Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Winter 2007 Meeting
Summary
Working
towards healthy, self-sustaining populations of all Atlantic coast fish species
or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015
Winter 2007 Meeting Week
Alexandria, VA
January 29 – February 1,
2007
For more information, please
contact
the identified individual,
Robert Beal, ISFMP, or
Tina Berger,
Public Affairs
202/289-6400
Meeting
Summaries, Press Releases and Motions
Table
of Contents:
ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS
MANAGEMENT BOARD (January 29, 2007)................................ 3
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
AMERICAN LOBSTER MANAGEMENT BOARD (January
29, 2007).......................................... 4
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
TAUTOG MANAGEMENT BOARD (January 30, 2007).......................................................................... 5
Press Release...................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
COMMITTEE OF ECONOMICS & SOCIAL SCIENCES
(January 30, 2007)............................ 6
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 6
SPINY DOGFISH AND COASTAL SHARKS MANAGEMENT
BOARD (January 30, 2007)............... 7
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
STURGEON MANAGEMENT BOARD (January 30, 2007).................................................................... 8
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 8
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
AMERICAN EEL MANAGEMENT BOARD (January 30,
2007)........................................................ 8
Press Release...................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
ATLANTIC MENHADEN MANAGEMENT BOARD (January
30, 2007)..................................... 9
Meeting
Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
SHAD AND RIVER HERRING MANAGEMENT BOARD
(January 31, 2007)........................ 10
Meeting
Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
SUMMER FLOUNDER, SCUP, AND BLACK SEA BASS
MANAGEMENT BOARD (January 31, 2007) 10
Meeting Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
WINTER FLOUNDER MANAGEMENT BOARD (February 1,
2007).......................................... 11
Meeting
Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... 11
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
WEAKFISH MANAGEMENT BOARD (February 1, 2007)................................................................. 12
Press Release.................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
ISFMP POLICY BOARD (February 1, 2007)................................................................................................ 15
Meeting
Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Motions................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
The
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board met to review an update from the
Technical Committee and review and consider approval of a proposal from
Maryland to eliminate the quota management system in place for the Chesapeake
Bay spring trophy fishery. A second
proposal from North Carolina to increase the total allowable catch in the
Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River fishery was withdrawn prior to the meeting.
Maryland
Department of Natural Resources submitted a proposal to the Commission to
eliminate the hard harvest quota on the Chesapeake Bay spring trophy
fishery. The proposed management
system, while eliminating the quota, would have kept the other regulations for
the fishery in place (the approximately one month long fishing season, a large
minimum size limit, and a one fish creel limit) and maintained Maryland’s
current harvest monitoring program.
The motion to approve the proposal failed, with Board members discussing
equity concerns, monitoring needs, effort considerations, socioeconomic issues,
and the desire to know the results of the upcoming stock assessment before
considering the proposed action.
Subsequently, Maryland proposed, and the Board approved, a harvest target for the 2007 spring trophy fishery of the baseline quota minus the 2006 overage (26,283 fish), to be no less than 30,000 fish. Maryland must adopt new regulations, approved by the Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee, to reach the target harvest level. This management system was approved for the 2007 fishery only and the Board will revisit the regulations prior to the 2008 season.
Doug
Grout, chair of the Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee (TC), provided an
update to the Board following the TC’s meeting earlier in January. This update covered the TC’s analysis of the
proposal from Maryland and progress on the 2007 stock assessment. The latter
included a review of the Terms of Reference for the stock assessment, which
required and received the Board’s approval, discussion of a potential new model
for the assessment, and a timeline of important dates for the assessment
process, as listed below.
•June 15, 2007 – State compliance
reports due with all data needed for stock assessment
•Late July/early August – Assessment workshops
for both the Stock Assessment Subcommittee and the Tagging Subcommittee
•September 4 – Stock assessment
report (SAR) due to ASMFC staff
•Mid-September – Striped Bass TC
meeting to review and approve/disapprove SAR
•November/December – Peer Review of SAR
•January 2008 – Management Board approve/disapprove peer reviewed SAR
For
more information, please contact Nichola Meserve, Fisheries Management Plan
Coordinator, at (202)289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org.
Move to substitute a
Chesapeake Bay spring striped bass fishery quota with non-quota management
through a freeze for status quo Maryland migrant fish regulations that have
consistently been in place and allowing the spring harvest of migrants to
fluctuate naturally with stock abundance and weather conditions, and to
forecast harvest ranges expected each year and report subsequent harvest
assessment post season to the technical committee for inspection by the Board.
