The South Atlantic Bite
Newsworthy Notes – April 25th, 2025
Reminder! Advisory Panel Seats Open
Applications due by Monday, May 5, 2025
Looking for a way to get more involved in federal fisheries management? Apply now for open seats on the Council’s advisory panels and share your experience and knowledge.
Advisory panels inform and advise the Council in developing federal fishery management plans and amendments. Upcoming issues to be addressed by advisory panels include proposed changes to minimum size limit and recreational retention limits for Dolphinfish, possible management actions resulting from information gathered during King and Spanish Mackerel port meetings held along the Atlantic coast, ongoing fisheries enforcement, and a management strategy evaluation for the snapper grouper fishery.
Seats are open on the following advisory panels for consideration by the Council during their June 9-13, 2025 meeting:
- Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel | 5 Open Seats
- Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel | 1 At-Large Seat
- Law Enforcement Advisory Panel | 1 Open Seat
- Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel | 1 Open Seat
- Outreach and Communications Advisory Panel | 1 Media Seat
- Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel | 1 South Carolina Seat | 1 Florida Seat
- Wreckfish Advisory Panel | 1 Open Seat for a recreational deep water fisherman
Additional details, including the online application form, are available on the Council’s website. For questions, contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, Kim.Iverson@safmc.net.
Public Scoping Open for the Comprehensive For-Hire Reporting Improvement Amendment
Comment period open through May 8, 2025
The Council is currently soliciting public comment on measures being considered to improve reporting by federally permitted charter vessels and headboats in the snapper grouper, dolphin wahoo, and coastal migratory pelagics (mackerel) fisheries. Reporting requirements through the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) Program have been in place since January 2021 for federally permitted charter/for-hire vessels.
The Comprehensive For-Hire Reporting Improvement Amendment includes options to improve compliance, adjust reporting requirements, and allow for data validation so the information collected can be used for management purposes. The Amendment includes options for vessels in the SEFHIER program as well as the Southeast Region Headboat Survey.
Actions currently being considered include modifications to requirements for reporting frequency, the addition of trip notifications, approved landing locations, participation in a validation and estimation survey, and revisions to reporting of economic information for charter vessels. A scoping presentation is now available on the Council’s website outlining additional details. An online public comment form is also available. Comments must be received by May 8, 2025.
Additional Snippets:
Eugenio Pineiro Soler Appointed to Head NOAA Fisheries
A Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, with concurrence from the White House, named Eugenio Pineiro Soler as Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. Mr. Pineiro has enjoyed a long an illustrious life in fisheries management. In a career that has spanned over 30 years, he has been a successful commercial fisherman, fisheries captain, and entrepeneur in his home island of Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. See the news release from NOAA Fisheries for additional details and photo.
Reminder! Recreational Seasons Set for Snowy Grouper and Gag
NOAA Fisheries has announced the recreational seasons for both Snowy Grouper and Gag in South Atlantic federal waters for 2025. The recreational season for Snowy Grouper will open on May 1 and close on June 9, 2025. The length of this year’s season is reduced as recreational landings of Snowy Grouper in 2024 exceeded the recreational catch limit. The 2025 recreational fishing season for Gag will open on May 1 and end at 12:01 p.m. on June 26, 2025.
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!
April 28 – May 2, 2025
SEDAR 90 South Atlantic Red Snapper Data Workshop
Charleston, SC