ML072060339
Text
ASMFC Volume4s FISHERI ES/OCt/S Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission '
1444 Eve Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Working towuvards healthly, self-sust aining popmsLhtionis for all Atiantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.
ASMFC Approves Winter Flounder Amendment 1 Plan Seeks to Rebuild Southern New England/Mid-Atiantic Stock and Sustain Gulf of Maine Stock The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Amendment I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for
[nshore Stocks of Winter Flounder. The Amendrment revises management goals, objectives, biological reference points, and rebuilding goals for winter flounder populations in the inshore portions of the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/
MA) and Gulf of Maine (GOM) stock areas. The Amendment also updates commercial and recreational management measures for both stock components.
Amendment I responds. to the latest stock assessment information and is the produict of extensive preparation, deliberation, and public comment. Scientific adv/ice indicates that the SNE/MA stock of winter flounder is overfished and overfishing is occurring. Further, a reduction in fishing mortality is needed to rebuild the spawning stock biomass to sustainable levels.
While the GOM stock is not overfished and overfishing is [not occurring, reports of localized depletion in inshore areas north of Massachusetts remain a concern.
Amendment I establishes the following biological reference points to restore the SNE/MA stock and maintain the status of the GOM stock:
Reference Points SNE/MA GOM F Target F,11,.=0.24 F_,_,,=0.32 F Threshold Fi,,, =0.32 F,__,_=0.43_
SSB Target B,,ss=30, 100 mt Bsy=4, 100 mt SSB Threshold
'/2SSB,,.= 15,050 mt
'/2SSB,*,,=2,050 mt For the SNE/MA stock, recreational measures include a 12-inch minimum size limit, a 10-fish creel limit, and a 60-day open season. Twenty days of March and April must be closed and the 60-day open season cannot be divided into more than two periods. For the GOM stock, recreational measures include a 12-inch minimum size limit, an eight-fish creel limit, and no requirements for closed seasons.
Amendment I anticipates a large reduction in fishing mortality for the offshore commercial fishery with implementation of the New England Fishery Manage-ment Council's Amendment 13 to Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish. To complement these actions In state waters, Amendment I establishes commercial management measures of a 12-inch minimum size limit and a minimum 6.5-inch diamond or square mesh size for the SNE/MA stock. States in the region must also retain their existing commercial season closures. Additionally, states have the option to impose more conservative regu-lations.
continued on page 6
,Inside This Issue Upcom*ing Meetings Page 2 Species Profile: Atlantic j Menhaden Page4 American Lobster Addendum VI 1 Approved Page 7 ASMFC Comings & Goings
~4 Page 7 ASMFC Revises Benchmark Stock Assessment & Peer Review Processes Page 8, ACCSP Explores Cost-effective Sampling of Recreational Fishing Effort.
Page 10~
ASMFC Employee of the Quarter Namedo Page 11 Bottlenose Dolphin TRT~
Covnsto Review Proposed C01~Z ASt"\\V-C loDOýe.
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" he Atlantic States Marine
Fish erjes Commission was formed by the 15 Atlantic coastal states in S1942 for the promotion and protection *ofcoas taldfishery r-eso w-ces. The eor issio soerves as
.a deliberative body of the A t1antic*
coastal states,; coordin'aling the:'
conservation and management of nearsh ore fisheiery'resources, Sincluding mar/nie, s!ihell and Sanadromous species. The fifteen member s ta tes of the Comtnmission are. Maineg~
t, flwHmpshir-e,,
'Ma~~chsets1111' Isla nd,~
Connecticut, N/ew York, N~ew Jersej,
'Pennsilvan11iDlaware Ma> i'land Upcoming Meetings 3128-41.
ASMFC Technical Committee Meeting Week (Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee, Stock Assessment Committee. and Natural Mortality Workshop), Radisson Plaza Lord Balti-more, 20 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore. Maryland.
3129-31.
New England Fishery Management Council, Hotel Viking, Newport, Rhode Island.
4/1i.
ASMFC Winter Flounder Technical Committee, Radisson Airport Hotel Providence, 2081 Post R, Warwick, Rhode Is-land.
4/26 & 27' ASMFC Habitat Committee. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland.
5/3-5.
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Princess Royale Oceanfront Hotel & Conference Center. 9100 Coastal High-way, Ocean City, Maryland.
5/9 - 12.
