Category Archives: South Atlantic
Chairmanship puts Rubio in middle of Florida issues, integral role in reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Act
Much has been made of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s new post as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee,,, The Republican from West Miami is expected to also chair the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard. Rubio will play an integral role in reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Read the rest here 12:39
SAFMC REMINDER: January 1, 2015 brought changes to federal fishing regulations in the South Atlantic
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council reminds commercial and recreational fishermen about several fishery openings and closures in federal waters of the South Atlantic effective January 1, 2015. Read more here 17:33Oak Hill fights looming ban on fishing in wildlife refuge
“A determination was made that commercial harvesting of fish, crabs and shellfish has inherent impacts upon the marine environment that are not compatible with the purpose of the refuge; consequently, the decision was to end permitting of the activity by October 2018,” Refuge Manager Layne Hamilton (bureaucrat) said in an email. “We recognized the long history of commercial fishing and the economic dependence of many local residents on this activity and that is reason the Fish and Wildlife Service provided a 11-year transition to reduce the hardship.” Read the rest here 20:35
Commercial fishing captain who pleaded guilty to federal poaching charges is missing
A commercial-fishing boat found Wednesday without its 67-year-old operator triggered a search by U.S. Coast Guard aircraft and boats off Key West. The search for Dennis Dallmeyer continued late Wednesday. Dallmeyer was being prosecuted in federal court for his role in a lobster-poaching operation. In late November, Dallmeyer agreed to plead guilty. Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 27. Read the rest here 08:28
FWC announces new law enforcement director
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced a new law enforcement director, Col. Curtis Brown. Brown, known among colleagues at the FWC and partner agencies for his dedication to conservation, will oversee more than 1,000 employees in the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement.“We are excited about Col. Brown’s passion and positive attitude,” Read the rest here 16:36
Keys fishery issues back on tap
The ban and a lack of consistent fishing regulations among the major government fishery agencies that have jurisdiction in Keys waters has led to the formation of a committee to look at South Florida fishing regulations. The committee — which is comprised of members from South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management councils and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) — will meet for three days in Key West starting Jan. 13 Read the rest here 10:18
Shad season for Georgia Commercial Fishermen to open Jan. 1
Commercial fishermen can take to the water beginning at 6 a.m. Jan. 1 to take advantage of the opening day of shad season, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. Shad season runs through midnight Tuesday, March 31. Fishermen need to be aware that, due to a recent regulation change, they now are required to possess a free letter of authorization in addition to their commercial fishing license to commercially fish for shad. Read the rest here 11:39
Coast Guard Responds to Fishing Vessel in distress off South Carolina coast
The Coast Guard responded to a vessel taking on water Saturday, 48 miles southeast of Folly Beach, South Carolina. No injuries were reported, and the vessel did not sink. Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center received a report of the situation at 4:10 a.m., from the captain of the 37-foot commercial fishing vessel. Read the rest here 17:26
Mass starfish stranding reported on Fripp Island
The stranding of thousands of starfish on Fripp Island was likely due to Wednesday’s stormy weather, according to a marine veterinarian. George Sedberry, a science coordinator in national Office of Marine Sanctuaries, said he has not studied this stranding but offered other possible explanations for the sea stars’ deaths. (You know where this is going, right?) Read the rest here 13:31
The Bernstein family and Island Trust Agreement Development redevelopment prompts concerns for commercial fishing there
One of Stock Island’s largest landowners intends to keep commercial fishing part of a plan to redevelop a large portion of Safe Harbor, the owners said. The lack of details about the development have led to speculation and uneasiness among fishermen. The Bernstein family and the owners of Fishbusterz fish market want to ease those fears. Read the rest here 10:24
Signs of hope for endangered sawfish
Approaching Port Everglades in a helicopter, Ryan Goldman peered down at the water and saw a ray swimming at unusually high speed. Behind it, he spotted two large and bizarre-looking predators: the endangered smalltooth sawfish, which use their long, serrated bills to hunt prey. The two 12-foot-long fish swam out of the inlet as the helicopter circled and Goldman, a biologist for Broward County who was in the air to count manatees, took photos. Read the rest here 17:26
Protecting a Home Where the Puffer Fish Roam in Biscayne National Park
BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK, Fla. — For 15 years, officials, environmentalists, fishermen and boaters have struggled to put together a plan to protect one of South Florida’s jewels — a national park, almost entirely underwater, where a part of the largest reef tract in the United States lures throngs of divers and anglers who fish its once-abundant grouper and snapper. Read the rest here 16:54
Lobster poacher gets more probation in the largest poaching case in Keys history
A federal judge extended the probation Monday of a former commercial lobster fisherman who was banned from fishing and served more than two years in federal prison in the largest poaching case in Keys history. David Dreifort, 47, found himself afoul of the law again,,, Read the rest here 08:41
City of Fernandina Beach opposes seismic testing for oil in ocean
