June Council 2016 Meeting Preview

Photo Credit: Primofish

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meets next week at the Hilton in Clearwater Beach, Florida to discuss some important fisheries issues.  You’re welcome to join us. Since it’s not always practical to travel to a meeting, you can watch this live broadcast from the comfort of your home or office if you prefer.

Public comment is set for Wednesday, June 22 at 1:45 pm. If you can’t testify in person, visit this page to submit comments and learn about the different fisheries management issues we’re currently working on.

You can also check out this the meeting agenda and briefing materials to prepare for the meeting. The following is a quick look at some of the issues the Council will address next week:

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Hogfish

After hearing a summary of the comments received during public hearings, the Council plans to take final action on Reef Fish Amendment 43, which considers changes to hogfish management. A recent stock assessment prompted the Council to consider changing the jurisdictional boundary of the hogfish stock in the Gulf and revise hogfish annual catch limits. The Council is also considering increasing the commercial and recreational minimum size limits for hogfish.

Click here to watch a short video on the proposed changes

Click here to read the amendment guide

Click here to submit comment

Red Snapper Sector Separation Sunset Provision

After hearing a summary of the comments received during public hearings, the Council plans to take final action on Amendment 45, which considers changing the sunset provision that will end the separate management of private anglers and federally permitted charter boats at the end of 2017.

Click here to watch a short video on the proposed changes

Click here to read the amendment guide

Click here to submit comment

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Spiny Lobster

The Council is considering increasing the spiny lobster annual catch limit. This proposed revision is triggered by two factors; the combined commercial and recreational spiny lobster harvest has exceeded the annual catch limit in two of the past four years, and the Gulf Council’s scientific advisors increased the spiny lobster acceptable biological catch level.

Triggerfish

A recent stock assessment indicates that the triggerfish stock remains overfished. The Council’s scientific advisors revised the acceptable biological catch levels and the Council needs to consider developing a new rebuilding plan for the stock.  Along with determining new catch levels for the stock, the Council will also consider changes to the recreational bag limits, size limits, and closed season; and commercial closed season and trip limit.

Red Snapper Management for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels

The Council will discuss the latest draft of Reef Fish Amendment 41, which considers creating a red snapper management plan for federally permitted for-hire vessels fishing under the for-hire component of the recreational red snapper allocation.

Click here to submit comments

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Federal Reef Fish Headboat Management

The Council will review the input received from its Ad Hoc Reef Fish Headboat Advisory Panel and discuss a revised draft of Reef Fish Amendment 42 which considers creating a management plan for federally permitted headboats fishing for reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Click here to submit comments

After the Council meeting we’ll host a wrap-up webinar to review what happened. Please join us at 6 p.m. EST Wednesday, June 29^, for a quick presentation followed by a question and answer session.

Register here

As always, if you have any questions you’re welcome to email us.

October 2014 Council Meeting Preview

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet next week in Mobile, Alabama to work on some issues that might be of interest to you. You’re welcome to join us at the meeting or you can listen live from your computer.

The Committee agenda and full Council agenda will help you figure out when the Council plans to discuss the topics that interest you.

We’ll be hosting public comment Wednesday, October 22^, from 2:30 pm – 7:30 pm, with a scheduled break between 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm.

Photo:  iStock

Some of the important issues that the Council plans to address during the meeting are described below.

Recreational Red Snapper Sector Separation

The Council is scheduled to review the most recent comments received and take final action on Reef Fish Amendment 40, which considers Recreational Red Snapper Sector Separation. Please watch this video tutorial on the amendment and send us your comments online before midnight, Tuesday, October 14.

Photo: NOAA

Recreational Red Grouper Seasons and Bag Limits

The Council plans to take final action on a Framework Action that considers adjusting bag limits and fixed closed seasons to avoid in-season quota closures like the one we’re currently experiencing. The framework also reconsiders the automatic bag limit reduction accountability measure that occurs after the Annual Catch Limit is exceeded.  The Council would like your input on the options that have been developed. Watch this video, read the amendment guide, join us on our webinar public hearing scheduled for the evening of Thursday, October 16, and/or send us your comments online.