ASMFC Meeting \\WVeek. Radisson Hotel Old Towii Alexan-dria, 901 North Fairfax, Alexancdria, Virginia.
6/13-17" South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Radisson Re-sort at the Port. 8701 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, Florida; 800-333-3333.
6/14 - 16" Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Wyndham Wilmington Hotel, 700 King Street, Wilmington, Delaware.
6/21-23:
New England Fishery Management Council, Radisson Eastland Hotel, Portland, Maine.
6/27-7/1.
ASMFC Technical Committee Meeting Week, location to be determined.
8/8-10.:
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Sheraton Soci-ety Hill Hotel, One Dock Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
8/15 - 18:
ASMFC Meeting Week, Radisson Hotel Old Town Alexan-dria, 901 North Fairfax, Alexa.ndria, Virginia.
ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 2
The reauthorization of. the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is clearly a prior-ity this year for Senator Stevens and other congres-sional leaders. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and Pew Oceans Commission have both called for changes to improve fisheries management. Their rec-ommenrdations will help frame the public policy de-bate in the upcoming months as Congress considers changes to the Act.
The Commission's fishery management process, struIc-tured to be effective and responsive, contains important qualities that are worth noting by those promoting change, It is designed to produce results by incorporating three Important concepts: balance of power, timeliness of ac-tion, and stakeholder buy-in. Here ' s how...
Balance of Power Natural resource management seeks to strike a balance between professional management and stakeholder in-volvemrent.
Decision-making processes heavily grounded in stakeholder input create inherent con-flicts of interest, disputes regarding scientific advice, and reluctance to make short-term sacrifices to protect and rebuild the resource.
Some, but not all, of the federal fishery councils where stakeholders domninate are perceived to have these characteristics.
The Commission's process can,bring fishery manage-ment plans and amendments on line significantly faster than the federal system. Through the adaptive man-agement process, addenda to fishery management plans can be developed and implemented within about six mionths. Thus, Commission action can be based onl cur-rent information: making it highly responsive to detected problems (provided the political will exists to act).
Sta~keholder Buy-ini Stakeholders enhance natural resource management pro-cesses through their active participation anid input. The Commission holds public hearings in states affected 'by~
a proposed action. Such hearings promote two-way communication by providing a forum to explain the proposed action as well as to collect public comment.
The Commission also solicits advice from Advisory Pan-els, who represent diverse stakeholder groups coastwide.
In taking action, the Commission typically establishes broad management policies, allowing states the flexibility to accommodate regional differences in the fishery and stakeholder needs. These approaches. promote greater re-gional understanding and acceptance of both manage-ment actions anid thle Science Supporting these actions.
45 r%ý Overarching these principles is the concept of state-fed-eral cooperation, an essential element for successful fish-eries management. The federal governmerit provides re-ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 3
Species Profile: Atlantic Menhaden Stock Healthy Coastwide, But Questions Remain Regarding Localized Stock Conditions Introduction Atlantic menhaden are small, oily, schooling fish found froom northern Florida to Nova Scotia. They serve a major ecological role as both a forage fish to larger predators and as a filter feeder. Atlantic menhaden have supported one of the United States' largest fisheries since colonial times.
ý4' ?
Life History Atlantic menhaden (Brevoorlia tyrannuA) are found in estuarine and coastal waters from northern Florida to Nova Scotia and serve as prey. (food) for many fish, sea birds and marine mammals. Adult and juvenile menhaden form large, near-sur-face schools, primarily in estuaries and nearshore ocean waters from early spring througll early winter. By summer, menhaden schools stratify by size and age along the coast, with older and larger menhaden found farther north. During fall-early*
winter, menhaden of all sizes and ages migrate south around the North Carolina capes to spawn.
- !!!Sexual Maturity begins julst before age three, with major spawning areas ftrom tlhc Caro-U*:&-c..
linas to New Jersey. The majority of spawning occurs primarily offshore (20-30 miles) during winter. Buoyant eggs hatch at sea and larvae are carried into estuarine nursery areas by ocean currents. Juveniles spend most of their first year of life in estuaries, migrating tn the ocean in late fall. Adult and juvenile menhaden migrate sotth in fall-winter, and adult niihaden migrate north in spring.
Menhaden feed by straining plankton from the water, their gill rakers forming a special-ized basket to efficiently capture tiny food. Menhaden provide a link between primary production and higher organisms by consuming plankton and providing forage (food) for species such as striped bass, bluefish and weakfish, to name just a few.
