South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

News & Updates

Sign up for E-News and receive SAFMC news releases, announcements, and bi-monthly issues of the South Atlantic Bite newsletter. Relevant Fishery Bulletins from NOAA Fisheries are also forwarded from the Council office as a courtesy.

The South Atlantic Bite

The Council’s Seminar Series continues in October as Council member Laurilee Thompson provides an oral history of the rock shrimp fishery, including her unique perspective as the daughter of Rodney Thompson, the man who pioneered the fishery off the coast of Cape Canaveral in the 1960s into the fishery it is today.

Two Deserving State Law Enforcement Officers Receive the SAFMC Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award

Each year, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council recognizes the importance of law enforcement in federal fisheries management by presenting the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award. This year, two nominees were selected to receive the award. Private First-Class Jason Dozier with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Game Warden First Class Matt Tsiklistas with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources were presented the 2022 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award during the Council’s September meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.

The South Atlantic Bite

Robert Spottswood, Jr. will become the newest member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council when the Council convenes its September 11-15, 2023 meeting in Charleston. Appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, Robert will join Council member Kerry Marhefka, who was reappointed by the Secretary to serve a second term, as they both assume their At-large seats in September.

The South Atlantic Bite

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled to meet at the Town and Country Inn in Charleston, South Carolina the week of September 11th.

The South Atlantic Bite

Tune in next Tuesday as the Council’s Seminar Series continues with a fascinating look at new technology developed to reduce fishing gear entanglement risk to migrating North Atlantic Right Whales.

East Coast Fishery Management Organizations Release Suite of Potential Actions to Help Managers Respond to the Effects of Climate Change on Marine Fisheries

Over the past two years, marine fishery management organizations along the U.S. East Coast have been exploring governance and management issues related to climate change and fishery stock distributions. This effort recognizes the profound impact that climate change is having on our ocean ecosystems and coastlines and the need to plan for how fishery management organizations and coastal communities can best adapt to these changes in a thoughtful and deliberate way.  

The South Atlantic Bite

The Council will hold a series of public hearings via webinar next week for proposed measures affecting reporting requirements for federally-permitted commercial fishermen. The Comprehensive Amendment Addressing Electronic Reporting for Commercial Vessels is being developed collaboratively with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.