Saving Seafood

Red Snapper Special Session – SAFMC Meeting – September 11-15, 2017 in Charleston, SC

August 28, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Meeting Location:

Town and Country Inn

2008 Savannah Highway

Charleston, SC 29407      

Phone: Reservations: 843/571-1000

Agenda Highlights  

  • Full Council Session – Monday, September 11
    Harvest Options for Red Snapper 
    The Council will hold a special session from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm on Monday of the meeting week to specifically address measures to allow harvest of red snapper. The Council will review alternatives in Snapper Grouper Amendment 43 to determine an annual catch limit for red snapper and allow a limited season in 2018. The Council will also consider options to request that NOAA Fisheries take emergency action for a red snapper mini-season in October 2017.

    • Red Snapper Public Comment – Monday, September 11 at 10:15 am
      Public comment will be solicited on measures proposed in Amendment 43 to allow for a limited harvest of red snapper in 2018 and options for requesting emergency action for harvest in 2017.  The Council is scheduled to take action during Monday’s Full Council Session.  Can’t attend? Provide your comments online and register to attend via webinar as the meeting occurs (see below).
  • Snapper Grouper Committee The committee will continue to review measures proposed for both recreational (Regulatory Amendment 26) and commercial (Regulatory Amendment 27) sectors as identified through the Council’s 2016-2020 Vision Blueprint. Measures include reducing the recreational size limit for black sea bass, commercial split seasons and more.
  • Mackerel Cobia Committee The committee will receive an update on the development of an interstate fishery management plan for Atlantic cobia (Georgia through New York) by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. A public hearing will be held during the meeting week (see below). Options to modify the current commercial trip limit for king mackerel will also be reviewed.

Local red snapper might be back on the South Carolina plate

August 14, 2017 — The fresher the fish the better. And the savory red snapper is the fish they all want — the fire-up-the-grill catch for the weekend angler, the sought-after restaurant plate, the mainstay of seafood stores.

Lately the snapper on the plate isn’t local. It comes from the Gulf of Mexico.

But this fall, for the first time since 2014, South Carolina anglers might be able to catch red snappers offshore and keep them.

Federal fishery regulators are looking at a “mini season” of maybe a few weekends to allow anglers to harvest the fish they have been forced to throw back since 2014.

That’s when the harvest was closed off, to try to rebuild what was thought to be a depleted stock.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meets Sept. 11 in Charleston to decide. They also will look at allowing a season in July 2018, a measure that would go to public hearings later in the year.

Read the full story at the Post and Courier

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Celebrates National Seafood Month

September 7, 2016 — The following was released by the Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

In celebration of National Seafood Month in October, the nonprofit Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is hosting and participating in a series of community events in eight U.S. cities, and is conducting a national seafood recipe sweepstakes.

The programming is part of SNP’s three-year public health education campaign to help Americans learn how to improve their heart health through increased consumption of seafood. While the 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood at least twice per week—translating to an average consumption of 250 mg per day of omega-3s, which is rich in essential nutrients—only 10% of Americans currently follow this recommendation.

In eight target markets with high incidences of chronic diseases (Birmingham, AL; Charleston, WV; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Lexington, KY; Memphis, TN; Oklahoma City, OK; and Toledo, OH), SNP will hold live events and assist community leaders in encouraging their constituents to take the Healthy Heart Pledge as a commitment to eat more seafood and supplement their diets with omega-3 fish oil.

On October 1, SNP will participate in 250 house parties across its eight target markets. Throughout October, programming will include health fairs and summits, seafood restaurant week events, cooking demonstrations and participation in major community gatherings.

Nationally, SNP is hosting the 2016 Seafood Recipe Sweepstakes, a program demonstrating how easy and delicious it is to add nutritious fish and shellfish to everyday meals. Ten sweepstakes winners, chosen at random from all entrants, will each receive a $250 gift card. The sweepstakes runs through October 21; details are available at snpsweepstakes.com.

SNP’s nutritional message continues to resonate: Last year, its ongoing public health campaign generated a total of 250 million earned media impressions nationally and in local markets.

SNP Executive Director Linda Cornish said, “We are excited to introduce more consumer education programs to teach Americans about the critical importance of seafood nutrition in supporting heart and brain health.”

See the full release at the Seafood Nutrition Partnership

South Atlantic Council to Convene Scientific & Statistical Committee and Socio-Economic Panel on May 3-5, 2016 in Charleston, SC

April 22, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

SAFMC Scientific & Statistical Committee and Socio-Economic Panel Scheduled to Meet May 3-5,2016 in Charleston, SC.

Socio-Economic Panel Meeting (May 3, 2016, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM)

Agenda items include a discussion of Optimum Yield, review of an economic decision tool for Snapper Grouper Amendment 37 dealing with hogfish, provide input on red snapper management, and discuss recent and upcoming council actions in the South Atlantic region.

Scientific & Statistical Committee Meeting (May 3-5, 2016)

The SSC will review and provide input on proposed management measures for hogfish, mutton snapper, and electronic reporting in the for-hire sector; review the stock assessments and provide fishing level recommendations for red snapper; and more.

Read more about the upcoming meetings at the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

 

Coast Guard suspends search for fisherman whose vessel capsized, sank off Oregon coast

CHARLESTON, Ore. (March 24, 2016) — The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a fisherman missing near Charleston, Oregon.

A 62-foot fishing trawler was carrying the fisherman and three other people when it capsized Wednesday, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

The other three people aboard the vessel were rescued by someone who happened to be nearby when the vessel capsized, the Coast Guard said.

Authorities suspended their search at 7 p.m. Wednesday after 11 hours of attempting to find the fisherman, who was captaining the now-sunken vessel.

Read the full story at The Oregonian