Snapper Grouper Amendment 46
Amendment Summary
Purpose of the Amendment: Address deficiencies in recreational data through the creation of a permit requirement for private recreational vessels. Additionally, consider establishing an education component to encourage best fishing practices and reduce discard mortality in the snapper grouper fishery.
Action Summary: This amendment will investigate establishing a permit and education requirement for anglers to participate in the recreational snapper grouper fishery.
Key Events:
- November 2020: Council suspended work on the amendment (which was initiated in 2017) and directed staff to convene a workgroup to explore approaches for a private recreational permit and reporting requirements in the South Atlantic region. The workgroup convened three times during 2021.
- December 2021: The Council requested that discussion on this amendment be added to the March 2022 agenda.
- March 2022: Council reviewed background information, and recommendations from the workgroup, and directed staff to assemble candidates for an ad hoc advisory panel (AP) to be selected in June 2022.
- June 2022: Ad hoc AP appointed.
- Augusts 2022: AP convened.
- September 2022: Council directed to reconvene the AP prior to the December 2022 meeting.
- November 2022: AP convened.
- December 2022: Removed consideration of reporting requirement, included consideration of an education component, and approved for scoping.
- Jan/Feb 2023: scoping hearings. (Jan 30 and Feb 6 via webinar)
- March 2023: reviewed scoping comments.
Most recent amendment document
- Final approval
- Implementation
- Pre-scoping
- Public hearing
- Rule making
- Scoping
- Secretarial review