Covering activities from 11/1/ /30/2016

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1 Gulf & South Atlantic News Volume 17, Issue 1 A Publication of the Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. April 2016 Covering activities from 11/1/ /30/2016 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. Robert Jones, FL President Southeastern Fisheries Association, Inc. Mr. Jerry Sansom, FL Vice President Organized Fishermen of Florida Mr. Rutledge Leland, SC Secretary/Treasurer South Carolina-At-Large Foundation Shrimp Trawl Outreach Efforts Through a contract from NOAA Fisheries (see page 3), Foundation Regional Coordinators Gary Graham and Lindsey Parker have been hitting the docks throughout the southeast region disseminating information on shrimp trawl gear installation and compliance. As you can see from the excerpt below on the recently drafted NMFS TED Compliance Policy, ensuring bycatch reduction gear, particularly turtle excluder devices, are installed correctly and kept in compliance is critical to industry. If you need assistance with your gear, don t hesitate to contact the Foundation. Mr. Joey Daniels, VA North Carolina-At-Large Mr. Byron Despaux, LA Louisiana Shrimp Association Mr. Craig Dopson, SC South Carolina Shrimp Association Ms. Andrea Hance, TX Texas Shrimp Association Mr. Philip Horn, MS Mississippi-At-Large Mr. Chris Nelson, AL Alabama-At-Large Mr. Harlon Pearce, LA Louisiana-At-Large Mr. Patrick Riley, TX Texas-At-Large Captain James Ruhle, NC North Carolina-At-Large Captain John Woods, GA Georgia Shrimp Association, Inc. Gulf & South Atlantic News is published by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc., the research and conservation partner of the southeastern U.S. commercial fishing industry. Judy Jamison, Exec. Director Ph: (813) judy.jamison@att.net gulfsouthfdn@att.net NMFS TED Compliance Policy NOAA Fisheries has posted version 2 of the TED Compliance Policy, drafted in response to the 2014 Sea Turtle Biological Opinion. Some important notes from the document: 1) the sampling periods are now 4 months instead of quarterly. This increases the sample size of included inspections; 2) in addition to inspections by enforcement agencies, TED inspections will occur through the shrimp fishery mandatory observer program. According to NMFS Protected Resources, they hope to have this requirement in place this year and observers are currently undergoing TED inspection training; 3) the official boarding form has been altered to include some additional information on type of inspection and type of gear. Compliance rates have been very good and that is a credit to the collective efforts of industry. The policy is available on the NMFS website: sea_turtle_protection_and_shrimp_fisheries/documents/ompliance_policy_v2.pdf Funding Update The Foundation has not received funds through the NOAA/NMFS Cooperative Research program since Unfortunately, the Foundation was unsuccessful again this year. We submitted five proposals to the MARFIN program, one proposal to the BREP program, and eight proposals in response to the Saltonstall-Kennedy program solicitations and anticipate hearing funding decisions within the next two months. This newsletter was prepared by the Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. under awards NA14NMF , NA14NMF , WC-133F-14-SE-3800, NA14NMF (FWC #14342), NA15NMF , and NA15NMF (FWC #15194) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NOAA or the Department of Commerce.

