The CAB met on February 24th and received briefings from Dr. Sandra Brooke (FSU) who gave an ABSI research and data collection update (see Science Update below), and Matt Davis (FWC) on FWC's Oyster Monitoring Program. Also, Matt Posner and Donald Killorn (Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program) provided an overview of their estuary program. Copies of the presentations can be found here.
The Strategies Worksheet reviewed by the CAB, a primary focus for each meeting, is in its final stages. This worksheet lays out strategy recommendations across a suite of goals and objectives, including ecological and socio-economic. At the April meeting, the CAB will begin prioritizing the strategies. The public will be asked for feedback on these strategies that will be incorporated where appropriate before the CAB finalizes its recommendations.
Community Advisory Board members spent a large portion of the meeting discussing the pros and cons of specific management alternatives. Alternatives discussed included summer fishery closures, rotational closures, daily harvest limits, limited entry, and sanctuary reefs. Due to time constraints, not all potential strategies were reviewed, but the discussion will continue at the April meeting. A full list of these strategies can be found on page 3 of the Strategies Worksheet.
The ABSI will be hosting another Oystermen's Workshop on Monday, March 29th at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve. Due to COVID safety guidelines, this meeting will not be open to the public, but will be available for viewing via Zoom. Details on how to virtually watch and listen in are on the website.
To ensure complete transparency, ABSI presents on the Community Advisory Board's website the entire history of the deliberations following from each meeting, copies of all presentations, and a recording of each meeting since March 2020.
Note: Due to COVID-19, meetings of the CAB have taken place virtually using ZOOM since the May 2020 meeting and will continue to be virtual until further notice. Members of the public are welcome to call in during meetings. Directions for doing so are on the website.
