Saving Seafood

Multiple Fisheries Reopen May 1st in SA Federal Waters

April 26, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Spring fishing season is underway! If you plan to head offshore, fishermen are reminded that beginning May 1st each year there are a few more species to target in South Atlantic federal waters (greater than 3 nautical miles off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the east coast of Florida).

May 1st marks the beginning of the shallow-water grouper season, following the annual spawning season closure from January 1st through April 30th. The one exception is the Red Grouper season in federal waters off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina, which will open for harvest on June 1st.

Regulations also change for Greater Amberjack, Snowy Grouper, Hogfish and several other species.

Check out the Council’s latest blog for details.

Fish Rules: Always Have the Latest Regulations With You

Before heading offshore, download the free Fish Rules mobile application. Then simply check for updates before your next fishing trip and you’ll have the information in your pocket, no matter where your fishing trip takes you. No signal? No problem. None required to access the correct information once the app has been updated.

Fish Rules Download:

iPhone or Android

Questions?

Contact Cameron Rhodes, Outreach Program Manager, cameron.rhodes@safmc.net or Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, kim.iverson@safmc.net or call the Council office at 843/571-4366.

Commercial Closure for Hogfish in Federal Waters off the Florida Keys/East Florida Beginning November 16, 2018

November 12, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:
  • The commercial harvest for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish in federal waters of the South Atlantic and part of the Gulf of Mexico will close at 12:01 a.m. local time on November 16, 2018, and will open on January 1, 2019. The boundaries of the Florida Keys/East Florida population are from the 25 09′ N. latitude line off the west coast of Florida (near Cape Sable, Florida), east around South Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border.
  • During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of hogfish in or from federal waters off the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida, and south ofthe 25 09′ N latitude off the west coast of Florida is prohibited, and harvest or possession of hogfish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.
  • The commercial closure for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper and/or Gulf Reef Fish.
WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:
  • The 2018 commercial catch limit for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish is 4,524 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit by November 16, 2018.
  • According to the accountability measures, commercial harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.
AFTER THE CLOSURE:
  • The 2019 commercial fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will open on January 1, 2019, with a commercial catch limit of 5,670 pounds whole weight. This catch limit is scheduled to increase annually through 2027.

Commercial and Recreational Closures for Hogfish in Federal Waters off the Florida Keys/East Florida Beginning August 24, 2017

August 22, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

CLARIFICATION:

  • The August 24, 2017, commercial closure for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper and/or Gulf Reef Fish.
  • The August 24, 2017, recreational closure for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish only applies to federal waters.

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The commercial and recreational harvest for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish in federal waters of the South Atlantic and part of the Gulf of Mexico will close at 12:01 a.m. on August 24, 2017. The boundaries of the Florida Keys/East Florida population are from the 25°09′ N. latitude line off the west coast of Florida (near Cape Sable, Florida), east around South Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border. During these closures, all sale, purchase, and possession of hogfish is prohibited.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

  • The final rule for Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 37) published on July 25, 2017 (see Fishery Bulletin FB17-041, http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishery_bulletins/2017/041/FB17-041index.html), and is effective on August 24, 2017 (82 FR 34584).
  • The 2017 commercial catch limit for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will be 3,510 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to have reached the new commercial catch limit by May 11, 2017.
  • The 2017 recreational catch limit for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will be 15,689 fish. Recreational landings are projected to have reached the new recreational catch limit by May 4, 2017.
  • According to the accountability measures, commercial and recreational harvest should close to prevent the catch limits from being exceeded. The closures did not occur before August 24, 2017, because the final rule was not yet effective.
  • The final rule for Amendment 37 also implemented a closed recreational fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish in federal waters from January through April, and November through December each year.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

  • The commercial closure for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper and/or Gulf Reef Fish.
  • The 2018 commercial fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will open on January 1, 2018, with a commercial catch limit of 4,524 pounds whole weight. This catch limit will increase annually through 2027.
  • The 2018 recreational fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will open on May 1, 2018, with a recreational catch limit of 18,617 fish. This catch limit will increase annually through 2027.

Please check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for more information on recreational closures in Florida state waters.

Final Rule for Hogfish Management in South Atlantic Federal Waters

July 27, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule for Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 37).  Hogfish in the South Atlantic will be managed as two populations: Georgia through North Carolina and Florida Keys/East Florida.  A population assessment determined that the Florida Keys/East Florida population is undergoing overfishing (rate of removal is too high) and is overfished (population abundance is too low) and, therefore, in need of a rebuilding plan.  The overfishing and overfished status of the Georgia/North Carolina population is unknown.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

  • Regulations will be effective August 24, 2017.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

The final rule for Amendment 37 will implement the following management measures in addition to specifying commercial and recreational annual catch limits and accountability measures:

Management Measures Georgia-North Carolina Florida Keys/East Florida
Minimum size limit

(for both commercial and recreational sectors)

