The South Atlantic Bite

For five decades, the South Atlantic Council has played a vital role in the management of the region’s marine resources. Established in 1976 under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Council is entrusted with the long-term sustainability of fisheries in federal waters from North Carolina through the Florida Keys. To commemorate its 50^th birthday, the Council has launched a dedicated webpage that showcases a new SAFMC Infographic, a series of feature articles highlighting topics that make the Council unique, and a gallery of images that looks back at five decades of fisheries management in the South Atlantic. Keep an eye out for the feature articles as they will be released throughout the year, and be sure to visit the 50^th Anniversary Webpage to read more.

The 2025 SAFMC Release Annual Data Summary is now available, highlighting another year of valuable contributions from South Atlantic fishermen who participate in the citizen science project. Through the free SciFish app, participants record information about their released shallow water grouper and red snapper. The Data Summary presents species and length distributions, details on release treatment, and more. The SAFMC Release Project also celebrates its participants through the Participant Recognition Program. Congratulations to Nigel Bowers, named the 2025 SAFMC Release Champion for submitting the most releases during the calendar year!