The South Atlantic Bite

Posted August 1, 2024

Newsworthy Notes – August 1st, 2024

Reminder: King and Spanish Mackerel Port Meetings Scheduled for SC Next Week

A series of port meetings continues in South Carolina next week in Murrells Inlet and Charleston. These meetings provide a unique opportunity for fishermen and others interested in the King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel fisheries to share their perspectives and vision for the future. The port meetings are being hosted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and state partners along the Atlantic coast in 2024. Meetings were held in North Carolina in April, New England in May, New York in June and Georgia this week. Additional port meetings will be held in Florida later this year.

Additional information, including a complete list of the Council’s goals and objectives for the meetings is available from the Council’s website. Registration is not required but encouraged.

South Carolina Port Meetings (Meetings begin at 6 pm)

Deadline Approaching – Apply Now for Open Advisory Panel Seats

Applications due August 12th

Get involved in the federal fishery management process by applying for open advisory panel seats. Advisory panel members provide information and recommendations and play a key role in the fishery management process.

Are you a federally-permitted for-hire captain? Consider applying for the new For-Hire Reporting Advisory Panel to provide your experience and insight! There are other opportunities to serve as well. Don’t wait – apply now.

The Council is soliciting applicants for the following:

• For-Hire Reporting Advisory Panel – a new AP to provide input on federal reporting requirements for the recreational for-hire industry
• Georgia representative on the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel
• Citizen Science Program’s Operations Committee

Additional details, including links to application forms are available from the Council’s website. Applications are due by August 12, 2024 for consideration by the Council during their September 16-20, 2024 meeting in Charleston, SC.

Council Seeks Public Input on Proposed Measures for Shallow Water Grouper

Two public hearings are scheduled via webinar in August to solicit public input on management measures proposed for shallow water grouper species. During the hearings Council staff will provide an overview of the proposed measures and answer clarifying questions. Comments will then be taken from those wishing to provide input. See the details below and register now to receive email reminders as the public hearing date approaches.

Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14 – 6 p.m.

Scamp and Yellowmouth Grouper are overfished, but overfishing is not occurring. A rebuilding plan is needed to address the overfished status.

Measures proposed in Amendment 55 would establish a Scamp and Yellowmouth Grouper Complex. A rebuilding plan would be established for the new management complex along with catch levels, sector allocations, and accountability measures.

Yellowmouth Grouper would be removed from the Other Shallow Water Grouper Complex and updates made to the reorganized Other Shallow Water Grouper Complex (Rock Hind, Red Hind, Coney, Graysby, and Yellowfin Grouper) through the amendment.

Public hearing materials, including the public hearing document, presentation, and an online comment form, are available from the Council’s website .

SAFMC’s Best Fishing Practices Master Volunteer Program

Workshops continue in Florida during August

Fishermen who fish for snapper grouper species in federal waters take note! Plan now to attend an in-person two hour workshop in your area and be a part of the Council’s Best Fishing Practices (BFP) Master Volunteer Program (MVP). The workshops will focus on best practices that improve survival of released fish and how to get involved in the Council process, including Citizen Science projects. 

Upcoming workshops (held from 6 – 8 p.m.)

Registration is encouraged due to limited seating. Please register here. Workshops in South Carolina and Georgia have been completed. Additional workshops are planned in North Carolina for fall 2024. Learn more about the BFP Master Volunteer Program by visiting the Council’s website.

Questions? Contact Ashley Oliver at ashley.oliver@safmc.net.

New Tool: Fish and Shrimp Data on Demand

NOAA Fisheries has a new data visualization tool that provides abundance indices for 25 species in the Gulf of Mexico and 18 species in the southeastern U.S. Atlantic. Species include numerous snapper, grouper, amberjack, triggerfish, mackerel, sharks, shrimp, and more!

Called the Southeast Abundance of Fish and Shrimp Visualizer or SEAFiSH, the tool provides easy access to the most up-to-date relative abundance information. The information is available to fishery managers, commercial and recreational fishing communities, researchers, and other contributors to the management process. This will assist with effectively responding to changes in the abundance of key species.

Learn more, including an overview of how to use the new tool, data sources, and other helpful information in this recent feature article from NOAA Fisheries.

Additional Snippets:

Apply Now: NFWF Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Grant Program

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is currently soliciting applications for its Electronic Monitoring and Reporting (EMR) Grant Program. A major catalyst for the evolution of electronic technologies in U.S. Fisheries, the program has awarded 112 projects for a total of nearly $33 million since its inception in 2015. For examples of past projects, click here. Proposals are due on Monday, October 2, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET. Questions? Contact Willy Goldsmith at wgoldsmith@pegagicstrategies.com or (617) 763-3340.

Jersey Shore is Seeing a Rapid Rise in Ocean Temps – Scientists say we should all be alarmed

From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, rising water temperatures and more frequent heat waves are changing what’s found under the surface. This excellent article from NJ.com is far-reaching, and includes a look at changes to the Black Sea Bass fishery – including a jump in the number of Black Sea Bass in Long Island Sound by more than 1,000% between 2011 and 2021.

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!