The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a series of scoping workshops to discuss and take public comment on a proposed amendment to make modifications to the Red Snapper Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program.
The Council is looking at a broad range of potential modifications to the Red Snapper IFQ program, including changes to the program’s eligibility requirements; redistribution of shares held in inactive accounts to address regulatory discards; consideration of a full retention commercial fishery for red snapper; exploring share, allocation, and vessel caps on quota; requirements for the use of shares and/or allocation; withholding full distribution of shares in the event of an anticipated mid-year quota change; and increasing enforcement of all commercial reef fish landings. Although this action focuses on red snapper specifically, the implication of Red Snapper IFQ program changes on the Grouper-Tilefish IFQ program, and other potential issues within the Grouper-Tilefish IFQ program will also be discussed.
The workshop schedule is as follows:
Tuesday – March 10, 2015
Courtyard Marriott
142 Library Drive
Houma, LA 70360
(985) 223-8996
Tuesday – March 17, 2015
Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel
64 South Water Street
Mobile, AL 36602
(251) 438-4000
Thursday – March 12, 2015
Hilton Garden Inn6703 Denny Avenue
Pascagoula, MS 39567
(228) 762-7182
Wednesday – March 18, 2015
Hilton Garden Inn
1101 US Highway 231
Panama City, FL 32405
(850) 392-1093
Monday – March 16, 2015
Hilton Galveston Island Hotel
5400 Seawall Boulevard
Galveston Island, TX 77551
(409) 744-5000
Tuesday – March 24, 2015
Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park
950 Lake Carillon Drive
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
(727) 540-0050
Tuesday – March 17, 2015
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham
501 East Goodnight Avenue
Aransas Pass, Texas 78336
(361) 758-1774
All hearings begin at 6 pm local time and will conclude after public input has ended, but no later than 9 pm.
A Scoping Guide will be posted on the Council website at http://gulfcouncil.org/fishery_management_plans/scoping-thru-implementation.php.
Source: Julie Anderson Lively, Louisiana Lagniappe
