Category Archives: South Atlantic
New Biscayne National Park management plan gets cold reception – All commercial fishing, except using lampara nets for ballyhoo, would be banned.
“It’s crazy,” said Ernie Piton, president of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. “They’re closing so many areas, where are people going to go? They’ll be on top of each other.” “This would affect so many jobs, here and in Miami,” Piton said. “I haven’t seen anything to justify it.” more@keysnet 22:05
Coast Guard to intensify efforts to stop offshore poaching of Atlantic striped bass
In an effort to ensure the health of the striped bass population, the Coast Guard is working to raise awareness of the federal regulations stating Atlantic striped bass may not be caught, harvested or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone. The EEZ begins three nautical miles from shore and extends out to 200 nautical miles. more@uscgnews 15:12
SAFMC Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel Meeting
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM EST (Sorry for the late post!) Webinar sign in here. 12:03
Striped Bass In Trouble, It’s Time For Recreational Anglers To Drastically Limit Their Catch
In his book, “The Founding Fish,” John McPhee makes the argument that the American shad, given its role in our nation’s history is indeed “America’s fish” (the little fish makes Forrest Gump-like cameos alongside George Washington, George Pickett and John Wilkes Booth). [email protected] 12:26
Dr. Louis Daniel, Director of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries new chairman of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
A 1995 graduate of the Ph.D. program in William & Mary’s School of Marine Science at VIMS, Daniel has served as an ASMFC Commissioner since 2007. Established in 1942, the Commission is a deliberative body of the Atlantic coastal states, coordinating the conservation and management of 25 near-shore fish species from Florida to Maine. Daniel replaces Paul J. Diodati of Massachusetts. more@vims,edu 15:33
Named after a true Hero, Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter Charles David Jr. to be homeported in Key West
The Charles David Jr., is the first Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter to be homeported in Key West.Charles Walter David, Jr was a Coast Guardsman who was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his actions Feb. 3, 1943. more@uscgnews Charles Walter David, Jr: African-American Hero in a Segregated Service link 16:28
Florida: Commercial Mullet fishing: Ban feud casts wide net – Video
Traditionally, Florida’s inshore fishermen used gill nets to catch mullet, varying the size of the mesh with the size of the fish: In the spring, when mullet are small, they used 3-inch mesh; in the winter roe season, when mullet are at their maximum size, they used 4-inch mesh. But under the state’s net limitation regulations, which went into effect in 1995, nets cannot have mesh sizes greater than two inches, so most of the mullet simply bounced off Dooley’s net. [email protected] 11:28
National Marine Fisheries Service New Navy whale rules under scrutiny – NRDC: Feds Give Navy Green Light to Kill Whales and Dolphins
“In a Bizzaro-World move, with these rules the agency charged with protecting whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals gives its stamp of approval to Navy training and testing activities that will harm millions of marine mammals, killing many,” the Natural Resources Defense Council stated in a blog post. more@utsandiego 21:57 Feds Give Navy Green Light to Kill Whales and Dolphins NRDC link
A potentially troubling development – Dolphin virus turns up in 4 dead whales
The virus that has killed nearly 800 bottlenose dolphins off the East Coast has turned up in four whales that have washed ashore, a potentially troubling development if it is shown to be the cause of their deaths, a government marine expert said Thursday. [email protected] 16:26
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee Hearing: Fishing industry angling for lower catch limits in Atlantic and Gulf
WASHINGTON — Recreational and commercial fishing interests are pressing Congress to relax catch limits in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, citing increases in fish populations over the past decade. [email protected] 09:23
Florida Net Ban: Florida’s ban on net fishing near shore debated again
“We would like the opportunity to harvest Spanish mackerel, pompano and mullet in state waters,” Kelly said. “We’d like to see the use of gill nets with the appropriate mesh size for the appropriate targets.” “We will spend every penny necessary to protect the constitutional ban on gill netting,” CCA Florida chairman Jim Williams said. [email protected] 11:50
Senate Commerce Committee – Southeast Regional Perspectives on MSA Reauthorization Nov 14 2013 10:30 AM LIVE!
Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. titled, “Southeast Regional Perspectives on Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization.” This hearing is the second in a series of regionally-focused hearings regarding the upcoming reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. more here hearing will be webcast live via the Senate Commerce Committee website. Refresh the Commerce Committee homepage 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time to automatically begin streaming the webcast. Access the webinar here 08:28
SAFMC Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 7 – To fillet or not fillet? Webinar Slated
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 7 would allow fishermen to fillet the dolphin and wahoo they legally catch in Bahamian waters on their boat before they reach port, said Brian Cheuvront, the council’s fisheries economist. more@keysnet 13:12
Boaters advised to secure vessels, gear – High wind forecast for northern Florida, Georgia
Strong cold front will push into the area, bringing gusty north winds between 15 to 25 mph with gusts 25 to 35 mph over land late Tuesday night and into Wednesday. Seas are predicted to build between 8 and 11 feet near shore late Tuesday night and Wednesday. Seas are forecast to build 9 to 12 feet offshore after midnight, then 12 to 16 feet Wednesday. more@uscgnews 19:55
Judge’s gillnet ban ruling overturned will of the voters
Last week, we watched the results of a judge gone wild. In 1994, Florida’s voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that banned the use of the gill nets commercial fishermen had been using to catch fish, especially mullet, like there was no tomorrow. [email protected] 19:19
Riverside wins $58 million NOAA fisheries contracts Observers Program IT services to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center – $58 Million? WTF?!!
