Spiny Lobster- Amendment 11 Public Hearings

The Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils are working together to develop Amendment 11 to the Spiny Lobster Fishery Management Plan. In this amendment the Councils are considering: Creating new closed areas to reduce the impacts of lobster traps on protected coral species Using trap line marking requirements to improve identification of trap lines that entangle protected species.  This amendment is being developed to addresses a recent Biological Opinion of the spiny lobster fishery that concludes that spiny lobster trap fishing activities put sea turtles, smalltooth sawfish, and staghorn and elkhorn corals at risk. The Biological Opinion specifies ways to minimize the impact of the spiny lobster trap fishery on these protected species and sets requirements for the terms and conditions under which action must be taken. A guide to Amendment 11 can be downloaded here, and comments can be submitted here. The public hearing schedule for Spiny Lobster Amendment 11 is as follows: January 23, 2012                            January 24, 2012 Marathon Government Center             Harvey Government Center 2798 Overseas Highway                      1200 Truman Avenue Marathon, FL                                     Key West, FL   305-289-6036                                    305-295-4385 The full amendment for each plan will soon be posted on the Council web site - http://gulfcouncil.org/resources/scoping_documents.php.

Greater Amberjack- Amendment 35 Public Hearings

The Gulf Council is considering making some changes to the greater amberjack rebuilding plan by modifying: Photo: Mike Jennings The Annual Catch Limit Recreational seasons and minimum size limit Commercial season and trip limits The Gulf Council has scheduled a series of public hearings for Reef Fish Amendment 35. Send us written comments by January 23rd because the amendment is scheduled for final action during the January/February Council meeting in Mobile, Alabama.  Download a guide to the amendment here, and submit written comment here. Watch online presentation on the Council's YouTube channel by clicking the icon below.     Come talk directly to us at the public hearings for Reef Fish Amendment 35 which are scheduled as follows:  All public hearings begin at 6:00 p.m. local time, and will conclude at the end of public comment, but no later than 9:00 p.m. January 9, 2012  Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore 2225 North Lois Avenue Tampa, Florida 813-877-6688      January 12, 2012      Four Points Sheraton      940 Beach Boulevard      Biloxi, Mississippi      228-546-3100 January 11, 2012 Hilton Garden Inn Orange Beach 23092 Perdido Beach Boulevard Orange Beach, Alabama 251-974-1600      January 17, 2012      Hilton San Luis      5400 Seawall Boulevard      Galveston, Texas      409-744-5000 January 11, 2012 Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport 2829 Williams Boulevard Kenner, Louisiana 504-467-5611      January 18, 2012      Plantation Suites & Conference Center      1909 Highway 361      Port Aransas, Texas      361-749-3866 January 12, 2012 Hilton Garden Inn Panama City 1101 U.S. Highway 231 Panama City, Florida 850-392-1093 If you have any questions don't hesitate to email us at: GulfCouncil@gulfcouncil.org