Ahoy,

I’m writing to let you know about the important stuff that’s about to happen with grouper management in the Gulf.
Reef Fish Amendment 32, the rebuilding plan for gag and a management plan for red grouper, is quickly approaching the finish line. Next week, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will select preferred management alternatives that aim to rebuild the gag stock to a healthy level and consider different ways to manage red grouper. After selecting preferred alternatives for each action, the Council will send the amendment out to public hearings to gather public opinion before taking final action in June. The management options selected will be implemented in 2012.
Now is a great time to submit your opinion because the Council has not yet selected preferred alternatives for each action controlling the future harvest of gag and red grouper. I encourage you to submit comment on what alternatives suit you best; be sure to include the reasons why. Please send your opinions to amendment32@gulfcouncil.org before Wednesday April 13th so the members of the Council will have an opportunity to read them before selecting preferred alternatives on Thursday April 14th. You can also make comment in person at the Council meeting in Orange Beach, Alabama on Wednesday April 13th at 4:00 p.m.
The following is a list of actions and the alternatives being considered in Reef Fish Amendment 32. I’ve taken each action out of the amendment and given a short description in italics. A copy of the full amendment will be available on the Gulf Councils FTP server shortly. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Your Chum,
Emily Muehlstein
(813) 368-1630 ext.238
Emily.Muehlstein@gulfcouncil.org

Amendment 32- Summary of Actions

Action 1: Rebuilding Plan for Gag
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act Council must end overfishing and implement fisheries management plans that aim to rebuild overfished stocks to healthy, sustainable levels within 10 years. Additionally, these rebuilding plans must be put into place no later than 2 years after a stock is determined to be overfished. Gag was determined to be overfished and undergoing overfishing in 2009, and now the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council must choose a rebuilding plan that will follow the mandates of the Magnuson-Stevens Act .In this action a preferred alternative has already been chosen so that following actions could be planned and calculated accordingly.

Alternative 1: No action: Do not specify a rebuilding plan for Gag
(Preferred) Alternative 2: Establish a rebuilding plan that will rebuild the gag stock to a level consistent with producing maximum sustainable yield in 10 years.
Alternative 3: Establish a rebuilding plan that will rebuild the gag stock to a level consistent with producing maximum sustainable yield in 7 years.
Alternative 4:Establish a rebuilding plan that will rebuild the gag stock to a level consistent with producing maximum sustainable yield in 5 years.

Action 2: Recreational Bag Limits, Size Limits, and Closed Seasons for Gag/Red Grouper.

2.2.1 Gag Scenarios
These alternatives will be set for 2012, and will be revisited each year afterwards. In order to meet the gag rebuilding plan the Council must choose alternatives that will reduce recreational gag harvest, or total removals, by an absolute minimum of 36% of 2009 harvest levels. Reducing harvest by a minimum of 36% will give Council a 50/50 shot of meeting the gag rebuilding goal. Council is considering the following gag management options with more conservative total removal reduction levels in order to increase the chances of meeting rebuilding goals.

Alternative 1- No action. Do not modify the bag limits, size limits or closed seasons for the recreational gag fishery.
Alternative 2- Set the 2012 open season to be the same as in 2011, i.e., September 16 through November 15, 22 inch minimum size limit, 2 fish gag bag limit, 4 fish aggregate bag limit
• 61 fishing days
• 60% total removal reduction
Alternative 3- Split the open season to provide two fishing seasons: January 1-31 and April 1-30, 22 inch minimum size limit, 2 fish gag bag limit, 4 fish aggregate bag limit
• 61 fishing days
• 52-56% total removal reduction
Alternative 4- Set the longest season possible while meeting ACT target under at least one baseline: July 1 through October 31, 22-30 inch slot size limit, 2 fish gag bag limit, 4 fish aggregate bag limit.
• 123 fishing days
• 54%-56% total removal reduction
Alternative 5- Close the recreational gag fishing season for the 2012 calendar year if there is no state consistency in regulations.
• 32%-55% total removal reduction without state consistency

2.2.2 Red Grouper Bag Limit
The red grouper stock is neither overfished nor undergoing overfishing. The recreational sector has not caught its allocation of red groper in recent years, and with an increase in catch limits in 2012 a relaxation of recreational red grouper regulations is warranted.

