Shallow Water Grouper Amendment 38

NMFS issues this final rule to implement management measures described in Amendment 38 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule modifies post-season accountability measures (AMs) that affect the recreational harvest of shallow-water grouper species (SWG), changes the trigger for recreational sector AMs for gag and red grouper, and revises the Gulf reef fish framework procedure. The intent of this final rule is to achieve optimum yield (OY) while ensuring the Gulf reef fish fishery resources are utilized efficiently.

This rule is effective March 1, 2013. Please click below for more information;

http://www.nacocharters.org/news/alerts/gulf-of-mexico/787-shallow-water-grouper-amendment-38.html

Red Snapper Assessment

The SEDAR 31 assessment of the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery will consist of a series of workshops and supplemental webinars. This notice is for webinars associated with the Assessment portion of the SEDAR process.

The SEDAR 31 Assessment Workshop webinars will be held on: February 21, 2013; February 28, 2013; March 7, 2013; March 14, 2013; and March 21, 2013. All webinars are scheduled from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. EDT.

For more information please click below;

http://www.nacocharters.org/news/alerts/gulf-of-mexico/792-red-snapper-assessment-sedar-31.html

Gag Grouper-Greater Amberjack Assessments

The SEDAR 33 assessment of the Gulf of Mexico gag grouper and greater amberjack fisheries will consist of: a Data Workshop; and a series of Assessment process webinars; and a Review Workshop. This notice pertains to a conference call to take place prior to the Data Workshop.

The SEDAR 33 data scoping conference call will be held on March 1, 2013 at 10 a.m.

For more information please click below;

http://www.nacocharters.org/news/alerts/gulf-of-mexico/793-gag-grouper-greater-amberjack-assessments.html

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Announces Public Engagement Sessions in Gulf States

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council announced the dates for upcoming public engagement sessions to provide early opportunities for initial input into the Comprehensive Plan for Gulf Coast restoration. Public engagement sessions will be held in Mississippi on February 19, in Louisiana on February 19, 20 and 21, and in Florida on February 28. The Council will announce additional dates and locations via the Council’s website as they become available.

For locations and more information please click below;

http://www.nacocharters.org/news/alerts/gulf-of-mexico/802-gulf-coast-ecosystem-restoration-council-announces-public-engagement-sessions-in-gulf-states.html

Aquaculture Comments Requested & Consideration of Oil Spill

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council previously published a NOI for the Fishery Management Plan for Regulating Offshore Marine Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico. A notice of availability for the draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) was published on September 12, 2008. On June 26, 2009, a notice of availability was published for the final PEIS.

This supplemental NOI is intended to inform the public of NMFS and the Council’s decision to consider new information from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) MC252 blowout. This information is needed in order to consider potential changes to the environment linked to the DWH blowout and determine if and how such changes may affect the actions and alternatives analyzed in the FMP. Comments are being solicited on the range of issues related to the DWH blowout to be addressed in the SFPEIS.

Written comments on the range of issues to be addressed in the SFPEIS will be accepted until February 25, 2013.