Motion made by Mr. King, second by Mr. Carpenter. Motion fails (7 opposed, 6 in favor, 2 abstentions).
Move to set a target for the
Chesapeake Bay spring striped bass fishery based on past VPA calculated methods
and the payback for the 2006 overage to establish a Chesapeake Bay spring
striped bass fishery quota no less than 30,000 fish for 2007 only.
Motion made by Mr. King, second
by Mr. Carpenter. Motion passes (10 in favor, 3 opposed, 2 abstentions).
The American Lobster Board approved Addendum X to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Addendum establishes a coastwide reporting and data collection program that includes dealer and harvester reporting, at-sea sampling, port sampling, and fishery-independent data collection.
The Board also reviewed the progress being made on the development of draft Amendment 5 to the Lobster FMP, which includes options for a maximum size, the v-notch possession rule, and limits of permits. The Plan Development Team is continuing to develop the document for Board consideration for public comment at the spring 2007 meeting.
The
Plan Review Team (PRT) reviewed the regulations for the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island for consistency with the measures
outlined in Addendum VII to the Lobster FMP. The PRT found the regulations
consistent with the plan, but found some differences in language in the
regulations between the two states. The PRT suggested language changes to the Rhode
Island regulations under material incapacitation and reported traps fished. The
Rhode Island section delineating material incapacitation has the potential to
allocate more traps than those intended by the plan and enacted by Commonwealth
of Massachusetts; thus the PRT suggested replacing “adversely affected his/her
fishing performance” with “prevented
the permit holder from fishing.” The insertion of the term “sustained” into the
reported traps fished definition in the Rhode Island regulations is different
than that specified by Addendum VII. In the absence of a definition for
sustained, the regulation could possibly result in a different formula for
allocation traps for Rhode Island fishermen compared to that used for those in
other states. It is recommended that the word “sustain” be stuck from the Rhode
Island regulations. These recommendations will be sent to the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
For
more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Senior Fisheries Management Plan
Coordinator for Management, at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.
Move
to accept Option 3 under 1A at least 10% of active harvesters reporting (with
the expectation of 100% of license holders reporting in time) and under 1B
strike “hours fished” and add “price per pound.”
Motion
made by Mr. Lapointe, second by Mr. Smith. Motion passes (5 in favor, 4
opposed, 2 abstentions).
Move
to approve Addendum X as modified by the previous motion.
Motion made by Mr. Lapointe, second by Mr. Augustine. Motion passes.
Move
to approve Addendum XI for public hearing and to provide the PDT the
opportunity to make editorial changes prior to its release.
Motion made by Mr. Colvin, second by Rep. Abbott. Motion passes (8 in favor, 3 opposed).
Move
to accept the PRT recommendations regarding Addendum VII implementation and to
forward the recommendations to Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Motion made by Mr. Lapointe, second by Mr. Augustine.
Motion carries (6 in favor, 1 opposed, 4 abstentions).
ASMFC Tautog Board Approves
Addendum IV
Addendum Establishes Stock
Rebuilding Program
Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Tautog Management Board approved Addendum IV to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog. The Addendum initiates a stock rebuilding program for tautog through the establishment of coastwide target and threshold levels for spawning stock biomass (SSB), and a new fishing mortality target. Under the new program, states will be required to reduce fishing mortality by 28%. The recreational sector, which accounts for 90% of tautog harvest, can expect the implementation of more restrictive management measures by January 1, 2008. These measures may include decreased bag limits and seasonal closures.
This
action was taken in response to the findings of the 2005 peer-reviewed stock
assessment, as well as those of the recently updated virtual population
analysis (VPA). The assessment indicates that the tautog resource remains at
low biomass levels. Since the mid-1980s, tautog has undergone a substantial
decrease in total and spawning stock biomass. Both indicators are currently at
levels about one-third their early time series average. Based on the current fishing mortality
target (F = 0.30) and the recent fishing mortality estimates for the last two
years, overfishing is not occurring.
