June Council Meeting Preview

June Council Meeting Preview

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet June 15-18, 2020 by webinar. The Committee and Council Agendas, and meeting materials will be posted as they become available on the Council Meeting’s webpage. Information on how to register for the webinar will also be posted as it becomes available.

Public testimony will be held during the meeting. Details on how to provide testimony during the meeting will be posted on the Council Meeting’s webpage when it becomes available.

Fishing Access in Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps Marine Protected Areas

The Council plans to take final action on a document that considers modifying trolling provisions and possession prohibitions in Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps Marine Protected Areas. Fishing activity is limited in Steamboat Lumps and Madison-Swanson to protect gag grouper spawning aggregations.  Currently, no bottom fishing is allowed in those areas, but surface trolling is permitted during part of the year.  It is difficult to enforce the no-bottom-fishing regulation when surface trolling is allowed, and the Council heard concerns that illegal recreational bottom fishing is occurring in the areas.

·      Read the Draft Amendment

·      Watch the Public Hearing Video

·      Submit Comments

Impacts of COVID-19

The Council plans to discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and may consider management changes to ease those impacts. The Council aims to gather input from fishermen and those involved in fishing-related businesses whose fishing effort or businesses have been directly affected by COVID-19. The Council will continue to follow guidelines set by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act while considering temporary or long-term changes to regulations that may offset economic impacts from the pandemic.

·      Fishing Related Covid-19 Resources

·      Share information on how COVID-19 has impacted your fishing and business using this COVID-19 Comment Tool

Red Drum and Coastal Migratory Pelagic Advisory Panel Member Selection

During closed session, the Council will review applicants and populate its Coastal Migratory Pelagic and Red Drum Advisory Panels. A background check will be performed on selected applicants and membership to both panels will be announced at the August Council meeting.

Vermilion Snapper

The Council will review SEDAR 67: Vermilion Snapper stock assessment which concluded that vermilion is neither overfished nor experiencing overfishing. The Council will hear recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee and may consider initiating an amendment to update vermilion snapper management.

Red Grouper

The Council will continue working on Reef Fish Amendment 53 which considers modifying red grouper commercial and recreational sector allocations and catch limits based on the results of the latest stock assessment (SEDAR 61).  The assessment showed that the red grouper stock is lower than it has ever been.  Additionally, the assessment used the new Marine Recreational Information Program’s (MRIP) calibrated Fishing Effort Survey landings and effort estimates, which increased the estimates of recreational harvest.

Lane Snapper

At its last meeting, the Council was presented with the results of updated yield projections for lane snapper (based on SEDAR 49).  The assessment uses the new calibrated landings and effort data from the Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey and allows for a significant increase in the acceptable biological catch level.  The Council will review guidance from its Scientific and Statistical Committee and work on a document to revise the lane snapper annual catch limits.

April 2013 Council Meeting Preview

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet next week in Gulfport, Mississippi. During the meeting the Council will discuss and make decisions about a range of different fisheries issues that you might be interested in.

Photo: Mark Miller

The meeting is open to the public and we invite you to join us at the Courtyard Marriott, or you can listen in live from your computer. Check out the committee agenda and the full Council agenda to figure out when the Council will be discussing the topics that you want to hear about.

Public comment will be held Wednesday, April 17^th beginning at 1:45 pm. An informal question and answer session for the public will be held Tuesday evening immediately after the Council adjourns (around 5:30).

The following is a brief description of some of the things the Council plans to address next week:

Regional Management for Recreational Red Snapper

Photo: Robert Navarro

Red snapper is managed as a single unit in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Since red snapper is subject to a Gulf-wide quota, states with inconsistent regulations impact federal management. Recently, states have begun to express a desire to make red snapper regulations that are more suitable to local needs.

The Council has been considering ways to manage the recreational red snapper quota in separate regions in the Gulf. Scoping workshops to gather public input have already been held electronically, and in cities around the Gulf. At this meeting the Council will review an options paper that was drafted using public comment, and make recommendations on how to move forward with the issue.

