Gulf of Mexico Snapper Grouper Supplier Roundtable 17 April, Conference Call

Transcription

1 Gulf of Mexico Snapper Grouper Supplier Roundtable 17 April, :00 2:00 pm CDT Conference Call Attendees SR members: Incredible Fish - Tim Lycke, Jason Custer Quirch - Victor Garrido Sea Delight - Adriana Sanchez Lindsey Seasource, Inc. - Jeff Freeman The Fishin' Co. - Justin Baugh SFP: Megan Westmeyer Bryan Szeliga Guests: Wegman's: Carl Salamone Meijer: David Wier Alfa Gamma: Santiago Alvarez Fortune Fish: Stacy Schultz Key Points from the Meeting 1. FIP updates: a. US Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish FIP has achieved many goals. When asked how the supply chain would feel about this FIP declaring success and "closing shop" the reactions were varied but tend towards hesitancy about this conclusion to a FIP. Some buyers will want third party verification of sustainability, and a FIP ending without it could put a product outside of a procurement policy that requires "MSC or in a FIP". Yet, there are buyers who will be willing to continue to accept product from a completed FIP as long as there is a good explanation of why. b. The Sea Delight Mexican Grouper FIP has built a strong foundation and has made some very good progress, but is in need of more funding to continue workplan activities. FIP is currently solely supported by Sea Delight and their vendor, Atlantida, and they are not able to provide everything the FIP needs. c. Seafarer's Yucatan Snapper and Grouper FIP reporting is very out of date. The supply chain is encouraged to get in touch with Seafarer's and request an update. 2. The Mexican grouper FMP includes some strong measures, though not all may be realistic. The government will need to be encouraged to implement regulations in accordance with the plan, and much more work will need to be done with the fishing industry and local authorities to effectively implement solutions. 3. Participants of this SR agreed to review and sign on to SFP- drafted letters to NOAA (US), regarding the observer program statistical review, and CONAPESCA (Mexico), regarding implementing the regulations from the grouper FMP, creating a similar snapper FMP, and increasing data collection and stock assessments of snapper and grouper species.

2 Meeting Notes 1. Welcome and introduction (SFP) a. Group consists of snapper grouper suppliers who source product from the Gulf of Mexico (US and Mexico), who are concerned with the sustainability of the snapper grouper fisheries and want to maintain awareness of the ongoing and needed improvement activities b. SFP provides updates on snapper grouper sustainability issues/needs overall and shares progress updates on improvement projects as we are able, also give opportunity industry led FIPs to present too c. Opportunity to identify overlapping areas of interest, where suppliers can make more of a difference working together (pre- competitively, recognizing that sustainability happens at an entire fishery level, not just one supply chain) 2. Progress update on GoM Snapper Grouper FIPs a. US Reef Fish FIP (SFP, Megan Westmeyer) i. Three main groups of FIP participants, each doing their own activities: Reef Fish Shareholder's Alliance (RFSA), Gulf Wild, Save On Seafood SFP is coordinating this FIP 4 main activities ii. "Advocate for improved accountability in recreational sector" RFSA pushing for more accountability measures for the recreational fishery (consistently exceeds harvest quota) at Gulf Council meetings accountability measures were approved at the end of 2014 and were just implemented in mid- March. Closes out this FIP task. iii. "Fishery- dependent/fishery- independent hybrid data collection cooperative research project" RFSA to help improve data collection for stock assessments just got final report on this, good results, promising method activity was under category of improving stock assessments of target species because there were a lot of problems with them five years ago when MSC PA done, but are in much better shape now and I think they could pass an MSC assessment (not perfect, but passing) so will close out this FIP task as well. iv. "Coordinate vessel participation in Electronic Monitoring study" RFSA and Save On Seafood research itself being implemented by Mote Marine Lab, nearing the end of the two year grant they've been working working with 6-7 longline boats to carry camera systems to monitor bycatch and discards to address the biggest sustainability needs in this fishery, which is better data on bycatch and discards lack of good data is really hindering stock assessment accuracy there is potential that cameras could be better or more cost effective than human observers Mote is hoping to get further funding to expand this project to other parts of the Gulf of Mexico and to vertical line boats in the next two years. If their work is funded, SFP will help them make connections with the fishing industry, and will need this supplier roundtable to help make that happen. So if suppliers are sourcing from the US Reef Fish fishery, especially boats in Texas, Louisiana, and the Florida panhandle (geographical focus of expansion) and would like their suppliers to be participating in this fishery improvement work, please let Megan know.

