SAFMC Meeting Recap
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) met last week in Kitty Hawk, NC for its December business meeting. There was a good turnout from the public — you represented North Carolina well. We heard many thoughtful comments and had great conversations throughout the week. It’s always good to have the SAFMC meet in North Carolina, and I appreciate everyone who stopped by.
Black Sea Bass: Final Approval of Management Changes (Regulatory Amendment 37)
During the meeting, the Council voted for final approval of changes to South Atlantic black sea bass management under Regulatory Amendment 37. These changes reflect the updated stock assessment and the lower Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) set by the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).
The new annual catch targets (ACTs) for the South Atlantic stock (south of Cape Hatteras) set:
- Commercial ACL: 48,557 pounds
- Recreational ACL: 63,143 pounds
Under the new management measures:
- A two-month spawning season closure for both sectors will be implemented February 1 – March 31.
- The recreational daily bag limit will be reduced to 3 fish.
Following Secretarial review, these regulations will become effective.
Blueline Tilefish: Updated Catch Levels Approved (Abbreviated Framework 5)
The Council also voted for final approval to update blueline tilefish catch levels under Abbreviated Framework 5.
A recent operational stock assessment resulted in an increase in the ABC for South Atlantic blueline tilefish of about 80,000 pounds. The Council voted to update the recreational and commercial annual catch limits (ACLs) to reflect this increase in overall quota.
Following Secretarial review, the new ACLs will become effective.
Red Snapper EFPs: Major Discussion, Key Issues Acknowledged
Red snapper Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) generated significant discussion and many public comments.
Several of my primary concerns going into the meeting were addressed. NOAA Fisheries and state representatives acknowledged there is still substantial work needed in these applications, including accounting for estimated harvest, discards, participation, data collection, and minimizing impacts to other fisheries.
Red snapper management has long been a source of frustration for recreational and commercial fishermen, managers, and scientists alike. While I still have reservations about using the EFP process in this way, I better understand what the Council is trying to accomplish. I also feel more encouraged after hearing Council members and NOAA openly discuss deficiencies in the applications and the changes needed for them to be lawful, equitable, and grounded in sound science.
Concerns from stakeholders, NGOs, NOAA Fisheries, and commercial representatives were well documented at the meeting. Through this process, I hope we can continue working transparently to ensure these EFPs meet legal requirements, treat sectors fairly, and are developed using sound science.
Concern: North Carolina’s EFP Proposal
After reviewing other state EFP applications, I believe North Carolina’s current proposal puts recreational fishermen at a severe disadvantage. Limiting access to only 100 recreational anglers is likely to create more problems than solutions.
First — fairness: It will be extremely difficult to design a lottery that fairly includes both private recreational anglers and those who access the fishery through for-hire charters. Regardless of how the lottery is structured, moving from open access to limited entry typically generates strong — and often negative — public and industry reaction due to concerns over fairness, economic displacement, and loss of traditional access.
Second — discards: Limiting participation to such a small number will almost certainly increase discards, which is counter to one of the primary goals of the EFP.
Third — data quality: A sample size this small will not capture true recreational effort and will likely be insufficient for statistically meaningful results.
Going forward, as these EFPs are reevaluated, I hope the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) will work collaboratively with private recreational anglers, for-hire charter businesses, and commercial fishermen to develop a more comprehensive and realistic EFP for our state.
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Thomas Newman
Fisheries Liaison
thomasnewman@ncfish.org