To
allow fisheries managers to assess the status of the stock, the Addendum
establishes for the first time a SSB target of 26,800 metric tons and a SSB
threshold of 20,100 metric tons. Based on these new reference points, the
tautog resource, with an estimated SSB of 10,600 metric tons, is considered
overfished. To initiate rebuilding, the Addendum establishes a new fishing
mortality target of 0.20, compared to the current fishing mortality rate of
0.28. Under this scenario, states will be required to reduce fishing mortality
in their recreational sectors by 28.6%. States will have until January 1, 2008 to fully
implement the Addendum. The Board is scheduled to meet in May to review and
approve state proposals for their recreational fisheries. A rebuilt stock would provide important
benefits to recreational, commercial, and for-hire fisheries.
The Board also received a report from the Commission’s
Law Enforcement Committee regarding the illegal live fish fishery that has been
perceived by some as increasing in magnitude throughout the Mid-Atlantic
region. The Board expressed its concern about this issue and committed to
closely monitor enforcement efforts on the tautog fishery.
Copies of the Addendum will be available by early February and can be
obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission’s
website at www.asmfc.org under
Breaking News. For more information, please contact Christopher Vonderweidt,
Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at cvonderweidt@asmfc.org or (202) 289-6400.
###
PR07-02
Move
to adopt Option 2 of Issue 1 for a biomass reference point.
Motion made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Tinsman. Motion passes.
Move
to adopt Option 3 of Issue 2 for a fishing mortality reference point.
Motion made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Gibson. Motion substituted.
Substitute
Motion:
Move
to substitute to adopt Option 2 of Issue 2 for a fishing mortality reference
point.
Motion made by Mr. Travelstead, second by Mr. Calomo. Motion to substitute passes.
Main
Motion:
Move
to adopt Option 2 of Issue 2 for a fishing mortality reference point.
Motion made by Mr. Travelstead, second by Mr. Calomo. Motion passes.
Move
that the states’ implementation date of Addendum IV be January 1, 2008.
Motion made by Mr. Adler, second by Mr. Berg. Motion passes.
Move
to approve Addendum IV as modified by today’s Board decisions.
Motion made by Mr. Calomo, second by Mr. Colvin. Motion
passes.
The Committee on Economics and Social Sciences (CESS) reviewed proposals by contractors to perform a socioeconomic study on the effects of some horseshoe crab fishery closures effective October 1, 2006 under Addendum IV to the Horseshoe Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The directed harvest and landing of horseshoe crabs in the states of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia is prohibited under this Addendum for a two-year period; specifically for both male and female horseshoe crabs in the first half of the calendar year, and for female crabs the second half of the year in the states of New Jersey and Delaware only. The Committee recommended that the ISFMP Policy Board approve the core of the proposal submitted by Industrial Economics, Inc., which would analyze trip ticket data in the affected states (including New York) for the horseshoe crab fishery and other dependent fisheries using horseshoe crab for bait (eel and whelk). The Committee also recommended further discussions with the potential contractor on the possibility, within budgetary constraints, of determining the effect of the closures on the local economy with the use of an input/output model.
CESS also provided some recommendations for updating the list of economists, social scientists, and anthropologists that are appointed to the ISFMP technical committees and plan development teams. Participation in this capacity is an important way for social and economic considerations to be incorporated into the Commission’s amendments and FMPs. The CESS also approved a guidance document that will aid in writing the socioeconomic sections of FMPs and amendments.
The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks
Management Board voted to increase the 2006/2007 quota to allow a maximum
harvest of six million pounds and set state specified trip limits of up to
3,000 pounds for the 2007/2008 fishing season at 3,000 lbs.
At the October 2006 meeting, the Board voted to
increase the 2006/2007 quota from four to six million pounds. Due to the timing of the meeting and the two
weeks that it takes to re-open a fishery, the 2 million pound annual increase
only applied to the second period of the quota that began on November 1,
2006. The end result was an overall
increase of 800,000 pounds, a number well below the 2 million pound increase
that the maker-of-the-motion had originally intended. In order to legally harvest the full two million pounds, the
Board voted to “allow a maximum harvest of six-million pounds for the 2006/2007
fishing season.” The ASMFC will notify
states regarding the opportunity to re-open their spiny dogfish fishery
shortly.
The Board also voted to allow states to adopt their
own trip limits up to 3,000 lbs for the 2007/2008 fishing season. At the October 2006 meeting, the Board
approved state specified trip limits for 2006/2007 but postponed setting the
trip limits for 2007/2008. Armed with
the knowledge of how state specified trip limits had affected the fishery since
November, the Board revisited the issue.
