Nine new fish species would be made off limits to deepwater anglers under a proposal to be considered next month by the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.

The proposed regulation, one of several measures discussed by the South Atlantic council last week in Key Largo, would ban fishing for snowy grouper, blueline tilefish, yellowedge grouper, Warsaw grouper, speckled hind, misty grouper, queen snapper and silk snapper in¬ South¬ Atlantic coastal¬ waters of 240 feet or deeper -- a shelf that begins between 6 and 9 miles offshore.

The measure is primarily an attempt to protect depleted populations of the Warsaw grouper and speckled hind. Eliminating fishing of the other deepwater snapper and grouper would augment that protection by decreasing the frequency with which Warsaw and speckled hind are killed as by-catch of fishermen in search of other prizes, South Atlantic council documents say.

In the Keys, the snowy grouper, silk snapper, blueline tilefish and yellowedge grouper are the most frequently fished of the nine species targeted for closure.

Local fishermen say this latest proposed closure is not devastating on its own. Deepwater snapper and grouper make up just a small portion of the¬ Keys fishery, where lobster and stone crabs dominate and yellowtail is the predominant species of the groupers/snapper fishery

Still, they say, the proposal is one more knot in an ever-tightening noose of regulations that is making it harder and harder to stay in business.

"This is part of the new regulatory method of trying to hold down the fishing of all fish in an area in order to protect whatever may be overfished," said Pete Bacle, owner of the Stock Island Lobster Co. "Every new regulation has an impact to some degree and each one really weakens the fish house."

Steve Leopold, president of the Islamorada Charter Boat Association, said recreational fishing guides have similar concerns. Their industry has already been besieged by the recession and uncertainly over gas prices. Charter captains expect more tough times this winter, when they must adhere to a new January through April closure of several shallow-water snapper and grouper species, most notably the black grouper.

"Nowadays you don't want to give up a trip," said Leopold, who added that the Islamorada guides plan to become more active in the Coastal Conservation Association and National Association of Charter Boat Operators, larger organizations that often fight new fisheries regulations.

In addition to the proposed deepwater closures in the snapper/grouper fisheries, the South Atlantic council is also considering annual catch limits for a number of species, including black and gag grouper.

Jack McGovern, a biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Services, which implements regulations passed by the fisheries council, said his colleagues are concerned about the hardships that tighter regulations can cause fishermen and waterside communities.

But he said NMFS is required to comply with the Magnunson Stevens fishery management act, which is designed to maintain and restore healthy fish stocks.

"There are a lot of regulations. We realize that," McGovern said.

The South Atlantic council is scheduled to debate the proposals, known as amendment 17B, during its meeting next month in Fort Atlantic, N.C.

The council is accepting public comment on the amendment through Nov. 25. Comments can be e-mailed to SGAmend17BPH@safmc.net.

rsilk@keysnews.com