South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

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Jan. 2026 Habitat and Ecosystem AP Meeting

Date/Time:
at - at
Location:
Via webinar only.
meeting agenda
meeting minutes
briefing book

Meeting Agenda & Briefing Materials

The Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel meeting will be held on January 28th, 2026, from 12 pm until 4 pm, and January 29th, 2026, from 10 am until 2 pm.

Wednesday, January 28th, 2026

12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.

  1. Integration of Revised Food Webs and Connectivity Policy Information into EFH Designations and Policy Update (Attachment 1)
  2. Revision of the Alterations to Riverine, Estuarine, and Nearshore Flows Policy to Address Impacts from Freshwater Discharges and Impediments to River Flow
    1. Presentation (Attachment 2a)
    2. Update (Attachment 2b)
  3. Space Industry Activity Impacts on Habitat Presentation (Attachment 3)
  4. SAFMC Citizen Science Program Updates (Attachment 4)

Thursday, January 29th, 2026

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

  1. Habitat Conservation Division Essential Fish Habitat Consultation (Attachment 5)
  2. Spawning Special Management Zone Working Group Report (Attachment 6)
  3. Resilient Fisheries Projects Overview and EFH Project Update (Attachment 7)
  4. SAFMC 2025 Annual Habitat Report (Attachment 8)
  5. SAFMC Habitat Communication Strategy (Attachment 9)
  6. Review HEAP workplan 2025-2028 and Future Meetings
    1. HEAP Workplan 2025-2028 and Future Meetings Presentation (Attachment 10a)
    2. HEAP Workplan 2025-2028 (Attachment 10b)

Other Business

Public Comment

Adjourn

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Advisory Panel Members

Panel Name State Seat
1 HEAP Stacie Crowe (Chair) SC SC DNR
2 HEAP Paul Medders (Vice Chair) GA GA DNR
3 HEAP Charlie Deaton NC NC DMF
4 HEAP Dr. Matthew Kenworthy FL FL FWCC
5 HEAP Gregg Bodnar NC NC CZM
6 HEAP Dr. Brenden Runde NC At-large
7 HEAP Cameron Luck NC At-large
8 HEAP Benjamin Thepaut SC SC CZM
9 HEAP Paula Kenner SC At-large
10 HEAP David Whitiker SC At-large
11 HEAP (vacant) GA CZM
12 HEAP Thomas Jones GA At-large
13 HEAP Stephen Morrison GA At-large
14 HEAP Steve Miller FL FL CZM
15 HEAP David Webb FL At-large
16 HEAP Erin Spencer FL At-large
17 HEAP Anne Deaton NC NOAA-SERO
18 HEAP Dr. Matt Johnson FL NOAA-SEFSC
19 HEAP Scott Kathey GA NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
20 HEAP Simen Kaalstad VA ASMFC
21 HEAP Brian Hooker VA BOEM
22 HEAP Laura Busch VA US Navy
23 HEAP Dr. Laurent Cherubin FL NOAA CIOERT
24 HEAP Kevin Spanik SC SCDNR
25 HEAP Walter “Trip” Boltin SC USFWS
26 HEAP Dr. Wilson Laney NC At-large
27 HEAP Rua Mordecai NC At-large

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