 17 inches fork length 16 inches fork length
Commercial trip limit 500 pounds whole weight 25 pounds whole weight
Recreational bag limit 2 fish per person per day 1 fish per person per day
Recreational fishing season Open year-round Open – May through October

Closed- January through April; November through December

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER:

82 FR 34584, published July 25, 2017.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

Recreational Harvest of Hogfish in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Will Close on November 30, 2016

November 28th, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: 

SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN     

(South Atlantic)

FB16-079

Sustainable Fisheries Division

727-824-5305  

November 25, 2016    

 Recreational Harvest of Hogfish in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Will Close on November 30, 2016 

  Recreational harvest of hogfish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on November 30, 2016.  Recreational harvest of hogfish has reached the 2016 recreational catch limit of 85,355 pounds whole weight.  As a result, recreational harvest of hogfish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will be closed for the remainder of 2016.  Federal waters will reopen to recreational harvest of hogfish at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2017. 

 During the closure: 

  • Recreational harvest or possession of hogfish is prohibited in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic.

This closure is necessary to protect the hogfish stock by limiting the amount of landings that exceed the recreational catch limit. 

FLORIDA: FWC OKS hogfish changes, other measures at meeting

November 23, 2016 — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved several conservation measures that are consistent with federal rules and set a new state management boundary for hogfish at its November meeting in St. Petersburg.

“Hogfish is an economically important species that is popular with the diving and angling community,” said Chairman Brian Yablonski. “This was not an easy decision, but will help balance the species’ needs while still offering opportunities for anglers.”

Hogfish is over-fished and undergoing overfishing in the Florida Keys and east Florida. Federal law requires the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to end overfishing immediately and implement a 10-year rebuilding plan.

Because most hogfish off the Keys and east Florida are taken in Florida state waters, consistency with similar regulations pending approval in Atlantic federal waters is necessary to rebuild the stock.

Read the full story at Florida Weekly

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Update Newsletter; New Regulations for Atlantic Cobia, Mutton Snapper, Hogfish and MoreSA Update Newsletter; New Regulations for Atlantic Cobia, Mutton Snapper, Hogfish and More

November 21, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Managment Council:

Fall 2016 Issue Now Available

Inside this issue:

Atlantic Cobia – New measures designed to help extend 2017 season from GA to NY

Mutton Snapper and Hogfish – Measures to reduce harvest; rebuild hogfish in FL Keys/East FL approved by Council

Public Hearings and Scoping Meetings in Jan/Feb – Allocations for dolphin and yellowtail snapper; management options for red snapper; and options for Visioning amendments.

Limited Entry for Charter Vessels – Discussions continue in December

New Public Comment Process – Details for submitting comments defined as Council encourages using online comment form

December Council Meeting Agenda and more.

Read the full update at the South Atlantic Fishery Managment Council

Fishing rule gives regional councils more flexibility on catch limits

October 14th, 2016 — Recreation anglers could see more fishing opportunities under a new rule issued by the Obama administration Thursday that gives regional management councils more flexibility to set catch limits.

The rule, already under fire from environmental groups in a rare conflict with the administration, could help mollify the recreational industry and its Republican allies in Congress. They’ve been critical of the administration for not relaxing restrictions given the dramatic rebound of many fish stocks over the past few years.

Officials with the Fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the change, months in the crafting, strikes an appropriate balance between the needs of the economically vital recreational and commercial industry while not undermining the current law that has helped rescue dozens of once overfished stocks.

Re-authorization of Magnuson-Stevens a decade ago is credited with helping to rebuild 40 endangered stocks since 2000. Eight stocks came off the overfishing list in 2015 including greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico, thorny skate in the Gulf of Maine; and hogfish in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Read the full story at USA Today 

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Public Comment on a Notice of Availability for Hogfish in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Region

October 11th, 2016 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: 

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 37).

NOAA Fisheries is proposing to manage hogfish in the South Atlantic as two populations: Georgia through North Carolina and Florida Keys/East Florida. A population assessment determined that the Florida Keys/East Florida population is undergoing overfishing (rate of removal is too high) and is overfished (population abundance is too low) and, therefore, in need of a rebuilding plan. The overfishing and overfished status of the Georgia/North Carolina population is unknown.

 Actions in Amendment 37 would

  • Modify the management unit for hogfish.
  • Establish a rebuilding plan for the Florida Keys/East Florida population to increase hogfish biomass to sustainable levels.
  • Specify commercial and recreational annual catch limits and accountability measures for the Georgia/North Carolina and Florida Keys/East Florida populations of hogfish.
  • Modify or establish minimum size limits, commercial trip limits, and recreational bag limits for both populations of hogfish; and establish a recreational fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population.For more information, please see the frequently asked questions section at:
    http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2015/am37/index.htmlRequest for Comments
    The comment period on Amendment 37 ends on December 6, 2016. You may obtain electronic copies of Amendment 37 from the NOAA Fisheries web site at
    http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2015/am37/index.html or the e-Rulemaking Portal (see Addresses section).

    Addresses
    You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2016-0068, by either of the following methods:

    ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.