Commercial Fishery The Atlantic menhaden commercial fishery consists of both a reduction fishery and a bait fishery. The reduction fishery first began in New England during the early 18 0 0 s and spread south after the Civil War. The purse seine was introduced after the Civil War allowing the fishery to expand. Major tech-nological innovations led to further expan-sion of the fishery coastwide. As a result, landings and fishing effort increased from 1940 through the late 1950s, declined pre-cipitously during the 1960s when the population was over-fished, and then in-creased significantly Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Dept. of during the late 19 7 0s Commerce 4
ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005
and early 19 8 0 s. Currently, there are two reduc-I tion plants on the Atlantic coast processing men-Figure 1. Annual Estimates of Landings and Fishing Effort for the Atlantic Menhaden Reduction Fishery haden into fish meal and oil. The fish meal is used Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2005 as fertilizer and anim al feed. T he fish oil is used in 800.0 3500 many conmmercial products and in omega-3 supple-l
!-*--Landings (1000 mt)
B-}- Effort (v-w) nients for hum an health. T hie coastw ide bait fish-700.0 a..
- s.
3 ery supplies fishermen with bait for popular com-600.0 mercial and sport fish.
2500
, 500.0 o
-~2000 The 2004 harvest of Atlantic menhaden for redtuc-
- 400.0 tion was 184,450 metric tons, which was an in-1500 crease from the 2003 season (166,097 tnot), and 300.0 1.1 percent above average landings for the previ-oo 1000 ous five years (182,475 mt).
200.0 100.05 A slight increase from recent years, 13 reduction purse-seine vessels landed Atlantic menhaden dur-0.0 0
1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 ing the 2004 season. Two redutctiorn plants oper-ated in 2004 -- onein Reedville. V\\irginia with ten vessels, and one in Beaufort, Nor'th Carolina with three vessels. The bait fishery for menhaden has become increasingly more important from North Carolina to New En-gland. The major portion of bait landings in recent years has been harvested from New Jersey and Virginia waters, followed by Maryland, North Carolina, Florida and the Potomac River.
Figure 2. Atlantic Menhaden Population Fecundity (no. of maturing ova)
Status of the Stock Source: ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Technical Committee. 2003 The 2003 peer-reviewecl stock assessment found that on a coastwide basis Atlantic men-1Target Fecundity haden are not overfishecl and overfishing is 160,000 occurring.
~ 10,00-dThreshold Fecundity n-ot occurring.
=
1[20,000 --
>120000 In 2004, The Technical Committee reviewed I00,000-
-Addendum 1 triggers (i.e., catch-per-unit-80,000 --------------------------------------------
effort index and ratio of ages 2-4 to the total 60,000 catch of all ages) to evaluate whether a stock 40,000 assessment needed to be conducted before 22006.
It concluded that neither trigger had Z
20,000 been met. The Technical Committee will en r-meet again in 2005 to reexamine the trig-Z, Z*
Z*
Z*
Z Z_
Eý gers and other relevant indices and make an assessment recommendation based on the available data.
Currently, the stock assessment can only evaluate the status of menhaden on a coastwide basis. The Technical Committee has developed a list of research priorities to examine the possibility of localized depletion in the Chesapeake Bay.
Atlantic Coastal Management Considerations The Commission approved Amendment I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Menhaden in 200. Management authority is vested in the states because the vast majority of landings come from state waters. The goal of Amendment I is "to manage the Atlantic menhaden fishery in a manner that is biologically, economically, socially and ecologically sound while protecting the resource and those who benefit from it." Amendment I established new overfishing/
overfished definitions based on fishing mortality and spawning stock biomass.
Addendum 1 to Amendment 1, approved in August 2004, revised the biological reference points, changed the frequency of stock assessments, and updated the habitat section. The new biomass target and threshold are based on fecundity (or the continued on page 6 ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 5
Species Profile: Atlantic Menhaden (continued from page 5) number of mature or ripe eggs/ova) in-stead of spawning stock.biomass. A new fishing mortality target and threshold were also adopted. Stock assessments will now take place every third year instead of annually. However, the Technical Committee is required to meet annu-ally to review the previous year's land-ings and indices.
