The South Atlantic Bite

The Council’s Seminar Series continues in October as Council member Laurilee Thompson provides an oral history of the rock shrimp fishery, including her unique perspective as the daughter of Rodney Thompson, the man who pioneered the fishery off the coast of Cape Canaveral in the 1960s into the fishery it is today.

Join the seminar as Laurilee shares how her family members were the first to begin harvesting rock shrimp and experimented with “processing” the shrimp with the rock-hard shells around the family’s kitchen table. That experience grew into a family industry that includes the world-famous Dixie Crossroads Restaurant in Titusville, Florida and Wild Ocean Seafood, where Laurilee’s sister Sherri continues the tradition of the family seafood market.

The seminar will also focus on the history of management of the rock shrimp fishery, including the effect of regulations and innovations used in the fishery. Register now to attend the webinar and learn over lunch while Laurilee shares her first-hand experience as a young woman growing up at the helm. Webinar participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in discussions following the presentation.

Past Seminars Available Online

Miss an earlier seminar? There is a library of previous seminars available from the Council’s website. Topics include:

• On-demand gear for the South Atlantic Black Sea Bass Pot Fishery
• Florida’s State Reef Fish Survey
• Angler’s Release Practices and Attitudes Toward Descending Devices
• Larval Dispersal from Spawning Special Management Zones

Meetings of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council are available online via webinar as they occur and open to the public, with the exception of advertised closed sessions.

If you missed last week’s Council meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, there are resources to help you better understand the Council’s discussions and management decisions throughout the meeting week. Following the meeting, committee reports and reports from Full Council sessions are posted at the top of the meeting page. A news release is also provided following each Council meeting.

Briefing materials, including documents and presentations, are always posted two weeks prior to the meeting. Reviewing the committee agendas and overviews is a helpful way to better understand agenda items. An online public comment form is posted with the meeting materials. Public comment is also taken during the meeting on Wednesday afternoon of the meeting week, both in-person and via webinar.