South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

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September 2026 Council Meeting

Date/Time:
September 14, 2026 - September 18, 2026
Location:
Drury Plaza Hotel North Charleston, 2934 West Montague, North Charleston, SC 29418
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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, September 16th, 2026, 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:

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Written comments submitted by mail/fax received by close of business the Monday before the meeting (September 7th, 2026) will be compiled, posted to the website as part of the meeting materials, and included in the administrative record.

Monday, September 14th, 2026 

Closed Council Session (8:30 am – 12:00 noon)

  • Approve agenda 
  • Litigation brief (if needed) 
  1. Review proposed changes to advisory panel policy (AP) to clarify term limits 
  2. Consider establishing chair and vice chair positions for the Citizen Science Operations AP. 
  3. Executive Committee membership discussion 
  4. Executive Committee report (June 2026) 
  5. Appointments

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Council Session I (1:30 pm – 5:00 pm) 

  1. Council Liason Reports
    1. Attachment 1a: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Report 
    2. Attachment 1b: Gulf Council Report (Also Available in Recent Docs)
  2. Attachment 2: Staff Report 
  3. Attachment 3: Letter to SAFMC regarding EO14276 
  4. Attachment 4: Shrimp Workgroup Report 
  5. NMFS (SERO & SEFSC)
    1. Attachment 5a: Use of Discards in Management Presentation (Also Available in Recent Docs)
    2. Attachment 5b: Protected Resources Report
  6. Attachment 6: Presentation on unmanaged species landings (Also Available as pdf in Recent Docs)
  7. Resilient Fisheries Projects
  8. Attachment 8: ALWTRP Scoping Presentation (Also Available in Recent Docs)
  9. Attachment 9: HMS Proposed Revisions to Fishing Gear Regulations

Tuesday, September 15th, 2026 

Habitat and Ecosystem Committee (8:30 am – 10:30 am) 

  1. Habitat & Ecosystem AP (HEAP)
    1. Attachment 1a: Habitat and Ecosystem AP report (June/July 2026)
    2. Attachment 1b: Habitat and Ecosystem AP report presentation
    3. Attachment 1c: Food Webs and Connectivity Policy 
    4. Attachment 1d: Alterations to Riverine, Estuarine and Nearshore Flows Policy
  2. Ecosystem Information Review
    1. Attachment 2a: All Council Ecosystem Data Review Presentation
    2. Attachment 2b: SAFMC Ecosystem Options Presentation

SECAD Committee (10:45 am to 12:00 noon)

  1. Attachment 1: STC July 2026 Meeting Report (Also Available in Recent Docs) 
  2. Attachment 2: Assessment Updates and SEDAR Schedule (Also Available in Recent Docs) 
  3. ABC Control Rule Stock Risk Ratings
    1. Attachment 3a: ABC-CR Stock Risk Ratings Intro
    2. Attachment 3b: Stock Risk Ratings

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

SECAD Committee (1:30 pm – 3:30 pm)

  1. Terms of Reference (TOR)
    1. Attachment 4a: TOR for Red Grouper
    2. Attachment 4b: TOR for Snowy Grouper
    3. Attachment 4c: TOR for Vermilion Snapper
  2. Standardized Bycatch Reduction Methodology
    1. Attachment 5a: Standardized Bycatch Reduction Methodology Plan Outline
    2. Attachment 5b: Dec 2021 Standardized Bycatch Reduction Methodology Review
  3. Southeast Reef Fish Survey and Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program
    1. Attachment 6a: SERFS/SEAMAP Presentation   
    2. Attachment 6b: SERFS/SEAMAP Trends Report 2025 (Also Available in Recent Docs)

Snapper Grouper Committee (3:45 pm – 5:00 pm)

  1. Attachment 1: Amendment 61 (Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Unit Revision) Decision Document

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 

Snapper Grouper Committee (8:30 am – 12:00 noon)

  1. Amendment 44
    1. Attachment 2a: Amendment 44 (Yellowtail Snapper & Mutton Snapper) Decision Document
    2. Attachment 2b: Amendment 44 (Yellowtail Snapper & Mutton Snapper) Draft Amendment
  2. Regulatory Amendment 39
    1. Attachment 3a: Regulatory Amendment 39 (Spawning SMZs) Decision Document
    2. Attachment 3b: Regulatory Amendment 39 (Spawning SMZs) Draft Amendment

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Snapper Grouper Committee 1:30 pm – 3:45 pm 

  1. Amendment 60
    1. Attachment 4a: Amendment 60- Commercial Management Measures Decision Document
    2. Attachment 4b: Amendment 60- Commercial Management Measures Draft Amendment (Also Available in Recent Docs)  
    3. Attachment 4c: Amendment 60- Commercial Permits and Vessel Monitoring System Presentation (Available at 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 Hearings:

Approval for Public Hearings:

Thursday, September 17th, 2026  

Snapper Grouper Committee (8:30 am – 12:00 pm) 

  1. Attachment 5: Regulatory Amendment 38 (Headboat Vessel Limits) Decision Document
  2. Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Program Review
    1. Attachment 6a: Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Program Discussion Document (Available at Meeting) 
    2. Attachment 6b: Wreckfish ITQ Program Review Report (Available at Meeting)

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

Snapper Grouper Committee (1:30 pm – 2:30 pm)

  1. SAFMC and MAFMC Sub-Committee on Blueline Tilefish July 2026 Meeting Report
  2.  Topics for Fall 2026 Snapper Grouper AP meeting – Refer to the Agenda and Overview for a list of topics

Council Session II (2:45 pm – 5:00 pm)

  • Agenda
  • Election of Chair and Vice Chair
  1. Commercial Trip Limit Sale and Abbreviated Framework Process
    1. Attachment 1a: Discussion Document on Commercial Trip Limit Sale and Abbreviated Framework Process
    2. Attachment 1b: Using Frameworks to Facilitate Responsive Management
  2. Sea Turtle Release Gear Review 
    1. Attachment 2a: Gulf Council’s letter to SERO regarding sea turtle release gear modifications
    2. Attachment 2b: SERO’s response to Gulf Council’s request regarding sea turtle release gear modifications
  3. Management of Cownose Rays
    1. Attachment 3a: FWC letter requesting extension of state regulations for cownose rays into federal waters
    2. Attachment 3b: SERO response to FWC regarding extension of state regulations for cownose rays into federal waters
  4. Attachment 4: Draft list of topics for Mackerel Cobia AP Fall 2026 meeting

Friday, September 18th, 2026 

Council Session II (8:30 am – 12:00 noon)

  1. Attachment 5: SAFMC Workplan Q3
  2. Committee Reports
    1. Full Council 1 (Closed)
    2. Full Council 1 (Open)
    3. Habitat & Ecosystem
    4. SECAD
    5. Snapper Grouper
    6. Executive (June 2026)
  3. Attachment 7: Upcoming SAFMC Meetings

Other business

Adjourn

Drury Plaza Hotel, North Charleston
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