Recent Activities In October 2004, the Commission held a workshop to examine the status of At-lantic menhaden with respect to its eco-logical role. This workshop was con-vened in response to a motion made by the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board in May 2004. Representatives from the environmental, recreational fishery. and the commercial fishery conn-munities helped plan the details of the workshop. State, federal, and university scientists were invited to participate in the workshop. A summary of the work-shop presentations, discussions, and findings is available on the Commission website at http://wwxv.asmfc.org/atlantic Men haden.htri..
In February 2005, the Atlantic Menha-den Management Board initiated the preparation of Addendum 1[
to Aniendlnent I to the Atlan-tic Menhaden FMP The Draft Addendum will propose op-tions to limit the catch of menhaden, in-cluding restrict-ing the Chesa-peake Bay purse seine harvest to no more than 110,400 nut annually in 2006 and 2007.
The Board directed staff to identify a suite of management options for consider-ation by the public, including various cap Ii its and tinefratnes. and gears to be addressed. The Draft Addendum will also propose initiating a research pro-grain immediately to determine the sta-tus of menhaden populations in the Chesapeake Bay and assess whether lo-calized depletion is occurring in the Bay.
In addition, the Addendum will include a review of current state rules and regu-lations for Atlantic menhaden and the roles these measures have played in lo-calizing rnenha}den harvest to the Chesa-peake Bay, and coastal waters of Virginia and North Carolina. The Board will meet in May to review the Dra.ft Ad-denduin. Upon its approval, the Adden-dum will be released for public review and comment. It is anticipated that n any states will be conducting public hearings on the Addendum.
Please check the ASMFC website (www.asmfc.org) and future issues of fisleries Focus to stay abreast of UpcoIl-ing menhaden activities.
For more in-fornaiation, please contact Nancy Wallace, Fisheries Management Plan Co-ordinator, at (202)289-6400 or
<nwa lace@asmfc.org>.
ASMFC Approves Winter Flounder Amendment 1 (continued from page 1)
For the GOM stock, the Amendment establishes a 12-inch minimum size limit, a mesh size consistent with that in the EEZ adjacent to state waters (currently 6.5-inch diamnond or square mesh), and maintenance of existing commercial season closures.
States have until March 15, 2005 to submit their proposals for plan imple-mentation. The Board will meet in May 2005 to review Technical Committee comments on the proposals and discuss their approval. Implementation of the
- iprovisions of Amendment 1 will be required by July 31, 2005.
Annual com-pliance reports will be due on November 1 of each year, beginning in 2006.
Copies of Amendment I are available via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. For more Photo courtesy of Don McCusker.
information, please contact Lydia Munger, FMP Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or lmunger@asmfc.org.
6 ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005
ASMFC Lobster Board Approves Addendum VI The Commission's American Lobster Management Board has approved Ad-dcncdum VI to the American Lobster Plan. The Addendum directs Area 2 jurisdictions to work with their Lobster Conservation Management Team (LCMT) to modily thie effort control plan as specified under Addendum [V.
The effort control plan must be designed so that all jurisdictions are capable of implementation and effort will not in-crease if and when the resource recovers in Area 2.
In December 2003, the Commission's American Lobster Board passed Adden-dum IV, establishing an effort control plan for Area 2 (inshore southern New England).
The Addendum was initi-ated to address significant stock declines in lobsters of all sizes in Area 2.
Since passage of the Addendum, the Board has outlined several concerns with the plan, including the inability of several jurisdictions to implement portions of the plan and the initial trap allocation scheine.
Ain analysis of the inipacas of the trap allocation scheme in Addendum IV indicates it is ineffective at control-ling trap growth over current levels.
Also, the number of traps allocated to qualified applicants substantially in-creases compared to the number of traps currently issued under Addendum IV effort control plan.
Addendum VI withdraws the Adden-dum IV effort control plan except for two points - a prohibition on issuance of any new permits for Area 2 and the eligibility period for par-ticipation in the fishery. It also di-rects all jurisdictions with Area 2 permit holders and the Area 2 LCMT to develop a new effort con-trol plan, capping effort at or near current levels with the potential to adjust the levels based on the out-come of the upcoming stock assess-nient. The new effort control plan is to be developed for review.and ap-proval by tire American Lobster Man-agement Board by August 2005.
Copies of Addendumn V[ are available via the Commission's website at wwwv.asnifc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Fisheries Maniage-mnent Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or <tkerns@asmfc.org>.
