Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

1444 Eye Street, N.W., Sixth Floor

Washington, D.C.   20005

(202) 289-6400 phone

(202) 289-6051 fax

www.asmfc.org

 

 

MEMORANDUM

 

January 24, 2007

 

To:       Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

 

From:   Robert Beal, ISFMP Director

 

RE:       2007 Summer Flounder Recreational Fishery Proposals

 

List of Participants:


 

Paul Caruso (MA)

Brian Murphy (RI)

Dave Simpson (CT)

Anne Mooney  (NY)

Tom Baum (NJ)

Rich Wong (DE)

Steve Doctor (MD)

Rob O’Reilly (VA)

Chris Batsavage (NC)

Mark Terceiro (NMFS)

Toni Kerns (ASMFC)


 

Summer Flounder Recreational Proposals

On December 11, 2006 the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board voted to allow the development of the state-specific management plans using the procedures approved by the Board under Framework 2 to the Summer Flounder FMP. As described in the Framework and the 2006 conservation equivalency memorandum distributed in December, each state is required to submit a proposal for review by the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Technical Committee, and each proposed program must be approved by the Board prior to implementation. 

 

The Technical Committee (TC) met on January 22, 2007 to review the state management proposals for 2007. Below are the details of each proposal and the Technical Committee recommendations to the Board. All state proposals are based on the previous approach to conservation equivalency. Note all 2006 landings estimates are based on data projections of waves 1-5 of the NMFS MRFSS.  The TC also reviewed a methodology for regional and coastwide proposals. The TC noted that increased length frequency sampling from MRFSS would support refinement of the reduction tables and allow analysis of "liberalized" bags/size in the future.

 

Massachusetts

2006 Harvest Limit: 203,000 fish

2006 Landings: 206,927 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 133,976 fish

Alteration for 2007: 35.3% reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 17.5”                                  

            Possession Limit: 7 fish

            Open Season: All year

 

Proposed 2007 Measures:

Option

size

bag

open season

Season Reduction

Size/Bag

Reduction

Net Reduction Versus 2006 Harvest

1

17.5

3

June 1- August 22

22%

18%

36%

2

18

3

Open All Year

 

41%

41%

3

18

4

May 15-September 15

4%

33%

36%

4

18

5

July 1- September 7

9%

29.5%

0.350

5

18

5

May 20- September 4

9%

29.5%

0.350

 

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

 

Rhode Island

2006 Harvest Limit: 209,000 fish

2006 Landings:  261,459 fish

2007 Harvest Limit:  138,174 fish

Alteration for 2007: 47.2% reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 17.5”

            Possession Limit: 7 fish

            Open Season: April 1-December 31

Proposed 2007 Measures:


 

 

Minimum Size

Bag Limit

17.5

18

18.5

19

20

1

5/20-9/3

No closure

No closure

No closure

No closure

5/26-9/19

5/28-9/30

 

2

5/26-7/23

5/26-8/6

5/26-8/26

No closure

No closure

6/2-7/28

6/2-8/13

5/31-9/3

6/24-9/3

6/13-9/3

6/5-9/30

6/27-9/30

6/16-9/30

 

3

5/26-7/17

5/26-7/29

5/26-8/13

5/1-9/3

No closure

6/2-7/21

6/2-8/4

6/2-8/21

5/20-9/30

6/30-9/3

6/19-9/3

6/8-9/3

 

7/3-9/30

6/22-9/30

6/12-9/30

 

4

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

No closure

5

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

No closure

6

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

Same as

7 fish bag

No closure

7

5/26-7/14

5/26-7/27

5/26-8/10

5/1-9/3

No closure

6/2-7/18

6/2-8/1

6/2-8/17

5/21-9/30

7/2-9/3

6/21-9/3

6/10-9/3

 

7/5-9/30

6/24-9/30

6/14-9/30

 

 

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

 

Connecticut

2006 Harvest Limit: 138,000 fish

2006 Landings: 105,763 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 91,300 fish

Alteration for 2007: 13.7% reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 18.0”

            Possession Limit: 6 fish

            Open Season: April 30-December 31

 

Proposed 2007 Measures:

Option

size

bag

open season

Bag/Size Reduction

Gross Season Reduction

Net Reduction Versus 2006 Harvest

1

18

6

June 7 - Dec 31

0%

18%

14%

2

18

6

April 30 - August 28

0%

18%

14%

3

18

5

May 30 - Dec 31

5%

14%

14%

4

18

5

April 30 - September 5

5%

14%

14%

5

18

4

May 18 - Dec 31

4%

9%

14%

 

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

 

New York

2006 Harvest Limit: 650,000 fish

2006 Landings: 837,457 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 430,262 fish

Alteration for 2007: 49.0 % reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 18.0”

            Possession Limit: 4 fish

            Open Season: May 6-September 12

 

 

Proposed 2007 Measures: Other options may be created using the same methodology.

 

                 

            Option

Size

Bag

Open Season

% from size/bag

% required from season

% from season

total reduction

1

18.0"

4

June 22 - July 31

0.0%

49.0%

48.8%

48.8%

2

18.0"

3

June 22 - July 31

0.7%

48.6%

48.8%

49.1%

3

18.0"

2

June 19 - July 31

6.3%

45.6%

46.2%

49.6%

4

18.5"

4

May 25 - July 31

28.9%

28.3%

28.9%

49.5%

5

18.5"

4

May 6 - July 25

28.9%

28.3%

28.7%

49.3%

6

18.5"

4

June 22 - August 31

28.9%

28.3%

28.7%

49.3%

7

18.5"

2

June 22 - September 12

31.0%

26.1%

26.5%

49.3%

8

19.0"

4

May 6 - August 31

47.5%

2.9%

2.2%

48.6%

9

19.0"

4

May 12 - September 9

47.5%

2.9%

2.0%

48.5%

10

19.0"

3

May 12 - September 9

47.5%

2.9%

2.0%

48.5%

11

19.0"

2

May 6 - September 9

48.9%

0.2%

0.4%

49.1%

12

19.5”

4

All Year

58.5%

0%

0%

56.1%

12

20.0"

4

All Year

65.1%

0%

0%

63.1%

                 

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

 

New Jersey

2006 Harvest Limit: 1,443,000 fish

2006 Landings: 1,578,349 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 954,272 fish

Alteration for 2007: 39.5 % reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 16.5”

            Possession Limit: 8 fish

            Open Season: May 6- October 9

Proposed 2007 Measures: Other options may be created using the same methodology.