FORT COLLINS – Riverside Technology inc., which designs and implements integrated scientific, engineering and IT solutions, has been awarded multiple contract task orders totaling $58 million by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Observers Program services to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. (This is for JUST the SEFC!) [email protected] 11:05
Unprecedented Dolphin Die Off Witnessed Along Eastern US Coast
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced unsettling and unfortunate news this week centered on the bottlenose dolphin and Cetacean populations on the east coast of the United States. We are witnessing the most unprecedented stranding and die-off of these creatures in our recorded history. more@redorbit 10:47
Wonder if the Center for Biological Diversity will sue the Mahi Mahi?!!
Mahi Mahi was found to have better than a couple dozen baby sea turtles in it’s belly. 14:32
Florida’s gill net rules hit a snag
Gill nets are back. After almost 20 years of being illegal, the controversial nets that entangle fish by the gills can once again be dragged through the Indian River Lagoon and other state waters. At least for now. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued a memo Friday directing its officers to stop enforcing the 18-year-old gill net ban, after Leon County Judge Jackie Fulford had ordered as much. more@floridatoday 10:12
Parasite depletes wild shrimp haul off southeast Atlantic coast
Experts said they believe black gill disease, caused by a tiny parasite, contributed to a die-off of white shrimp between August and October, typically the prime catch season. The disease does not kill shrimp directly but hurts their endurance and makes them more vulnerable to predators. [email protected] 16:59
NOAA says Population of black sea bass recovered, assessment finds
Catch limits for black sea bass more than doubled last month after a stock assessment showed that the southern population of the fish has officially recovered, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said this week. The change was no surprise to area fishermen, who for years complied with shortened fishing seasons and restricted catch limits while local sea bass populations surged. more@starnewsonline 09:10
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: Atlantic Striped Bass not overfished or experiencing overfishing
That’s right! After this week’s meeting we’re pleased to announce that the recent benchmark assessment indicates that the Atlantic Striped Bass resource is not overfished or experiencing overfishing relative to proposed new reference points defined in the assessment. [email protected] 12:14
Russians planning major Caribbean oil study
The Russian government last month publicly expressed an interest in Caribbean oil and natural gas exploration, including off the coasts of nations near South Florida. more@keysnet 12:54
Dolphin deaths spreading to SC
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species: Swordfish Landings Update Through September 30, 2013 Sharks through October 18, 2013.
Please see the attached swordfish landings update as of September 30, 2013. For previous swordfish landings updates, click here Shark Landings Update Through October 18, 2013 click here 16:53
Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford rules against net ban as ‘legal absurdity’
In a sweeping judgment in favor of Wakulla County commercial mullet fishermen, Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford on Tuesday ordered a halt to enforcement of Florida’s constitutional amendment limiting net fishing in state coastal waters. Fulford sided with the Wakulla Commercial Fisherman’s Association, Panacea bait-and-tackle shop owner Ronald Fred Crum and county mullet fishermen Jonas Porter and Keith Ward, who sued FWC in 2011. [email protected] 21:46
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheris Service is back to work, and they’re giving away plenty of loot!
$36 Million in Funding for Coastal Habitat Restoration Projects to Benefit Fish In the Northeast Region, In the Southeast Region, In the Northwest Region, In the Southwest Region, In the Great Lakes, 16:21
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council SSC Meeting: October 22-24, 2013
The scientific advisors to the South Atlantic Council meet this week to talk about blueline tilefish, Spanish mackerel, snowy grouper, and other issues. You can listen in via webinar here 11:04
Poachers thought no one would be monitoring the Federal Vessel Monitoring System during shutdown!
A pair of Florida men face two misdemeanor fishing charges for reportedly fishing within Dry Tortugas National Park on Tuesday — a day the federal government was still shut down. Jailed were James Mooneyham, 48, of Madiera Beach, and James Redden, 43, of Cape Coral. The FWC says one of the reasons for the poaching venture is that the pair thought no one would be monitoring the Federal Vessel Monitoring System due to the government shutdown. more@keysnet 23:27
Man eats 25 crab claws in 17 min. in Keys contest
Alfredo Munoz of Moses Lake cracked and consumed 25 claws in 17 minutes and 35 seconds during Saturday’s contest that attracted more than 50 competitors at Keys Fisheries restaurant. more@wtsp 11:10
