apply to multiple fisheries
Joint Commercial Logbook Amendment (in progress)
- modifies timing and reporting requirements for commercial logbook
South Atlantic For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment (in progress)
- electronic reporting requirements for dolphin wahoo, coastal migratory pelagics, and snapper grouper federal for-hire permit holders in the South Atlantic
Bycatch Reporting Amendment (postponed)
- formerly CE-BA 3
- improvements to bycatch/discard data collection methods
Completed Amendments
Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit Amendment
Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit Amendment: Established acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules, establish ABCs, ACLs, and AMs for species not undergoing overfishing; removed some species from South Atlantic FMU and designate others as ecosystem component species; specified allocations between the commercial and, recreational sectors for species not undergoing overfishing; limited the total mortality for federally managed species in the South Atlantic to the ACLs.
Effective April 16, 2012