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.
Council Seeks Applicants for Federal Fishery Advisory Panels and Citizen Science Program
Interested in federal fisheries management and want to become more involved? Apply now for open seats on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s advisory panels or to participate as an advisor for the Council’s Citizen Science Program.
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.
Council Approves Amendment to Implement Electronic Logbook Reporting for Federally Permitted Commercial Vessels
Federally permitted commercial fishermen are required to report information about their individual fishing trips and have been doing so through the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fishery Science Center’s Coastal Fisheries Logbook Program since the program began in 1990.
Roger Pugliese Receives SAFMC Award of Excellence for Career Work on Habitat and Coral Conservation
Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council acknowledged the life-time work of Council staff member Roger Pugliese with the SAFMC 2023 Award of Excellence during its meeting this week in Charleston, South Carolina.
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.