3 v. "Reduce discards via conservation covenants and Bycatch Conservation Fund Programs (quota bank, electronic logbooks, Bycatch of the Day marketing program, weak hook study)" Gulf Wild basically trying to do proactive things that further lessen the impact of the fishery. SFP having a very hard time getting updates from Gulf Wild on this FIP activity, and unsure about their continued involvement in the FIP. Those purchasing Gulf Wild branded products may need to give them a nudge, if FIP participation is important. vi. Future of this FIP is up in the air at this point. SFP will not be able to continue implementing it past May 2015 because our funders don't want to perpetually fund FIPs want industry to take them over. I don't see a strong single industry candidate to take this FIP, because the three primary participants all really tend to do their own thing, and will likely keep doing it whether in a FIP or not. Additionally, this is not a fishery with major issues, and it probably could get an eco- certification if it chose to. Theoretically, this FIP could declare "success" and close shop. How does that come across to the supply chain? How would your vii. buyers react? Reactions from suppliers: Suppliers are hesitant to support the idea of a FIP declaring success and closing shop. While some audiences will be ok with this, others mistrust the industry and want third- party verification. There could also be problems with buyers that have sustainability policies that require certification or in a FIP (no provision for "FIP accomplished"). b. Mexico Grouper FIP (Sea Delight, Adriana Sanchez- Lindsay) report delayed until after FMP summary, because some of what they are doing is different than the FMP recommends - update would make more sense after FMP info c. Yucatan Grouper and Yucatan Snapper FIPs (Seafarer's/Sami Springer, Sustainability Incubator/Katrina Nakamura invited to attend this conference call, but never responded) i. FIPs launched in mid- 2013; Public reports have not been updated since March 2014 ii. If you are sourcing from this FIP, they may need a forceful nudge 3. SFP FIP progress ratings (SFP) a. standardized tool for evaluating FIP progress requested by our buyer partners to help them evaluate FIPs evaluation does not prescribe whether or not to source from a particular FIP; each user can use the information how she/he chooses when FIPs are making poor progress SFP recommendation is typically that a buyer become MORE involved in the fishery/fip b. measure of improvement progress in a fishery mainly by tracking the frequency of improvements in fishery policies/practices and actual improvements in the water c. initially applied to only SFP FIPs, now applied to all FIPs information publicly on FishSource d. based on info on FIP public reports evidence of activities undertaken AND progress generated (methodology publicly available at

