The South Atlantic Bite

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Socio-Economic Panel (SEP) will come together in Charleston, South Carolina April 17-20, 2023 to discuss a broad range of topics relevant to federal fisheries. The members include biologists, stock assessment scientists, economists, social scientists, and natural resource specialists from academic institutions, and state and federal marine resource agencies.

The meetings will be held at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407. The meetings are open to the public and available via webinar as they occur. Meeting materials, including agenda and overviews, online public comment forms, and documents are now available using the links below. Public comment will also be accepted during the meetings.

Advisory panels play a key role in the fishery management process. Advisory panel members include private recreational, charter/for-hire, commercial fishermen, researchers, and others directly involved in and knowledgeable about fisheries. AP members provide information and recommendations at the grassroots level to better inform federal fishery managers.

The South Atlantic Council is currently soliciting applicants for open seats on the Habitat, Law Enforcement, Mackerel Cobia, Shrimp, and Snapper Grouper advisory panels. Current members may also be eligible for reappointment. Details are available in a SAFMC news release advertising the AP seats as well as two open seats on the Council’s System Management Plan Workgroup.

What are some of the biggest issues affecting the multi-species snapper grouper fishery? Share your insights on Wednesday, April 26th at 6:00 p.m. as the Council solicits input from fishermen and others interested in the fishery during an informal public scoping session. Input will help guide development of a management strategy evaluation (MSE) for the snapper grouper fishery. The MSE focuses on strategies to reduce the number of released fish to improve yield throughout the fishery.

The public scoping session will be held in conjunction with a meeting of the Council’s Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel scheduled for April 25-27, 2023 at the Hilton Garden Inn Airport in Charleston, SC. The AP will discuss the MSE during its meeting and address other issues affecting the fishery. The meeting materials and an online public comment form are now available from the Council’s website: https://safmc.net/events/april-2023-snapper-grouper-ap-meeting/. The meeting is open to the public and accessible via webinar as it occurs.

Effective fisheries management relies on adequate and timely data. However, limited resources often lead to data gaps, which can compromise the accuracy of management decisions. In the South Atlantic region, fishermen have expressed a desire to become more involved in collecting data to support fisheries management. In response to this need, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) developed the Citizen Science Program, the first of its kind in the nation.

We’re celebrating CitSci Month in several ways, including sharing our recent feature on NOAA Central Library, “Supporting Fisheries with Citizen Science: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Approach”. Watch the video to see the increased interest and growth in the use of citizen science. Get a better understanding of the SAFMC Citizen Science Program, including the partnerships and stakeholder involvement in its development since 2016, and various projects currently underway. Stay tuned for more!