Option

size

bag

open season

Season Reduction

Size/Bag

Reduction

Net Reduction Versus 2006 Harvest

1

16.5

8

July 1-September 3

39.5%

0%

39.5%

2

16.5

2

June 26- September 7

33.8%

8.6%

42.4%

3

17

8

June 10- September 19

18.1%

26.1%

44.2%

4

17

8

June 9-September 18

14.5%

29.2%

43.7%

5

17

2

June 5- September 22

0%

45.3%

45.3%

6

17.5

8

May 6-October 9

0%

45.3%

45.3%

 

            Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

 

Delaware

2006 Harvest Limit:  116,000 fish

2006 Landings: 108,280 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 76,608 fish

Alteration for 2006: 29.3% reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 17.0”

            Possession Limit: 4

            Open Season: All Year

Proposed 2007 Measures: Other options may be created using the same methodology.

Option

size

bag

open season

Season Reduction

Size/Bag

Reduction

Net Reduction Versus 2006 Harvest

1

17.0

1

June 8-December 31

12.2%

19.6%

29.4%

2

17.0

1

January 1-August 30

12.4%

19.6%

29.6%

3

17

1

All Year

0%

31.8%

31.8%

4

17

2

June 1-December 31

9%

22.3%

29.3%

5

17

2

January 1-September 5

9%

22.3%

29.3%

6

17.5

3

June 5-December 31

10.8%

20.9%

29.4%

7

17.5

3

January 1-September 2

10.6%

20.9%

29.3%

8

17.5

4

June 8-December 31

12.2%

19.6%

29.4%

9

17.5

4

January 1-August 30

12.4%

19.6%

29.6%

10

18.0

4

All Year

0

33.1

33.1%

 

Technical Committee Recommendation:

 

Maryland

2006 Harvest Limit: 109,000 fish

2006 Landings: 58,102 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 72,060 fish

Alteration for 2007: 24.0% increase

2006 Regulations:

            Ocean and nearshore waters                                     Bay and tributaries

            Minimum Size: 15.5”                                                     Minimum Size: 15.0”

            Possession Limit: 4 fish                                                 Possession Limit: 2 fish

            Open Season: All Year                                                 Open Season: All Year

Proposed 2007 Measures:

            Status Quo

 

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

Additional Comments: There is no clear guidance for the TC to evaluate proposals with area splits. With the absence of guidelines, the TC has reservations in evaluating such proposals. The TC recommends guidelines should be established for area splits.

 

Virginia

2006 Harvest Limit: 616,000 fish

2006 Landings: 866,610 fish                                                                                        

2007 Harvest Limit: 407,525 fish

Alteration for 2007: 53 % reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 16.5”

            Possession Limit: 6 fish

            Open Season: All year                         

 

Proposed 2007 Measures:

           

Option

size

bag

open season

Season Reduction

Size/Bag

Reduction

Net Reduction Versus 2006 Harvest

1

19

6

Open All Year

 

55.6%

55.6%

2

18.5

5

April 1-July 22 and

July 29-December 31

7.4%

49.4%

53%

3

18.5

3

Open All Year

 

53%

53%

4

18

2

April 1-July 15 and

August 1-December 31

15.52%

44.8%

53.37

 

 

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

Additional Comments: Note option 2 does not follow the TC’s recommendation to not have inter-seasonal closures of less than two weeks. The analysis provided by the state provides evidence that the listed closures would have a greater potential to achieve that 2007 harvest target, therefore, the TC approved this option.

 

North Carolina

2006 Harvest Limit:  207,000 fish

2006 Landings: fish: 148,886 fish

2007 Harvest Limit: 136,774 fish

Alteration for 2007: 8.1 % reduction

2006 Regulations:

            Minimum Size: 14”

            Possession Limit: 8 fish

            Open Season: All Year

Proposed 2007 Measures:

Ocean Waters                                                                        Internal Waters

            Minimum Size: 14.5”                                                     Minimum Size: 14.0”

            Possession Limit: 8 fish                                                 Possession Limit: 8 fish

            Open Season: All Year                                                Open Season: All Year

Technical Committee Recommendation:  Approve

 

Additional Comments: There is no clear guidance for the TC to evaluate proposals with area splits. With the absence of guidelines, the TC has reservations in evaluating such proposals. North Carolina’s reduction was a modest change. The half-inch size increase in the ocean waters is a measurable change; therefore the TC approved this proposal. The TC recommends guidelines should be established for area splits.

 

Regional Options

The TC reviewed and approved a methodology to establish regional recreational management measures. By instituting regional approaches to summer flounder recreational management, there is a greater potential of achieving (or “to achieve”) landing targets. The following measures are examples of regional measures for the 2007 recreational fishing season. Other state combinations could be created using the methodology approved by the TC.


 

 

 


Coastwide Options

The Board requested that other summer flounder coastwide options be provided than what was presented at the December Board meeting. The following options are proposed using the same methodology as the regional approach.