ASMFC set to review Spanish Mackerel, Spot and Spotted seatrout

[jackdaniels]

ASMFC South Atlantic Board Releases Spanish Mackerel, Spot, and Spotted Seatrout PID for Public Comment and Review
Washington, DC - The Commission's South Atlantic State-Federal Fisheries Management Board has approved the Public Information Document (PID) for an Omnibus Amendment to the Interstate Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Spanish Mackerel, Spot, and Spotted Seatrout for public review and comment. As the first step in the development of an amendment, the PID presents a broad overview of the issues facing these three species. It provides the public with the opportunity to tell the Commission about changes observed in the fisheries; actions that should or should not be taken in terms of management, regulation, enforcement, and research; and any other concerns about the resources or the fisheries.




The PID can be obtained via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News. Several coastal states will be conducting public meetings on the PID; information on those meetings will be released once they become finalized.

The PID and subsequent amendment are being developed to update the three species management plans to include compliance measures and other Commission standards since all three plans are voluntary in nature and lack standards that were developed in response to the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (e.g., adaptive management, de minimis criteria). In the case of Spanish mackerel, the PID will also address modifying the Commission's management program so that it is consistent with federal management in the exclusive economic zone (because the plan is intended to track federal Spanish mackerel measures).

Following the initial phase of information gathering and public comment, the Commission will evaluate potential management alternatives and develop a Draft Omnibus Amendment for public review. Following the second public comment period, the Commission will specify management measures to be included in the final amendment. A tentative schedule for completion of the Omnibus Amendment is included in the PID.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID, by either attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the PID can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on January 15, 2010 and should be forwarded to Nichola Meserve, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1444 'Eye' Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or at nmeserve@asmfc.org (Subject line: Omnibus Amendment). For more information, please contact Nichola Meserve at (202) 289-6400.

[jackdaniels]

A series of questions is provided to help facilitate the public comment process.
Please also provide any general comments on the Spanish mackerel, spot, and
spotted seatrout populations or management.
�� What is your perception of the health of the Spanish mackerel, spot, and
spotted seatrout populations, and what trends and/or issues do you see in the
fisheries?
�� What should be the objectives for the Spanish mackerel, spot, and spotted
seatrout management programs?
�� Should there be biological reference points, such as fishing mortality and
biomass targets and thresholds, for Spanish mackerel, spot, and spotted
seatrout?
�� Should managers be prompted to revise the management program when a
target is met or not until a threshold is met?
�� What should be the management measures for the Spanish mackerel, spot, and
spotted seatrout commercial and recreational fisheries? For example, should
there be minimum size limits, maximum size limits, creel limits, trip limits,
quotas, bycatch limits, closed seasons, closed areas, permit requirements,
and/or limited entry into the fishery?
�� Should fishery regulations be implemented coast-wide or state-by-state?
�� Should any or all of the fishery regulations be mandatory for states to adopt?
If a state delays implementation, what should be the penalty?
�� Should de minimis criteria be defined and adopted that would exempt some
states from specific management requirements because the states’ landings are
insignificant to the coastwide total? Below what level of harvest should a
state’s harvest be considered insignificant?
�� Should states be permitted to submit proposals for alternative management
that is conservationally equivalent to the required management program (e.g.,
a less restrictive bag limit given a more restrictive minimum size limit)?
�� Should the amendment include monitoring measures (such as research surveys
and biological sampling from the fisheries) for Spanish mackerel, spot, and
spotted seatrout? Should state adoption of monitoring measures be
recommended or mandatory? If a state delays implementation, what should be
the penalty?
�� For Spanish mackerel, should the interstate FMP continue to track the federal
FMP, or should the interstate FMP provide more flexibility in the future
regarding regulations in state waters?
�� What are habitat issues for Spanish mackerel, spot, and spotted seatrout? How
should these issues be addressed or evaluated further?

[jackdaniels]

This is the schedule of steps and hearings

[jackdaniels]

Table 2. Current federal regulations for Spanish mackerel
Commercial Fishery
• Permit requirement
• 12" fork length (FL) minimum size limit
• Season opens March 1 and closes end of February or when quota is filled
• Quota = 3.87 million pounds (55% of total allowable catch or TAC)
• Must be landed with heads and fins intact
• From CT/NY border to GA/FL border (northern zone), catch limit of 3500 pounds per vessel per day
• From GA/FL border to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line in FL (southern zone), catch limit of 3500
pounds from March 1 to November 30, unlimited catch limit on Monday through Friday and 1500 pound
catch limit on Saturday and Sunday from December 1 until 75% of the adjusted quota is taken, 1000
pound catch limit from when 75% of the adjusted quota is taken until 100% of the adjusted quota is taken,
and 500 pounds after 100% of the adjusted quota is taken (the adjusted quota compensates for estimated
catches of 500 pounds per vessel per day to the end of the season)
• Authorized gears include automatic reel, bandit gear, rod and reel, cast net, run-around gill nets, and stab
nets
• Minimum size of 3.5" stretch mesh required for all run-around gill nets
• Purse seines and drift gillnets are prohibited

Recreational Fishery
• Gear restrictions apply
• 12" FL minimum size limit
• Must be landed with head and fins intact
• Daily possession limit of 15 per person Florida-New York
• Charter/headboat operators must possess vessel permit for coastal migratory fish and comply with bag
limits
• Calendar year season
• Allocation = 3.17 million pounds (45% of TAC)