For-Hire Days-at-Sea Pilot Program

The Council is considering initiating a pilot program that would allow a sample of for-hire fishermen to fish a specified number of days or trips throughout the year instead of using the recreational season. The pilot would be evaluated and the Council could make an informed decision about whether a days-at-sea program should be implemented for the entire charter fleet.

The Council collected public input at scoping workshops that were held in different cities over the past few weeks. A video tutorial, quick guide, and online comment form are also available for at-home use.

It’s not too late to share your thoughts! Council will review public opinion next week and decide how to move forward.

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Headboat Electronic Reporting for Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagics

The Council is considering alternatives that could change the frequency and method of fishery data reporting by headboat vessel operators. Improving data, especially in the recreational sector, could reduce the chance of exceeding Annual Catch Limits and triggering accountability measures. The Council will review a proposed framework action and decide how to move forward with the idea.

Funding for Electronic Logbooks for the Shrimp Industry

The Council plans to review a framework action that considers how to fund a program to install and maintain electronic logbooks on all federally permitted shrimping vessels.

Spanish Mackerel and Cobia Stock Assessments

The Council will review results and Scientific and Statistical Committee recommendations from recent benchmark stock assessments for cobia and Spanish mackerel.

Photo: Mark Miller

Red Drum

The Council will review the history of red drum management, consider current research, and begin to discuss the possibilities and obstacles to opening harvest of red drum in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Advisory Panels

The Council will review recommendations made by the Ad Hoc Private Recreational Data Collection Advisory Panel and the Ad Hoc Artificial Substrate Advisory Panel Meetings.

The Council will also review the resumes submitted by the public and select new members for the Advisory Panels and Scientific and Statistical Committees.

As always, if you have any questions please contact us.

Council Seeks New Advisors

Ever want to give the Gulf Council some advice?

Not take a long walk off a short pier kind of advice but actually directly sharing your knowledge of the fishery with the Council.  Would you be interested in reviewing  documents and making suggestions before Council votes on anything? Would you be interested in lending your perspective to the Council? That is exactly what the Council is asking you to help with.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is responsible for making decisions on a wide range of fishery management issues.  Trapping spiny lobster in South Florida, long lining for tilefish in deep water, spearing amberjack near oil platforms, and catching red snapper on a fly rod are just a few examples of the array of fishing activities that take place in the Councils jurisdiction.  While each voting Council member is selected to serve because they have personal experience, expertise, and interest in the Gulf fisheries, it is nearly impossible for a single person to be an expert in all aspects of Gulf of Mexico fishery management.

Fortunately, the Council system was designed to incorporate the expertise of all sorts of people to ensure a well-rounded understanding of each component of the fishery. Along with encouraging public comment at every step of the process, the Council relies upon advisory panels and scientific committees to provide advice on a variety of issues. 

The advisory panels are populated with people like you; recreational and commercial fishermen, for-hire captains, seafood dealers, members of non-governmental organizations, scientists, and concerned citizens.

The Council is currently recruiting applicants to serve on the following advisory panels:

·     Coastal Migratory Pelagics
·      Coral
·      Data Collection
·      Florida/Alabama Habitat Protection
·      Mississippi/Louisiana Habitat Protection
·      Texas Habitat Protection
·      Outreach and Education
·      Red Drum
·      Red Snapper
·      Reef Fish
·      SEDAR NGO
·      Shrimp
·      Spiny Lobster

Advisory panel positions are unpaid, but travel expenses are reimbursed.

The Council is also looking for economists, biologists, sociologists, and natural resource attorneys who are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the fisheries to serve on the following Scientific and Statistical Committees:

·      Standing
·      Socioeconomic
·      Coral
·      Mackerel
·      Red Drum
·      Reef Fish
·      Shrimp
·      Spiny Lobster
·      Ecosystems Management

Depending on the current management issues, panels and committees meet up to 4 times a year. Appointments last for two years.

If you’re interested in serving on an advisory panel or scientific committee now is the time to apply.  Send us a resume or description of your qualifications along with a letter that details which panels or committees you’re interested in.

Email: AP-SSC.Application@gulfcouncil.org

Fax: 813-348-1711

Mail: 2203 N. Lois Ave. Suite 1100

           Tampa, FL 33607