10-18-2010, 01:51 PM
NOAA Fisheries Service is seeing public comment about an interim rule that will prohibit the recreational harvest of gag and establish a 100,000 lbs gag quota for the commercial fishing sector beginning January 1, 2011.
I have attached the Fishery Bulletin that NOAA sent out; it explains how to submit comment. Below is an explanation of the rule that I’ve written. Please send public comment directly to NOAA as requested in the Bulletin. If you have any questions you are welcome to contact me at Emily.muehlstein@gulfcouncil.org.
Your Chum,
Emily Muehlstein
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Why is there an interim rule regulating gag?
In 2009 a Southeast Data and Review (SEDAR) update assessment conducted by a cooperative group of scientists and fishery managers in the Caribbean, Gulf, and South Atlantic areas, determined that gag grouper was both overfished and experiencing overfishing. Fish populations are considered overfished when the biomass (weight of all of the fish in the population added together) is more than 15% lower than the biomass of the population when the maximum number of fish are harvested from a fishery sustainably and without compromising the future stock size of the fish(maximum sustainable yield.) Overfishing occurs when a fish population declines because the number of fish caught is greater than the number of fish that can be reproduced by the stock.
The 2009 SEDAR update assessment determined that gag grouper populations are 40% of what they should be for a sustainable fishery. Because they are overfished, the Gulf Council is mandated to manage gag under a rebuilding plan that will allow the stock to rebuild to an acceptable size, as soon as possible, but within 10 years. That 10 year rebuilding plan for gag grouper is included in Reef Fish Amendment 32, which expected to be approved by the Council, and implemented by NOAA Fisheries, sometime in the fall of 2011. In the meantime, the gag grouper interim rule has been established to mitigate the overharvest of gag until the reef fish amendment can be finalized.
Why does the commercial fishing sector get to keep 100,000 lbs of gag under the interim rule?
The Gulf Council reasoned that the commercial sector would be incidentally catching gag grouper on trips where they were targeting other species. Commercial fishermen fish in deeper waters than recreational anglers, on average, and fish caught in deeper water have a greater chance of dying upon release than fish caught in shallow water. Therefore, the commercial fishery has a higher rate of release mortality (fish that die after they are caught and released) than the recreational sector. The 100,000 lbs quota will serve to prevent the wasteful discard of dead gags and instead, count the otherwise dead fish against the annual commercial quota, which will be established in Reef Fish Amendment 32.
What is the discard data discrepancy, what does it mean?
Inconsistencies in the estimates of commercial and recreational gag discards were discovered after the completion of the 2009 stock assessment update. Information about discards (fish that have been incidentally caught and then released) is one of many data components used to determine the size of a fish stock.
The Southeast Fishery Science Center recently released preliminary estimates of commercial gag discards, which were based on data collected by reef fish observers. This new data indicates that commercial gag discards may be twenty times greater than the amount of discards used to estimate the stock size in 2009. For example, data collected from logbooks of the vertical line fishery, and used in the 2009 stock assessment update, estimated that an average of 9,275 pounds of fish (measured in gutted weight) were discarded annually. The preliminary observer-based data, calculated this year, estimates that commercial discards from the vertical line fishery average 233,912 pounds of gutted weight.
Discard data for the recreational sector used in the 2009 gag stock assessment indicated that most of the discards were close to the 22’’ minimum size limit in recent years. However, tagging data from Mote Marine Laboratory and observer data collected on Headboats and by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission observers, indicated that discarded fish had a broader size range.
In August of this year the Gulf Council discussed these data discrepancies and recommended that the gag assessment panel, comprised of scientists and fisheries managers who participated in the 2009 assessment, reconvene to review its assessment. The Gulf Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will evaluate the assessment panel review, and possibly recommend new acceptable biological catch limits. If new acceptable biological catch limits are defined the Council may adjust the commercial and recreational gag quotas to match the updated assessment.
When will the interim rule expire, or when will recreational fishermen be able to harvest gag?
Interim rules last for 180 days, so the gag grouper interim rule would begin on January 1, 2011 and expire June 1, 2011. However, information about the revised gag assessment that accounts for the discard data discrepancy will be presented to the Council during its February meeting. At that time the Council could request a new interim rule that would reflect the results of the revised assessment. If the assessment finds that the gag stock is healthier than originally thought, the Council may consider opening the fishery to recreational anglers. If it is not healthier, or in worse shape, the Council may request an extension of the new interim rule and the gag fishery could remain closed to recreational harvest until amendment 32 is finalized.
Is there a future for the recreational harvest of gag?
Because gag grouper has been classified as overfished, it must be managed under a rebuilding plan that aims to rebuild the stock to a healthy, sustainable size within 10 years. The current draft of amendment 32 includes four management options, or alternatives, for rebuilding the gag stock. The council has selected the most conservative rebuilding option, which will rebuild the gag stock in 10 years as its preferred alternative. This preferred alternative will establish a 620,000 lbs quota for recreational fishermen, and a 390,000 lbs quota for the commercial sector for 2011. The quotas are scheduled to increase each year for at least 5 years, provided the rebuilding plan is adhered to, and the quota is not exceeded by either sector. Council must take final action on this amendment before the rebuilding plan is finalized and implemented. Implementation is expected in the fall of 2011.
