South Atlantic Council to Hold King and Spanish Mackerel Port Meetings in New England and New York

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking input from New England and Mid-Atlantic stakeholders on the future of the king and Spanish mackerel fisheries. Three New England-focused meetings will be held via webinar on May 14, 15, and 16, 2024. An in-person port meeting will be held on June 4, 2024 in conjunction with a meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in Riverhead, New York.

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Seeks Input on Proposed Changes to Northern Zone Commercial Spanish Mackerel Trip Limits

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently seeking input on proposed commercial trip limit reductions for Spanish mackerel in the Atlantic Northern Zone (federal waters from the North Carolina/South Carolina line northward to the New York/Rhode Island/Connecticut line). The reductions are proposed to help extend the commercial season.

SAFMC to Hold Scoping Webinars on Designation of Special Management Zones in NC and SC

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled scoping webinars and is soliciting public comments on potential designation of special management zones (SMZs) in federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina (Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34). The draft regulatory amendment contains actions to:

  • Designate 30 artificial reefs in federal waters off North Carolina as SMZs

    • Prohibit use of efficient gear (e.g., bandit, pots, sink nets, buoy gear) on those reefs

    • Restrict harvest of snapper grouper species with spear on those reefs to the recreational bag limit

  • Designate 4 artificial reefs in federal waters off South Carolina as SMZs

    • Prohibit use of efficient gear (e.g., bandit, pots, sink nets, buoy gear) on those reefs

    • All harvest of snapper grouper species on those reefs would be limited to the recreational bag limit

Three scoping webinars will be held on October 28, 29, and 30 at 6:00 p.m. Registration is required:

Individuals can also participate in the webinars in-person at designated listening stations in North Carolina. Details are available here.

The Scoping Summary Document, video presentation, and the Online Comment Form are now available from the Council's website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.  

SAFMC Schedules Scoping Webinars to Gather Input on Adding Bullet and Frigate Mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold public scoping webinars on May 7 and 9 to gather public input on whether to add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component species in the Dolphin Wahoo FMP.     

South Atlantic Council to Hold Public Scoping Webinars

The following information is being posted on behalf of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council as it may be of interest to some Mid-Atlantic stakeholders.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled a series of public scoping webinars from August 6 through August 16 to provide an opportunity for public comment on the following issues: (1) Snapper Grouper Charter/Headboat (For-Hire) Federal Permit Modifications under Snapper Grouper Amendment 47; (2) Best Fishing Practices under Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 29; and (3) Yellowtail Snapper Accountability Measures under Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 32.  Copies of scoping documents, video presentations, links for webinar registration, public comment forms, and other information will be posted to the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/ as it becomes available. Written comments will be accepted until August 17, 2018.

Questions? Contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer at kim.iverson@safmc.net or Cameron Rhodes, Outreach Specialist at cameron.rhodes@safmc.net. 

South Atlantic Council Seeks Input on Proposed Changes to Atlantic Cobia Management

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on proposed management changes for Atlantic cobia as they consider revising the current management system. Public hearings will be held via webinar with public listening stations beginning January 22, 2018.