ASMFC Comings & Goings Comrmnissioners:
Ralph Balkcom -- In January, Ralph Balkcom stepped down as Georgia's Governor's Appointee to the Atlantic States Ma-rine Fisheries Commission. Mr. Balkcom participated in the Commission's programs in numerous capacities over the last 15 years. He first became involved in the Commission in 1989 as Georgia's Legislative representative. From 1989 -
1992, as Chair of the state's House Game, Fish and Parks Commission, Mr. Balkcom brought his knowledge of fisher-ies legislation and management to the Commission's processes.
In 1994, Mr. Balkcom be-came Georgia's Governor's Ap-N-
pointee to the Commission.
We wish Mr. Balkcom and his lovely wife Evelyn a healthy and happy retirement.
John Duren -- This January, Georgia Governor Sonny Per-due selected John W. Duren to serve as the state's Governor's Appointee to the Commission.
An active participant in the Commission's fisheries manage-ment process since December 2003, Mr. Duren brings to the table substantial personal and professional experience in marine conservation and environmental management. He is an avid recreational fisherman and boater, both inshore and offshore. His public service includes participation in several marine conservation panels. Professionally, he is a business executive with experience in developing products and pro-cesses for water and wastewater treatment; he is also founder and chair of a successful environmental site remediation com-pany. Mr. Duren's diverse background and commitment to marine fisheries conservation will be a great asset to the Coin-mission. Welcome aboard, Mr. Duren!
Staff:
Ruth Christiansen -- This March, Ruth Christiansen joined the Commission staff as a Fisheries Management Plan Coor-dinator. Ruth will be assuming coordination responsibilities for Atlantic herring, spiny dogfish and coastal sharks, and continued on paoe 11 ASMFC Fisheries Focus,.Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 7
ASMFC Revises Benchmark Stock Assessment & Peer Review Processes Fisheries stock assessments form the ba-sis of the majority of the Commission's 22 fisheries management programs.
They provide scientific advice to fisher-ies managers regarding the health and status of fish stocks. It is crucial that these stock assessments are credible and of high quality in order to provide con-fidence in the fisheries management pro-cess. The Commission ensures the soundness of its stock assessments through a formal process for benchmark stock assessments and by participation in external peer reviews.
Recently, the Commission reviewed and adjusted its Benchmark Stock Assess-ment and External Peer Review Pro-cesses. These actions were taken in light of the recent developments with two of the primary stock assessment peer re-view processes on the East Coast (see side-bars on SAW/SARC and SEDAR).
The Comnmission considered two major proposals: (1) the inclusion of stakehold-ers in Commission benchmark stock as-sessments and external peer reviews, and (2) the implermentation of the Data and Assessment Workshop process for con-clucting stock assessments for peer, re-view.
Benchmark Stock Assessments Benchmark stock assessments require compiling and analyzing large quanti-ties of data from several sources into a report detailing the statts of a fishery.
To achieve this, the Commission devel-oped a framework for conducting Data and Assessment Workshops based upon the SEDAR model.
The goals of the Data Workshop are to: (1) compile rel-evant species life history information, (2) develop a database of all available fish-eries dependent and independent data, (3) conduct preliminary analyses of the available data, (4) draft introductory sec-tions of the stock assessment report, and (5) present initial ideas on applicable modeling methods. Thegoals of the Assessmrient Workshop are to: (1) con-duct and tho0rroughly evaluate assessment model runs, and (2) produce the comn-pleted Stock Assessment Report for Peer Review.
The ASMFC species technical commit-tee will comprise the base of the Data Workshop participants, and the species stock assessment subcommittee will be the base for Assessment Workshop par-ticipants. Previously, much of the work on a stock assessment has been per-formed by a few people.
By including the entire technical committee and stock assessment subcommittee, the collective knowledge of the assessment group will be enhanced and workload will be more evenly distributed among the workshop participants.
With regards to stakeholder participa-tion, the Commission approved invit-ing nie to three stakeholders to fully participate in the Data Workshops. This will provide a valuable mechanism for stakeholder input early in the assessment process. Stakeholders will not be allowed to participate at Assessment Workshops, since these meetings require advanced stock assessment'training. However, the public is welcome to attend the work-shops, as all Commission meetings are open to the public. By adopting an in-clusive process, providing a framework, and clearly defining goals, Data and As-sessment Workshops should improve ýhe quality, credibility and public under-standing of ASMFC technical processes in peer reviewed assessments.
