Pending Updates to U.S. East Coast Dolphin Wahoo Management Plan
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is responsible for recommending and developing the fishery management plan for dolphin off eastern Florida to Maine. Currently, the SAFMC is pursuing options to revise 13 different regulations that will affect the way dolphin and wahoo are managed along the U.S. East Coast. On June 8th, from 1:30 - 4:30 pm EST, the Dolphin Wahoo Committee of SAFMC will host their June meeting. The Committee will be discussing multiple topics including:
The new catch level recommendations for dolphin and wahoo from the SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee
Updates on the recently completed Highly Migratory Species Pelagic Longline Biological Opinion (BiOp) and developing Dolphin Wahoo BiOp from NOAA
Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 10 (Revisions to Dolphin and Wahoo Management Measures)
Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 12 (Managing Bullet Mackerel and Frigate Mackerel as Ecosystem Component Species)
An update on Dolphin Wahoo Participatory Workshops
Mid-Atlantic representation on the Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel
What is your opinion on these subjects? Click here to submit your public comments regarding these and more matters to the SAFMC. Click here to register for the webinar to listen to the discussion on June 8th and the proposed schedule of events for amending the U.S. East Coast Dolphin Wahoo fishery management plan.
CCA Florida STAR & the DRP
This summer, we hope all of the supporters of and participants in the Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP) are getting out on the water. If you do, be sure to register in the CCA Florida STAR fishing competition for your chance to win big! In June, CCA Florida STAR is collaborating with the DRP for participants to tag 20 dolphin with STAR tags off the Florida Keys and then anglers will be rewarded for returning the tag information. In this effort, there are two ways for anglers to win:
Any angler who catches a STAR tagged dolphin and submits their catch information will win a STAR long-sleeved shirt.
$10,000 cash will be awarded to the first CCA member who is registered for STAR who catches and reports one of the eligible 20 tagged dolphin released off Florida by the DRP in June 2020.
Outside of the dolphin categories, there are numerous ways for Florida anglers to win by registering this summer in the STAR competition. STAR is a great way to make your fishing more rewarding while supporting the conservation of our fisheries. The DRP is proud to partner with CCA FL STAR on such aunique endeavor that combines conservation, data collection and education. In addition to participating in the STAR competition, sign up to participate in the DRP to tag and release small dolphin at any time during the year in order to help conserve one of western central Atlantic’s most important offshore fish species. Request a tagging kit at dolphintagging.com/tags.
Follow our YouTube channel to receive updates on when new videos are posted about the Dolphinfish Research Program as well as our FAD and seafood traceability research at the Beyond Our Shores Foundation.
A special thanks to several anglers who purchased the new performance tees we introduced last month. The AFTCODRP Performance Fishing Shirt provides a high quality garment to keep you even more protected while out on the water and also allows you to represent the world’s largest fishermen-driven tagging program to quantify the movements and life history traits of dolphin in the wild. Proceeds from your purchase of this performance fishing shirt go directly to expanding the Dolphinfish Research Program.
The Beyond Our Shores Foundation is the official 501(c)(3) founded to support and expand the DRP. Your donation will advance the expansion of the DRP, a leader in the conservation and research of dolphin, by helping to purchase more tags to distribute to anglers, support our education programs, and improve fisheries data collection among recreational, for-hire, and small-scale commercial fishermen. Click here to donate today.