Shrimp

Photo: Karen Hoak

The Council plans to take final action on two shrimp amendments:

·      Shrimp Amendment 15 – which considers revising the overfished/overfishing status of brown, white, and pink shrimp to ensure that they are consistent with the new model used to determine stock status.  Watch this video and send us your comments.
·      Shrimp Amendment 16 – which considers adjusting the annual catch limit and accountability measures for royal red shrimp. Watch this video and send us your comments.

The Council will also look at a scoping document for Shrimp Amendment 17 that considers what action to take regarding the pending expiration of the moratorium on federal shrimping permits.

Red Snapper Allocation

In June, the Council chose to defer action on Reef Fish Amendment 28 – which considers adjusting the allocation of red snapper between the commercial and recreational sectors, until after Amendment 40 – Sector Separation- is completed. The Council plans to revisit the red snapper allocation document during its meeting next week.  For more information, watch this video tutorial on the amendment.

Red Snapper Regional Management

The Council plans to resume discussions on Reef Fish Amendment 39 – Regional Management of Recreational Red Snapper, which considers dividing the federal recreational red snapper quota among states and giving them authority to set some of their own management measures. The Council postponed work on the document in February of this year pending progress on decisions regarding the allocation of quota among regions.

Photo: Scott Hickman

Greater Amberjack

This summer, the Councils scientific advisors reviewed a stock assessment and determined that greater amberjack is overfished, experiencing overfishing, and did not meet the 10-year rebuilding plan that ended in 2012.  As a result, the Council plans to review an options paper that considers adjusting the Annual Catch Limit and commercial and recreational management measures to ensure that the stock is rebuilt and the mandates of the Magnuson-Stevens Act are met.

Gag

Art by Diane Peebles

A stock assessment completed this summer discovered that the gag stock is not overfished or experiencing overfishing. The Council planned to increase the Acceptable Biological Catch from 2,820,000 pounds to 3,120,000 pounds this year. However, scientists are concerned that a large red tide event occurring this summer may negatively impact the stock. The Councils scientific advisors reviewed the assessment and recommended the Acceptable Biological Catch be increased for 2015 to a more conservative 3,070,000 pounds until the full effects of the red tide are understood.

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Hogfish

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission completed a hogfish stock assessment using the federal SEDAR process. The assessment determined that there are three distinct hogfish stocks. The Gulf of Mexico stock is neither overfished or experiencing overfishing. The stock in the Florida Keys and along the east coast of Florida is overfished and experiencing overfishing, and the status of stock off the coast off Georgia and the Carolinas is experiencing overfishing and nearly overfished. The Council will hear a report on the assessment and decide what, if any, action to take. 

As always, if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us. 

August 2014 Council Meeting Preview

Photo: Don Demaria

Ahoy,

The Gulf Council will meet next week in Biloxi, Mississippi to work on some important fisheries issues. You’re more then welcome to join us at the meeting or you can listen live from your computer.

We will welcome aboard two new Council members: David Walker, a commercial fishermen from Alabama, and Dr. Greg Stunz, a professor and fisheries scientist from the Hart Research Institute in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Committee agenda and full Council agenda will help you figure out when the Council plans to discuss the topics that interest you.

Also, don’t forget to join us for public comment on the evening of Wednesday, August 27^th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Below you’ll find a brief description of some highlights the Council plans to address at next weeks meeting:

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Red Drum

The Council will review a scoping document that considers modifying the harvest closure in federal waters to give recreational anglers offshore access to red drum.

Red Grouper

In April of this year, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced that the 2013 red grouper annual catch limit had been exceeded and accountability measures were triggered. This resulted in a reduction in bag limit from four fish to three fish, and the recreational season is scheduled to close September 16 when this year’s annual catch limit is projected to be reached.  At this meeting, the Council will review a framework action that considers changing the current red grouper accountability measures in order to reduce the likelihood of future in-season closures by further reducing the bag limit instead of closing the season early. The framework aso reconsider the structure and timeframe of the current February – March closure beyond the 20-fathom break.

Photo: Mike Jennings

Red Snapper

The Council will take final action on a framework action that considers creating additional accountability measures for the recreational red snapper fishery. A recent court ruling found that National Marine Fisheries Service did not have accountability measures in place that were adequate to stop the recreational harvest of red snapper once the quota is met, so the Council is considering establishing an annual catch target and an overage adjustment. Please watch this short video explanation of the framework and send us your comments online.