After deliberation, the Board found state specified trip limits up to
3,000 pounds to be the most appropriate for the 2007/2008 fishing season.
.
The 2007/2008 state specifications
for spiny dogfish include state specified trip limits up to 3,000 pounds and a
6 million pound quota. For more information, please contact Christopher
Vonderweidt, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at
cvonderweidt@asmfc.org or (202)
289-6400.
Move
to accept the 2005/2006 FMP review.
Motion by Mr. Augustine. Motion passes.
Move
to approve de minimis status for DE, SC, GA, FL, and ME.
Motion made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Adler. Motion carries.
Move
to clarify the intent of the October 2006 motion regarding the 2006/2007 spiny
dogfish quota by allowing a maximum harvest of spiny dogfish for the 2006/2007
fishing year of 6 million pounds.
Motion made by Dr. Pierce, second by Mr. Munden. Motion carries (14 in favor, 2 opposed, 0 abstentions, 0 null).
Motion
to bring back to the floor the postponed motion “Move to allow the states to
adopt their own trip limits to promote bycatch landings and a small-scale
directed fishery for 2007/2008 fishing season.”
Motion made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Frampton. Motion carries.
Move
to allow the states to adopt their own trip limits to promote bycatch landings
and a small-scale directed fishery for 2007/2008 fishing season.
Motion made by Dr. Pierce, second by Mr. Petronio. Motion amended.
Motion
to Amend:
Move
to amend to include “not to exceed 3,000 pounds” after the words “trip limits”
in line 2 above.
Motion made by Mr. Colvin, second by Mr. R. White. Motion to amend passes (12 in favor, 1 opposed, 3 abstentions, 0 null).
Main Motion as Amended:
Move to allow the states to adopt their own trip limits
not to exceed 3,000 pounds to promote bycatch landings and a small-scale
directed fishery for 2007/2008 fishing season.
Motion carries (10 in favor, 3 opposed, 2 abstentions, 1 null).
The Sturgeon Management Board heard presentations on the FMP Review, the PRT Report, and the upcoming Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Workshop to review the NMFS observer database. Following the presentation of the PRT Report and FMP Review, the Board voted to approve both documents. A representative from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service presented the Board with an update on the status reviews of Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon. For more information, please contact Erika Robbins, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at (202)289-6400 or erobbins@asmfc.org.
Move
to approve the FMP Review with the noted corrections.
Motion made by Mr. Augustine, second by Dr. Geiger. Motion
passes.
Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s American Eel Management
Board approved the development of Draft Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery
Management Plan for American Eel. The Draft Addendum will propose a number of
management options to facilitate an increase in the number of adult American
eel (also known as silver eel) that are able to out-migrate to the ocean and
spawn. Specific options include gear and size restrictions, seasonal closures,
management triggers based on juvenile abundance indices, and recommendations to
protect the upstream and downstream migration of American eel.
The Board initiated the Addendum due to continued concern for the American eel population. While the status of the stock is uncertain, the latest stock assessment information indicates the abundance of yellow eel (a juvenile life-stage of the American eel) has declined in the last two decades and the stock is at or near low levels. Further, relative abundance is likely to continue to decline unless mortality decreases and/or recruitment increases. As such, the primary management objective of the Draft Addendum will be to facilitate escapement of silver eel on their spawning migration with the intent of halting any further declines in juvenile recruitment and eel abundance.
The Draft Addendum will be available for Board consideration at either the Commission’s Spring or Summer Meeting in Alexandria, Virginia. If approved, it will be made available for public comment in the summer, with final Board approval anticipated for fall 2007. For more information, please contact Erika Robbins, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or erobbins@asmfc.org.
###
PR07-01
The
American Eel Management Board heard presentations on the American Eel
Young-of-Year Workshop, American eel management in the Great Lakes and Canada,
and potential management options developed by the American Eel Plan Development
Team. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the findings of the Status
Review of American eel: “protecting the eel as an endangered or threatened species
under the Endangered Species Act is not warranted.”
Following
the presentation by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission on management of
American eel in the Great Lakes and Canada, the Board decided to ask the Policy
Board to consider granting the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Canada a seat
on the American Eel Management Board. The Board will also consider establishing
a delegation to meet with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Canada to
discuss the management of American eel.
