2012 Maryland FMP Report (July 2013) Section 8. Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)

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1 2012 Maryland FMP Report (July 2013) Section 8. Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) Chesapeake Bay FMP Bluefish are popular with recreational anglers because they are strong fighters. Commercial fisheries are relatively minor due in part to the lower food value: flesh is less firm, spoils quickly in warm weather, and does not freeze well. Bluefish are pelagic and migrate seasonally between Maine and Florida. Estuaries and other nearshore habitats are used as nurseries and by juveniles. The Chesapeake Bay Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (CBFMP) was adopted in 1990 and amended in The CBFMP Amendment #1 adopted the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) coastal overfishing definition and rebuilding schedule. Furthermore, CBFMP Amendment #1 introduced ecosystem based management by incorporating water quality improvements, habitat conservation, and multi-species interactions into the management process. The coastal bluefish stock is jointly managed under the MAFMC/ASMFC FMP. The coastal FMP was initially developed to address the concerns raised by recreational fishermen about harvest by tuna purse seine fisheries. The bluefish FMP is the first FMP developed jointly by an interstate commission and regional fishery management council. The MAFMC/ASMFC FMP was amended in 1998 to prevent recruitment overfishing, reduce fishing waste, improve cooperative management among states, maximize availability, and improve biological understanding. Maryland is required to submit an annual compliance report to ASMFC. The compliance report describes the fishery dependent and independent monitoring, current regulations, commercial and recreational landings, and planned management actions 1. Addendum I to Amendment 1 was approved in February of The goal for Addendum 1 was to significantly increase the amount of bluefish age and length data collected annually 2. States having >5% of bluefish harvest, plus Virginia, were required to increase sampling; Maryland is not one of those states. Stock Status There is no formal Chesapeake Bay stock assessment. Bluefish stock status is derived from the Atlantic coast stock assessment. A stock assessment was completed in The bluefish stock has been rebuilt since 2008; it is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring 3,4. Catch and juvenile recruitment were included in the age-structured assessment program (ASAP) model to estimate fishing mortality (F) and stock biomass. Fishing mortality in 2011 was which is less than the target F MSY of Fishing mortality has remained low since Total stock biomass in 2011 was 293 million lbs which was below the target biomass of 324 million lbs but above the threshold biomass of 162 million lbs 3. Stock biomass was stable, however, biomass is projected to decline based on declining abundance and poor recruitment from Current Management Measures Annual stock assessments are used to set yearly TACs. Bluefish allocation, among coastal jurisdictions and fisheries, is based on historic landings data ( ).. Seventeen percent of the total allowable catch (TAC) is allocated to the commercial fishery and the other 83% of the TAC is allocated to the recreational fishery. The commercial TAC is managed with state-by-state quotas. Maryland receives 3% of the coastwide commercial quota 4. The 2013 Atlantic coast TAC was 9.08 million pounds for the commercial fishery and 14.1 million pounds for the recreational fishery 5. Maryland s 2013 commercial quota is 272,000 pounds 5. The bluefish season is open all year (January 1 December 31) for both the commercial and recreational fisheries. Maryland s minimum size limit is 8 for the commercial and recreational fisheries. The recreational fishery has a daily limit of 10 fish per person in Maryland state waters. The Fisheries Maryland s commercial landings in 2012 were 149,000 pounds 6 (Figure 1). Recreational catch estimates have been revised as a part of the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Catch estimates have been recalculated for to provide more accurate estimates and replace those previously made by the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS). The MRIP estimate was 114,000 fish for the Maryland recreational fishery in (Figure 2). Issues/Concerns A single-age key was developed from limited data and is used in the assessment of the coastwide stock. States are encouraged to increase collection of age data for a broader size range 4. Additional age/length data is needed to address shortcomings in the stock assessment model. Discard mortality may be an important factor for bluefish stock assessments. Recreational discard mortality data is limited, but it is estimated to be 15%. However, recent studies suggest it could be higher 3. Commercial discard mortality is considered negligible 5. Age-0 bluefish have a bi-modal (spring and summer) recruitment pattern. There is evidence that there is some spawning during the fall months. The contribution of recruits from each season to the adult population is uncertain, which increases model complexity. This uncertainty is an additional source of error. 1

