Release: Immediate
Contact: Patricia Smith
Phone: (252) 726-7021
Date: April 29, 2011

Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Set for Atlantic Beach

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet May 11-13 at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel, 2717 W. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach.

The meeting is open to the public.

The commission is slated to consider options to allow a commercial hook-and-line fishery for striped bass in the Atlantic Ocean. At its February meeting, the commission directed the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries to examine a commercial hook-and-line fishery for ocean-caught striped bass to help avoid waste. The directive came after the commission reviewed incidents of dead discards of striped bass in the ocean trawl fishery this winter.

The commission will also hear updates on legislation introduced this session by the N.C. General Assembly. This will include the status of a bill to clarify that the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan does not fall under a new requirement that all fishery management plans must end overfishing within two years of adoption. The commission will discuss how to proceed with the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan if the legislation does not pass. The plan does not meet the new criteria.

The meeting begins with a public comment session at 6 p.m. May 11. Anyone who wishes to speak to the commission on a fisheries-related matter may do so then or at 9:15 a.m. May 12. Given time constraints, commission Chairman Rob Bizzell will ask individuals to speak only once, either on May 11 or on May 12, but not during both public comment periods.

The business session of the meeting begins at 9 a.m. May 12 and 8:30 a.m. May 13.

A full meeting agenda is attached. For more information, contact the Marine Fisheries Commission office at (252) 808-8021.

nr-15-2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kate Michie
Phone: (727) 824-5305, FAX (727) 824-5308
Email: Kate.Michie@noaa.gov
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
April 28, 2011

NOAA Fisheries Service Requests Public Comments on South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper
Trip Limits and Bag Limits
Comment Period April 29, 2011-May 16, 2011

• Reduce the bag limit for black sea bass from 15 fish per person to 5 fish per person;
• Split the black sea bass commercial quota into two seasons, (June-November 128,547 lbs gw) and (December-May 180,453 lb gw);
• Establish a trip limit of 1,000 lbs gw for gag;
• Establish a trip limit of 1,500 lbs gw for vermilion snapper; and
• Increase the trip limit for greater amberjack from 1,000 lbs gw to 1,200 lbs gw.

Request for Comments
Written comments on this proposed rule must be received no later than May 16, 2011, in order to be considered by NOAA Fisheries Service. See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments.

Addresses
Electronic copies of proposed rule may be obtained from
the e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Web site at http://www.safmc.net, or:

NOAA Fisheries Service
Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:http://www.regulations.gov, by entering ANOAA-NMFS-2011-0107" in the keyword search, then check the box labeled ASelect to find documents accepting comments or submissions@, then select ASend a Comment or Submission.@ All comments received are part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA Fisheries Service will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Comments received through means not specified in this bulletin or the proposed rule may not be considered.

Mail: Kate Michie
NOAA Fisheries Service
Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Fax: (727) 824-5308, Attention: Kate Michie

More Information
For more information on Regulatory Amendment 9 please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for Regulatory Amendment 9 or the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Web page at: www.safmc.net.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kate Michie
Phone: (727) 824-5305, FAX (727) 824-5308
Email: Kate.Michie@noaa.gov
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
April 27, 2011

Shallow-Water Grouper, Red Porgy, and Greater Amberjack Fisheries to Reopen in the South Atlantic

Shallow-Water Grouper
A four-month spawning season closure for shallow- water grouper in the South Atlantic will end at 12:01 a.m., local time, May 1, 2011. The prohibition on recreational and commercial harvest of gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper, and tiger grouper is effective January 1 through April 30 each year.

Red Porgy and Greater Amberjack
The seasonal closure for the commercial fisheries for red porgy and greater amberjack will also end May 1, 2011.

If you have any suggestions on how we may improve the contents of future fishery bulletins please contact:
Southeast Regional Office Communications
Phone: (727) 551-5707, FAX: (727) 824-5320,
Email: sero.communications.comments@noaa.gov.

If you would like to receive these fishery bulletins via e-mail as soon as they are published, please email us at
sero.communications.comments@noaa.gov.

FB11-037

NORTH CAROLINA SEA GRANT
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, BOX 8605
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27695-8605
(919) 515-2454, FAX: (919) 515-7095, WWW.NCSEAGRANT.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Marc Turano, (919) 609-7391, marc_turano@ncsu.edu
Art Latham, (919) 515-1092, art_latham@ncsu.edu
Katie Mosher, (919) 515-9069, katie_mosher@ncsu.edu

North Carolina Sea Grant Fisheries Forum Set for April 29

Recent research results about targeted recreational and commercial fish species are the focus of the upcoming 2011 North Carolina Sea Grant Fisheries Forum. The free, April 29 event is set for 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Northeast Regional Library's David M. Paynter Assembly Room in Wilmington. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Lunch is included.