To view the NOAA Fishery Bulletin visit:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs...e_Gulf.pdf
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I have attached the Fishery Bulletin that NOAA sent out; it explains how to submit comment. Below is an explanation of the rule that I’ve written. Please send public comment directly to NOAA as requested in the Bulletin. If you have any questions you are welcome to contact me at Emily.muehlstein@gulfcouncil.org.
Your Chum,
Emily Muehlstein
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Why is there an interim rule regulating gag?
In 2009 a Southeast Data and Review (SEDAR) update assessment conducted by a cooperative group of scientists and fishery managers in the Caribbean, Gulf, and South Atlantic areas, determined that gag grouper was both overfished and experiencing overfishing. Fish populations are considered overfished when the biomass (weight of all of the fish in the population added together) is more than 15% lower than the biomass of the population when the maximum number of fish are harvested from a fishery sustainably and without compromising the future stock size of the fish(maximum sustainable yield.) Overfishing occurs when a fish population declines because the number of fish caught is greater than the number of fish that can be reproduced by the stock.
The 2009 SEDAR update assessment determined that gag grouper populations are 40% of what they should be for a sustainable fishery. Because they are overfished, the Gulf Council is mandated to manage gag under a rebuilding plan that will allow the stock to rebuild to an acceptable size, as soon as possible, but within 10 years. That 10 year rebuilding plan for gag grouper is included in Reef Fish Amendment 32, which expected to be approved by the Council, and implemented by NOAA Fisheries, sometime in the fall of 2011. In the meantime, the gag grouper interim rule has been established to mitigate the overharvest of gag until the reef fish amendment can be finalized.
Why does the commercial fishing sector get to keep 100,000 lbs of gag under the interim rule?
The Gulf Council reasoned that the commercial sector would be incidentally catching gag grouper on trips where they were targeting other species. Commercial fishermen fish in deeper waters than recreational anglers, on average, and fish caught in deeper water have a greater chance of dying upon release than fish caught in shallow water. Therefore, the commercial fishery has a higher rate of release mortality (fish that die after they are caught and released) than the recreational sector. The 100,000 lbs quota will serve to prevent the wasteful discard of dead gags and instead, count the otherwise dead fish against the annual commercial quota, which will be established in Reef Fish Amendment 32.
What is the discard data discrepancy, what does it mean?
Inconsistencies in the estimates of commercial and recreational gag discards were discovered after the completion of the 2009 stock assessment update. Information about discards (fish that have been incidentally caught and then released) is one of many data components used to determine the size of a fish stock.
The Southeast Fishery Science Center recently released preliminary estimates of commercial gag discards, which were based on data collected by reef fish observers. This new data indicates that commercial gag discards may be twenty times greater than the amount of discards used to estimate the stock size in 2009. For example, data collected from logbooks of the vertical line fishery, and used in the 2009 stock assessment update, estimated that an average of 9,275 pounds of fish (measured in gutted weight) were discarded annually. The preliminary observer-based data, calculated this year, estimates that commercial discards from the vertical line fishery average 233,912 pounds of gutted weight.
Discard data for the recreational sector used in the 2009 gag stock assessment indicated that most of the discards were close to the 22’’ minimum size limit in recent years. However, tagging data from Mote Marine Laboratory and observer data collected on Headboats and by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission observers, indicated that discarded fish had a broader size range.
In August of this year the Gulf Council discussed these data discrepancies and recommended that the gag assessment panel, comprised of scientists and fisheries managers who participated in the 2009 assessment, reconvene to review its assessment. The Gulf Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will evaluate the assessment panel review, and possibly recommend new acceptable biological catch limits. If new acceptable biological catch limits are defined the Council may adjust the commercial and recreational gag quotas to match the updated assessment.
When will the interim rule expire, or when will recreational fishermen be able to harvest gag?
Interim rules last for 180 days, so the gag grouper interim rule would begin on January 1, 2011 and expire June 1, 2011. However, information about the revised gag assessment that accounts for the discard data discrepancy will be presented to the Council during its February meeting. At that time the Council could request a new interim rule that would reflect the results of the revised assessment. If the assessment finds that the gag stock is healthier than originally thought, the Council may consider opening the fishery to recreational anglers. If it is not healthier, or in worse shape, the Council may request an extension of the new interim rule and the gag fishery could remain closed to recreational harvest until amendment 32 is finalized.
Is there a future for the recreational harvest of gag?
Because gag grouper has been classified as overfished, it must be managed under a rebuilding plan that aims to rebuild the stock to a healthy, sustainable size within 10 years. The current draft of amendment 32 includes four management options, or alternatives, for rebuilding the gag stock. The council has selected the most conservative rebuilding option, which will rebuild the gag stock in 10 years as its preferred alternative. This preferred alternative will establish a 620,000 lbs quota for recreational fishermen, and a 390,000 lbs quota for the commercial sector for 2011. The quotas are scheduled to increase each year for at least 5 years, provided the rebuilding plan is adhered to, and the quota is not exceeded by either sector. Council must take final action on this amendment before the rebuilding plan is finalized and implemented. Implementation is expected in the fall of 2011.
To view the NOAA Fishery Bulletin visit:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs...e_Gulf.pdf
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