    1. Go to: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0068.
    2. Click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields.
    3. Enter or attach your comments.

    MAIL: Submit written comments to Nikhil Mehta, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

    INSTRUCTIONS: Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.

    All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on  http://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

Council Approves Measures to Extend Atlantic Cobia Season; End Overfishing for Hogfish

September 19th, 2016 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, new regulations will be implemented in 2017 for Atlantic cobia in federal waters offshore from Georgia to New York. The measures, approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council during their meeting this week in Myrtle Beach, SC, are designed to help extend the season for both recreational and commercial fishermen and help ensure consistent and stable fishing opportunities for the migratory stock. New regulations as proposed in Coastal Migratory Framework Amendment 4 would reduce the recreational bag limit from 2 fish to 1 fish per person per day, implement a vessel limit of 6 fish, and raise the recreational minimum size limit to 36” fork length. A commercial trip limit of 2 fish per person per day, with no more than 6 fish per vessel per day, whichever is more restrictive, would be established.

The recreational fishery for Atlantic cobia in federal waters closed on June 20, 2016. The closure occurred during the peak cobia season off the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia impacting both private anglers and charter captains targeting the popular species. The early closure for 2016 was required due to an overage of recreational annual catch limit of Atlantic cobia in 2015 and the accountability measure currently in place that requires a shortened season the subsequent year. Framework Amendment 4 would also modify the accountability measure.

“The Council considered numerous comments received during public hearings held in August, as well as comments received during a Q&A session held in May, public input during its June meeting, written comments, and comments from fishermen attending this week’s meeting,” said Council Chair Dr. Michelle Duval. “We heard from fishermen about the negative economic impacts of the Atlantic cobia closure, particularly off the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia. We’ve worked diligently, looking at various combinations of changes to bag limits, vessel limits and size limits, to help maximize fishing opportunities and to have new regulations in place in time for next year’s season,” said Dr. Duval. “A new Cobia sub-panel to the Council’s Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel will allow for additional input and expertise from fishermen on cobia management issues as we move forward.” The Council is also working with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop a complementary plan to allow additional management flexibility. The majority of cobia landings occur in state waters off the northeast coast of North Carolina and Virginia. Both states implemented additional restrictions in harvest in state waters following the federal closure in June. The Atlantic cobia annual catch limit includes landings from both state and federal waters.

Hogfish

The Council also approved measures for hogfish in federal waters that would establish two separate management units, a Florida Keys/East Florida stock and a Georgia/North Carolina stock and implement new regulations through Snapper Grouper Amendment 37. Hogfish are primarily harvested off the coast of Florida and a popular target for both divers and hook-and-line fishermen. A recent stock assessment found the Florida Keys/East Florida stock overfished and undergoing overfishing. Measures proposed to end overfishing and rebuild the stock include substantial reductions in the annual catch limits and limits to harvest.

If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the amendment would implement the following regulations for the Florida Keys/East Florida stock: 1) increase the minimum size limit from 12 inches fork length to 16 inches fork length for both commercial and recreational sectors; 2) decrease the recreational bag limit from 5 fish to 1 fish per person per day; 3) establish an annual recreational fishing season from May through October; and specify a commercial trip limit of 25 pounds (there is currently no trip limit in federal waters).

New regulations proposed for the Georgia/North Carolina hogfish stock include increasing the minimum size limit to 17 inches fork length, establishing a recreational bag limit of 2 fish per person per day and a commercial trip limit of 500 pounds gutted weight (there are currently no bag limits or commercial trip limits for hogfish off the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas).

Other Business

The Council also continued to develop management options to allow for limited harvest of red snapper. The fishery remains closed to harvest in federal waters in the South Atlantic. NOAA Fisheries estimated the total number of fish removed in 2015 exceeded the annual catch limit of 114,000 fish by more than double. The draft options paper includes the use of time/area closures to reduce bycatch and end overfishing along with several adaptive management measures. Options for the recreational fishery include a set fishing season with some combination of size and bag limits, designated fishing areas, a recreational stamp, and reporting requirements. Commercial options include closed seasons, new trip limits, size limits, and designated seasons. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will provide recommendations following its October meeting for the Council to consider as it moves forward in developing the options paper for Snapper Grouper Amendment 43 during its December meeting. Public scoping is planned for January/February 2017.

The Council reviewed comments received during public scoping for the Dolphin/Yellowtail Snapper Allocation Amendment and removed an action that would have established annual catch limits by gear type for dolphin for the commercial sector and continued to modify options for sector allocations. The Council will review the revised document during its December meeting. The Council also continued discussions regarding limited entry for federally permitted for-hire vessels, noting public comments received during its Snapper Grouper Visioning process and historical recommendations from the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, and acknowledged differing opinions on the issue. A scoping document will be developed for review at the Council’s December meeting.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for December 5-9, 2016 at the Doubletree by Hilton, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.  Final committee reports and other materials from this week’s meeting are available from the Council’s website at http://safmc.net/Sept2016CouncilMeeting.