In March 2016, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) initiated a process to consider changes to Amendment 10 of the U.S. Atlantic Coast Dolphin/Wahoo fishery management plan (FMP) in reaction to the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) being met and an ensuing harvest closure in 2015. Last April, the SAFMC’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) recommended a new acceptable biological catch (ABC) level for dolphin and wahoo after incorporating recreational landings data from new methods, a revised U.S. commercial landings data stream, and data from the highest U.S. landings between 1994 and 2007. The SAFMC’s goals are to incorporate the SSC’s new catch level recommendations and to address management changes needed in the fishery based on public
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input in Amendment 10. After a scoping process that began in 2018, the SAFMC has arrived at preferred alternatives for changes to Amendment 10 and the Dolphin/Wahoo FMP. While the SAFMC introduces some key conservation measures to help alleviate the growing pressures on dolphin, within the draft amendment, there is no discussion of expanding size limits along the U.S. Atlantic coast to ensure more dolphinfish reach maximum reproductive output before being harvested or requiring the use of circle hooks while bailing for dolphin. Furthermore, there is no discussion of expanding conservation measures, including size, vessel, or bag limits, to the Gulf of Mexico, a location that feeds dolphin to the Florida Keys and U.S. Atlantic coast. NOW is the time to provide your comments to the SAFMC. Click here to read our letter to the SAFMC, which could not have been compiled without your participation in our tagging program since the onset of this study. We provide this letter to you for your reference to write your own letter or submit your own comments. Comments are due 2.5.2021. Voice your opinion now!
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New Dolphinfish Recapture
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A special thanks goes out to Reel E Sea Charters (@reel_e_sea_charters (instagram)) and Captain Rick Schlee for reporting our first recovery of the year. Captain Schlee recovered this 37" cow while live baiting with his client (pictured above) off Lake Worth Inlet, Florida, on January 9th, 2021. This fish was tagged and released last summer by Thomas Flyer Fishing Charters (@thomasflyerfishing (instagram)). Rick and Jimbo Thomas estimated the fish was 18" fork-length when released. With a time at liberty of 205 days, this fish grew 19" or .09"/day and packed on approximately .96 ounces per day. Total weight gained was 12.35 pounds. At this growth rate, this particular
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individual was packing on about a pound every 16 days! For Captain Schlee's report he will receive an AFTCO DRP performance fishing shirt, a 3-tag starter tagging kit, and Guy Harvey mini-print (image left). This marks the 718th recaptured logged for the DRP. Thanks to all individuals involved in this new recovery! Click here for more details.
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| New Tagging Awards Structure for 2021
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In January, we usually announce our year-end awards but due to the SAFMC public hearing this week, we postponed our annoucement until next month. In an effort to increase data collection on dolphinfish in 2021, we are excited to announce that each month this year we will be offering a monthly tagging award to the top tagging vessel that tags and releases the most amount of dolphin in that particular calendar month. We are also excited to announce that Costa has signed on as a 2021 award sponsor. In addition, our regional Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) awards program, which we started in 2020 to increase data collection in the MAB, will continue in 2021 thanks to support from AFTCO. Lastly, the first 20 recaptures of 2021 will receive a Guy Harvey mini-print! For more details click here.
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| New Blue AFTCO - DRP Performance Fishing Shirts!
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Help Fund 2021's Tagging Effort
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A special thanks to everyone who has contributed to our tagging program since the beginning of our 2020/2021 fundraising campaign. With your support, we were able to start 2021 strong and, to date, we have already shipped out 103
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tagging kits. Our goal is to distribute 400 kits and 5,000 tags in 2021. While we have an operational budget to begin the year we still need support to help us fund our online tagging map (click here), acquire additional satellite tags to deploy on adult fish in 2021, as well as increase our tagging kit and education supplies to meet our growing demand for tagging kits. Our tagging program is at the forefront of educating anglers, advancing discussions and actions surrounding conservation of the species, and gathering additional data to help inform data-driven decision making at the state, federal, and international levels. Help the DRP expand in 2021. Click the icons below to shop or donate to support our program.
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