Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Update to Habitat Management Series #15 – revised January 2022
Habitat Committee
-
-
-
To enhance protection of SAV, the Commission adopted an SAV policy in 1997 with the goal of preserving SAV, and ultimately achieving a net gain in SAV distribution and abundance.
-
ASMFC is establishing this policy on submerged aquatic vegetation, emphasizing both the true seagrasses and freshwater species, because of the important role SAV plays in the habitat of ASMFC managed species, and because some of these species utilize both seagrass and freshwater SAV habitats during their ontogenetic development.
-
The decision to focus ASMFC’s attention on submerged aquatic vegetation was prompted by increasing concerns that the coast-wide health of this valuable resource may be declining, that certain human activities may be adversely affecting SAV, and that the Commission may need to take action in its fishery management plans (FMPs) to protect SAV as valuable fish habitat. Based on those facts, Habitat Committee Chair Tom Fote (NJ) established the Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Subcommittee on May 28, 1996.
Get Hooked on ASMFC News
Dive into the latest updates and catch all the important news by joining our newsletter mailing list. Stay in the loop with meeting agendas, fisheries management news, and more.