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.
- June 2023: Reviewed AP comments and revised amendment. Approved purpose and need statements and revised actions for inclusion in the amendment.
- September 2023: Reviewed AP comments and modified actions and alternatives. Council directed staff to assemble candidates for an ad hoc advisory panel made up of private anglers.
- December 2023: Reviewed AP comments, selected preferred alternatives for Actions 1 and 2, and provided direction for amendment development including AP review in the first half of 2024 and that the amendment would not come back for consideration of approval for public hearings until the June 2024 meeting. Also appointed the Private Recreational Ad Hoc Advisory Panel.
- June 2024: Reviewed feedback from APs.
- September 2024: Held a discussion on MRIP revisioning and improvements.
- December 2024: Reviewed SG Private Angler AP feedback, provided direction for edits to purpose and need and actions.
- March 2025: Reviewed IPT comments and recommended edits to purpose and need and actions. Directed the IPT to prepare for public hearings approval in June 2025.
Most recent amendment document
- Final approval
- Implementation
- Pre-scoping
- Public hearing
- Rule making
- Scoping
- Secretarial review