The South Atlantic Bite

Posted July 11, 2025

Newsworthy Notes – July 10th, 2025

Department of Commerce Announces 2025 Appointments to Regional Fishery Management Councils

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced the appointment of 20 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils.

Council members represent interested groups including commercial and recreational fishing industries, environmental organizations, and academia, along with state and federal agencies. They are vital to fulfilling the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s requirements to end overfishing, rebuild fish stocks, and manage them sustainably.

The Secretary of Commerce appoints council members to both state-specific and regional seats – also known as obligatory and at-large seats. They serve a three-year term, up to three consecutive terms.

Council member Gary Borland was reappointed to serve a second term on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Gary serves in an obligatory seat as a representative for South Carolina. He has years of experience in the recreational sector, both as an angler and charter captain in southeast Florida and more recently in South Carolina. He participated in cooperative research projects with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission during his time in Florida. Gary has also been involved in the sport fishing industry for several years, working as the U.S. Sales Director for Pure Fishing and currently as a vice-president of Quantum.

Francis “Dewey” Hemilright is the newest member appointed to the South Atlantic Council, filling an obligatory seat for North Carolina. Based out of Wanchese, North Carolina, Captain Hemilright is the owner/operator of the F/V Tarbaby. He is no stranger to the fishery management process, having served three consecutive terms on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. He received the Ricks E. Savage Award in 2024 for his exceptional contributions to management and conservation of fishery resources in the mid-Atlantic region. Dewey is also familiar with South Atlantic fisheries, serving as a liaison for the MAFMC and working as a full-time snapper grouper commercial fisherman. He replaces Tim Griner, a commercial fisherman and seafood business owner from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Both members will be sworn in for their terms and take their seats at the table during the Council’s September 15 – 19, 2025 meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.

Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel Meeting Next Week

July 15-17, 2025 | North Charleston, SC

Essential Fish Habitat, Integration of Food Webs and Connectivity into EFH Designations, Space Industry Impacts on Habitat, Resilient Fisheries, and Offshore Wind are some of the topics on the agenda as the Council’s Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel comes meets July 15-17 at the Doubletree by Hilton North Charleston Convention Center.

The advisory panel members include representatives from state and federal agencies, researchers, and scientists as well as commercial and recreational fishermen. Presentations will be provided on a broad range of topics as the advisory panel members discuss and provide recommendations for the Council’s Habitat and Ecosystem Committee to consider when it meets during the Council’s September 2025meeting.

Visit the Council’s website for meeting details, including the agenda and overview, presentations, and an online public comment form.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments for Three Applications for Exempted Fishing Permits to Test Management Strategies that Could Reduce Recreational Discards of South Atlantic Red Snapper

NOAA Fisheries recently announced the agency is accepting comments on applications for exempted fishing permits (EFP) from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). The EFPs are required for three proposed projects that would test management strategies that could reduce discards of Red Snapper and other managed snapper-grouper species, create additional opportunities to participate in sustainable recreational harvest, and improve angler satisfaction.

Exempted fishing permits are issued for the purpose of certain efforts to target or incidentally harvest species managed under a fishery management plan or fishery regulations that would otherwise be prohibited. Generally, EFPs are issued for activities in support of fisheries-related research. Specific guidelines must be followed as part of the application process and public comment considered before NOAA Fisheries determines if the application is accepted.

The FWC projects would apply in state and Federal waters, and would contribute to an improved understanding of recreational discards in the snapper-grouper fishery and test management strategies to reduce discards of Red Snapper and other snapper-grouper species.

The comment period is open now through July 22, 2025. See the complete Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries for additional details, including information on how to provide comment.

Additional Snippets:

How Does Citizen Science Support Fisheries Stock Assessments?

New research from NOAA Fisheries indicates potential to expand the use of citizen science data in stock assessments and provides recommendations for the integration of this type of data in the future. A new publication authored by NOAA Fisheries scientists is taking a closer look at the role of citizen science in informing fisheries stock assessments.See this Feature Article from NOAA Fisheries for more – and learn about the Council’s own Citizen Science Program!

Mapping the Largest Known Cold-Water Coral Reef Habitat

Multi-partner effort reveals full extent of reefs offshore southeast U.S.

More than a decade of mapping and exploration work by federal, academic, and private sector partners has uncovered what has been deemed the largest deep-sea coral reef habitat mapped to date. Spanning an area of over 10,000 square miles, about three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, this underwater seascape of cold-water coral mounds is located about 100 miles offshore of the Southeastern U.S. coast in a region called the Blake Plateau. See this recent article from Hydro International to learn more, including how the Council worked to help protect this unique habitat!

Mark Your Calendar

Keep track of meetings scheduled by the Council from the Meetings page of the website and register for meeting webinars as information becomes available. Register early and receive email reminders as the meeting date(s) approach!