Whale-Safe Fishing Gains Ground in Southeast Seas

In March, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC)—a regional body responsible for managing federal fisheries from North Carolina to Florida—met in Jekyll Island, Georgia. One item on the docket, Amendment 56, included a proposal to reopen a black sea bass fishing closure to on-demand (aka “ropeless”) fishing gear.

Black sea bass in the Southeast are traditionally fished with trap pots and vertical lines, and closures have been used since 2013 in part to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from entanglement. AWI and partners submitted public comments supporting the proposal, as we have long contended that on-demand gear is the best long-term solution to prevent entanglements while maintaining fishing access. In the Southeast, years of successful at-sea trials have demonstrated that whales can coexist with black sea bass fishers using on-demand gear.

At the March meeting, the SAFMC moved Amendment 56 a step closer to full approval later this year. Last year, the council approved Amendment 36 to allow commercial use of on-demand pots for black sea bass outside closures. Amendment 56 would expand on this by allowing commercial use of ropeless gear inside a closure without a special permit. More importantly for right whales, these moves incentivize increased adoption of whale-safe gear.

Program Terms: Marine Wildlife

AWI Quarterly Terms: Feature Article