January public hearings and scoping meetings scheduled for snapper grouper species
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold public hearings and scoping meetings in January and early February to solicit input on proposed measures for species in the snapper grouper management complex. Management measures are proposed for Gag, Black Grouper, and Red Snapper to help address release mortality. The Council is also soliciting public input on options to establish a federal permit for the private recreational component of the snapper grouper fishery.
Additional information about the upcoming hearings, including public hearing documents and online public comment forms, are now available from the Council’s website: https://safmc.net/public-hearings-and-scoping/.
January Public Hearings
Snapper Grouper Amendment 53 – Gag and Black Grouper
January 10 and 11, 2023
via webinar beginning at 6 p.m.
Webinar registration
Per the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the annual catch limit (ACL) for Gag must be reduced because the stock is overfished and undergoing overfishing. Snapper Grouper Amendment 53 will establish a rebuilding plan for Gag, reduce the ACL for both commercial and recreational sectors, modify sector allocations, and establish recreational vessel limits for both Gag and Black Grouper.
Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35 – Red Snapper Catch Levels and Snapper Grouper Release Mortality Reduction
Six in-person hearings and one webinar hearing will be held for Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35 addressing Red Snapper catch levels. The amendment also includes a proposed action to reduce release mortality for all snapper grouper species by restricting the recreational sector to the use of single hook rigs when targeting snapper grouper species.
Public Hearing Schedule for Regulatory Amendment 35
All hearings begin at 6 p.m.
January 17
Richmond Hill City Center, Richmond Hill, GA
January 18
Town and Country Inn, Charleston, SC
January 19
The Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City, NC
January 24
Hyatt Place St. Johns Town Center, Jacksonville, FL
January 25
City of Cocoa Civic Center, Cocoa, FL
January 26
Holiday Inn Key Largo, Key Largo, FL
January 31 – via webinar
Location details are available at: https://safmc.net/events/jan-2023-public-hearings-snapper-grouper-regulatory-amendment-35/.
Snapper Grouper Amendment 46 – Proposed Recreational Federal Permits for the Snapper Grouper Fishery
The Council is soliciting public comment on options to establish a federal permit for the private recreational component of the snapper grouper fishery through Snapper Grouper Amendment 46. Scoping meetings are held early in the decision-making process to get public input on options being considered.
Public scoping meetings are scheduled for January 30, 2023, and February 6, 2023, via webinar. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available at: https://safmc.net/events/jan-feb-2023-public-scoping-snapper-grouper-amendment-46/.
About the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, one of eight regional councils, conserves and manages fish stocks from three to 200 miles offshore of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and east Florida. For more information, visit: www.safmc.net.
