Snapper Grouper Amendment 15B

Implemented Regulations

• Defined allocations for snowy grouper based on landings from the ALS, MRFSS and head boat databases landings from 1986-2005 which resulted in a 95% com and 5% rec allocation. Beginning in 2009 the commercial quota would be 82,900 lbs gw and the rec allocation would be 523 fish both ACLs will remain in place until modified.
• Defined allocations for red porgy as 50% commercial and 50% recreational. The com and rec quota is 190,050 lbs gw in 2010 and remains until modified.
• Golden tilefish: OY=Foy unless the stock is overfished then Foy = the F specified by the rebuilding plan, 75%Fmsy = 326,554 lbs ww. MSST = SSBmsy(0.75) or 1,454,063 lbs ww.
• Determined that a SA SG species harvested or possessed in the EEZ onboard a vessel that does not have a valid federal commercial permit for SA SG may not be sold or purchased. A person onboard a vessel with both a federal for-hire permit and a federal commercial permit is considered to be fishing as a for-hire when fishing as described in 50 CFR S622.2 SG harvested or possessed on such a trip may not be sold or purchased regardless of where it was harvested.
• Adopted the ACCSP release, discard, and protected species module as the preferred methodology for monitoring and assessing bycatch.
• Required all vessels with a commercial or for-hire permit carrying hook and line gear onboard to 1. immediately release incidentally caught smalltooth sawfish by following the latest NOAA approved guidance on sawfish release techniques 2. have a copy of the “careful release protocols for sea turtles with minimal injury” document onboard 3. post the NOAA provided turtle handling and release guidelines placard onboard 4. tend to incidentally caught sea turtles in a manner consistent with the protocols specified in 50 CFR S 635.21 and vessels must also carry the following sea turtle release equipment:
  • a long-handled line clipper or cutter,
  • a long-handled dehooker for ingested hooks,
  • a long-handled dehooker for external hooks,
  • a long-handled device to pull an “inverted V”,
  • a dipnet,
  • a tire (or other comparable cushioned, elevated surface that immobilizes boated sea
    turtles),
  • a short-handled dehooker for ingested hooks,
  • a short-handled dehooker for external hooks,
  • long-nose or needle-nose pliers,
  • bolt cutters,
  • monofilament line cutters, and
  • at least two types of mouth openers/mouth gags.
• Extended the renewal period on commercial SG permits to one year after the permit expires and allowed an individual to transfer their limited access transferable vessel permit to a corporation whose shares are all held by the individual and one or more of his or her immediate family members. If the annual report shows a shareholder other
  then the shareholders listed in the original corporate documentation, the permit shall not
  be renewed unless such new shareholder is an immediate family member of the individual who originally transferred the vessel permit to the family corporation.