Federal Fisheries Managers Focus on Mackerel and Shrimp Fisheries Federal Fisheries Managers Focus on Mackerel and Shrimp Fisheries
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council hosted a joint meeting of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils’ Mackerel Committees during its meeting in Key West this past week to discuss possible changes in management for mackerel. King and Spanish mackerel stocks migrate between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, and are managed jointly by the two councils. During the two-day meeting, the committees reviewed comments received during recent public scoping and provided input and recommendations regarding proposed management measures. Amendment 15 to the joint management plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagics, which includes mackerel, is being developed to address the commercial permit moratorium for king mackerel and also provide options to modify the fishing year. The current permit moratorium is scheduled to expire October 15, 2005. The current fishing year for Atlantic migratory groups of both king and Spanish mackerel begins April 1st.
“The joint Gulf and South Atlantic Mackerel Committee meeting was a great success,” stated George Geiger, a Florida Council representative and Chairman of the South Atlantic Council’s Mackerel Committee. “It afforded committee members of both councils an opportunity to openly share management concerns and objectives, and gain understanding of respective positions on mackerel management.” The South Atlantic Council also held a joint meeting of its Mackerel Advisory Panel and Committee to receive additional input on proposed options to be included for public hearing. Hearings for Amendment 15 are tentatively scheduled for October of this year.
Shrimp
The Council finalized the list of management options to be taken out to public hearings for Amendment 6 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) during the meeting week. Proposed measures in the Amendment include a requirement for federal permits for the penaeid (white, pink and brown shrimp) fishery in the South Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Permits in the shrimp fishery would provide an accurate and efficient method to identify and quantify vessels that fish in south Atlantic federal waters and provide an avenue to improve data collection in the shrimp fishery. Other management options in Amendment 6 include measures to address bycatch in the rock shrimp fishery and protocol for testing bycatch reduction devices in the shrimp fishery. Public hearings regarding Amendment 6 to the Shrimp FMP are planned for late July and early August. Details regarding the public hearings will be publicized once they are finalized.
Ecosystem-Based Management
In other actions, the Council approved a draft action plan for an ecosystem-based approach to resource management. Using the current Habitat Plan for the South Atlantic Region as a cornerstone, the Council is moving toward the use of a Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) to transition from single species management to ecosystem-based management. Technical workshops were held in 2003 to integrate and update habitat information and begin the development of the FEP. The Ecosystem Action Plan will continue this effort through a series of workshops, additional cooperative research, habitat mapping, social and economic data collection, and the involvement of stakeholders as it develops an ecosystem-based management approach to fisheries management.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council hosted a joint meeting of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils’ Mackerel Committees during its meeting in Key West this past week to discuss possible changes in management for mackerel. King and Spanish mackerel stocks migrate between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, and are managed jointly by the two councils. During the two-day meeting, the committees reviewed comments received during recent public scoping and provided input and recommendations regarding proposed management measures. Amendment 15 to the joint management plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagics, which includes mackerel, is being developed to address the commercial permit moratorium for king mackerel and also provide options to modify the fishing year. The current permit moratorium is scheduled to expire October 15, 2005. The current fishing year for Atlantic migratory groups of both king and Spanish mackerel begins April 1st.
“The joint Gulf and South Atlantic Mackerel Committee meeting was a great success,” stated George Geiger, a Florida Council representative and Chairman of the South Atlantic Council’s Mackerel Committee. “It afforded committee members of both councils an opportunity to openly share management concerns and objectives, and gain understanding of respective positions on mackerel management.” The South Atlantic Council also held a joint meeting of its Mackerel Advisory Panel and Committee to receive additional input on proposed options to be included for public hearing. Hearings for Amendment 15 are tentatively scheduled for October of this year.
Shrimp
The Council finalized the list of management options to be taken out to public hearings for Amendment 6 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) during the meeting week. Proposed measures in the Amendment include a requirement for federal permits for the penaeid (white, pink and brown shrimp) fishery in the South Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Permits in the shrimp fishery would provide an accurate and efficient method to identify and quantify vessels that fish in south Atlantic federal waters and provide an avenue to improve data collection in the shrimp fishery. Other management options in Amendment 6 include measures to address bycatch in the rock shrimp fishery and protocol for testing bycatch reduction devices in the shrimp fishery. Public hearings regarding Amendment 6 to the Shrimp FMP are planned for late July and early August. Details regarding the public hearings will be publicized once they are finalized.
Ecosystem-Based Management
In other actions, the Council approved a draft action plan for an ecosystem-based approach to resource management. Using the current Habitat Plan for the South Atlantic Region as a cornerstone, the Council is moving toward the use of a Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) to transition from single species management to ecosystem-based management. Technical workshops were held in 2003 to integrate and update habitat information and begin the development of the FEP. The Ecosystem Action Plan will continue this effort through a series of workshops, additional cooperative research, habitat mapping, social and economic data collection, and the involvement of stakeholders as it develops an ecosystem-based management approach to fisheries management.