The Plan Development Team presented the Board with the management options they had developed to increase out-migration of silver eel. The Board voted to approve the development of Draft Addendum II, which will include the management options presented by the Plan Development Team—gear restrictions, size limits, seasonal closures, management triggers, and recommendations to protect upstream and downstream migration. In its final order of business, the Board elected Mr. Pat Augustine as Board Vice-Chair. For more information, please contact Erika Robbins, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at (202)289-6400 or erobbins@asmfc.org.
Move
to nominate Pat Augustine as the vice chairman of the American Eel Management
Board. Motion
made by Rep. Abbott, second by Sen. Damon. Motion passes.
The
Board met to hear a report on menhaden reduction landings from Chesapeake
Bay. Preliminary reduction landings
from the Chesapeake Bay for 2006 are approximately 65,000 metric tons. The final landings number for 2006 is
expected to stay well below the 109,000 metric tons cap established by Addendum
III.
The Board also heard an update on research activities in the Chesapeake Bay area from Derek Orner of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO). The NCBO is currently accepting proposals until March 12, 2007, for research, monitoring, and modeling of various aspects of Chesapeake Bay fisheries. The NCBO announced that its annual Fisheries Symposium will be held April 10-12, 2007, at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center in Laurel, Maryland. It also noted that a report titled, ‘Menhaden Research Program: A Collaborative Research Effort,’ may be available about the time of the Symposium. Much of the research included in the report will be presented at the Symposium. The Menhaden Technical Committee will meet the day after the Symposium to further discuss research and begin exploring modeling approaches for the 2009 peer-reviewed stock assessment. For more information, please contact Braddock Spear, Senior Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator for Policy, at (202)289-6400 or bspear@asmfc.org.
No motions made.
The Shad and River Herring Management Board approved Virginia’s proposal to continue to permit landings of in-river American shad bycatch in 2007. The Board was presented with this new time line for the American Shad Stock Assessment:
·
February 12 – All stock assessment documents must
be provided to Andy Kahnle (Chair) and Erika Robbins (FMP Coordinator)
·
March 12 – Compilation of finalized assessments
by subset of SASC
·
April 16 – SASC review of compiled document
·
May 14 – TC review of stock assessment
·
May 28 – SASC review of TC comments and final changes to Stock
Assessment
·
June 11 – Stock Assessment will be sent to peer review
participants
·
July 16 – The peer review will meet and create their report
·
August 13 – Presentation of the Stock Assessment
and Peer Review Report to the Board
For items in the above time line that require more than one day, the date indicates the week in which the item should be completed.
Mike Hendricks, Technical Committee Chair, presented the Board with the Technical Committee’s recommendations to (1) require trip-level reporting to document American shad ocean bycatch, and (2) postpone the creel survey requirement contained in Amendment 1 until after the completion of the American Shad Stock Assessment and the template for riverine creel surveys. The Board approves state exemption from the creel survey requirement. The Board was presented with a research method for identifying the stock origin of fish found in mixed stocks; the Board recommends that this research method become a research priority for American shad. For more information, please contact Erika Robbins, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at (202)289-6400 or erobbins@asmfc.org.
Move approval of the status quo option that Virginia presented for the shad bycatch fishery.
Motion made by Mr. Travelstead, second by Mr. Adler. Motion
passes (19 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 null).
The
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board reviewed and accepted summer
flounder state recreational proposals and a methodology to establish regional
measures. States will establish their 2007 recreational measures from these
approved approaches prior to the start of the 2007 recreational season.
The
Board reviewed and approved draft Amendment 14 for public comment. The purpose of this Amendment is to develop a rebuilding
plan for the scup stock, thereby preventing overfishing and rebuilding the scup
stock to the level associated with maximum sustainable yield (Bmsy)
through a suite of options. A press release announcing public hearings for the
draft amendment will be released in early February.
The Board initiated an addendum that will be reviewed and
considered for public comment at the Commission’s Spring Meeting Week. This
addendum will include options to extend Addendum XII, which expires on January
1, 2008. Addendum XII set the state-by-state shares for the black sea bass
fishery. Also included in the initiated addendum will be options to explore
changes to the summer flounder recreational allocation. Lastly, the addendum
will include options to allow the Board to change biological reference points
during the specification setting process following stock assessment reviews
The Board will forward a recommendation to the NRCC to delay the review of the black sea bass stock assessment from June of 2007 to the summer of 2008. This delay will allow additional work on a tagging model to be conducted. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Senior Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator for Management, at (202)289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.
