SAFMC Meeting This Week
December 2022 South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (SAFMC) Meeting
The SAFMC is meeting this week (December 5th-9th) in Wrightsville Beach, NC at the Blockade Runner (275 Waynick Boulevard, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480).
Meeting Agenda:
https://safmc.net/documents/2022/11/safmc-december-2022-agenda_final.pdf/
Briefing Materials:
https://safmc.net/events/december-2022-council-meeting/
The meeting will be live streamed on GoToWebinar at:
Public comment will be held Wednesday, December 7th both in person and online.
A few items of interest:
On Tuesday and Wednesday the Snapper Grouper Committee will continue discussion on current amendments for Red Snapper, Gag and Black Grouper, Snapper Grouper, Snowy Grouper, Golden Tilefish, and Blueline Tilefish. Final approval will be voted on for Snowy Grouper and Golden and Blueline Tilefish amendments.
Thursday morning the Mackerel Cobia Committee meets to hear another report from the Science and Statistics Committee (SSC) on the progress of the Spanish mackerel stock assessment (I do not think much progress has been made since the September meeting though). The committee will also review a white paper put together by SAFMC staff on False Albacore (Little Tunny) to look at whether the Council is interested in managing this species.
Thursday evening the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team will give an update on their recent progress. Much hard work from industry representatives, fisheries managers, statisticians, and scientists was wrapped up last week with final recommendations being voted on to send to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The team did a great job (especially the ones from our area) to lower entanglement risk as much as possible while trying to allow everyone to continue to be able to fish. Hopefully NMFS agrees.
As always if you have any questions, comments, or concerns we are here to help. The SAFMC only get to NC once a year. This is a good time to attend a meeting.
Thomas Newman
Fisheries Liaison
