All bottom fishing prohibited.

[tsubaki]

The vote has passed (SAFMC) to close ALL bottom fishing from the Savannah River to Sebastian Inlet in waters 98' to 240' deep.

This encompasses 6,161 square miles, all the Georgia offshore coast to north central Florida. This makes up 3% of the Federal Waters of the South Atlantic.

[tsubaki]

This is the newsletter published this spring with the proposed closure location (now passed), starts on page 1 and continued on page 10.
http://www.safmc.net/Portals/6/Newsl...2010_FINAL.pdf
The publication is too large to upload.
I'm trying to figure out how to pick only these two pages in order to make it easier to read.

[tsubaki]

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council News Release March 8, 2010 CONTACT: Kim Iverson
Public Information Officer
(843) 571-4366 Council Modifies Preferred Alternative for Area Closure

Measures to end overfishing and set Annual Catch Limits for red snapper further reviewed in March

After reviewing management alternatives for red snapper during their meeting this past week in Jekyll Island, Georgia, members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council chose a new preferred alternative for an area closure under consideration to end overfishing and rebuild red snapper stocks. The Council is considering an area closure in Amendment 17A to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan that would prohibit the harvest of all snapper grouper species, targeting areas where red snapper landings have traditionally been highest to reduce the bycatch mortality associated with the red snapper fishery. The latest preferred alternative includes an area off the coasts of Georgia and Northern Florida extending slightly south of Melbourne, Florida in waters from 98 feet to 240 feet deep. Alternative 3C, chosen by the Council last week, is smaller in size than an initial preferred management alternative chosen by the Council during its December 2009 meeting.
The Council kept a preferred management alternative to allow spearfishing within the closed area, excluding red snapper, because there is no bycatch associated with the use of the gear. A preferred alternative to allow fishing with black sea bass pots was removed due to the change in configuration of the area closure. The Council also chose to use generalized boundaries with smaller number of waypoints in defining all of the alternatives for the area closures based on recommendations from its Law Enforcement Advisory Panel and Committee. A map of the preferred alternative is available on the homepage of the Council’s Web site.
"I respect the process the council used to change the preferred alternative from 4D to 3C which excludes a closure off South Carolina,” said Council Chairman Duane Harris. “I voted against this change as I do not believe it will result in enough reduction in red snapper mortality. However, I hope alternative 3C will work and we can move forward in June with approving Snapper Grouper Amendment 17A.”
The amendment, currently under development, includes management measures to meet the requirements of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act to end overfishing of red snapper, set Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures, and rebuild the red snapper stock. Alternatives for a red snapper monitoring program and the use of circle hooks for the snapper grouper fishery north of 28 degrees N. latitude are also included.
The red snapper fishery closed in federal waters in the South Atlantic for both commercial and recreational fishermen on January 4, 2010. The Council requested the interim rule be used to close the fishery until more long-term measures are implemented through Amendment 17A. The interim rule is currently scheduled to expire on June 2, 2010 but can be extended for an additional 186 days. The decision regarding the extension of the closure will be made by NOAA Fisheries Service. If approved, Amendment 17A would extend the closure for a longer period of time. NOAA Fisheries Service is soliciting public comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 17A until April 19, 2010. Additional information regarding the DEIS is available online at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.
Closing the red snapper fishery is not enough to end overfishing and rebuild the stock because of the high
bycatch mortality associated with the fishery. It is estimated that 40% of the red snapper captured and
released by recreational fishermen die. Although primarily a recreationally harvested species, the bycatch mortality climbs to 90% for the commercial fishery because of fishing practices and deeper waters that are fished. Based on a 2008 stock assessment for red snapper, it is necessary to reduce the mortality (both harvest and bycatch) by 83% in order to meet the requirements of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act to end overfishing by 2010 and begin rebuilding the stock. If approved, Amendment 17A will implement long-term measures to meet those requirements, including an area closure. The Council is expected to take final action during its June meeting in Orlando, Florida regarding Amendment 17A.
A new stock assessment is being conducted for red snapper this year and the results will be available to the Council during its December 2010 meeting. The Council is mandated to take action in June to approve Amendment 17A for submission to the Secretary of Commerce. However, Council member and Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, Dr. Roy Crabtree, explained during an informal question and answer session at last week’s meeting that there are options for the Council in December to request additional measures that could modify the area closure based on the outcome of the new stock assessment. While fishermen are hopeful that the new assessment will reflect the increased number of red snapper they’ve seen in recent years, Dr. Crabtree cautioned that a new assessment may or may not reflect an improvement in the stock.
The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for June 7-11, 2010 in Orlando, Florida.

[tsubaki]

Due to public outcry, they have now approved a modified closure area.
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council News Release June 9, 2010 CONTACT: Kim Iverson
Public Information Officer
(843) 571-4366 Council Approves Measures to End Overfishing of Red Snapper

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved an amendment to address overfishing of red snapper and rebuild the South Atlantic stock during its meeting in Orlando earlier today. Measures include a continuation of the closure of the red snapper fishery for both commercial and recreational fishermen in federal waters in the South Atlantic and a new area closure off of northeastern Florida and southern Georgia, where fishing for all snapper grouper species in water depths of 98 - 240 feet would be prohibited. Fishing for pelagic species such as tuna, dolphin, and billfish would be allowed within the area. Amendment 17A to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan was approved by the Council in a split vote (9 to 4) for submission to the Secretary of Commerce. The amendment will undergo further review by NOAA Fisheries Service before submission to the Secretary. The amendment is designed to meet the requirements of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act to end overfishing and rebuild stocks within a specified time period.

After reviewing public comment and the management alternatives, the Council modified the area closure for snapper grouper species, reducing the closed area by eliminating much of the previously proposed area off the coast of Georgia. The proposed closure encompasses federal waters where red snapper landings are highest. The area closure is designed to help eliminate release mortality for red snapper that occurs when fishermen target other co-occurring snapper grouper species.

If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, management measures in Amendment 17A will likely be implemented later this year. A new stock assessment is being conducted for red snapper in the South Atlantic and the results will be presented to the Council in December 2010. The Council will consider adjusting management measures following the stock assessment if warranted.

The Council will continue to meet this week in Orlando, Florida. Information about the meeting, including a link to a live video feed is available from the meeting information page.

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.

[tsubaki]

For those of you unable to comprehend the purposes of the SAMFC.
This is only one a federal fisheries department, it governs recreational and commercial fishing from North Carolina to Miami, from 3 to 200 miles offshore.
The past regulations have apparently failed to reduce the "bycatch" of "closed to possession" of certain species of fish (Red Snapper has become the Spotted Owl in this instance).
In order to protect these species, it has been determined that a closure of fishing in their habitat is the only solution. Being spear fishing and top water trolling pose no real threat to these species, it is at this time still allowed in the closed areas.

[Destroyer]

Why do I get the feeling that the "fisheries management" people have no real clue as to what is going on? In the northeast it's the Fluke population that is the spotted owl, although from all indications the biomass of this species is greater than it's been for the past 10 years... Now they've set their sights on Black Sea Bass and Weakfish. In all cases I personally think that if they would just BAN commercial fishing of these species there would be no problems. Instead it's the recreational fisherman that takes it in the neck while the commercial fisheries continue to get larger and larger quota's. Damn them all!!