Move to approve the
Technical Committee’s approved state 2007 summer flounder recreational
proposals.
Motion made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Calomo.
Motion passes.
Move
to amend previous action to instate state-by-state conservation equivalency for
2007 summer flounder recreational measures and consider coastwide measures for
the 2007 summer flounder recreational fishery.
Motion
made by Mr. Colvin, second by Mr. Smith. Motion fails.
Move
to rescind the scup and black sea bass quotas approved in August 2006 and
establish a black sea bass quota of 5 million pounds and a scup TAC of 13.97
million pounds/TAL of 12.0 million pounds that are identical to those published
for 2007 by NMFS.
Motion
made by Mr. Smith, second by Mr. Colvin. Motion fails for lack of 2/3 vote.
Move
to approve Draft Amendment 14 for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass for
public review and comment.
Motion
made by Mr. Colvin, second by Dr. Pierce. Motion carries.
Move
to approve the nominations of Michael Fedosh and Michelle Doran McBean as
non-traditional stakeholders to the Summer Flounder Advisory Panel and Howard
Rothweiler and Roman Jesien as non-traditional stakeholders to the Black Sea
Bass Advisory Panel.
Motion
made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Adler. Motion carries.
Move
that the Board initiate an addendum to extend the state-by-state commercial
quota system for black sea bass.
Motion
made by Mr. Colvin, second Mr. McCloy. Motion carries.
Move
to include in the addendum the allowance for a change in the specification
process for reference points.
Motion
made by Mr. Augustine, second by Mr. Carpenter. Motion carries.
Move
that we request that the NRCC extend the black sea bass review until summer
2008.
Motion
made by Mr. Pierce, second by Mr. Colvin.
Motion carries.
The
Winter Flounder Management Board received a report on the status of the winter
flounder resource and fisheries for both the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Southern
New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) stock components. The Gulf of Maine stock
component remains strong, and is neither overfished nor is overfishing
occurring. The SNE/MA stock component remains at low levels of biomass and is
considered overfished with overfishing occurring. All involved states were
found to have met or exceeded the plan’s requirements. The State of Delaware
requested and was granted de minimis status. For more information,
please contact Christopher Vonderweidt, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator,
at (202)289-6400 or cvonderweidt@asmfc.org.
Move to approve
the Winter Flounder Plan Review Team Report and de minimis status for
Delaware.
Motion made by
Mr. Colvin, second by Mr. Berg. Motion passes.
Addendum to Control
Expansion of the Fishery
Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Weakfish Management
Board approved Addendum II to Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for Weakfish. Under the Addendum, the states of Massachusetts
through North Carolina will be required to implement a six fish creel limit at
their current size limit for the recreational fishery. South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida,
because of their insignificant weakfish landings, will maintain their current
creel and size limits. The Addendum establishes a coastwide commercial landings
limit of approximately 3.7 million pounds (based on the average landings for
2000-2004). The Addendum also reduces the allowable bycatch limit from 300
pounds to 150 pounds per day or trip.
The Board’s action was taken in response to a
significant decline in stock abundance and increasing total mortality since
1999. As a result of the stock’s overfished status, the Board is required under
Amendment 4 to adjust the management program to help rebuild spawning stock
biomass. This issue is compounded by
the fact that natural mortality, rather than fishing mortality, has been
indicated as the lead cause for stock decline.
In order to provide a greater probability of
the stock rebounding, the Board has implemented a more conservative
recreational creel limit, a commercial bycatch limit, and an annual commercial
landings limit. These management measures will be re-evaluated when
either the coastwide commercial landings equal or exceed 80% of the commercial
landings limit or any single state’s landings exceed its five-year mean by more
than 25% in any single year.
States are required to fully implement the Addendum by
October 29, 2007. Copies of the final Addendum will be available by March via
the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting
the Commission at (202) 289-6400.
The Board also approved sending forward for
public comment Draft Addendum III. This Addendum addresses an inconsistency in
bycatch reduction device requirements between the Commission’s FMP and the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Shrimp Amendment 6. A press release announcing the document’s
availability and schedule for public hearings will be distributed over the next
few weeks.
For
more information, please contact Nichola Meserve, Weakfish Fishery Management
Plan Coordinator, at (202)289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org.
###
PR07-03
Move to approve the following management measures under
Addendum II of the Weakfish Plan:
1.
For the recreational fishery:
a.