Council will continue deliberations on Reef Fish Amendment 40, which considers Recreational Red Snapper Sector Separation. At this meeting, the Council will review the comments received during public hearings and provided online, as well as hear the recommendations from the Red Snapper Advisory Panel. Please watch this video explanation of the amendment and send us your comments online.

As always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us!

April 2014 Council Meeting Preview

Ahoy,

It’s that time again. The Gulf Council meets next week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to work on some fisheries issues that might interest you.

You’re welcome to join us at the meeting or you can listen from your computer.

The committee agenda and full Council agenda will help you figure out when the Council plans to discuss the topics that you’re interested in.

Don’t forget to join us for public comment, which will be held on Wednesday, April 9, from 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm.

Below you’ll find a brief description of some highlights the Council plans to address at next weeks meeting:

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Mackerel

      The Council plans to take final action on Mackerel amendment 20B – which addresses boundaries, season opening dates, and transit provisions for the commercial mackerel fishery.

The Council plans to take final action on Framework Amendment 1 that considers increasing the Spanish mackerel annual catch limit. Watch this brief video and send us your comments online.

Photo: Jason Whitaker

Red Snapper
The Council will review the legal and policy aspects of allocation, consider the public comments received during public hearings for red snapper allocation, and discuss the final draft of the red snapper allocation amendment. You’re welcome to read the amendment, watch this quick video, read the amendment guide, send us an online comment, or review the comments we’ve received on the issue so far.

The Council will also discuss possible modifications to the red snapper individual fishing quota program.

Photo: iStock

Shrimp

The Council will discuss the Texas shrimp closure for 2014 and review a draft of an options paper for Shrimp Amendment 16, which considers adjusting the annual catch limit and accountability measures for royal red shrimp.

For-Hire Fishing
The Council will discuss the details of the definition of for-hire fishing.

The Council plans to review an options paper for Reef Fish Amendment 40 that considers separating the recreational sector into private and for-hire components.

The council will also review a white paper on the Development of a Charter For-hire Electronic Reporting Program.

As always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us!

October 2013 Council Meeting Preview

Photo: Mark Miller

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet next week in New Orleans, Louisiana to work on some fishery issues that may interest you. You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or you can listen from your computer.

The committee agenda and full Council agenda will help you figure out when the Council plans to discuss the topics that you’re interested in.

Join us for public comment, which will be held on Wednesday, October 30^th from 1:30 – 4:30 pm. We also invite you to an informal question and answer session that will be held on Tuesday night immediately after Council adjourns for the day.

Read on for a brief description of some of the issues that Council will discuss next week:

Coastal Migratory Pelagics

Photo: Emily Muehlsten

The Council plans to take final action on two amendments that have been developed jointly with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Amendment 20A (formerly Amendment 19) addresses the recreational sale of mackerel, elimination of inactive commercial king mackerel permits, and income requirements. Amendment 20B (formerly Amendment 20) addresses commercial trip limits, seasons, transit, and the annual catch limit for cobia. To learn more about these amendments visit this link for videos, amendment guides, and public comments.

Definition of For-Hire Fishing

The Council will review a draft framework action that considers clearly defining for-hire (charter/headboat) fishing trips. This framework aims to enhance enforcement of permit requirements by eliminating the ability of private vessels to exchange fees, goods, or service in exchange for for-hire fishing activities.  

Photo: Scott Hickman

Recreational Red Snapper Regional Management

The Council expects to take final action on Amendment 39, which considers dividing the federal recreational red snapper quota among different regions in the Gulf. This will give each region more flexibility to choose fishing regulations that best suit local needs. If you’re interested in learning more about regional management you can read this guide or watch this video.

Sector Separation

After tabling discussions a year ago, the Council will resume consideration of sub-dividing the recreational allocations into private, for-hire, and possibly headboat sectors. For more information on allocation and sector separation read this Gulf Currents Blog.

For-Hire Permit Conditions

Photo: Emily Muehlstein

Vessels with federal for-hire reef fish permits must comply with the more restrictive of state or federal reef fish regulations when fishing in state waters. The Council is considering revising this requirement to allow federally permitted for-hire vessels to fish during state seasons when state regulations are inconsistent with federal regulations.

As always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.