Fluke, Scup, Bluefish,Sea Bass Management Update

by Gary Caputi

(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association September 2001 Newsletter)

The Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council met in joint session with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in Philadelphia on Aug. 6 and 7 to review stock assessments and set management measures for 2002 for these species.

Fluke:

A group of scientists were assembled to review the biological reference points for the plan and to consider the possibility of increasing the F rate (fishing mortality rate) level as the stocks continues to expand. The panel then had its work reviewed by the S&S Committee and there work as presented to the Summer Flounder Monitoring Committee which decided there were no compelling arguments to change the reference points from those currently being used. It was interesting that during questioning of the process, it became evident that there was no compelling evidence that the current F rate was the correct one to be using either, other than the fact that the stocks were rebuilding even if in every year since the plan went into effect fishing mortality was well above the F rate set. A higher F rate would have meant an increase in quota, but it is not to be, at least not this year.

The stocks continue to expand according to the latest assessment with spawning stock biomass (mature fish over 2 years) nearly triple the highest level in the past 18 years and the overall biomass just short of the highest level since 1982. That’s the good news and with that news alone, the monitoring committee recommended an increase in quota to 24.3 million pounds. With the com/rec split of 60/40, that increases the recreational harvest target from about 7 million to 9.72 million pounds. Just keep in mind that the MRFSS survey said recreational anglers landed over 15 million pounds in 2000, so the increase still falls well below the level at which MRFSS says we are harvesting.

Other issues discussed were how to precede going forward. Another review of the reference points was commissioned, as was a motion to review all phases of the plan including a method to decouple recreational and commercial harvest so one does not impact the other. This will entail a lot of work and a possible plan amendment.

Scup:

The F rate for scup in 2001 was 33% and will be reduced in 2002 to 21%, but there has been a significant increase in the abundance of scup as a result of a very strong 1997 year class and moderately strong year classes in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Therefore, the assessment indicated that even using the reduced F rate a significant increase in harvest could be allowed. The Total Allowable Catch for 2002 was raised to 12.92 million pounds, which provided an increase in the recreational harvest target of almost double from 2001.

Black Sea Bass

The picture isn’t as rosy for sea bass. The stocks remain overfished and the harvest levels and will only be a small increase of about 10% to 6.8 million pounds.  There were some things done that it is believed will help spur stock rebuilding. The commercial minimum fish size was raised from 10 inches to 11 inches to match the recreational size limit. The mesh size required for use by trawlers was increased from 4 to 4-1/2 inches to allow for greater escapement of undersized fish and an increase in escape vents in all commercial pots was voted in for the same reason.

Bluefish

The recommended bluefish TAL for 2002 was reduced, but the fishing mortality rate has steadily declined since 1991 and the 2000 fishing mortality rate is below the plan’s target mortality rate.  Because of this fact, together with the fact that over the past three years recreational landings have averaged about 10.2 million pounds (reflecting a release rate of 70 percent by anglers in 2000 which is a historic high), the commercial quota was recommended to be increased to the ceiling authorized in Amendment 1, i.e., 10.5 million pounds. Hence, a transfer of 5.9 million pounds from the recreational sector to the commercial sector was recommended leaving the recreational sector with a harvest limit of 16.4 million pounds, 6.2 million pounds more than the average landings for the most recent three years.

Once again there was considerable debate over the transfer with a lot of concern about it going forward, but in the end most council members voted in favor feeling that if the fish are available and being used by one sector, they should be made available to the other.