External Peer Review Process The Commission evaluated the advan-tages and disadvantages of including stakeholders in its External Peer Review Process.
The Commission's existing criteria for selecting external peer review panel members are based on expertise of fisheries stock assessment methods, species life history, fisheries science, and SAW/SARC Explores Ways to Strengthen Separation of Science
& Management SAW/SARC is the federaIly,-con-
- ducted fisheries stock assessment &
peer review processd fortheF North-~
e*st.,.ornally refeieto as the Northeast( Iegio nal, Stock Assess, menit Wor-kshop/Stod k Assessment Review Comrmiittee, SAW/SARC reviews as~sess'ments for specie`s found in the US Noithw(,est Atlan tolc 'wIt ssessmenrts generlIli, SI,-e spared o)r federal or state scietis ii,,d
- The CuomIissns external peer re:
view proctess servses as an iddiltioial,
-.-venue tot,:peer review of stock -as'-.
- sessientsfor-Commissi0n iuanaged species.
In. 2004, SARC initiated a.a pilot program for conductin gstock as-:
sessment peei reviews,Te pilot,'
process was designed to strengthen >
tihe separation of scince, and fmanlj agernient and to increase the objechý tivity of the peei, review piocess. The S)ARC review hs now)" pefome byt[(
r a panelI of three to four indepenl
-diet stock assessment modeling ex-.
perts. These experts have' no,inll-voly'emient inl either the deý"ielop-'
m::.ent of the stock assessnmrent of,:'
muanagemeiit of the species heing re-viewed. The a anel is charged -with reviewving the assessmriet mpodel and either approving o-rejectig : the :as:
sessrment. SAIR*C provCdes:\\1a'dwvenI stock status anid I'll 11 " I')fto
- the, assessment, but,no Ionger pro-vides managemenr advice This modelv differs front the previous SARC ini the ftoIng aspects 1) panl em bership dos not-includ e:?
- feer,
'ats*,ta te ;,auniviie rsi*,t*@
y a or-inusg ie(ypresentatives,andt Z) no man mgena1r'l.
wkI,,
will be provided.
8 ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005
SEDAR Process Includes Stakeholder Participation The Southeast Data and Assessment.sessment Workshops. These include Review (SEDAR) is managed by the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery Management:
Councils, in coordinatioin with NOAA Fisheries and the [nterstate, Fisheries Commissions of the Atlan-tic, and Gulf Coasts.
[n the South-east; all SEDAR peer.reviewed assess-nin sm (bthstaft'ý li"Te ld"
,prepared through Data and -As' sessmenit Workshops, with,.Review Workshpops serving as tthe:peer review.
ve*ie*ufor: th'eassessments.
SEDAR draws'upon its Advissory Panel data managers, specialists, data col-lectors and stock assessment scientists from thie'states, NOAA Fisheries; In-terstate Commissi6ns, universities, in-dependent laboratoriesand institu-tions, and Council members.,
The primary goal of the Data Work-
-shop-, isto "assenhblI eall A4vailable fish-eries -dependent aind indepnj
- dent',
data and life history infoiration ]ow useý, in the stock assessment, At the Assessment Wor kshop pai ticipanst conduct the species population assess 11ilen an[d determinem
[he (tatu ol he view Workshop, composed of scientists, industry representatives and environmen-tal representatives, critically reviews the stock' assessment.
The SEDAR process emphasizes stake-holder participation in assessment de-velopment, with stakeholders included in both Data: Workshops and Assess-ment 'Workshops.- Data,and Assess iment Workshops xrequire ýextensiveý ef fort from several individuals, but tIh formal assessment process for data col-
.lectio:h and analysis, with its'broad-esled scope ofdscientitic experience, is des'igned to p3roduce better stock as*-
£sessmoenhts::L,
for pa I^ icýI, I I I to.-In its, % t:
iA,l As sthck ()Rtclsil r<Di 1
professional olbjectiviry. Panel mnerobers must oot 1be i ivolved in the stock assess-ment or the management process for the species in question.
The Commission recognized that including stakeholders on the peer review panel would improve transparency of the peer review process (as in the SEDAR), but concluded that the need for independent. expert advice on the science used to assess the stock was best addressed by selecting panelists using the Commission's current criteria (as in the pilot SARC).
