Releases – November 13, 2013
Ron McManus dedicated well over a decade to enhancing the fishing off Little River Inlet, establishing the Dixie Chicken Fishing Funament to honor late friend and area angler Jim Caudle. His work and proceeds raised from the event led to the creation of South Carolina’s most visited artificial reef—PA-01, or as it’s better known to local anglers, the Jim Caudle Reef.
The champion of the Caudle Reef himself passed away on February 13 of this year, and the local angling community couldn’t have come up with a more fitting tribute. Located well within range of even smaller boats (just five miles off Little River Inlet), the Ron McManus Artificial Reef (PA-04) was dedicated on October 31, although rough weather prevented officials from sinking the concrete reef cones and balls that will join a sunken shrimp trawler already on the site on that date.
McManus, who founded the Jim Caudle Reef Foundation in 2003 with his wife, worked tirelessly to raise funds and source material to sink at the reef. His efforts were instrumental in not only creating, but enhancing the reef with armored personnel carriers and a variety of other material that, combined, has made the reef hugely popular with local anglers looking to hook up with flounder and other bottom feeders along with roaming fish like red drum, king mackerel, and cobia.
Capt. Mark Dickson, of Little River, helped organize the creation of the McManus Reef and he, family, and other local anglers ensured the man will be able to watch over the creation and expansion of his own reef just as he did the Caudle. McManus’ ashes, sunglasses, and cell phone have been embedded in a concrete reef cone that will be one of approximately 150 sunk around and alongside the shrimp boat wreck.
Anglers can visit the Ron McManus Reef and track the progress of the site expansion and fish colonization by heading to GPS coordinates 33.46.150 and N 078.35.900 or learn more about the man, the mission, and make donations to help out at www.ronmcmanusmemorialreef.com.
NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on Amendment 20B to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Region. NOAA Fisheries is also seeking public comment on the proposed rule to implement the management measures contained in the amendment.
Amendment 20B proposes to:
(1) Eliminate the 500-pound trip limit that is effective when 75 percent of the respective quotas are landed for king mackerel in the Florida west coast Northern and Southern Subzones.
(2) Change the fishing year for king mackerel in the Florida west coast Northern Subzone to October-September. Currently, the fishing year is July-June.
(3) Allow transit of vessels with king mackerel through areas closed to king mackerel fishing, if gear is appropriately stowed.
(4) Create Northern and Southern Zones for Atlantic migratory group king and Spanish mackerel, each with separate quotas. NOAA Fisheries would close each zone when the respective quota is met or expected to be met.
(5) Make administrative changes to the procedure for modifying management measures.
(6) Increase annual catch limits and catch targets for cobia. Create an East Coast Zone for cobia to adjust for differences between the Councils’ jurisdictional areas and the biological distribution of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic stocks. This zone would have its own quota, which NOAA Fisheries would close when the quota is met or expected to be met.
The Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils have submitted Amendment 20B to NOAA Fisheries for review, approval, and implementation. The Notice of Availability for public comment on this amendment published in the Federal Register on October 17, 2014, and the proposed rule published on October 31, 2014. Comments will be accepted through December 16, 2014. We will address all comments specifically directed to either the amendment or the proposed rule in the final rule. For more information on Amendment 20B, please visit the NOAA Southeast Fisheries website.
An electronic copy of the amendment is available at the NOAA Southeast Fisheries website or from the e-Rule Making Portal at www.regulation.gov.
NOAA Fisheries must receive comments on these documents no later than December 16, 2014. You may submit comments on the amendment or the proposed rule, identified by “NOAA-NMFS-2013-0176”, by one of the following methods:
(1) Go to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0176, click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). You can also attach additional files (up to 10MB) in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
(2) Mail written comments to Susan Gerhart, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on the regulations.gov website 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.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has certified a new skipjack tuna state record.
Matthew Charles Kelly, of Chesapeake, VA, reeled in the 32-pound fish on August 31 while fishing in the Gulf Stream south of Hatteras Inlet.
The previous state record skipjack tuna weighed 22 pounds, 3 ounces, and was caught off Wrightsville Beach in 1979. The world record skipjack tuna weighed 45 pounds, 4 ounces, and was caught off Baja California, Mexico, in 1996.
The fish was caught on a GLoomis Pelagic Series rod with a Shimano Torsa 30 reel using a Zuker Feather Lure on 30-pound test line. It measured 34 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the fork in the tail and had a 24-inch girth.
For more information, contact Carole Willis, with the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament, at (252) 808-8081 or carole.y.willis@ncdenr.gov.
The final rule for Regulatory Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, that was published on November 7, 2014 (79 FR 66316), will be effective on December 8, 2014.
Regulatory Amendment 14 will:
(1) Change the current fishing year for both commercial and recreational sectors of greater amberjack from May 1 through April 30, to March 1 through the end of February.
(2) Change the current commercial fishing year for black sea bass from June 1 through May 31, to January 1 through December 31.
(3) Change the current recreational fishing year for black sea bass from June 1 through May 31, to April 1 through March 31.
(4) Specify a 300 pound gutted weight commercial trip limit for black sea bass using hook-and-line gear from January 1 to April 30. From May 1 to December 31, the trip limit is 1,000 pounds gutted weight for hook-and-line gear. ◦ Note: Black sea bass pots are prohibited from November 1 through April 30. From May 1 to October 31, the trip limit for black sea bass caught with pots is 1,000 pounds gutted weight.
(5) Revise the black sea bass recreational accountability measure to have NOAA Fisheries announce the length of the recreational season for black sea bass annually in the Federal Register.
(6) Reduce the commercial trip limit for gag from the current 1,000 pounds gutted weight, to 500 pounds gutted weight, when 75 percent of the gag commercial quota is reached.
(7) Implement an in-season closure for vermillion snapper if the recreational catch limit is reached, and an overage adjustment (payback) in the event that the recreational catch limit is exceeded.
