NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on an Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit to Collect Red Hind in U.S. Caribbean Federal Waters

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Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries is accepting comments on an application for an exempted fishing permit from the University of South Carolina. The project seeks to address critical gaps in red hind demographics and life history, identified as research recommendations in the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review 35 final report, which could help provide current, region-specific information for upcoming stock assessments for red hind.

Project objectives include investigating age, growth, mortality, and reproductive biology of red hind from two managed marine areas off the United States Virgin Islands: the Hind Bank Marine Conservation District in federal waters off St. Thomas and the Lang Bank Red Hind Spawning Aggregation Area in federal waters off St. Croix. Additionally, the project would evaluate the effectiveness of the seasonal and area closures through replication of past collections and analysis of temporal trends related to size-at-age, sex ratios, and size/age frequency distributions for red hind during spawning events.

Project Description:

• Under this exempted fishing permit,researchers and commercial fishermen aboard contracted commercial fishing vessels would harvest a maximum of 60 red hind from each aggregation site (for a total of 120 red hind) during the four days around the full moon in December 2024, January 2025, and February 2025.
• Red hind is the only targeted species. Other species that could be incidentally caught include vermilion, blackfin, mutton, and yellowtail snappers; Nassau, coney, graysby, black, red, and yellowfin groupers; white and bluestriped grunts; hogfish; and queen triggerfish. All incidental catch during sampling activities would be returned to the water using a descending device to ensure minimum harm.
• Project activities would be conducted from December 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025, during the four days around the full moon in each month.
• A maximum of 16 fishing trips would be conducted.
• During each fishing trip, commercial fishermen would use a maximum of four fishing rods, each with up to three hooks.
• All activities would occur in federal waters and while adrift (i.e., no anchoring would occur).
• Once the maximum number of red hind are obtained (60 per site, 120 total), fishing activities would end.

NOAA Fisheries finds this application warrants further consideration, and is seeking public comment on the application. A final decision on issuance of the permit will depend on NOAA Fisheries' review of public comments received, the Caribbean Fishery Management Council's recommendations, consultations with the affected states and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as a determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.

How To Comment On The Application:

The comment period is open now through December 9, 2024. You may submit comments by electronic submission or by postal mail. Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.

Application information: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/resources-fishing/caribbean-exempted-fishing-permits-efps

Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the e-Rulemaking portal.

1. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and enter "NOAA-NMFS-2024-0127" in the Search box.
2. Click the "Comment" icon, complete the required fields.
3. Enter or attach your comments.

Mail: Submit written comments to Sarah Stephenson, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

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NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.

Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:

• Gulf of Mexico Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
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• South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
• Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Other contacts:

Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202

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