The SAFMC proposes nine management actions to amend the current Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The primary purpose of these actions is to employ a collaborative approach to identify Marine Protected Area (MPA) sites with the potential to protect a portion of the population and habitat of slow growing, long-lived deepwater snapper grouper species (speckled hind, snowy grouper, Warsaw grouper, yellowedge grouper, misty grouper, golden tilefish, and blueline tilefish) from directed fishing pressure to achieve a more natural sex ratio, age, and size structure within the proposed MPAs, while minimizing adverse social and economic impacts.
Eight of the actions would establish Type 2 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); one off southern North Carolina, three off South Carolina, one off Georgia, and three off Florida. The MPAs are intended to be used in concert with traditional management measures to enhance the optimum size, age, and genetic structure of slow growing, long-lived deepwater snapper grouper species.
For the purposes of Amendment 14, the Council is proposing "Type 2" MPAs where no person may fish for a South Atlantic snapper grouper in an MPA and no person may possess a South Atlantic snapper grouper in an MPA. However, the prohibition on possession does not apply to a person aboard a vessel that is in transit with fishing gear appropriately stowed (as defined in Appendix F).
The ninth action would prohibit use of shark bottom longlines in the Type 2 MPAs to protect deepwater species and their habitat.