2 Volume 17, Issue 1 Page 2 Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. Program Update Prediction and Verification of Snapper- Grouper Spawning Aggregation Sites on the Offshore Banks of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NA14NMF , GSAFFI #129) This project aims to predict and verify multi-species spawning aggregations in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. In turn, this will allow consolidation of existing methods and further development of robust fishery dependent and independent data collection methods, designed to evaluate the status of all of the stocks that use multi-species spawning aggregation sites. This will be the first attempt to predict and verify spawning aggregations on the banks of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. At a minimum, the project will compile and analyze fishery dependent and fishery independent data, expert fisher knowledge, and geomorphological predictions of likely spawning aggregation sites that can be used within this and other subsequent studies. Sampling cruises have been made utilizing methods that include underwater video observation, site mapping, fishery dependent survey, and otolith and reproductive sample collection. Potential courtship behavior of multiple species including spadefish, jacks, sheepshead, scamp, and Cubera snapper were documented in various locations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Analysis of the collected data is on-going and includes bathymetric data, age, growth and reproduction sample analysis, and hydrophonic data. This project has laid the groundwork and fine tuned methodology to locate and verify spawning aggregations of commercial and recreationally important fish species in the southeast region. Examination of Catch and Discards within the Commercial Snapper-Grouper Vertical Hook-and-Line Sector in the South Atlantic U.S. (NA14NMF , GSAFFI #130) Many species within the snapper-grouper fishery management unit are data poor. As a result, many of the species specific stock assessments have a high level of uncertainty associated with the models, including catch characterization, effort, and quantity of discards. This project reinitiated a fishery observer program within the vertical hookand-line (bandit rig) sector of the snapper-grouper fishery of the South Atlantic United States to enhance the universe of data that are available to stock assessment scientists. The project will build upon the robust database that includes five years worth of data collected through past federally funded awards. We have solicited the participation of the commercial fishing industry to voluntarily assist in the performance of this project. A GSAFF contracted observer has been placed onboard cooperating vessels to collect a variety of data quantifying the participation, gear, effort, catch, and discards within the fishery. The intent of this project is not to form a standalone dataset, but to augment currently available datasets. With the information derived from this project, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries can Sub-contractor Dr. Will Heyman and Cubera snapper (Continued on page 3)

3 Page 3 Gulf & South Atlantic News (Continued from page 2) Division, and the commercial shrimp fishing industry. This program will provide industry with clear and definitive information regarding TED and BRD regulations. better assess the impact of current effort and discards on the data-poor snapper-grouper fishery. The Foundation appreciates the continued cooperation of Industry. This partnership has allowed for the construction of a database that currently includes over 40,000 sampled fish. To date, Observers have made 39 trips totaling 204 at -sea days of data collection out of ports from North Carolina to northeast Florida. If you are a participant in the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery and would like to participate in our program, please reach out to the Foundation. The Foundation is scheduled to give a presentation on the project at the June SAFMC meeting in Cocoa Beach, FL. Outreach efforts are on-going. Coordinators utilize the standardized NMFS TED inspection form while conducting courtesy inspections. This assists industry in understanding the inspection process should a vessel be boarded and provides additional educational information for industry to check their gear to ensure compliance. These activities have built upon the work conducted in our previous and current gear outreach projects. Industry and NMFS have responded positively to the outreach efforts. Recent efforts have focused on the Asian-American community in Louisiana (pictured left). Pilot Study for Developing Fisheries- Independent Indices of Abundance for Juvenile Red Snapper in the U.S. South Atlantic (NA14NMF , FWC Contract #14342, GSAFFI #133A) Shrimp Fishery Turtle Excluder Device/ Bycatch Reduction Device Compliance Outreach Workshops for the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office (WC-133F-14-SE-3800, GSAFFI #132) This project constitutes a pilot study to evaluate the utility of trawls and small fish traps in providing fisheries-independent data for juvenile (age 0-1) red snapper and other managed fishes in the U.S. South Atlantic. Data from this three-year pilot study will be used to develop recommendations for a fisheries-independent monitoring survey designed to provide valuable data that can be used in creating indices of abundance and provide missing demographic data on age 0-1 red snapper and other federally-managed species. The project was funded to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and is currently being run out of the Jacksonville, FL laboratory. The Foundation was contracted to assist with providing cooperative industry participation. Five trawl sampling cruises and 13 trap sampling cruises have been completed to date. Both sampling methods have been successful at collecting juvenile red snapper. This program, funded through a contract with NOAA/ NMFS, assists with gear compliance and provides new turtle excluder device (TED) and bycatch reduction device (BRD) information to members of the shrimp fishing industry throughout the Southeast region (North Carolina to Texas). The Foundation is responsible for relaying management outcomes and providing educational outreach services to the industry affected by TED/BRD regulations. The Foundation, through its staff and Regional Coordinators, serves as a liaison between the NMFS Southeast Regional Office, Protected Resources Chevron trap (Continued on page 4)

