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Spotted Sea (Speckled) Trout Comments Due
As most of you know, we are about midway through updating the Spotted Sea Trout FMP (Fisheries Management Plan). Comments are again needed at this stage of the management process! Written comments and in person comments will be accepted.
The DMF (Division of Marine Fisheries) has published their initial management recommendations to end overfishing. Although the stock is not overfished and barely triggered the overfishing status, DMF is recommending a 39.6% reduction in overall harvest.
The DMF recommendations are:
Recreational Recommendations
· 3 fish recreational bag limit with a 14"-20" recreational slot limit with allowance for one fish >26"
· Jan-Feb statewide recreational harvest closure
· Eliminate the captain/crew allowance on for-hire trips with no broader vessel limit
Commercial Recommendations
· Oct-Dec, 11:59 p.m. Friday to 12:01 a.m. Tuesday statewide commercial harvest closure
· Jan-Feb statewide commercial harvest closure
· Stop net management
Import to note: This first DMF recommendation is subject to change, but not without your input and suggestions for alternative management!
Items to remember when making your comments:
1. A reduction of harvest by 20% meets statutory requirements
2. A 39.6 % harvest reduction is approximately 1,560,000 pounds
3. A 20% harvest reduction is approximately 788,000 pounds
4. Spawning stock biomass and recruits are on upward trends
5. Abundance is at all time high
In my personal opinion, the only reason the DMF is recommending a 40% reduction for speckled trout is for failure to manage recreational discards. Any management option to ONLY reduce harvest WILL increase dead discards!
Just like in the southern flounder and just like in the red snapper fisheries. Only managing harvest will do nothing but lead to more harvest cuts until we are down to one fish limit with limited or no open harvest seasons for yet another species!
Speckled trout management is a few amendments behind flounder and red snapper, but believe me;
This is the same old failing management plan, slowly eliminate harvest just to sustain unmanaged catch and release dead discards!
Written comment deadline is 4:00pm Monday, August 19th and in person comment will be in Raleigh at the MFC meeting next week at 6:00pm on Wednesday, August 21st, and at 9:00am on Thursday, August 22nd.
Written comments can be made online, mailed, or delivered to the DMF Morehead office.
Submit written comments online
Mail to:
August 2024 Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Comments,
P.O Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557
Dropped off at:
Division of Marine Fisheries’ Morehead City Headquarters Office
3441 Arendell St., Morehead City
MAFMC Meeting This Week
The Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC) meets Monday, August 12th through Thursday, August 15th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There will also be an opportunity to listen online.
Listen Online
Meeting Links
Agenda
Stock Status
Combined Briefing Book
Join the Webinar
Agenda Items of Interest
Monday August 12th
2:30-3:30pm - 2025 Blueline Tilefish Specifications
Briefing Materials (Tab 3)
Additional Advisory Panel Comments
4:00-4:30pm - NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) Road Map
Briefing Materials (Tab 5)
4:30-5:00pm - Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) Updates
Briefing Materials (Tab 6)
Draft Meeting Summary
Tuesday August 13th
9:00-10:30am - Council Process Review - Final Report
Briefing Materials (Tab 7)
1:00-2:00pm - MRIP Update and Listening Session
Briefing Materials (Tab 9)
2:00-3:00pm - 2025 Summer Flounder Specification Review
Briefing Materials (Tab 10)
Monitoring Committee Summary
3:00-4:30pm - Summer Flounder Mesh Exemptions Framework/Addendum - Approve Draft Addendum For Public Comment
Briefing Materials (Tab 11)
Wednesday August 15th
10:00-11:30am - 2025 2025 Black Sea Bass Specifications
Briefing Materials (Tab 13)
Monitoring Committee Summary
Black Sea Bass AP Meeting Summary_Aug 5, 2024
Additional Public Comments Received through Aug 8, 2024
11:30-12:00pm - ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Only FMP Review and Vice-Chair Elections
Summer Flounder FMP Review
Scup FMP Review
Black Sea Bass FMP Review
1:00-3:30pm - Recreational Measures Setting Process Framework/Agenda
Briefing Materials (Tab 14)
3:30-5:00pm - 2025 Bluefish Specifications Review
Briefing Materials (Tab 15)
Monitoring Committee Meeting Summary
ASA Letter Regarding Bluefish Specifications
5:00-5:30pm - ASMFC Bluefish Board Only - FMP Review and Vice-Chair Elections
Bluefish FMP Review
Thursday August 15th
9:00-12:00pm Business Session
Executive Summary of the July 2024 Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting
Full report of the July 2024 SSC Meeting
Report on Proposed Approaches to Setting Recreational Measures in the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries for Summer Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Scup and Bluefish
Executive Director’s Report (Tab 17)
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out.
Thomas Newman
Fisheries Liaison
Thomasnewman@ncfish.org
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