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Council to Hold
Public Hearing/Scoping Meeting Series in May
Public input solicited on measures to end overfishing for gag,
vermilion snapper, and red snapper; Also Ecosystem-based management
and the protection of deepwater corals
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold
a series of public meetings May 7 -15, 2008 to solicit input on
fishery management alternatives designed to end overfishing for gag
grouper, vermilion snapper, and red snapper, three economically
important species in the snapper grouper management complex. The
Council is also seeking input on the Fishery Ecosystem Plan and the
Comprehensive Ecosystem Amendment, an ecosystem-based approach to
fishery management. The Comprehensive Ecosystem Amendment would
provide protection to large areas of deepwater coral habitat in the
South Atlantic region. The public hearings and scoping meetings will
utilize a format that allows the public to receive presentations,
hold informal discussions with Council staff, and provide public
comment to the area Council representative in attendance at each
meeting between 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
Overview
During its June 2007 meeting, the Council received updated stock
assessment information indicating that overfishing was occurring for
gag grouper and vermilion snapper. To end this overfishing within
one year, as specified in the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act,
the Council began developing Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper
Fishery Management Plan. Input received during public scoping
meetings held in September 2007 has been incorporated into
management alternatives to reduce harvest of gag and vermilion
snapper to end overfishing, address bycatch, establish interim
allocations between recreational and commercial fishermen, and
update management reference points such as Maximum Sustainable Yield
(MSY).
Alternatives under consideration in Amendment 16 include a January –
April gag grouper spawning season closure for the both commercial
and recreational sectors. In addition, during the closure fishing
for and/or possession of the following species would be prohibited:
black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth
grouper, tiger grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney. Other
measures being considered include dividing the commercial quota for
gag grouper between two regions, establishing a directed commercial
quota for vermilion snapper, adjusting the recreational bag and size
limits, and a recreational seasonal closure for vermilion snapper.
Amendment 16 also includes measures to reduce bycatch mortality by
requiring fishermen fishing for snapper grouper species to use
venting and dehooking tools as well as circle hooks. Alternatives
are also included for interim allocations between recreational and
commercial fishermen.
The Council will conduct a public hearing regarding its
Fishery Ecosystem Plan and the Comprehensive Ecosystem Amendment as
part of the meeting series. The Fishery Ecosystem Plan will act as a
“source document” for subsequent Comprehensive Amendments addressing
issues across existing fishery management plans and allow for an
ecosystem-based approach to management. The first Comprehensive
Ecosystem Amendment includes alternatives to establish deepwater
coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs) to provide
protection for these ecologically important and unique deepwater
coral habitats.
Public scoping will also be conducted for Amendment 18
to the Snapper Grouper FMP to get input on reductions needed to
address overfishing for red snapper. Recent stock assessments show
red snapper stocks are experiencing overfishing and are overfished,
conditions that will require appropriate reductions in harvest.
The Council is also accepting written comments on these
issues until 5:00 p.m. on May 16, 2008. Copies of the public hearing
and scoping documents with details on how to submit written comments
on each topic are available by contacting the Council office and
will be posted on the Council’s web site at
www.safmc.net as
they become available.
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Public
Hearing/ Scoping Meeting Dates and Locations
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM (attend any time between these hours) |
May 7, 2008
Key Largo Grande
97000 S. Overseas Highway
Key Largo, Florida 3307
Phone: 866-597-5397 |
May 9, 2008
Radisson Resort at the Port
8701 Astronaut Boulevard
Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920
Phone: 321-784-0000 |
May 12, 2008
Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum
175 Bourne Avenue
Pooler, Georgia 31322
Phone: 912-748-8888 |
May 13,
2008
Town & Country Inn
2008 Savannah Highway
Charleston, South Carolina 29407
843-571-1000 |
May 15, 2008
Sheraton New Bern
100 Middle Street
New Bern, North Carolina 28560
Phone: 252-638-3585 |
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