Alternative 1- No action. The red grouper bag limit remains at 2 fish per person.
Alternative 2- Increase the red grouper bag limit to 3 fish per person. If the recreational sector exceeds its Annual Catch Limit (ACL) in 2012, the bag limit will revert back to 2 fish.
Alternative 3- Increase the red grouper bag limit to 4 fish per person. If, at the end of the 2012 season it is determined that the recreational sector has exceeded its gag Annual Catch Limit (ACL), the bag limit will be reduced to 3 fish for the 2013 season. If the recreational sector exceeds it bag limit again in 2013, the bag limit will revert back to 2 fish.

Action 3: Commercial Gag and Shallow-water Grouper Quota Adjustment to Account
for Dead Discards
Commercial harvest of grouper is managed under an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) system. Under this system fishermen own shares that represent a percentage of each years’ commercial harvest quota. Under the gag rebuilding plan there is a very limited amount of gag IFQ shares available. Fishermen fishing for other grouper species will catch gag as bycatch and may be forced to discard those gag that they could have kept in the past. While there may be a reduction in gag bycatch because fewer fishermen are targeting gag, data on gag bycatch from fishermen targeting other grouper does not yet exist because the grouper IFQ program is only a year old. As a precautionary measure, in the 2011 interim rule the Council set the commercial gag quota at 86% of the annual catch target. This action considers options for adjusting the commercial gag quota for at least 4 years to account for the gag that may be caught as bycatch and discarded dead under limited IFQ shares.

Alternative 1- No action. The commercial gag quota and shallow-water grouper quota will not contain any adjustment for dead discards of gag. Commercial quotas in million pounds gutted weight will be as follows (subject to accountability measure adjustments):

Year Gag Red Grouper Shallow-water grouper
2012 0.659 5.49 6.559
2013 0.823 5.49 6.723
2014 0.971 5.49 6.871
2015+ 1.092 5.49 6.992

Alternative 2- Reduce the gag commercial quota to 86% of the ACT to compensate for dead discards not being reduced to projected levels needed to achieve 100% of the ACT. Commercial quotas in million pounds gutted weight will be as follows (subject to accountability measure adjustments):

Year Gag Red Grouper Shallow-water grouper
2012 0.567 5.49 6.467
2013 0.708 5.49 6.608
2014 0.835 5.49 6.735
2015+ 0.939 5.49 6.839

Alternative 3- Reduce the gag commercial quota to 47% of the ACT to compensate for dead discards not being reduced to projected levels needed to achieve 100% of the ACT. Commercial quotas in million pounds gutted weight will be as follows (subject to accountability measure adjustments):

Year Gag Red Grouper Shallow-water grouper
2012 0.310 5.49 6.210
2013 0.387 5.49 6.287
2014 0.456 5.49 6.356
2015+ 0.513 5.49 6.413

Action 4: Adjustments to Multi-use IFQ Shares
When the grouper Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program was implemented in January of 2010, Reef Fish Amendment 29 established that 4% of the red grouper allocation and 8% of the gag allocation would be converted to multi-use shares, which could be used for either species. These multi-use shares were created to allow for some flexibility in the IFQ program and account for variations in gag and red grouper ratios across the Gulf. However, under the reduced red grouper and gag annual catch limits expected to be implemented in this amendment, the current multi-use allocations could allow the commercial sector to exceed its annual catch limit. This action considers adjustments to the current multi-use allocations that may prevent the commercial sector from exceeding its annual catch limit.

Alternative 1- No Action. Do not modify percentages of red grouper and gag IFQ allocation converted into multi-use allocation. At the beginning of each fishing year, 4% of red grouper allocation would be converted into multi-use allocation and 8% of gag allocation would be converted into multi-use allocation.
Alternative 2- Based on the commercial gag ACL, gag allocation, and red grouper allocation, set the percentage of red grouper IFQ allocation converted into multi-use allocation as follows:
Red Grouper Multi-use (in percent) = 100*[Gag ACL – Gag Allocation]/Red Grouper Allocation
The red grouper multi-use percentage will be recalculated following adjustments in commercial gag ACL, gag allocation, or red grouper allocation.
Alternative 3: Based on the commercial red grouper ACL, red grouper allocation, and gag allocation, set the percentage of gag IFQ allocation converted into multi-use allocation as follows:
Gag Multi-use (in percent) = 100*[Red Grouper ACL – Red Grouper Allocation]/Gag Allocation
The gag multi-use percentage will be recalculated following adjustments in red grouper ACL, red grouper allocation, or gag allocation.
Alternative 4- While the rebuilding plan for gag is in effect, set the percentage of red grouper IFQ allocation converted into multi-use allocation equal to zero. Upon completion of the rebuilding plan, set the red grouper multi-use percentage as follows:
Red Grouper Multi-use (in percent) = 100*[Gag ACL – Gag Allocation]/Red Grouper Allocation
The red grouper multi-use percentage will be recalculated following adjustments in commercial gag ACL, gag allocation, or red grouper allocation.
Alternative 5- Create a new gag multi-use share type (GOSW multi-use), valid to harvest gag or any other shallow water grouper (excluding red grouper). Set the percentage of gag IFQ allocation converted into GOSW multi-use allocation as follows:
Option a: 25%
Option b: 50%
Alternative 6- Create a new red grouper multi-use share type (RDOSW multi-use), valid to harvest red grouper or any other shallow water grouper (excluding gag grouper). Set the percentage of red grouper IFQ allocation converted into RDOSW multi-use allocation as follows:
Option a: 5%
Option b: 10%

