Council Approves Snapper Grouper Amendment 13C - Public input plays role in final management measures
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted to approve Amendment 13C to its Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to address overfishing for snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, and black sea bass during its recent meeting in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Management measures include reductions in commercial quotas and recreational bag limits, increases in recreational size limits, and changes to the fishing year for black sea bass. The amendment allows for a moderate increase in the harvest of red porgy as the stock continues to rebuild. Public comment received via letters, email, and through a series of 11 public hearings helped determine the final management measures included in the amendment. The Council also received recommendations from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel during the meeting regarding proposed measures.
The majority of public comment focused on the negative social and economic impacts of management options originally included in the document that would end overfishing immediately. Substantial decreases in harvest, ranging from a 66% reduction for snowy grouper to a 31% reduction for vermilion snapper, affected both commercial and recreational fisheries. Collectively, snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, and black sea bass make up 40% of the commercial revenue in the snapper grouper fishery. While snowy grouper and golden tilefish are predominately fished commercially, both vermilion snapper and black sea bass are also important to both recreational fishermen and the charter/headboat industry. Council members heard reports from fishermen of healthy catches of vermilion snapper and black sea bass and received comments regarding the uncertainty of data being used for stock assessments, including recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee.
After considering all of the recommendations and public comment, the Council mod