National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION:
Meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel.
SUMMARY:
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel (AP) April 21-23, 2026.
DATES:
The Snapper Grouper AP will meet from 1:30 p.m. on April 21, 2026, until 12 p.m. on April 23, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting address:
The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Charleston, 4831 Tanger Outlet Blvd., N Charleston, SC 29418; phone (843) 744-4422.
Council address:
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N Charleston, SC 29405. The meeting will also be available via webinar. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Schmidtke, Fishery Scientist, SAFMC; phone (843) 302-8433 or toll free (866) SAFMC-10; FAX (843) 769-4520; email:
mike.schmidtke@safmc.net.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Meeting information, including the agenda, overview, briefing book materials, and an online public comment form will be posted on the Council's website at:
https://safmc.net/advisory-panel-meetings/
2 weeks prior to the meeting. The meeting is open to the public and available via webinar as it occurs. The webinar registration link will be available from the Council's website. Public comment will also be taken during the meeting.
The agenda for the Snapper Grouper AP meeting includes discussions of developing amendments to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region: Amendment 60 (commercial permit and trip efficiency) and Amendment 61 (fishery management unit revision). The AP will provide input and recommendations on these amendments for the Council's consideration.
The AP will also develop a fishery performance report and evaluate the stock risk rating for black grouper. The AP will receive an update on upcoming management actions for black sea bass, as well as provide feedback on black sea bass observations from last year. The AP will discuss potential future actions to change the golden tilefish recreational season and discuss whether the snapper grouper commercial 225-pound (SG 2) permit is working as intended. The AP will receive a presentation on results and trends from the Southeast Reef Fish Survey through 2025. The AP will receive results from a recent survey of recreational anglers that was conducted to inform the ongoing Snapper Grouper Management Strategy Evaluation and provide feedback. The AP will also receive updates on other ongoing Council projects and initiatives and address other items as needed.
Special Accommodations:
The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see
ADDRESSES
) 5 days prior to the meeting.
Note:
The times and sequence specified in this agenda are subject to change.