"This is a workshop that includes time after each presentation in which fishermen, researchers and managers can discuss fisheries issues," says Marc Turano, Sea Grant mariculture and blue crab specialist. "We hope for an active dialogue in discussing what the research results mean to the various fisheries and forum participants."

Presenters and their topics, in presentation order, include:

• Fred Scharf, University of North Carolina Wilmington Center for Marine Science: Trophic Ecology of Pelagic Predators in the South Atlantic Bight

• Erin Burge, marine biologist, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, S.C., and Jim Atack, vessel captain, Oak Island: Determination of Size, Stock Density and Temporal Patterns of Grouper on Offshore Hard Bottom Habitats

• Tim Ellis, North Carolina State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology: Long-Term Tagging Study on Spotted Seatrout in N.C.

• Tom Burgess, fisherman, and Paul Rudershausen, CMAST: Using Scuba Diving to Scale Rates of Discard Mortality in the U.S. South Atlantic Reef Fishery

• Scharf: Patterns and Mechanisms of Mortality in Juvenile Red Drum During Winter

• Dale Britt, charter boat captain, and Rudershausen: A Comparison Between Circle and "J" Hook Performance in the Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna and Dolphin Bluewater Troll Fishery of N.C.

• Scott Baker, North Carolina Sea Grant fisheries specialist, UNCW CMS: RECTEXT, An Experimental Data Collection and Display System Designed for Marine Recreational Fishermen in North Carolina

• Roger Rulifson, Institute for Coastal Science and Policy, East Carolina University: Spiny Dogfish Research Overview and Update

For more information, contact Turano at (919) 609-7391 or marc_turano@ncsu.edu. To pre-register, which ensures enough lunches will be on hand, contact Vanda Lewis at (252) 222-6307 or vanda_lewis@ncsu.edu.

North Carolina Sea Grant: Your link to research and resources for a healthier coast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2011

Contact:
N.C. Coastal Federation: Lexia Weaver
Email: lexiaw@nccoast.org
Phone: (252) 393-8185

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries: Michelle Duval
Email: michelle.duval@ncdenr.gov
Phone: (252) 808-8011

Carteret Community College: Morgan Smith
Email: mbs@carteret.edu
Phone: (252) 222-6240

Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program: Jim Hawhee
Email: jim.hawhee@ncdenr.gov
Phone: (919) 733-0121

Students, Volunteers to Create New Habitat for Bogue Sound

OCEAN – Come join the kids from Croatan High School help the critters of Bogue Sound.

More than 50 students from the Carteret County school will team up with adult volunteers on Tuesday, May 3, to plant 15,000 plugs of salt marsh grass along the sound’s shoreline behind the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries in Morehead City and N.C. State University’s nearby Center for Marine Science & Technology located on the Carteret Community College campus. The planting will start at 10 a.m. and should end at 4 p.m.

The marsh plants will provide valuable habitat for fish and crabs, absorb and filter polluted stormwater runoff from the parking lots, sidewalks and other hard surfaces and help prevent shoreline erosion.

The N.C. Coastal Federation and the state’s fishery division are heading the effort with grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Restore America’s Estuaries and the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program, a joint federal and state effort to improve water quality and create valuable habitat in the state’s estuaries.

The shoreline restoration at the fisheries complex is part of a comprehensive stormwater management plan that was developed in 2008 to reduce stormwater runoff into Bogue Sound and improve its water quality. A grant from N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund paid for the plan. As part of the plan, a rain garden was previously built at the building to capture and absorb stormwater runoff.

The planting behind N.C. State’s building will enhance salt marsh habitat that was restored during a previous project. The goals are to control erosion, create coastal marsh and oyster reefs, build a wetland to treat stormwater and educate the public.

Those interested in helping the critters, should contact Lexia Weaver at (252) 393-8185 or at lexiaw@nccoast.org for more information and to register. Volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. or from1 p.m. – 4 p.m. If you’re feeling energetic, you can work all day. Volunteers will be assigned to one of the two locations. Water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray and planting tools will be provided. Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that may get wet and dirty. All ages are invited, though children under 12 will need to be accompanied by an adult.

About the North Carolina Coastal Federation: “Citizens Working Together for a Healthy Coast”

The N.C. Coastal Federation is the state’s only non-profit organization focused exclusively on protecting and restoring the coast of North Carolina through education, advocacy and habitat restoration and preservation. The federation’s headquarters are at 3609 N.C 24 in Ocean between Morehead City and Swansboro and are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The federation also operates offices in Wilmington and Manteo. For more information call (252) 393-8185 or check out its website at www.nccoast.org

Release: Immediate
Contact: Catherine Bruger
Email: Catherine.Bruger@noaa.gov
Phone: (727) 824-5305
FAX: (727) 824-5308
Date: April 21, 2011

Commercial Fishing for Vermilion Snapper to Reopen in the
South Atlantic Federal Waters May 1 until May 8, 2011

The commercial sector for vermilion snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic from, Cape Hatteras Light, North Carolina (35°15.19' N. latitude), to Key West, Florida, will reopen, effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) May 1, 2011, until 12:01 a.m. May 8, 2011. NOAA Fisheries Service has determined the January - June 2011, commercial quota of 315,523 pounds has not yet been met.

