August 9, 2011 – A federal fisheries council Tuesday approved a final plan imposing new catch limits for some fish species not under immediate threat of overfishing.
The the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, meeting in Charleston, S.C., approved the plan on a 8-5 vote. The council is responsible for the conservation and management of fish from three to 200 miles off the coasts of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.
The amendment establishes annual catch limits for dozens of species including king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, grouper and dolphin. In principle, the decision was hailed by environmentalists, who said the federal government was being proactive in setting limits for fish species before they are in trouble.
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