The hearing is hosted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and is expected to be held on August 8 in Cape Canaveral. The council is seeking input on alternatives to address overfishing of gag grouper and vermilion snapper and permitting requirements for rock shrimp. As per the Magnuson-Stevens Act the grouper and snapper restrictions are mandated which also include seasonal closures, commercial quotas, and adjustments to bag and size limits. The amendment to the shrimp management plan proposes changes to requirements for federal South Atlantic rock shrimp permits and endorsements for commercial fishermen.
Based on the comments aired at public hearings from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, the council agreed to four alternatives to the grouper and snapper restrictions. They are:
1) A commercial trip limit of 1,000 pounds for gag with a fishing year start date of May 1.
2) A commercial trip limit of 1,000 pounds for gag with a fishing year start date of Jan. 1.
3) Implementing a May 1 fishing year start for the commercial vermilion snapper fishery and a 1,000-pound trip limit.
4) Not allowing fishing for and/or possession of the following species south of the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line from June 1–Dec. 31.
It is said that these alternatives would apply to commercial and recreational fisheries. There are proposed actions in the shrimp plan which address the 15,000-pound landing requirement for rock shrimp; loss of limited access rock shrimp endorsements due to not meeting the landing requirement by Dec. 31, 2007; loss of limited access rock shrimp endorsements due to failing to renew within the specified timeframe; re-naming the rock shrimp permit and endorsement to minimize confusion; requirements for Vessel Monitoring System verification; and requirements for the provision of economic data by shrimp permit holders.