Stakeholders will be invited to attend ASMFC External Peer Reviews, but not as panel members. The Commission values the perspective of stakeholders at the peer review and recommends that the Chair of the peer review encourage public comrnment throughout the process.
All of the approved changes to the Commission's Benchmark Assessment and Ex-ternal Peer Review processes will be incorporated into the Commission's Stock Assessment Peer Review Process document. To obtain a copy of the final docu-ment or for more information, please contact Patrick Kilduff, Fisheries Research Specialist, at (202)289-6400 or <pkilduff@asmfc.org>.
Scheduled 2005 Peer Review ASMFC External Peer Review American eel"
,.American shad
-, Tauto~g
, *- j >.--*
'SAW/SARCNoN.
41 ý:-June-
" American lobster Bluefish S AR k* No I,,; 4* 2, No'venmber/!
December SMultispeciesVPA ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 9
ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 9
l 4
ACCSP Explores Cost-effective Sampling of Recreational Fishing Effort Conducting a survey to account for the fishing effort of tens of millions of anglers is an ambitious undertaking, and the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Pro(gramn (ACCSP) is exploring options for making that task more cost-effective.
Tie state and federal partners of the ACCSP and the fishlin-g constituents of the Atlantic coast have long recognized the need for cost-effective data collection for recreational fisher-ies. In 1998, the ACCSP Coordinating Council agrced that the long-term goal of the programn would be to conduct fish-ing effort interviews from "a un'iversal sampling frame" rather than random-digit dialing of coastal cotunty households.
However, a scientific sampling frame that includes all saltwa-ter anglers on the Atlantic coast is not easily constructed.
The most likely option would be to get angler contact infor-mation from state license records. This information could be used to conduct telephone interviews with anglers on their recent fishing activity. Some state license frames could ac-commodate such sampling with some adjustments for spe-cial angler exemptions (senior citizens, children, disabled, etc.), but most Northbast states have no licensing of saltwa-ter fishing, which leaves no immediate alternative to ran-dom-digit dialing. Additionally, Florida, South Carolina, and Maryland exempt anglers fishing from shore and pier, which are critical modes for valid effort estimates.
For a state to implement new licensing regulations, it would almost always require legislative action. In recent years, some lawmakers have met resistance oil such bills, but there are fishing organizations that support licensing. They include the American Sportfishing Association, the Coastal Conser-vation Association, the International Game Fish Association, and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.
Walter W. Fondren, III the Chairman of the Coastal Conser-vation Association said "...The real value of a license is in the data. Regardless of how much money is generated or where it goes in a state butldget, the most important function of a license is to provide a simple count of recreational saltwater anglers in a given state...
outd The ACCSP staff will work with state partners to communicate the benefits of a universal sam-pling frame to constituents. More informatioh on the statuIs of each state is available at www.accsp.org/rpstatus.htm.
For more information, please visit www.accsp.org or call Abbey Compton at (202) 216-5690.
Recreational fishing license frames that c be used for cost-effective effort sampling
?~\\
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10 ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 10 ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005
Toni Kerns Awarded ASMFC Employee of the Quarter In a little over a year and a half, Toni Kerns has become an invaluable akddition to the Commission staff, significantly contribut-irig to the Commission's vision of "lealthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlan-tic coast fish species or successful restora-tion well in progress by the year 2015."
In recognition of her efforts, Toni was awarded Employee of the Quarter (Janu-ary - March 2005). The award is intended to recognize special contributions and qualities in the areas of teamwork, initia-tive, responsibility, quality of work, posi-tive attitude, and results.
Since her arrival at the Commission.
Toni has made major contributions to the management of bluefish, summer flounder, scup and black sea bass -- the Commissions most corn plex souite of species. She developed six addenda while effectively coordinating the annual speci-fication process for these species with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. [Her accomplishments are the result of hard work as well as long lhours in the office and on the road.
Her outstanding efforts have enabled Commissioners to make many difficult decisions. In turn, these decisions have resulted in the rebuilding of summer flounder and black sea bass stocks.
Recently, Toni volunteered for her newest challenge -- taking over the coordination of American lobster. Her ability to consistently anticipate prob-lems before they arise, creatively seek so-lutions, and enthusiastically approach complex issues will serve her well as she coordinates management activities for the Commission's most valuable species.
Toni has Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University and a Master in Coastal En-vironmental Management from Duke University.
