September 2025 Council Meeting

Date/Time:

September 15, 2025 - September 19, 2025

Location:

North Charleston Marriott: 4770 Goer Drive, North Charleston, SC

meeting agenda

news release

briefing book

Meeting Agenda & Briefing Materials

Except for advertised public hearings and public comment sessions, the timing of agenda items may change.

The public comment session (Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, 4 p.m.), will allow for in-person and remote (via webinar) verbal public comment. Individuals intending to provide comments remotely are asked to sign up HERE. Those intending to provide verbal public comment in person will be asked to sign in at the meeting.

Committee Reports

Written Comments:

Read public comments

Click here for additional comments:

Written comments submitted by mail/fax received by close of business the Monday before the meeting (September 8th, 2025) will be compiled, posted to the website as part of the meeting materials, and included in the administrative record.

Monday, September 15th, 2025

Snapper Grouper Commercial Sub-Committee/McCawley 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Commercial Management Measures (Amendment 60)
1. Attachment 1a: Commercial Snapper Grouper Landings Analyses Report
2. Attachment 1b: Amendment 60 (Commercial Permits and Trip Efficiency) Decision Document

Council Session I/Murphey 10:45 am – 12:00 noon

Oath for new Council members
Law Enforcement of the Year 2024 Award presentation
Agenda and Overview
June 2025 Minutes
Litigation Brief

Reports
1. Attachment 1a: Staff report
2. Attachment 1b: Best Fishing Practices Evaluation Workshop Report
3. Attachment 1c: Best Fishing Practices Progress, Impact, and What’s Next Presentation (recorded presentation)
4. Attachment 1d: Gulf Council Liaison Report (Also in Recent Docs)
5. Attachment 1e: Mid-Atlantic Council Liaison Report
6. Attachment 1f: Protected Resources Report (Also in Recent Docs)

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Council Session I/Murphey 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Executive Order 14276 Response
1. Attachment 2a: Summary of comments on EO 14276
2. Attachment 2b: Draft SAFMC response on EO 14276
Review SAFMC Research and Monitoring Priorities
1. Attachment 3a: SAFMC Research and Monitoring Plan priorities presentation (Also in Recent Docs)
2. Attachment 3b: Revised SAFMC Research and Monitoring Plan (Also in Recent Docs)
Update on South Atlantic Fishery Independent Surveys
- Attachment 4: South Atlantic fishery independent surveys update presentation
Dolphin Management
1. Attachment 5a: Dolphin Management Strategy Evaluation update presentation (Also in Recent Docs)
2. Attachment 5b: Summary of recent research on dolphin

Tuesday, September 16th, 2025

Council Session I/Murphey 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

Remarks from Eugenio Pineiro Soler, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service and Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere/Deputy NOAA Administrator

Informational Session on State Management
1. Attachment 6a: State Management of Federal Fisheries- Key authorities, roles, and considerations for program design and implementation (Also in Recent Docs)
2. Attachment 6b: Gulf Council presentation – History of State Management, Sector Separation, and Lessons Learned for Red Snapper (Also in Recent Docs)
3. Attachment 6c: FWC’s Gulf Red Snapper State Management Perspective (Also in Recent Docs)
4. Attachment 6d: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission – An Overview of State/ASMFC Management (Also in Recent Docs)

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Commercial Sub-Committee
- Attachment 1: Commercial Sub-Committee Report (Also in Recent Docs)
Yellowtail Snapper and Mutton Snapper ABCs and Jurisdictional Allocations (Amendment 44/Gulf Reef Fish Amendment 55)
- Attachment 2: Snapper Grouper Amendment 44 Reef Fish Amendment 55 Decision Document
Updates:
- Attachment 3: Recreational aggregates document (Also in Recent Docs)
- Blueline tilefish jurisdictional allocation (refer to letter from MAFMC in Additional Materials)
- Golden tilefish landings discrepancy
- Vessel limits for headboats
Snapper Grouper Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) Amendment
1. Attachment 4a: Snapper Grouper Management Strategy Evaluation Presentation (Also in Recent Docs)
2. Attachment 4b: Snapper Grouper Management Strategy Information Paper (Also in Recent Docs)

Wednesday, September 17th, 2025

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

Innovative Management Approach for the Snapper Grouper Fishery
1. Attachment 5a: Draft FAQ on SAFMC’s and NMFS’ management and rulemaking processes for the Snapper Grouper FMP
2. Attachment 5b: Snapper Grouper Innovation Approach Overview (June 2025)

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 1:30 pm – 3:45 pm

Black Sea Bass Management Measures (Regulatory Amendment 37)
1. Attachment 6a: Regulatory Amendment 37 Decision Document (Also in Recent Docs)
2. Attachment 6b: Draft Regulatory Amendment 37 (Also in Recent Docs)

Public comments 4:00 pm

Public comment will be accepted from individuals attending the meeting (in-person and remotely) regarding any of the items on the Council agenda. The Council Chair, based on the number of individuals wishing to comment, will determine the amount of time provided to each commenter. Those intending to provide verbal public comment via webinar can sign up HERE.

Approval for public hearings:

Black Sea Bass Management Measures (SG Regulatory Amendment 37) (Also in Recent Docs)

Approval for scoping:

Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Unit Revision (SG Amendment 61)

Thursday, September 18th, 2025

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Unit Revision (Amendment 61)
- Attachment 7: Amendment 61 Decision Document
Topics for Fall 2025 Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel (AP) Meeting