Status quo for Florida,
Georgia, and North Carolina
b.
South Carolina to adopt a 12”
size limit and 6 fish creel limit
c.
All other jurisdictions
maintain fishing size limits and adopt a 4 fish creel limit
d.
No seasonal closures
2.
For the commercial fishery:
a.
Adopt a coastwide commercial
cap based on the mean of the five-year period of 2000-2004 (3.75 m)
b.
All other commercial regulation would remain as they are now
These recreational and
commercial management measures will be re-evaluated when either the coastwide
commercial landings equal or exceed 80% of the cap or any single state’s
landings exceed their five-year mean by more than 25% in any single year.
Motion made by Mr. Carpenter, second by Mr. Colvin.
Motion amended.
Move to amend the
motion in Section 1 (a) to strike the words “and North Carolina”.
Motion made by Mr. Smith, second by Mr. Culhane.
Motion carries.
Amended Motion:
Move to approve the following management measures under
Addendum II of the Weakfish Plan:
1. For the recreational fishery:
a. Status quo for Florida and Georgia
b. South Carolina to adopt a 12” size limit and 6
fish creel limit
2. For the commercial fishery:
a.
Adopt a coastwide commercial cap based on the mean of the five-year
period of 2000-2004 (3.75 m)
b.
All other commercial regulation would remain as they are now
These recreational and commercial management measures will be
re-evaluated when either the coastwide commercial landings equal or exceed 80%
of the cap or any single state’s landings exceed their five-year mean by more
than 25% in any single year.
Motion made by Mr. Carpenter, second by Mr. Colvin.
Motion amended.
Move to amend section
1 (c) to replace 4 fish creel limit with a “6 fish creel limit.”
Motion made by Mr. McCloy; second by Dr. Daniel.
Amended motion carries.
Amended Motion:
Move to approve the following management measures under
Addendum II of the Weakfish Plan:
1. For the recreational fishery:
a.
The de minimis southeastern states (FL, GA, SC) will remain
status quo with the understanding that South Carolina is pursuing creel and
size limits in the legislature
b. All
other jurisdictions maintain fishing size limits and adopt a 6 fish creel limit
c. No
seasonal closures
2. For the commercial fishery:
a.
Adopt a coastwide commercial cap based on the mean of the five-year
period of 2000-2004 (3.75 m)
b.
Reduce the commercial bycatch allowance to 150 pounds per trip
c.
All other commercial regulation would remain as they are now
These recreational and commercial management measures will be
re-evaluated when either the coastwide commercial landings equal or exceed 80%
of the cap or any single state’s landings exceed their five-year mean by more
than 25% in any single year.
Motion
made by Mr. Carpenter, second by Mr. Colvin. Amended motion carries.
Main Motion as Amended:
Move to approve the following management measures under
Addendum II of the Weakfish Plan:
1. For the recreational fishery:
a.
The de minimis southeastern states (FL, GA, SC) will remain
status quo with the understanding that South Carolina is pursuing creel and
size limits in the legislature
b. All
other jurisdictions maintain fishing size limits and adopt a 6 fish creel limit
c. No
seasonal closures
2. For the commercial fishery:
a.
Adopt a coastwide commercial cap based on the mean of the five-year
period of 2000-2004 (3.75 m)
b.
Reduce the commercial bycatch allowance to 150 pounds per trip
c.
All other commercial regulation would remain as they are now
These recreational and commercial management measures will be
re-evaluated when either the coastwide commercial landings equal or exceed 80%
of the cap or any single state’s landings exceed their five-year mean by more
than 25% in any single year.
Motion carries.
Move that states must
submit plans to implement management measures on April 6, 2007. States must
implement management measures by October 29, 2007.
Motion made by Mr. Colvin, second by Mr. Berg.
Motion carries.
Move to approve
Addendum II to Amendment 4 to the Weakfish FMP as modified today.
Motion made by Mr. Carpenter, second by Mr. Culhane.
Motion carries.
Move to select option
2: the complimentary management measure with the SAFMC as the ASMFC preferred
option for public comment in Addendum III and approve the document for public
comment.
Motion made by Dr. Daniel, second by Dr. Rhodes.
Motion carries.
Move to approve nomination of Joe Cimino (VMRC) to the Weakfish
Stock Assessment Subcommittee and the Weakfish Plan Review Team.
Motion made by Mr. Lazar, second by Dr. Rhodes. Motion carries.
