South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

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March 2023 Council Meeting

Date/Time:
March 6, 2023 - March 10, 2023
Location:
Westin Jekyll Island, 110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island GA 31527
meeting agenda
news release
briefing book

Meeting Agenda & Briefing Materials

Except for advertised public hearings and public comment sessions, the timing of agenda items may change.

The public comment session (Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 4 p.m.), will allow for in-person and remote (via webinar) verbal public comment. Individuals intending to provide comments remotely are asked to sign-up HERE. Those intending to provide verbal public comment in person will be asked to sign in at the meeting.

Written Comments:

Read public comments
Click here for additional comments:

Written comments submitted by mail/fax received by close of business the Monday before the meeting (February 17, 2023) will be compiled, posted to the website as part of the meeting materials, and included in the administrative record.

Monday, March 6, 2023

Council Session I/Belcher 8:30 am – 10:00 am (Closed Session)

  • The Council will discuss advisory panel and SSC appointments during this Closed Session.

Council Session I/Belcher 10:00 am – 12:00 Noon

  1. Reports (NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, US Coast Guard, Council liaisons, state agencies)
    1. Attachment 1a: NOAA OLE Report
    2. Attachment 1b: NOAA OLE presentation
    3. Attachment 1c: Gulf Liaison Report
  2. Joint Commercial Electronic Logbook Amendment – approve for public hearings
    1. Attachment 2a: Joint Commercial E-Logbook Update Presentation 
    2. Attachment 2b: Joint Commercial E-Logbook Draft 
  3. Scenario Planning
    1. Attachment 3a: East Coast Climate Scenario Planning Initiative – Summit Agenda 
    2. Attachment 3b: East Coast Climate Scenario Planning Summit Initiative – Participants 

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

  1. Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

  1. Red Snapper 2023 Recreational Season
  2. Release Mortality Reduction & Red Snapper (SG Regulatory Amendment 35; Release Mortality Reduction & Red Snapper)
    1. Attachment 3a: Regulatory Amendment 35 Decision Document
    2. Attachment 3b: Regulatory Amendment 35 Draft Amendment
    3. Attachment 3c: Regulatory Amendment 35 Draft Codified Text
    4. Attachment 3d: Regulatory Amendment 35 Public Comment Summary (also in Recent Documents)

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

  1. Recreational Permitting (SG Amendment 46; recreational permitting)
    1. Attachment 4a: Amendment 46 Scoping Comments Summary
    2. Attachment 4b: Amendment 46 Decision Document
  2. Scamp/Yellowmouth Grouper Assessment (SEDAR 68)
    1. Attachment 5a: SEDAR 68 Presentation
    2. Attachment 5b: Management Actions Needed in Response to SEDAR 68
  3. Gag and Black Grouper (SG Amendment 53)
    1. Attachment 6a: Amendment 53 Decision Document
    2. Attachment 6b: Amendment 53 Draft Amendment
    3. Attachment 6c: Amendment 53 Codified Text (also in Recent Documents)
    4. Attachment 6d: Amendment 53 Public Comment Summary

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Snapper Grouper Committee/McCawley 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

  1. Wreckfish (SG Amendment 48)
    1. Attachment 7a: Amendment 48 Decision Document
    2. Attachment 7b: Amendment 48 Draft Amendment
    3. Attachment 7c: Wreckfish Cost Recovery Presentation
  2. Approve topics for Spring 2023 advisory panel meeting

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

SEDAR/Belcher 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

  1. Blueline and Golden Tilefish Terms of Reference
    1. Attachment 1a: Blueline Tilefish Terms of Reference
    2. Attachment 1b: Golden Tilefish Terms of Reference
  2. Steering Committee Report
    1. Attachment 2a: September 2022 Draft SEDAR Steering Committee Meeting Summary
    2. Attachment 2b: SEDAR Steering Committee Overview February 2023
  3. Update on SEDAR projects
  4. 2026 South Atlantic SEDAR Schedule Recommendations
  5. Other business
    1. Attachment 5a: SAFMC SEDAR SOW 2025 Pre-negotiations
    2. Attachment 5b: NMFS and SSC Comments on Statements of Work Assessments (also in Recent Documents)
    3. Attachment 5c: Edited Draft Statements of Work for 2025 Assessments (also in Recent Documents)

Mackerel Cobia /Roller 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm

  1. Port Meetings
  2. Approve topics for Spring 2023 advisory panel meeting

Public comments 4:00 pm

Public comment will be accepted from individuals attending the meeting (in-person and remotely) regarding any of the items on the Council agenda. The Council Chair, based on the number of individuals wishing to comment, will determine the amount of time provided to each commenter. Those intending to provide verbal public comment via webinar can sign-up here.

Public hearing:

  1. Wreckfish (SG Amendment 48)

Final approval:

  1. Red Snapper & Release Mortality Reduction (Regulatory Amendment 35)
  2. Gag & Black Grouper (SG Amendment 53)

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Habitat/Murphey 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

  1. Habitat Blueprint Update
  2. Policy Review
    1. Attachment 2a: Updated Draft EFH Policy Statement on Beach Dredging, Filling and Renourishment, and Large-Scale Coastal Engineering
    2. Attachment 2b: EFH Policy Statement on Energy Exploration and Development
    3. Attachment 2c: Proposed Process and Timing – Energy Policy Update
  3. 5-year EFH review
    1. Attachment 3a: Proposed Process and Timing for 5-Year EFH Review
    2. Attachment 3b: EFH User Guide
  4. CCC Area-Based Management Subcommittee Report
  5. Coral Management Items
  6. Approve topics for Spring 2023 advisory panel meeting

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Council Session II/Belcher 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Litigation Brief (if needed)

  1. Staff Report
  2. Shrimp advisory panel report
  3. FKNMS Protocol for Cooperative Fisheries Management Update Presentation
  4. NMFS Southeast Regional Office Report
  5. NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center Report

Friday, March 10, 2023

Council Session II/Belcher 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

  1. Council work plan
  2. Upcoming meetings

Other business

Adjourn

The Westin at Jekyll Island.
The Westin Jekyll Island

Summary Motions

full BB download

Recent Documents

Additional materials