Releases – September 30, 2010
Individuals fishing in North Carolina’s coastal waters may be monitored by state and/or federal observers and are required to carry observers on their vessels if requested.
Observers monitor various types of fishing gear and activities, and collect information on catch, discards, bycatch, and protected species interactions. Much of the observer effort at this time is focused on the inshore gill net fishery.
State observers work with the Division of Marine Fisheries and are either biological technicians or Marine Patrol officers. Fishermen holding any division-issued fishing license are required to cooperate with observers.
State observers monitor both commercial and recreational fisheries.
For more information on the Division of Marine Fisheries’ observer program, contact Red Munden at (252) 808-8009.
Federal observers with the National Marine Fisheries Service are also working in North Carolina coastal waters. Vessels selected to be monitored by federal observers must successfully complete the U.S. Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination and display a current safety decal issued within the last two years. Vessels that do not have a current safety decal are deemed unsafe for purposes of carrying a federal observer and are prohibited from fishing. Federal enforcement action may result when a vessel required to take a federal observer does not meet the safety requirements and embarks on a fishing trip without that observer.
Federal observers primarily monitor commercial fisheries.
For more information on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s observer program, contact Amy Van Atten at (508) 495-2266.
For more information on the Commercial Fishing Safety Examination and safety decal, contact the Coast Guard’s Fishing Vessel Safety Office at (252) 247-4526.
Commercial fishing or harvest for vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic federal waters is closed, effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) October 6, 2010, through 12:01 a.m. January 1, 2011. NOAA Fisheries Service has determined the 2010 July through December commercial quota of 302,523 pounds of vermilion snapper will be reached by this date. During the closure period, no person aboard a vessel for which a commercial permit for snapper-grouper has been issued may commercially fish for vermilion snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic.
During the quota closure, all harvest or possession of vermilion snapper in or from South Atlantic federal waters is restricted to the recreational bag and possession limits of 5 fish and the sale or purchase of such fish is prohibited. During November 2010 through March 2011, the recreational closure of vermilion snapper, no recreational harvest or possession of vermilion snapper is allowed. In addition, for a person on board a vessel for which a federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery has been issued, these provisions of the closure for vermilion snapper would apply regardless of whether the fish are harvested in state or federal waters. Captain and crew of for-hire vessels may not retain the recreational bag and possession limits during the closure.
Closing commercial fishing for vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic complies with regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region and is necessary to protect the snapper-grouper resource.
The operator of a vessel with vermilion snapper in excess of the bag or possession limit aboard must have landed such vermilion snapper prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 6, 2010, and all sale or purchase of vermilion snapper must occur prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 6, 2010. The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to sale or purchase of vermilion snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 6, 2010, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
The commercial sector for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic from 35°15.19′ N. lat., the latitude of Cape Hatteras Light, NC, to Key West, FL, will be closed, effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) October 7, 2010, through 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2011. NOAA Fisheries Service has determined the 2010-2011 commercial quota of 309,000 pounds will be reached by October 7, 2010.
The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper and that is landing black sea bass for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such black sea bass prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 7, 2010. All black sea bass pots must be removed from the South Atlantic federal waters subject to the closure prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 7, 2010.
During the closure, all harvest and possession of black sea bass in or from closed federal waters of the South Atlantic is subject to the applicable bag and possession limits, and the sale or purchase of black sea bass taken from closed federal waters is prohibited. In addition, those bag and possession limits, and the prohibition on sale or purchase apply in state and federal waters of the South Atlantic for a vessel for which a valid federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued.
The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to sale or purchase of black sea bass that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 7, 2010, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
Closure of commercial fishing for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic from 35°15.19′ N. lat., the latitude of Cape Hatteras Light, NC, to Key West, FL, complies with the regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region and is necessary to protect the black sea bass resource.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council met last week in Charleston, South Carolina, to discuss several amendments currently under development that may impact fishermen in the future who target species such as snapper, grouper, dolphin, and mackerel.
An issue of special interest to both commercial and recreational fishermen is the ongoing closure of the red snapper fishery in the South Atlantic and the possible implementation of a large area closure off the central and northeastern coast of Florida and southern coast of Georgia. Within the proposed area closure, fishing for all snapper grouper species in water depths ranging from 98 feet to 240 feet would be prohibited (with the exception of spearfishing and use of black sea bass pots).
The red snapper fishery has been closed to all fishermen in South Atlantic federal waters since January 4, 2010, as part of an effort to end overfishing of red snapper and meet the mandates of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The interim rule used to close the fishery is set to expire on December 5, 2010. However, new measures proposed in Amendment 17A to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan would extend the closure indefinitely, create the new area closure noted above, require the use non-stainless steel circle hooks when fishing for snapper grouper species north of 28 degrees N. latitude, and develop a fishery-independent monitoring program to help track the rebuilding and recovery of red snapper.
The amendment is currently under review by NOAA Fisheries Service and a public comment period for Amendment 17A and proposed regulations is open until September 27, 2010. The final decision for implementation of Amendment 17A will be made by the Secretary of Commerce by October 27, 2010. If approved, the final rule implementing management measures could be issued as early as December 1, 2010.
A new stock assessment is underway for red snapper through the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment program. According to Dr. Roy Crabtree, Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service’s Southeast Regional Office, the preliminary stock assessment indicates more positive findings for the red snapper stock, but he cautioned that the final assessment must go through further review before being presented to the Council in December.
During last week’s meeting, the Council discussed options for modifying the measures in Amendment 17A if the amendment is approved. It is likely the closure of the red snapper fishery will continue, but modifications may be made to the area closure to reduce the size and configuration or allow fishing for snapper grouper species other than red snapper during a portion of the year. The Council’s intent is to use the quickest means possible within the management process to implement such changes if they are warranted. Any necessary changes to regulations will be determined by the Council during its December meeting in New Bern, North Carolina, after reviewing the final stock assessment results.
As management measures for some species in the snapper grouper management complex become more restrictive, there is concern that fishing effort may shift to the commercial golden tilefish and black sea bass fisheries. The Council is developing management alternatives through Amendment 18A to the Snapper Grouper FMP to help address these concerns, including measures to limit participation in the commercial golden tilefish fishery through the use of an endorsement program, changes to trip limits, and modifications to the fishing year. Management alternatives are also being developed to limit participation in the black sea bass fishery, reduce bycatch, change the fishing year, and split the quota between seasons. The amendment will also include measures to improve the accuracy, timing, and quantity of fisheries data. Measures to extend the snapper grouper management unit as far north as New England were removed from the initial Amendment 18 and will be included in Amendment 18B. The Council approved Amendment 18A for public hearings to be held later this fall. The dates and locations for the hearings will be publicized one they are finalized.
The Council will meet again December 6-10, 2010, in New Bern, North Carolina. Meeting information, including Summary Motions from the September meeting in Charleston, will be posted on the Council’s website at www.safmc.net as it becomes available.