Move
to nominate Roy Miller as Vice-Chair of the Weakfish Management Board.
Motion made by Mr. Pankowski. Motion
carries.
The Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board met to address a number of issues. The Policy Board reviewed an updated discussion paper on public participation in the Commission process. The paper included a series of options to provide additional structure to the public participation at Commission meetings. The Board refined the public comment policy. The elements of the policy include the continued opportunity for comment to management boards at the beginning of meetings on issues that are not included on the agenda. The Policy Board determined that many issues being considered by management boards have been made available prior to the meeting. The Policy Board determined that for any issue that has been taken out for public hearing, the public will only be given only minimal comment opportunity during meetings. The Policy Board made this determination based on the recognition of the numerous public comment opportunities and concern that individuals that have the resources to travel to ASMFC meetings have increased access to the management boards.
The
Policy Board also reviewed a draft problem statement and charge to an
Allocation Subcommittee. This
Subcommittee was formed in 2006 to recommend criteria and standards for the
management boards to consider in future allocation decisions. The Policy Board confirmed the membership of
this Subcommittee and asked that they meet and provide an update on progress at
the ASMFC Spring Meeting.
Staff
presented draft “script” language to improve meeting efficiency and
consistency. The “script” language
dealt with the proxy voting on final actions taken by management boards and the
participation of advisory panel chairs at board meetings. The Policy Board approved this script
language for use by Board chairs in future meetings.
An
update on Chesapeake Bay non-native oyster activities was presented to the
Policy Board. The Executive Committee
for the Oyster Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) met in December to reaffirm
their commitment to delivery of the draft EIS by May or June 2007. The Executive Committee established an
independent Oyster Advisory Panel to review the sufficiency of the science
supporting the draft EIS prior to public release. In March, the Commission plans to have the Interstate Shellfish
Transport Committee meet in conjunction with the Panel to begin the review of
the early draft EIS.
The
Policy Board approved all eleven nominations to the Commission’s Multispecies
Technical Committee (MSTC). The MSTC is
tasked with continuing the Commission’s progress towards multispecies model
development. The Committee’s first
meeting will take place on March 29, 2007, during the Commission’s Technical
Committee Meeting Week.
Chris
Bonzek, of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, presented the results of
the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program’s (NEAMAP) pilot nearshore
trawl survey conducted in Fall 2006.
The survey covered areas from Montauk, New York to Cape Hatteras, North
Carolina and collected data on many important Commission-managed species. The
Policy Board found the pilot survey to be a success and will be looking into
ways to expand the current NEAMAP budget to support a full fall and spring
Mid-Atlantic nearshore trawl survey.
Mr. Bonzek, Jim Gartland (co-principal investigator), and Captain Jimmy
Ruhle were acknowledged for the hard work that went into making the pilot
survey a success.
In
October 2006, the Commission’s Management and Science Committee (MSC) and
Habitat Committee held joint seminar on impacts of energy development fishery
resources. The goal of this seminar was
to determine the most effective role for ASMFC to assist the states in the
energy policy, development, permitting, and/or monitoring process. One of the most significant recommendations
to come out of the seminar was the approval to develop a source document to
assist the states when commenting on proposed energy projects.
The
Policy Board also approved the Committee on Economic and Social Sciences (CESS)
recommendation to move forward with an economic study on the effects of
horseshoe crab closures.
The
CESS was also tasked with a review of the Stripers Forever economic study on
the commercial and recreational striped bass fisheries. The CESS will provide their input to the
Policy Board during the Commission’s May meeting week.
The
Policy Board approved several documents: the Habitat Program’s shellfish source
document; the Habitat Program’s Five-Year Strategic and Management Plan for
2007-2011.
For
more information, please contact Robert Beal, Director, Interstate Fisheries
Management Program, at (202)289-6400 or rbeal@asmfc.org.
Move
to approve the nomination as stated in the record to the Multi-species
Technical Committee. Motion made by Mr.
Travelstead, second by Mr. Colvin. Motion carries.
Move
to approve the Importance of Habitat Created by Molluscan Shellfish to Managed
Species Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States as the Habitat source
document.
Motion made by Mr. Colvin, second
by Mr. P. White. Motion carries.
Move
to approve the Habitat Program Five-Year Strategic and Management Plan for
2007-2011. Motion made by Mr. P. White,
second by Dr. Laney. Motion carries.