One thing I’ve learn from attending fisheries management meetings for over twenty-five years, is the importance of having current and reliable fisheries datum available for consideration before decision makers take critical fisheries management steps. For generations, not having this datum has been a systemic problem, which has often derailed the illogical process of marine species management for countless federally protected species.
 
The Sportfishing Conservancy’s Executive Director, Tom Raftican believes a big game tag for data poor species maybe a simple and effective solution to this nagging dilemma. “Look at the information that has been collected from the funds raised by Florida’s tarpon tags. These state –issued tags have helped support both research and management since their conception.”
 
“The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (SAFMC) Amendment 22 draft makes common sense to me. A big game tag could increase recreational fishing opportunities and access to limited-catch species. This management tool has the ability to help us increase our knowledge of data poor snapper and grouper species.”
 
We agree. However, Tom’s final comment on the topic also made common sense to us. “But first the SAFMC needs to show the recreational fishing community the benefits of a big game tag.”

Amendment 22 
Background

Amendment 22 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 22) is being developed to closely control annual harvest levels of snapper grouper species with exceptionally low recreational annual catch limits (ACLs).  In order to accomplish this, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) requested that an amendment be developed to create a recreational tag program for these species.  Recreational fishery participants would be issued tags through a pre-determined process implemented by NOAA Fisheries Service.  Tags issued
to individuals or entities would allow the tag holder to harvest a set number of fish from federal waters in the South Atlantic Region.  

Possible Actions in Amendment 22

Action 1.  Establish a recreational harvest tag program framework that can be applied to any South Atlantic snapper grouper species with a low recreational ACL.

Action 2.  Establish eligibility criteria for individual/entities to participate in the harvest tag program. 

Action 3.  Establish an annual harvest tag issuance process for snapper grouper species included in the
recreational tag program.

Action 4.  Cost recovery plan.

Purpose and Need

The purpose of Amendment 22 is to create a recreational tag program for the South Atlantic region that could be applied to any snapper grouper species with a small ACL as determined by the SAFMC and the Regional Administrator (RA).

The need for action in Amendment 22 is to achieve OY without overfishing the resource.  Such a program is intended to maintain harvest at or below the recreational ACLs.  A tag program for species with small ACLs would constrain the harvest to sustainable levels ensuring fairness and equitability.

The purpose of Amendment 22 is to create a recreational tag program for the South Atlantic region that could be applied to any snapper grouper species with a small ACL as determined by the SAFMC and the Regional Administrator (RA).

Considerations for Developing Actions and Alternatives
The proposed actions and alternatives should be developed to meet the purpose and need.  Each action would contain a range of alternatives, including the no action (the current regulations).  

I.  Possible Recreational Harvest Tag Program Characteristics:
Below is a list of tag program elements that have been discussed by the Council and the SSC’s SEP.

Tags would be valid for a single season. 

• Any U.S. Citizen may apply for a tag
• NOAA Fisheries would be responsible for administering the tag program.  HOWEVER, the Council’s guidance in September 2013 was to convene Council staff, SERO staff, and state representatives to discuss details of the program, mainly administration.
• Tags would be non-removable, 1-time use tags (i.e., affixed to jaw) that would be issued once per fishing year. 
• Administrative cost would be recovered through a fee to pay for the program (estimate will be included in rule-making). 
• Tags would be issued through a lottery with replacement (if a fishermen receives a tag in a given year, the recipient should be allowed to participate in the lottery in the next year, and one lottery participant would not be able to receive multiple tags while others receive none).  
• Lottery entrants would need to own a recreational fishing license/permit appropriate for the fishing destination at the time of application for the tag. 
• If the number of tags is equal to or more than the number of lottery participants, each participant should receive the same number of tags with any remaining tags being allocated to participants via lottery.