As an Employee of the Quarter, she received a $500 cash award, an engraved pewter pencil cup, and a letter of appreciation for her personnel record.
In addition, hier name will be engraved on the Employee of Quarter Plaque displayed in the Commission's lobby.
Congratulations, Toni!
ASMFC Comings & Goings (continued from page 7) winter flounder. Ruth recently received a Master of Marine Affairs from University of Washington, School of Marine Affairs. with a special focus in marine policy analysis and public education.
She also has a Bachelor of Science in marine biology from Southampton College, Long Island University.
Ruth's previous work experience is di-verse. While in Seattle, she worked for a nonprofit organization, assisting in the restora-tion of critical river and estuarine habitat areas in Puget Sound.
Prior to that, she conducted population studies on critical prey species for the endangered Steller sea lion as part of the Fisheries Interaction Division of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. She has also been a fisheries observer aboard tuna longline vessels in Hawaii.
Ruth Christiansen Peter Mooreside -- In March, Peter Mooreside joined the Commission staff as a Fisheries Research Spe-cialist. Peter will be working on the American lobster database, as well as taking over coordination responsibilities for the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Pro-gram (NEAMAP).
Peter has a Master's in Environmental Management from Duke University, and a Bachelor of Science from Emorj' University. During graduate school, he studied the influence of nearshore ocean currents on sea turtle stranding patterns.
Other professional research experience includes work for the biology department of Emory University (forest ecology) and The Nature Conservancy (invertebrate popula-tion biology). Most recently, Peter served as an editor for the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, where the majority of his time was devoted to the newly adopted Coastal Habitat Protection Plan.
Please join us in welcoming Ruth and Peter to the Commission!
ASMFC Fisheries Focus, Vol. 14, Issue 2, March 2005 11t
I Bottlenose Dolphin TRT Convenes to Review Proposed Plan The National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) Bottlenose Dolphin Take Re-duction Team (BDTRT) was convened in 2001 to reduce the incidental mnor-tality and serious in jury (bycatch) of the western North Atlantic coastal bottle-nose dolphin stock (Tirviot)s hrumucatus) in nine coastal fisheries operating within the dolphin's distributional range.
Af-ter a lengthy process. NN/tFS is propos-ing to implemnent nmanagement rneasures based on the BDTRT's consensus recom-mendations, as well seasonal restrictions on large mesh gillnet fisheries operating in the Mid-Atlantic region to reduce the incidental take of sea turtles in North Carolina and Virginia state waters.
The nine fisheries affected by the dol-phin portions of the rule are the Mid-Atlantic coastal gillnet fishery, Virginia pound net fishery, Mid-Atlantic haul/
beach seine fishery, Atlantic blue crab trap/pot fishery, North Carolina inshore gillnet fishery, North Carolina roe mul-let stop ret fishery. North Carolina long haul seine fishery, Southeast Atlantic gillnet fishery, and the Southeastern U.S. Atlantic shark gillnet fishery. Tihe rule proposes to use effort reduction measures, gear proximity rules, gear or gear deployment rmodifications, fisher-men training, and outreach and educa-tion measures to reduce dolphin bycatch below the stock's potential biological removal level (PBR). Additionally, the rule proposes time/area closures and size restrictions on large mesh fisheries to re-duce incidental takes of endangered and threatened sea turtles, as well as to reduce dolphin bycatch below the stock's PBR.
The seventh meeting of the BDTRT was held in Virginia Beach, Virginia on January 13 & 14, 2005. The primary purpose of this meeting was to provide a forum for the BDTRT to discuss.the proposed rule and provide comments to NMFS. NMFS also provided updates on implementation of the non-regula-tory elerrents of the BDTRP Two public hearings were held after the publication of the proposed rule, the first on January 5th in New Bernr North Carolina and the second in Virginia Beach on January 13th ii conjunction with the TRT meeting. Written corn-nients closed on February 8th, with a submiitted 4.140 cornients iri response to this proposed rule. As riandated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the final rule is issued 60 days after the com-ment period closes with the rule going into effect 30 days after the final rule is publislhed. This nieans that the rule will likely go into effect in early May. It is possible that. implementation may be delayed for specific portions of the rule to allow fishermien additional time to obtaining new gear such as netting. For more inforimation, please contact Eliza-beth Griffin, Fisheries Research Special-
- ist, at (202)289-6400 or
<egriffin@asmfc.org>
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