4 Volume 17, Issue 1 Page 4 Cooperative Bottom Long-line Survey to Augment Fisheries Independent Reef Fish Data Collection in the Deepwater Snapper -Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic United States (NA15NMF , GSAFFI #134) The goal of this project is to prove the utility of an industry led deep-water fisheries independent bottom long-line (BLL) survey for the South Atlantic conducted in close collaboration with the existing fishery independent efforts by the MARMAP (and related) program(s). Bottom long-line sampling will be conducted off the coast of North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Golden and blueline tilefish will be the target species for this program. The data will be collected by observers during the course of this project and will augment the work conducted by MARMAP. By collaborating with the MARMAP group, independent fisheries data can be collected over a greater spatial range while being cost effective. In the course of this project, continuation of the collaborative monitoring efforts will be discussed and a plan will be designed for continuation and possible expansion of efforts such as inclusion of additional gears and depth zones. This project will provide immediate information for managers while providing the methodology and template for a long-term BLL survey program for the future. A planning meeting with program participants, including industry cooperators, was held in March to organize the sampling efforts. Sampling is scheduled to start May 1st through a Letter of Authorization from NOAA Fisheries. A presentation on the progress to date will be given to the SAFMC at the June meeting in Cocoa Beach, FL. First Direct Assessment of the Size- Selectivity of Hook and Line Gear, Chevron Traps, and Underwater Cameras for Red Snapper and other Reef Fishes in the U.S. South Atlantic (NA15NMF , FWC Contract #15194, GSAFFI #135) This project constitutes a one-year study off the east coast of Florida designed to examine the selectivity of various fishery-independent and fishery-dependent sampling gear for red snapper and other reef fishes in the U.S. South Atlantic. Surveys will be conducted within NMFS statistical zones 722, 728, and 732 in water depths <150 m, which represents the core of the red snapper distribution along the U.S. South Atlantic coast as well as the full expected depth range of the species. Underwater stereoscopic camera units will be deployed in conjunction with both fisheryindependent (hooked-gear used by FWC and chevron traps used by the SERFS survey) and fishery-dependent (hooked-gear methods used by industry) gear. Size structure as determined from the stereoscopic cameras will be compared with size structure from the other sampling gear to provide the first direct assessment of size-selectivity for red snapper and other reef fishes. Further, we will also explore a recent industry assertion that chevron traps and associated cameras may select against older and larger red snapper that are typically more wary than their smaller counterparts. Although the focus of the project is on red snapper, the research team anticipates providing gear-specific selectivity estimates for a variety of other managed reef fishes (e.g., black sea bass, vermilion snapper, gray triggerfish, red porgy, gag, scamp, and red grouper). As such, project results should have direct and immediate impact to the assessment of numerous managed reef fishes in the region. The Foundation was contracted to assist with providing cooperative industry participation. Gear testing trips started a the end of March and are scheduled through the second week of May. Golden and blueline tilefish SAFMC Red snapper SAFMC

5 Page 5 Gulf & South Atlantic News NOAA Fisheries hosts public meetings in April to discuss potential skimmer trawl regulations in Southeast US Agency also preparing Environmental Impact Statement NOAA Fisheries is considering new regulations in the shrimp fishery of the southeastern United States based on information indicating sea turtles are vulnerable to capture by skimmer trawls and tow times may not be as effective in reducing bycatch-related mortality as turtle excluder devices. The agency will host five public meetings around the region to discuss and receive input from fishermen and other constituents on alternatives to reduce sea turtle bycatch and mortality. These public meetings are the first stage in a multi-step process required by the National Environmental Policy Act to ensure that Federal agencies evaluate the environmental impacts of major Federal actions. During these meetings, the public is provided with an opportunity to assist us in determining the scope of issues that require analysis. The analysis of issues and the environmental impacts of the proposed actions will be presented in a draft Environmental Impact Statement, which will be made available for public comment. The notice of intent to prepare the draft statement will be published in the Federal Register on March 15, Additionally, we prepared a scoping document and a list of frequently asked questions as aids to the public on the upcoming scoping process. These documents are