SEDAR 101 Public Meeting: South Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean Fisheries Stock Assessment Process

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced a public meeting for the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 101 process, which covers fisheries in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean regions. SEDAR is the standardized stock assessment process used by federal and regional fisheries managers to evaluate the health and sustainability of fish populations in these waters. The SEDAR 101 assessment will proceed in three stages: a Data Workshop where scientists compile and validate fisheries data, an internal agency-led assessment stage where population models are developed and analyzed, and a Review Workshop where independent experts evaluate the assessment findings. This structured process ensures scientific rigor before management decisions are made. Public participation is a key component of the SEDAR process. Stakeholders including commercial fishers, recreational anglers, environmental groups, and other interested parties are invited to attend and provide input during the designated public meeting phases. The outcomes of SEDAR assessments directly inform catch limits, quotas, and other regulatory measures for the affected fish stocks. The results of SEDAR 101 will be used by the relevant Fishery Management Councils and NMFS to update or establish fishery management measures, potentially affecting commercial and recreational fishing regulations across the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean jurisdictions.

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