Fernandina Beach has joined more than 25 coastal towns that are saying “no” to seismic testing in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. City commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to that effect Tuesday.,,the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, received approval this year for seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean, which had been declared off-limits for oil exploration since 1982. Read the rest here 09:21
The fishery council credibility gap – Wayne Mershon, President, Council for Sustainable Fishing
This week in New Bern, NC, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council created its own credibility gap with fishermen and other stakeholders when it decided to include catch share schemes for both the commercial and for-hire sectors, expensive vessel monitoring systems for all sectors, and more no-fishing Marine Protected Areas — all management measures vehemently opposed by the vast majority of stakeholders — in its draft long-term plan for the snapper-grouper fishery called the Vision Project. Read the rest here 18:55
NOAA imposes new rules to protect Bluefin Tuna
New restrictions are being placed on fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast to protect the prized bluefin tuna species from being overfished. On Monday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the rules for commercial fishing vessels. The rules take effect in January. Read the rest here 11:57
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting December 1-5, 2014 – New Bern, NC Attend via Webinar
Click here for Meeting Agenda Click here for Briefing Book Materials Webinar Registration: Watch the meeting LIVE as it happens – Sign up for daily Webinars here 17:24
Possible rule changes for hogfish overfishing
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Life Research Institute recently completed a stock assessment of hogfish and found the ones in Atlantic Ocean waters off Florida are currently undergoing overfishing, which means the fish mortality rate is at a level that is too high and not sustainable, according to research institute fisheries biologist Mike Murphy. Read the rest here 09:02
South Atlantic Fishery Council credibility is at stake
Last year, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council made a big splash,,, The phrase “catch shares” is nowhere to be found in the document. Instead creative code-speak is used to describe the strategy throughout the document: “sector share management system,” “individual quota management system,” We’re shocked and disappointed to see the SAFMC depart so dramatically from the stakeholder-driven,,, Read the rest here 11:41
Regulations changed on AJs, black sea bass in South Atlantic
The date change also aligns the beginning of the commercial harvest season for black sea bass with the commercial season for vermilion snapper, which are commonly caught together with hook-and-line gear.,, The trip-limit changes will all be on the commercial side and include reducing the trip limit for black sea bass, Read the rest here 09:45
October/November 2014 issue of ASMFC Fisheries Focus
All the ASMFC news you can use! Fisheries Management Actions, Proposed Management Actions, and much more. Read ASMFC Fisheries Focus here 11:03
End of season Georgia shrimp – “It’s just part of being a fisherman. Sometimes they’re there, sometimes they’re not.”
Capt. Joseph Fawcett says the past few days he’s spent shrimp fishing aboard the Little Lloyd with his family have been cold, but he doesn’t blame the weather for the less than stellar trip. “Those shrimp can leave a spot overnight sometimes,” he said. Read the rest here 09:07
Hold on Rear Admiral’s Promotion as South Carolina and Oregon Lawmakers Urge Coast Guard to Reverse Course on Helicopters
The effort to keep a Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter on the central coast is picking up steam, with the chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation adding his support and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden putting the brakes on one admiral’s promotion. Read the rest here 22:29
FWC biologists: Lobster casitas too problematic
“We’re done,” said marine salver John Coffin, who has worked with other commercial divers to legalize casitas. “I really feel betrayed by (FWC) staff. The biology is good. They didn’t want the headaches. Nobody wants the headaches. … Read the rest here 08:30
Menhaden Fishery Excels in Landings, Sustainability, and Nutrition
New commendations and a report from the top U.S. agency overseeing commercial fisheries show the commercial menhaden industry to be operating sustainably and in support of some of the nation’s biggest fishing ports. With the release of their annual Fisheries of the United States report last month,,, read the rest here 15:11
County Council greenlights stricter rules for jellyfish companies
Beaufort County Council approved new rules designed to more strictly regulate local jellyfish operations Monday night. However, representatives of the only existing local jellyfish business and two council members worry the changes are too vague for the business to follow. Read the rest here 17:41
Slow start to stone crab season
Fishermen are still awaiting the first real cold snap to get the stone crabs out of their hiding holes and into the traps. Conch Key fishermen Gary Nichols called the season “mediocre” so far. “It still has not been good, but the prices have been decent,” Nichols said. Read the rest here 08:29
Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association lost two of its biggest advocates in Tuesday’s elections
U.S. Reps. Joe Garcia, D-Key West, and Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, were both voted out of office. They were big supporters of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association and helped the group on many fishing issues, Executive Director Bill Kelly said. Read the rest here 07:33
Stop pointing the finger at fishing, point it at polluting industries
Sandy muddy bottoms peak August and October in Georgia In the marshes, estuaries and winter beaches, you can go as far as a mile or two out searching for crabs. Crabbing has declined over the years, . Read the rest here 14:04