2 The NMFS survey was modified in 2009 due to replacement of the FV Albatross IV with the FSV Henry B. Bigelow. The vessel change altered several factors such as the net size, tow speed, and areas surveyed 3. The survey area was reduced to the outer third of the inshore strata set was sampled by the Bigelow. A conversion coefficient is used for Bigelow data so that they can both be used. References 1 Durell, E.Q Maryland 2010 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) Compliance Report To the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 2 ASMFC Addendum I to Amendment 1 to the bluefish fishery management plan. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Alexandria, VA. 3 National Marine Fisheries Service Bluefish 2012 stock assessment update. US Dept Commerce, Northeast Fishery Science Center. 4 Waine, M Review of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission fisheries management plan for bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Alexandria, VA. 5 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; 2013 and 2014 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications, 78:88 Fed. Reg (2013) (final rule) Figure 1. Commercial bluefish landings in Maryland since Landings for 2013 are as of July 3. Fish harvested (millions of pounds) Year Quota Harvest Figure 2. Number of bluefish harvested by the recreational fishery in Maryland since Personal communication from the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division. June 12, ASMFC Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic menhaden. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Alexandria, VA. Number of fish harvested (millions) Year 2

3 Stock Status Management CBP jurisdictions will continue to utilize management strategies that decrease fishing mortality and help increase bluefish abundance. Fishery Management CBP jurisdictions will adhere to the coastal commercial and recreational TAL designated by MAFMC /ASMFC. Research and Monitoring Action 1.0 participate in scientific and technical meetings for managing bluefish along the coast and estuarine waters. Action 1.1 CBP jurisdictions will adopt the MAFMC/ASMFC overfishing definition, and adhere to the 9-year rebuilding schedule for the coast wide management of bluefish Action 2.0 CBP jurisdictions will adhere to the commercial TAL established by MAFMC/ASMFC. Individual stateby-state quotas are based on historic landings from Action 2.1 require licenses for harvest and sale; Virginia requires a license for its commercial hook and line fishery and established a 10 fish creel limit. Action 2.2 CBP jurisdictions will adhere to the coastal recreational harvest level established by the MAFMC/ASMFC. Virginia and the PRFC instituted a 10 fish creel limit in the summer of Maryland established a 10 fish recreational creel limit in Creel limits and minimum legal sizes may be modified as a. Action MAFMC/ASMFC Amendment 1 was adopted in Amendment 1 to the CBP FMP was adopted in BRPs based on the 2005 coastal stock assessment were Fmsy= 0.19 and Bmsy = 147,052 mt. The model that calculates population abundance has been annually updated since The output from the model is used to set the annual TAC. The stock was declared rebuilt in Current mortality estimates indicate an F below the threshold ( F=0.4) and target (F=0.19). The 9-year rebuilding schedule reduced F: F=0.51( ) F=0.41( ) F=0.31( ) Based on the most recent stock assessment and FMP review, the bluefish stock is considered rebuilt. The stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. TAL may vary annually. The 2012 commercial TAL is 272,000 lbs for MD and 1.08 million lbs for VA. TAL includes a research set-aside quota In VA, any species not managed under a coastal quota system is subject to the corresponding recreational creel limit for that species in the commercial hook and line fishery Historically, recreational landings have accounted for 80-90% of the total catch. ASMFC sets an annual RHL. The proposed RHL for 2012 is 17.2 million lbs. TAL includes a research set-aside quota. A 10 fish creel limit is enforced by CBP jurisdictions. MD also implemented an 8 inch minimum size limit (MD COMAR April 29 th, 1991). Mandatory reporting is in effect in all CBP jurisdictions. MAFMC created a RSA program which allows up to 3% of the TAC to be sold and the money used to fund 3

4 Data collected from multiple independent fishery surveys contribute to coastal research and monitoring efforts of bluefish. Habitat Management CBP jurisdictions are currently evaluating studies that will identify and delineate bluefish habitat and water quality parameters critical to bluefish in the Chesapeake Bay. The identification and development of trophic level relationships will also become possible with the establishment of collect catch and effort data from the commercial fishery and expand the economic data to include dollar value of the commercial fishery and the annual dockside value received for bluefish in CBP jurisdictions. Action 3.1 CBP jurisdictions will assess methods for improving recreational and charter catch/effort data needed to evaluate biological and economic impacts. Action 3.2 collect fishery independent data on bluefish. Action 4.0 CBP jurisdictions continue to set goals for water quality, habitat restoration and protection to address commitments established under Chesapeake Bay 2000 agreements research projects. NMFS is soliciting proposals under the 2011 RSA program to address research priorities for several species, including bluefish. MD requires logbooks for charter boats. Beginning in 2004, coastal species managed by quota are electronically reported in real time. The MRIP is now implemented with the new Chesapeake Bay and Coastal sport fishing license to provide a more comprehensive assessment of recreational fishing statistics than the MRFSS. MRIP data includes comparisons with MRFSS data back to The ChesFIMS and ChesMAP surveys provided some data used to help manage bluefish in Chesapeake Bay. The ChesFIMS survey ended in Bluefish are regularly sampled during the MDNR summer pound net sampling program. Bluefish habitat was identified in Amendment #1 to the Chesapeake Bay Bluefish FMP. President Barack Obama s executive order recommitted federal agencies to Bay restoration and regulatory enforcement. EPA established a Bay wide TMDL (aka: pollution diet). Each jurisdiction must establish 2 year milestones for progress towards meeting its TMDL. Legislation has been passed for restrictions on new developments using septic systems. Legislation for a stormwater fee based on impervious surface coverage was enacted. Chesapeake Bay Program is monitoring levels of mercury, PCBs, PAHs, organophosphate and organochloride pesticides. Ambient water quality criteria of DO, water clarity, and chlorophyll-a have been adopted for the Chesapeake Bay. See Chesapeake Bay Program website for updates on water quality criteria nutrient reduction. 4