Action 5. Commercial Gag Size Limit
When fish are caught and released there is always a chance that those fish will die upon release. This rate of death, referred to as release mortality, varies across different fish species, gear types, depths, handling and more. The commercial gag fishery has a 67% release mortality rate, which means that 67% of the gags caught and released do not survive. Reducing the size limit of commercially caught gag is one way to reduce the rate of release mortality. The number of fish discarded will decrease and release mortality rates will decrease because fishermen will be keeping smaller fish that they would have otherwise thrown back. Reduction in the minimum size limit will not increase the commercial harvest of gag because they are managed with an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) system under which each fisherman has a share of the annual catch limit that cannot be exceeded.

Alternative 1- No action. The commercial gag minimum size limit remains at 24 inches total length.
Alternative 2- Reduce the commercial gag minimum size limit to 22 inches total length.
Alternative 3- Reduce the commercial gag minimum size limit to 20 inches total length.
Alternative 4- Eliminate the commercial gag minimum size limit.

Action 6. Time and Area Closures
Currently there are three marine protected areas (MPA’s) in the Gulf of Mexico; Madison-Swanson, The Edges, and Steamboat lumps. These time and area closures were established to protect spawning aggregations of gag, and to protect a portion of the male gag population that is particularly vulnerable to fishing during spawning. Gag spawning occurs on offshore reefs from southeast of Apalachicola to west of Tampa, and possibly further to the south. In this action, Council considers the establishment of new time and area closures.

*Note: in this action more than one alternative and option can be selected as preferred

Alternative 1- No Action, Do not create additional time and area closures that prohibit fishing for gag and other reef fishes.
Alternative 2- Close an area that would expand the Madison-Swanson Restricted Fishing Area to the north and west (approximately 70 square nm additional), making one continuous area.
Boundaries for additional area:
1) 29° 20' N, 85° 55' W (new NW corner)
2) 29° 20' N, 85° 38' W (new NE corner)
3) 29° 17' N, 85° 38' W (current NE corner)
4) 29° 17' N, 85° 50' W (current NE corner)
5) 29° 14' N, 85° 50' W (current NW corner)
6) 29° 14' N, 85° 55' W (SW corner of extension)

Period and type of fishing closure that can be selected:
Option a: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, surface trolling allowed May 1 through October 31 (Identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps regulations).
Option b: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through October 31 (Time of year identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps, but different regulations).
Option c: all fishing prohibited January 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through December 31 (Identical to current Edges regulations).
Option d: all fishing prohibited year-round.

Alternative 3- Close an area bracketing the 40-fathom contour between the current closed areas of Madison-Swanson and the Edges (approximately 244 square nm), making it one continuous area.

Boundaries for additional area:

1) 29° 6' N, 85° 37' W (Existing SE boundary of Madison-Swanson)
2) 29° 16' N, 85° 37' W (Existing NE boundary of Madison-Swanson)
3) 28° 51' N, 85° 16' W (Existing NW boundary of the Edges)
4) 29° 51' N, 85° 4' W (Existing NE boundary of the Edges)

Period and type of fishing closure that can be selected:

Option a: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, surface trolling allowed May 1 through October 31 (Identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps regulations).
Option b: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through October 31 (Time of year identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps, but different regulations).
Option c: all fishing prohibited January 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through December 31 (Identical to current Edges regulations).
Option d: all fishing prohibited year-round.