available on the NOAA Fisheries website at: sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/protected_resources/index.html. The scoping document describes the major issues, current management and legal requirements, and identifies potential management measures to reduce interactions, and in particular, lethal interactions, between sea turtles and trawl fisheries. The dates, times, and locations of the five meetings in April are as follows: 1.Morehead City, NC -- April 13, 2016, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC Larose, LA -- April 18, 2016, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, 307 East 5th Street, Larose, LA Belle Chasse, LA -- April 19, 2016, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Belle Chasse Community Center, 8398 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA Biloxi, MS -- April 20, 2016, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., Biloxi Visitor's Center, 1050 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MS Bayou La Batre, AL -- April 21, 2016, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., Bayou La Batre Community Center, Padgett Switch Road, Bayou La Batre, AL Scoping comments may also be submitted during a concurrent 45-day comment period. When we publish the draft EIS, it will also have a 45-day public comment period. (Southeast Fishery Bulletin, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, FB16-019, March 11, 2016)

6 Volume 17, Issue 1 Page 6 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Update The Council met in Orange Beach, AL in January and Austin, TX in April to discuss some of the following fishery issues: Recreational Red Snapper 2016 Season The Council received an update from NOAA Fisheries Service on the red snapper season projections for Both the private recreational season and federal charter for-hire season will open on June 1. NOAA Fisheries predicts a private recreational season of 6-9 days and a federal charter for-hire season of days. The final 2016 recreational red snapper season closing dates will be announced in May prior to the start of the season. To read more about how the season was calculated, visit Extend or Eliminate the Red Snapper Sector Separation Sunset Provision - Amendment 45 The Council selected a preferred alternative to extend the separate management of the federal for-hire and private angling components for an additional three calendar years - effective through the end of the 2020 fishing year. Public hearings on the amendment will be held around the Gulf coast this summer. Framework Action - Modify Red Grouper Annual Catch Limit After hearing a summary of public comments, recommendations of the Reef Fish AP, and supporting rationale for a framework action to modify the red grouper annual catch limit, the Council chose an alternative that establishes the following catch limits on the minimum ABC of 10,770,000 pounds gutted weight from the declining yield stream. Mean OFL Mean ABC Comm ACL Comm ACT/Quota Rec ACL Rec ACT 14,160,000 13,920,000 8,190,000 7,780,000 2,580,000 2,370,000 This increase in catch limits is expected to be sufficient to prevent a recreational season closure from occurring in 2016 if implemented in time. Without the increase, NMFS projected that the recreational ACL would be reached and the season closed sometime between September and December. The framework action will be transmitted to the Secretary of Commerce for approval and implementation. Hogfish Annual Catch Limit, Minimum Size Limit, and Stock Definition The Gulf Council reviewed a public hearing draft of an amendment that considers setting a management boundary between the west Florida stock of hogfish, which is located entirely in the Gulf of Mexico jurisdiction, and the east Florida/Florida Keys stock, which occurs primarily in the South Atlantic but extends partially into the Gulf Council's jurisdiction in the Florida Keys. The draft amendment also looks at defining overfished and overfishing thresholds, setting an annual catch limit and increasing both the commercial and recreational minimum size limit for hogfish. The Council selected a preferred alternative that would raise the minimum size limit of hogfish to 16 inches fork length. Shrimp The Council took final action on Shrimp Amendment 17A to extend the shrimp permit moratorium for ten years and maintains the endorsement requirement for royal red shrimp. The Council also continued work on Shrimp Amendment 17B, which considers shrimp permit issues such as setting a minimum threshold number of Gulf shrimp vessel permits and whether to create a Gulf shrimp vessel permit reserve pool, specification of optimum yield, and issues about transiting in federal waters. In addition to reviewing the draft document the Council also considered reports from the Shrimp Working Group and Shrimp Advisory Panel (AP), the Council made several modifications to the document., and a revised draft will be presented to the Council in June. (Gulf Council Update January 2016; April 2016)