5 CHESFIMS in 2001 and ChesMAPP in 2002 and the utilization of coastal multispecies models of Atlantic menhaden, striped bass, weakfish and bluefish. Action 4.1 CBP jurisdictions will regulate land and water activities that may negatively impact essential water quality parameters for bluefish such as temperature, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. Action 4.2 CBP jurisdictions will monitor activities that may negatively impact SAV types where bluefish have demonstrated a significant degree of association The CBP continues to implement strategies to reduce nutrients and improve water quality in the Bay. Planting forest buffers, controlling stormwater runoff and reducing agricultural and urban non-point nutrient inputs are part of the current action plan. MD developed curriculum Where Do We Grow from Here? about population growth and its impacts on the Bay. See Chesapeake Bay Program website for updates on land stewardship. CBP monitors SAVs in the Chesapeake Bay by annual aerial survey. The revised SAV goal adopted by Chesapeake Bay Program is planting 1,000 acres of SAV by 2008 and restoration of 185,000 acres of SAV by acres have been planted to date (0.02 in 2011). VIMS annually surveys SAV distribution in Chesapeake Bay SAV acreage was 45,700 (25% goal). MD has developed a Blue Infrastructure that includes mapping structural habitat and SAV. Action 4.3 CBP jurisdictions will monitor important forage species, when identified by fishery independent surveys, to insure that activities such as directed fisheries or incidental bycatch in non-directed fisheries, do not adversely affect forage species abundance. If fishing activities are contributing to higher fishing mortality (F) of important managed In progress 2012 Regulations are in place to prohibit dredging through SAV beds. Tiered designation and prioritization of SAV beds has not been implemented. Avoidance of dredging, filling and construction impacts to SAV is strictly enforced by MDE and USACE with input from DNR, USFWS, and NMFS. MD has not established undisturbed buffers. VA has established buffer criteria. Fish collected from ChesFIMS & ChesMAPP surveys may provide stomachs for predator/prey analyses of juvenile and adult bluefish in the Chesapeake Bay. Variability of the abundance of forage fish in the Chesapeake Bay is also being examined by independent research project out of CBL. The ChesFIMs was discontinued after 2005 because of lack of funding. ASMFC determined that menhaden are being overfished and that fishing mortality needs to be reduced 7. The coastwide TAC is a 20% reduction from the average harvest during Virginia is allocated 85% of the TAC while Maryland and PRFC are allocated 1.4% and 0.62%, respectively. Implementation is in

6 forage species, such as Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic croaker, spot and/or blue crab, additional management measures may be Acronyms necessary. Action 4.4 CBP jurisdictions will monitor the abundance of important bluefish forage species that are not managed under CBP FMPs, such as bay anchovies and Atlantic silversides Action 4.5 identify predator/prey interactions, both inter- and intra- species competition and other interactions that might effect the management of bluefish ASMFC Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission B msy Biomass maximum sustainable yield BRP Biological Reference Point CBL Chesapeake Biological Laboratory CBP Chesapeake Bay Program CHESFIMS Chesapeake Bay Fishery Independent Multispecies Survey CHESMAP Chesapeake Bay Multispecies Monitoring & Assessment Program COMAR Code of Maryland F Fishing Mortality FMP Fishery Management Plan F msy Fishing mortality at the threshold biological reference point. If F is at a rate beyond this point (F msy ), overfishing is occurring because the fishing of the stock has gone beyond the stock s maximum sustainable yield (MSY). MAFMC Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council MDNR Maryland Department of Natural Resources MD and VA juvenile seine surveys monitor the abundance of anchovies and silver sides. Non- managed forage fish abundance is being examined by an independent, CBL research project. Data from the ChesFIMS and the ChesMAP surveys will be utilized to identify and delineate ecological relationships. Development of multispecies fishery management plans may result from this data. A multispecies predator/prey model is being developed by ASMFC that includes bluefish, menhaden, striped bass, and weakfish 7. MRFSS Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey MRIP Marine Recreational Information Program NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service PRFC Potomac River Fisheries Commission RHL Recreational Harvest Limit RSA Research Set-Aside SAV Submerged Aquatic Vegetation TAC Total Allowable Catch TAL Total Allowable Landings 6