Fishermen reeling over proposal to close famed Georgetown Hole to snapper-grouper fishing

Local fishermen and various organizations are concerned about a proposal that could close areas off the South Atlantic coast to snapper-grouper fishing.

The Snapper Grouper Amendment 36 is designed to identify important areas of spawning habitat for snapper grouper species, including deep-water speckled hind and warsaw grouper, that can be designated for protection to enhance spawning and increase recruitment by closing snapper-grouper fishing in those areas.

One of the 11 candidate spawning sites under consideration for a Special Management Zone (SMZ) is the famed Georgetown Hole, located about 55 miles southeast of the Winyah Bay jetties.