3-8-21 Comments Submitted on the Proposed Amendment to Fisheries Management Plan the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery (Amendment 12) in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, off Atlantic States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Dept. of Commerce

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Introduction

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin Wahoo FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 12 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP (Amendment 12) would add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP and designate them as ecosystem component (EC) species. The purpose of Amendment 12 is to acknowledge the ecological role of bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as forage fish and to achieve the ecosystem management objectives in the Dolphin Wahoo FMP

 

Comment Letter

March 8, 2021

 

Nikhil Mehta

Southeast Regional Office

National Marine Fisheries Service

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratioin

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

 

Proposed Amendment to Fisheries Management Plan the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery (Amendment 12) in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, off Atlantic States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Dept. of Commerce.

 

Dear Mikhil Mehta:

The Environmental Review Workshop has reviewed the draft document and has the following comments:

1.    Based on the data provided, it is recommended that as the species are caught and raised within the fisheries, data should be maintained on the stocks.  Indirect solutions such as raised awareness are listed but more proactive monitoring may be necessary.

 

2.    Section 16.1802.5 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act states that not every fishery requires a federal management plan. Based on the provided data on the frigate and bullet mackerel, the EC identified species would fall under Section 16.18.05 as they are not threatened or endangered species. Frigate and bullet mackerel are not identified as threatened or endangered species of overfishing, but the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council should consider methods of monitoring the conditions of frigate and bullet mackerel.

 

Please direct all responses to these comments to the following email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Sincerely,

 

Savannah Johnson

Reviewer (Associate in Georgia)

 

Dawn F. Crowell, MELP

Sr. Reviewer (Associate in North Carolina)

 

Environmental Review Workshop

(Environmental Review Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit organization)

1792 Rogers Avenue

San Jose, California  95112