The Gulf Council will convene a meeting of its Standing Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) on September 29-30, 2026. The meeting will be held at the Gulf Council Office located at 4107 West Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida, 33607.
The SSC will review the results of the West Florida Hogfish Stock Assessment (SEDAR 94) and recommend allowable harvest. They will then review two state creel surveys from Mississippi and Alabama. Next, the SSC will hear a presentation on the results of the 2024 Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) pilot study and data recalibration. They will then discuss updating stock assessments with the recalibrated data and future input. The SSC will hear a presentation on the SHELF Egg Project, a RESTORE project studying spawning frequency and intensity of reef fish and pelagics. Then, the SSC will review a social science questionnaire for Gulf species that is being used to develop qualitative metrics to understand the social value of fisheries. Finally, the SSC will begin discussing regulatory streamlining to build capacity to respond more rapidly to new scientific information.
For an agenda and meeting materials, click here.
Public comment will be held in-person and over the webinar each day before the meeting adjourns.
Register for the webinar here.
About The Gulf Council: The Gulf Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of America.