4 ).pdf) e. Ratings range from A (Exceptional progress) to E (Negligible progress) f. Current GoM snapper grouper FIP ratings: i. US Reef Fish: A (Exceptional progress) 1) use of EM is a change in fishing practices 2) June 2014 gag stock assessment showed not overfished, no overfishing occurring ii. Mexico Grouper Sea Delight: B (Good progress) Within first year of launch, a FIP gets B rating if they have a stage 3 impact (performing workplan activities). But after that year, they need to have a stage 4 or 5 impact (get results in management/fishing practices, or a change in the water), or else they get E negligible progress. Sea Delight is about to be downgraded in our systems because they will be outside that 1 year window at the end of this month. But if they were to report the new Mexican grouper FMP (which we are about to discuss), that would count as a stage 4 impact, and they would get an A "Exceptional iii. Progress rating. Yucatan Snapper and Grouper (two FIPs) Seafarers: E "Negligible Progress" launched in June 2013 but have not reported any progress on activities since November 2013 (grouper FIP only) and haven't reported any stage 4 or 5 outcomes/impacts same deal on Mexican grouper FMP though, could be reported to improve FIP rating 4. Review Mexican Red Grouper FMP a. Published November 2014 b. FMP focus on recovery of red grouper, but also covers associated species: black, gag, scamp, yellowmouth, yellowfin, yellowedge, warsaw, Nassau, snowy, Goliath groupers, as well as red hind, coney, rock hind and speckled hind (one or more of these is called strawberry grouper in the supply chain, I'm not sure which) c. geographical focus on Yucatan and Quintana Roo (main catch areas for red and black grouper) d. Includes industrial and artisanal fleets e. Need for FMP is because red grouper are over- exploited and fishery is in decline (declining catches in commercial fleets) concern that artisanal fleet exerts a strong influence on the immature population, industrial fleet has overcapacity (too many boats for sustainable amount of fish), that seasonal closure is inadequate, and minimum size limit does not protect enough immature fish f. The difference between a Mexican FMP and a US FMP is that in the US, the FMP pretty much is the regulation, and once it is published, those regulations are final. In Mexico, the FMP is the strategic roadmap, and each of these actions still must be implemented to become official regulations. g. New regulatory measures suggested: i. LOTS of research, data collection, and other ideas we don't have time to touch on going to focus on the regulations that will most likely impact harvest or your suppliers. SFP can provide the FMP (in Spanish, and or a google- translated English version) so suppliers can review all suggested management measures themselves (in a table at the end of the document so easy to find)

5 ii. extending closed season, in order to protect the spawning biomass of red grouper and associated species instead of February 15- March 15 off Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo, the season will be January 15 to March 14, from Tamaulipas to "Punta Petempich", Quintana Roo and January 1 to February 28 closure period from "Punta Petempich" to the border with Belize expected implementation in 2016 iii. change the minimum catch size for all species of grouper in order to protect a higher percentage of juvenile black, red and gag grouper FMP calls for two years of research to determine exactly what these minimum catch sizes should be, with implementation expected in 2017 iv. reduce fishing effort to reduce fishing mortality: industrial fleet size reduction through: 1) voluntary retirement (2016) and 2) equitable retirement (2017); evaluate artisanal fleet to determine optimum size v. define areas restricted to fishing to protect their spawning and recruitment start research now and implement closures by 2017 vi. strengthening surveillance - inspection of fishing and pleasure boats, local distributors, freezing plants, and restaurants - verify compliance with the minimum size - establish penalties no timeline specified vii. Participant reactions: glad to see this FMP, these are extremely challenging issues and things don't always go as regulations dictate in Mexico need stronger enforcement of minimum catch sizes. There is a lot of undersize harvest and it does come into the US illegally. Would be good if more states had laws like Florida, where there are minimum size limits placed on the imported fish. These fish still come through the ports in Florida but are shipped to other states before they are discovered. Also, the grouper closure doesn't always last as long as it is supposed to fishery needs stricter enforcement. 5. Sea Delight Mexican Grouper FIP report (Adriana Sanchez- Lindsay, Sea Delight) a. Fishery issues are more complex than the presented government solutions like larger minimum size limits. Often times there is a substantial socio- economic impact, especially on the artisanal fleet, that must be addressed for regulations to be effective and not destroy fishing communities. b. Sea Delight FIP approach to juvenile harvest is a quota system instead of minimum size limits they are working with a scientist to determine how many juvenile fish can still be caught while letting enough other juveniles join the adult population to reproduce and sustain the fishery will then set the quota for juveniles based on that amount and allocate it to fishing cooperatives. This could be done instead of minimum size limits, which clearly aren't working. c. On the FMP overall, Sea Delight has contracted with CeDePesca and has a local liaison on the ground in Mexico. According to her, the FMP has been in the works since Many of the measures are not practical and require a lot of research, and they don't always address the related social issues. Lengthening the seasonal closure is much easier said than done, because the government currently subsidizes the fishing industry during the closed season but the government can't afford to extend the length of the subsidy. FYI, info on the FMP now has been posted to the FIP public report.

