The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council would like to gain a better understanding of gag grouper in the Gulf of Mexico. It is seeking information from anglers and divers about what they have observed, including any “strange things” that scientists and managers may need to know. Scientists are currently…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is extending the public comment period to December 11 for its draft of the “Louisiana Oyster Management and Rehabilitation Strategic Plan.” The original deadline was December 4. LDWF is seeking public comment from all coastal stakeholders. The 2019 oyster stock assessment indicates that Louisiana…
NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule for gray snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. This rule reduces the annual catch limit for Gulf of Mexico gray snapper. WHEN WILL THE RULE TAKE EFFECT: The rule becomes effective on December 17, 2020. WHAT THIS MEANS: The final rule reduces the annual catch…
Greater Amberjack is an important recreational and commercial fish species in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic regions. To address management and stakeholder concerns about the Greater Amberjack fisheries in both regions, Congress authorized funding of $10 million for a multi-year Greater Amberjack Research Program to be implemented through…
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met virtually on October 26-28, 2020. The Council began by populating its Council Committee Roster for October 2020 – August 2021. The meeting agenda was modified to allow Council members, fishermen, and the broader stakeholder community time to prepare for the anticipated landfall…
NOAA Fisheries is currently developing an updated Catch Shares Online System. The new system will be hosted in a cloud application that should decrease the unexpected down-times in the future. As development of the new Catch Shares Online System is underway, NOAA Fisheries will be looking for volunteers, both shareholder…
Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) will reopen at 12:01 am, local time, on September 1, 2020, and close at 12:01 am, local time, on October 26, 2020. Recreational harvest will reopen in the Gulf for the 2021 fishing season at 12:01 am,…
The President of the United States recently signed an Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. The Executive Order aims to improve the competitiveness of our domestic seafood industry, put more Americans to work, and place more sustainably sourced and safe-to-eat seafood products on our families’ tables….
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2020 spring inshore shrimp season will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River except for: the open waters of the Louisiana portion…
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a Notice of Intent (NOI) to decrease the commercial trip limit of greater amberjack from 1,500 lbs to 1,000 lbs gutted weight. This action matches those taken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries in federal waters. Additionally, the NOI provides…