The primary purpose of Amendment 14 is to protect a portion of the population and habitat of 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, while minimizing adverse social and economic effects.
Proposed Amendment 14 Actions
Establish eight Type 2 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in federal waters ranging from North Carolina to Florida (see Figure 1).
Within the MPAs fishing for or retention of snapper grouper species would be prohibited but other types of legal fishing would be allowed.
The prohibition on possession would not apply to a person aboard a vessel that is in transit with fishing gear appropriately stowed.
Figure 1. Map of proposed Type II MPA’s.
The use of shark bottom longline gear would also be prohibited within the MPAs. This provision; however, will be implemented through Amendment 2 to the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species FMP drafted by the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Division of NOAA, who is responsible for the management of HMS fisheries.