7 Page 7 Gulf & South Atlantic News South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Update The Council met in Atlantic Beach, NC in December 2015 and Jekyll Island, GA in March Some of the issues tackled by the Council: Snapper Grouper Amendment 36 Spawning Special Management Zones (SMZs) The Council approved the designation of five offshore areas as Spawning Special Management Zones (SMZs) to help protect spawning fish and unique habitat associated with spawning activities in the South Atlantic. The designation would protect important spawning habitat and associated species of fish within the Council's snapper grouper management complex. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the five areas would be the first such Spawning SMZs designated in federal waters off the South Atlantic coast. The five Spawning SMZs approved by the Council are: a 5.1 square mile area off the coast of North Carolina known as the South Cape Lookout site; a 3.03 square mile area off the coast of Georgetown, South Carolina within an area called "Devil's Hole" or "Georgetown Hole"; two experimental artificial reef areas established by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources known as "Area 51" and "Area 53", each approximately 3 square miles in size off the coast of South Carolina; and a 3.6 square mile area off the east coast of the Florida Keys referred to as the "Warsaw Hole" (50 Fathom Hole) for the number of Warsaw grouper associated with the area. Fishing for species in the snapper grouper fishery management complex and anchoring would be prohibited within the proposed Spawning SMZs; anchoring is allowed in the experimental artificial reef areas. Fishermen would be allowed to troll for pelagic species such as dolphin, tuna, and billfish in the areas. Restricting bottom fishing is designed to help protect habitat and fish that gather there to spawn, resulting in the production of more eggs and larvae that could help recruitment of juvenile fish. The areas would also help reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality for snapper grouper species, including speckled hind and Warsaw grouper, two species that have been candidates for listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A transit provision is also included in the amendment. In addition to designating the Spawning SMZs, the amendment includes a sunset provision that would require the areas be reauthorized after a period of 10 years, based on their effectiveness. A System Management Plan for the Spawning SMZs was approved in conjunction with Amendment 36, outlining research/monitoring, law enforcement, and outreach needs. The amendment would also move the existing Charleston Deep Artificial Reef Marine Protected Area to match the boundary of the currently permitted site. Other Items Regulatory Amendment 25 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan will specify new annual catch limits for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic, allowing the recreational bag limit to increase from 1 fish per vessel/per day from May through August to a 3 fish per person/day May through August within the 3- fish aggregate grouper bag limit. Recreational harvest is prohibited the remainder of the year. The amendment would also increase the commercial trip limit from 100 pounds (gutted weight) to 300 pounds. It also authorizes an increase in the current recreational bag limit for black sea bass of 5 fish per person/day to 7 fish per person/day and modifies the current fishing year for yellowtail snapper, changing it from a calendar year to an August - July fishing year for both the commercial and recreational fishery. The Council has been working to develop a long-term "vision" for managing the snapper grouper fishery into the future. The result is a strategic plan called the Vision Blueprint that includes four strategic focus areas: Science, Management, Communication, and Governance. During its December meeting, the Council adopted the Vision Blueprint and ranked various ideas, drawn from the management action items in the Blueprint, to include in future amendments. Topics for amendment development include a Fishery Seasonality and Retention Amendment, Sub-regional Management Amendment, Sector-based Amendment, a Recreational Stamp/License Amendment, and a Traditional Multi-Day Bandit Boat Amendment. The Council will continue to refine items for amendments developed under the Blueprint and collect public input through the regular Council amendment process of scoping and public hearings and possibly stakeholder surveys. (SAFMC News Release, December 15, 2015; March 11, 2016),

8 Volume 17, Issue 1 April 2016 Commercial Harvest of Vermilion Snapper and Gray Triggerfish in South Atlantic Waters Close Commercial harvest of vermilion snapper in South Atlantic waters closed at 12:01 a.m. March 29, The 2016 January-June commercial catch limit is 431,460 pounds whole weight. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, Commercial harvest of gray triggerfish in South Atlantic waters closed at 12:01 a.m. April 2, 2016.The commercial annual catch limit for gray triggerfish is divided into two quotas for two 6-month periods (January through June and July through December). This commercial closure will be effective until June 30, Commercial harvest of gray triggerfish will re-open on July 1, 2016, with a commercial quota of 156,162 pounds whole weight for the July - December fishing season. The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper and that is landing vermilion snapper or gray triggerfish for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such fish prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, March 29 and April 2, 2016 respectively. During the closure: Harvest or possession of vermilion snapper and gray triggerfish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits. Sale and purchase of vermilion snapper and gray triggerfish in or from federal waters is prohibited. The closure applies in both state and federal waters for a person onboard a vessel with a federal snappergrouper permit. (Southeast Fishery Bulletin March 22, 2016 FB March 24, 2016 FB ) 2016 UPCOMING EVENTS May 2-5 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Spring Meeting, The Westin Alexandria, Alexandria, VA. 3-6 Texas Shrimp Association, Eilan Hotel and Spa, San Antonio, TX. June 7-9 Southeastern Fisheries Association, Hilton Key Largo Resort, Key Largo, FL South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, Cocoa Beach, FL. July Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Hilton Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, FL. August Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans, LA.