Alternative 4- Modify the seasonal closure dates of The Edges 40 fathom contour area (approximately 390 square nm). Currently, all fishing is prohibited January 1 through April 30, all fishing is allowed May 1 through December 31.

Period and type of fishing closure that can be selected:

Option a: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, surface trolling allowed May 1 through October 31 (Identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps regulations).
Option b: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through October 31 (Time of year identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps, but different regulations).
Option c: all fishing prohibited January 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through December 31 (Identical to current Edges regulations).
Option d: all fishing prohibited year-round.

Alternative 5- Modify the seasonal closure dates of Madison-Swanson (approximately 115 square nm) and Steamboat Lumps (approximately 104 square nm) areas. Currently, all fishing is prohibited November 1 through April 30 and surface trolling for species other than reef fish is allowed May 1 through October 31.

Period and type of fishing closure that can be selected:

Option a: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, surface trolling allowed May 1 through October 31 (Identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps regulations).
Option b: all fishing prohibited November 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through October 31 (Time of year identical to Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps, but different regulations).
Option c: all fishing prohibited January 1 through April 30, all fishing allowed May 1 through December 31 (Identical to current Edges regulations).
Option d: all fishing prohibited year-round.
Figure 2.7.1. Current west Florida Marine Protected Areas (Madison-Swanson, the Edges, and Steamboat Lumps) and proposed Alternative 2 and 3 area closures.


Action 7. Gag, Red Grouper, and Shallow-water Grouper Accountability Measures
Many of the fish stocks in the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council are managed with annual catch limits (ACL’s) that determine the amount of fish that can be harvested each year. If annual catch limits are exceeded then accountability measures are triggered. Accountability measures are designed to both prevent annual catch limits from being exceeded, and to correct any overages if annual catch limits are exceeded.
2.7.1 Action 7.1 Gag, red grouper, and shallow-water grouper commercial accountability measures.
Currently, the commercial grouper fishery is managed under an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. Under this program each fisherman is allocated pounds of fish each year based on the number of IFQ shares they have. The fishermen can use this allocation year round, and they are closely monitored to ensure compliance with their individual allotment. Once an individual’s yearly allocation is used up for a particular species, that fisherman can no longer harvest that fish. This action reviews whether the current accountability measures in place for the commercial fishery are necessary and/or appropriate under the current grouper IFQ program.

Alternative 1- No action. Retain the existing accountability measures for gag, red grouper, and shallow-water grouper. These measures are if commercial landings, as estimated by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, reach or are projected to reach the red grouper, gag, or shallow-water grouper quota, then the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries will file a notification closing the commercial shallow-water grouper fishery in accordance with current quota closure protocols. In addition, if despite such a closure, commercial red grouper, gag, or shallow-water grouper landings exceed the respective annual catch limits, then the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries would file a notification maintaining the prior year red grouper, gag, or shallow-water grouper commercial quota in the following fishing year.
Alternative 2- The accountability measures for the gag, red grouper and shallow-water grouper commercial sector will be the current individual fishing quota program.
2.7.2 Action 7.2. Gag and red grouper recreational accountability measures
There are two types of accountability measures: in-season accountability measures that are designed to prevent annual catch limits from being exceeded; and post-season accountability measures that correct annual catch limit overages after they have occurred. Currently, the red grouper and gag accountability measures for the recreational sector are post-season measures. If the recreational sector exceeds the annual catch limit, then the prior years annual catch limit will be maintained (annual catch limits cannot be increased) and the length of the recreational shallow water grouper fishing season will be shortened for the following year to ensure that recreational landings do not exceed the target catch levels for that year.
In this action Council looks at using one or both of the following accountability measures:
• Overage adjustment -if the annual catch limit is exceeded and the stock is under a rebuilding plan the following years annual catch limit will be reduced by the amount it was exceeded in the previous year.
• In-season accountability measures- If landings are projected to exceed the annual catch limit the recreational harvest for the species with be closed for the remainder of the year on the date that the limit is projected to be reached
Alternative 1- No action. Retain the existing accountability measures for gag and red grouper.
Alternative 2- Add an overage adjustment to the existing accountability measures should gag or red grouper be overfished.
Alternative 3- Add in-season accountability measures to the existing accountability measures.
Alternative 4- Add an overage adjustment to be applied when gag or red grouper are considered overfished and in-season accountability measures to the existing gag and red grouper accountability measures.