Voice your concerns at any of the upcoming South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) scoping meetings/hearings (listed below).

As part of the public hearing items, learn about the Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP)—the Council’s future source document to “provide a greater degree of guidance on incorporation of fishery, habitat and ecosystem considerations into management actions.” View the public hearing summaryto the Fishery Ecosystem Plan.

Secondly, Council members will discuss Amendment 1, which would establish five deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern, encompassing more than 24,000 square miles of the South Atlantic coast. View the public hearing summary to Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1.

Scoping issues include an Annual Catch Limit Amendment, which would establish Annual Catch Limits (ACLs), Annual Catch Targets (ACTs) and Accountability Measures (AMs) for species not currently undergoing overfishing. A second scoping issue is Snapper/Grouper Amendment 18, which would further restrict recreational catches of golden tilefish and black sea bass. Go to the SAFMC Web page for details.

Location sites:

February 3 - Key Largo, Florida
Key Largo Grande
97000 S. Overseas Hwy.
Key Largo, FL 33037

February 4 - Cocoa Beach, Florida
Doubletree Hotel
2080 N. Atlantic Ave.
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931

February 5 - Pooler, Georgia
Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum
175 Bourne Ave.
Pooler, GA 31322

If not attending, write and submit comments to the Council by 5 p.m. on Feb. 6.

Send Comments to NMFS Regarding Gag Grouper Closures

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) still seeks comments from the public on Snapper/Grouper Amendment 16, which forces even heavier restrictions and seasonal limitations on gag grouper and vermilion snapper for recreational anglers. (See www.floridasportsman.com/casts/090123.)

The South Atlantic Council approved the amendment for submission to NOAA Fisheries in an 8 to 5 split vote during its September 2008 meeting. Comments can be submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service until February 23, 2009.