6 d. One of the projects that Sea Delight is working on that does fit with the FMP is a MPA for spawning. Trying to get funding to help with research. e. CeDePesca outreach to the fishing industry has revealed that many fishermen don't know that the fishery is overexploited, they thought they were catching fewer fish because there were more fishermen. Didn't even know there was an exploitation problem The FIP is needed to really engage the fishermen and local authorities to really get to the heart of the problem and find good solutions. f. Overall funding is a major hurdle for the FIP. FIP was started by Sea Delight and their vendor, Atlantida, and they have been very successful, but now looking for other supplier/vendor support to join the FIP. g. Reactions from other meeting participants: very good work happening in this FIP, is a monumental task. Some expressed strong support for the FMP and strict regulatory measures, like size limits, contained in the FMP. 6. Review Priority Improvement Needs (SFP) a. US fisheries i. Increase number and frequency of reef fish stock assessments. Only the most frequently harvested reef fish species have been assessed. The status of many other retained species is unknown. ii. Improve discard data collection methods and practices. Insufficient information on discards and discard survival is one of the primary iii. sources of uncertainty in reef fish stock assessments. Evaluate the Gulf of Mexico reef fish observer program. Complete the planned evaluation of the Gulf of Mexico reef fish observer program to determine statistically robust coverage levels, and then establish a plan to increase observer coverage to those levels. b. Mexican Fisheries i. Implement or improve existing data collection programs and conduct stock assessments where not available. Few data are available on many snapper and grouper species, and the only species that has been assessed is red grouper. ii. iii. Develop a fishery management plan for the multi- species snapper fishery. A multispecies fishery management plan for grouper species was released in late 2014; a similar multi- species plan should be established for the snapper fishery. Implement regulations in accordance with the grouper fishery management plan. The 2014 grouper fishery management plan contains a number of actions that should be taken, including new regulations, over the following three years. 7. Discuss Action Recommendations for Participants (SFP) i. US fisheries 1. Identify un- assessed species that are important to your supply chain and ask the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to make those species a higher priority in the stock assessment prioritization process. a. SFP's ask of SR participants: Look at the fisheries list on the SR page ( improvement/snapper- and- grouper) and let SFP know if

7 ii. there is a US caught snapper or grouper species in your supply chain that is not listed, then we can add it to the list, see if we need to develop a FS profile, and look deeper into its status and identify needed actions 2. Encourage producers and wholesalers to initiate or participate in a fishery improvement project focusing on increasing monitoring of discards (electronic/video monitoring, observer coverage, more user friendly self- reporting methods like electronic logbooks etc.) a. SFP's ask of SR participants: hold off on this one until Mote Marine Lab gets funding to expand the electronic monitoring program if they do, SFP will be asking SR participants for help identifying vessels in your supply chain 3. Contact the NOAA Observer Program and ask them for a progress update on the planned Gulf of Mexico reef fish observer program statistical evaluation. a. SFP's ask of SR participants: This project was announced about a year and a half ago, and was supposed to be completed in While SFP can nudge the government about it, we're just one more pesky NGO that they are afraid is going to sue them. If the request comes from the supply chain they are more likely to give an honest answer. If SFP will draft a letter with all the pertinent details, with the SR members who source from the US reef fish fishery sign it? b. General consensus from participants that they are willing sign the letter as long as they are able to review contents Mexican fisheries 1. Contact CONAPESCA and request that they conduct stock assessments for the multi- species snapper and grouper fisheries, develop a fishery management plan for the multi- species snapper fishery, and implement regulations in accordance with the 2014 multi- species grouper fishery management plan. a. SFP's ask of SR participants: Similar to the US situation, it will be better if this request comes from the supply chain. If SFP drafts a letter, will SR members who source from Mexico sign it? b. General consensus from participants that they are willing sign the letter as long as they are able to review contents 2. Support or participate in one of the current fishery improvement projects for these fisheries. a. SFP's ask of SR participants: Sea Delight needs partners in their FIP. Please consider joining and financially supporting that FIP. Many of you are already working on other FIPs in other places too, but this FIP has a lot of potential, a lot of momentum, and strong leadership it's well poised for success. If you have a relationship with Seafarer's reach out to them as well.