The South Atlantic Bite

Posted April 10, 2025

Newsworthy Notes – April 10th, 2025

Scientific and Statistical Committee and Social and Economic Panel Meet Next Week

Register now to attend via webinar; meeting materials available online

Biologists, stock assessment scientists, economists, social scientists, and natural resource specialists from various academic institutions and agencies will convene in Charleston, SC next week as the Council holds meetings of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Social and Economic Panel (SEP). The SSC is responsible for reviewing the scientific basis of Council management actions and developing fishing level recommendations in accordance with national fisheries management guidelines. Social scientists and economists provide input on relevant social and economic issues affecting South Atlantic fisheries.

The meetings will be held at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC and are open to the public. Meetings are also available via webinar as they occur. Additional information, including briefing book materials, webinar registration, and online public comment forms are available from the Council’s website using the links below.

April 14-15, 2025 | SSC Social and Economic Panel Meeting | Meeting Information

Agenda items include a review of recent Council actions and amendments, Citizen Science Program projects and evaluation, utilizing information gathered during outreach activities, an assessment on stakeholder perspectives of the Snapper Grouper Management Strategy Evaluation, and the South Atlantic Research and Monitoring Prioritization Plan.

April 15-17, 2025 | Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting | Meeting Information

Members of the SSC will review the most recent stock assessments for Blueline Tilefish and Black Sea Bass and provide fishing level recommendations and other guidance relative to the assessments. The SSC will provide input on a Citizen Science project to gather length-frequency information. The agenda also includes a presentation on the Southeast Reef Fish Survey Annual Trends Report which provides an overview of abundance trends of selected species from a fishery-independent survey using standardized gear, and an update on the Dolphinfish Management Strategy Evaluation. A complete agenda and overview is available from the website link above.

Council Seeks Proposals for Continued Development of a Management Strategy Evaluation for the Snapper Grouper Fishery

The Council is seeking a contractor to continue development of a management strategy evaluation (MSE) for the snapper grouper fishery to evaluate management alternatives. The development of the MSE should focus on management alternatives for the recreational sector while evaluating impacts on all sectors.

The Council started an MSE for the snapper grouper fishery focusing on strategies to reduce the number of released fish to improve yield throughout the fishery. The diverse management complex includes 55 species, some listed as overfished and experiencing overfishing based on the findings of recent age-based stock assessments. The Council is considering a holistic approach to manage the multi-species fishery that will address overfishing and bebuild depleted stocks while optimizing yield and reducing regulatory discarding. The MSE is an important tool that the Council will use to evaluate different management approaches across multiple species.

An initial suite of management options has been evaluated, and new management scenarios will be developed to evaluate additional management measures. Learn more about the development of the MSE and the request for proposals by visiting the Council’s website. Proposals are due by April 30, 2025

Gearing Up for Grouper? Know the Regulations and Brush Up on Best Practices

Spring brings about the opening of shallow water grouper to harvest in South Atlantic federal waters (more than 3 miles offshore) beginning May 1st each year. Whether running off the coast of North Carolina or fishing the offshore reefs of southeastern Florida, it is important to know the rules before you hit the water.

There is an annual spawning season closure from January 1 through April 30 for the 10 species in the shallow water grouper complex. This Shallow Water Grouper Species ID Guide is a helpful tool in identifying those species.

Carry the latest fishing regulations with you by downloading the free Fish Rules mobile app. Fish Rules provides state and federal fishing regulations based on your location, in an easy to understand format. With a glance, know if a fish is in season, how many you can keep, how big they have to be, and more. There are Fish Rules applications for both recreational and commercial regulations.

Best Fishing Practices

Regulations are in place to help improve the survival of released snapper grouper species. Descending devices, dehooking tools, non-offset circle hooks, and the use of non-stainless steel hooks are some of the gear requirements in place when fishing for snapper grouper species. Having the required gear onboard is only one component of best fishing practices. Learn when and how to use those tools, and other best fishing practices by visiting the Best Fishing Practices section of the Council’s website.

Additional information on seasonal closures is available from the NOAA Fisheries website. You can also find federal regulations for species managed by the Council on our website.

Additional Snippets:

Artisanal Fishers’ Environment Insight Matches Satellite Accuracy

A new study has gone the lengths to provide hard evidence that when it comes to understanding the local environment, local knowledge shared among communities of artisanal fishers is not just good, it’s nearly as accurate as satellite data. See this recent article in Oceanographic about the study involving fishermen in the Greek Isles and how the sea grass bed maps they produced measured up to those from satellites – and bettered those used by local government in making marine policy!

Collaborative Research Cruises Underway to Assess Biological Organisms off NC Coast and Impacts of Climate and Ocean Conditions

In February, researchers from multiple universities, including UNC-Wilmington, East Carolina University, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University began the first of eight cruises aboard the R/V Cape Hatteras planned over the next two years. The Transect Expedition to Assess Land-to-Sea Habitats via Interdisciplinary Process Studies (TEAL-SHIPS) project involves researchers exploring the continental shelf off North Carolina to collect data and better understand physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic processes. Many of the offshore areas have not been surveyed sine the 1990s. Learn more in this news release from ECU.

Mark Your Calendar

Keep track of meetings scheduled by the Council from the Meetings page of the website and register for meeting webinars as information becomes available. Register early and receive email reminders as the meeting date(s) approach!