August 5, 2024 — Most fisheries in South Carolina are doing well. Their populations are mostly healthy, thanks to effective government oversight and the caution of fishermen. But some species still are struggling, and officials suspect warming waters have something to do with it.
In the South Atlantic Fishery, which extends from North Carolina to Florida, red porgy and red grouper are overfished. Red snapper, snowy grouper and gag are overfished and subject to overfishing, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ latest assessment of federally managed fish species.
When a stock is subject to overfishing, it means too many fish are being taken. When a stock is overfished, it means the fish population is too low and needs to be rebuilt, said Kelly Denit, director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Sustainable Fisheries.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, first passed in 1976 and reauthorized in 2007, requires the regional fishery management council to take immediate action once an assessment reveals overfishing, said Kerry Marhefka, co-owner of Abundant Seafood and member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
“We can’t manage the fish,” Marhefka said. “What we’re managing are the fishermen.”
This means changing the annual catch limits for recreational and commercial fishermen, or implementing area closures to give those stocks a chance to rebuild, she said.