Commercial harvest of vermilion snapper closed on March 10, 2011, because NOAA Fisheries Service projected landings would reach the quota by that time. However, an updated report shows that less fish were landed than expected. Based on 2011 daily landings rates and the pounds remaining on the quota, NOAA Fisheries Service has determined commercial harvest of vermilion snapper can reopen for 7 days. May 1, 2011, was chosen as the opening day based on feedback from the fishing industry and weather concerns.

The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper may not fish for or possess vermilion snapper prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, May 1, 2011, and must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such vermilion snapper prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, May 8, 2011. The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to sale or purchase of vermilion snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, May 8, 2011, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

Commercial harvest of vermilion snapper will remain closed until 12:01 a.m., July 1, 2011. During the closure, all harvest and possession of vermilion snapper in or from closed federal waters of the South Atlantic is subject to the applicable bag and possession limits, and the sale or purchase of vermilion snapper taken from closed federal waters is prohibited. In addition, those bag and possession limits, and the prohibition on sale or purchase apply in state and federal waters of the South Atlantic for a vessel for which a valid federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued.

If you would like to receive these fishery bulletins via e-mail as soon as they are published, please e-mail us at SERO.Communications.Comments@noaa.gov.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the information regarding the existing regulations. Any discrepancies between this bulletin and the regulations as published in the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.

FB11-035

Release: Immediate
Contact: Debra Lambert
Email: Deb.Lambert@noaa.gov
Phone: (301) 713-2341
FAX: (301) 713-1193
Date: April 21, 2011

NOAA Fisheries Service to Update Guidelines that
Promote Safety in Fisheries Regulations
Comments sought for improving safety at sea

NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to revise the National Standard 10 Guidelines. National Standard 10 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act states “Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable, promote the safety of human life at sea.” The National Standard 10 Guidelines are the primary source of NOAA Fisheries guidance for the consideration of safety issues in fishery management. The ANPR filed with the Federal Register on April 20, 2011.

The current National Standard 10 Guidelines were published in 1998. Fishery management and fishing vessel safety science have changed and improved in recent years. NOAA Fisheries Service believes it is appropriate and timely to revise the National Standard 10 Guidelines and is seeking public comment on potential revisions to the guidelines. Through the revision of the Guidelines, NOAA Fisheries Service intends to enhance consideration of safety issues in fisheries management. Upon consideration of public input that NOAA Fisheries receives during this comment period, the agency will propose revisions to the National Standard 10 Guidelines, and then will hold another public comment period.

Request for Comments:
Written comments regarding the issues in the ANPR must be received by July 20, 2011.

See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments. Also, a public meeting will be held on May 19, 2011, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the NOAA Science Center, 1301 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD.
NOAA Fisheries Service may hold additional public meetings at other locations around the country during the comment period.

Addresses:
Electronic copies of the ANPR may be obtained from the Federal Register’s Web site at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-inspection/ the e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, or the NMFS Web site at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/index.htm.

Written comments and information concerning the ANPR may be submitted by any one of the following methods:

• via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov, using the identifier “0648-BA74”; or
• faxed to (301) 713-1193, Attention Debra Lambert; or
• submitted by mail to Debra Lambert, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13403, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
  

FB11-034

Release: Immediate
Contact: Kim Iverson
Email: kim.iverson@safmc.net
Phone: 1-866-SAFMC-10 or (843) 571-4366
Date: April 18, 2011

Federal Fishery Advisory Panel Seats Open to Applicants

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting applications for seats currently available on its advisory panels. Working at the grass roots level, advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans. The Council has 15 separate advisory panels composed of individuals who are engaged in the harvest of, or are knowledgeable and interested in the conservation and management of the fishery or group of fishes to be managed. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, conservationists, scientists, and concerned citizens.

Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. As those appointments expire, members currently serving on the AP can reapply for their positions. These seats also become open to new applicants. AP members generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings. Applications are now being solicited for the following positions:

Golden Crab Advisory Panel (1) Open Seat

Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel (8) Open Seats and (2) Wreckfish Sub-panel Seats

Spiny Lobster Advisory Panel (10) Open Seats

If you are interested in serving as a member on the Council's advisory panels, please submit an application to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405. Applications can be obtained by contacting the Council office at (843) 571-4366 or toll-free 1-866-SAFMC-10. Application forms are also available online at www.safmc.net. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact area Council representatives to discuss their interest in serving. Contact information for all Council members is available at www.safmc.net or through the Council office.

Advisory panel members will be selected during the next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, scheduled for June 12-17, 2011 in Key West, Florida. Applications must be received by May 16, 2011.

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.