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1 Atlantic Mackerel Scomber scombrus Scandinavian Fishing Yearbook US North Atlantic Purse Seine 10/1/2012 Kelsey James, Consulting Researcher Disclaimer Seafood Watch strives to ensure all our Seafood Reports and the recommendations contained therein are accurate and reflect the most up to date evidence available at timee of publication. All our reports are peer science or reviewed for accuracy and completeness by external scientists withh expertise in ecology, fisheries aquaculture. Scientific review, however, does not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch program or its recommendations on the part of the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch is solelyy responsible for the conclusions reached in this report. We always welcome additional or updated data that can be used for the next revision. Seafood Watch and Seafood Reports are made possible through a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

2 2 Final Seafood Recommendation Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) caught in the US purse seine fishery is a Best Choice. Stock Fishery Impacts on the Stock Impacts on other Species Management Habitat and Ecosystem Overall Rank (Score) Lowest scoring species Rank*, Subscore, Score Rank Score Rank Score Recommendation Score Atlantic mackerel Purse Seine Yellow 2.64 No other main species caught Green, 5,5 Yellow 3 Yellow 3.16 BEST CHOICE 3.34 Scoring note scores range from zero to five where zero indicates very poor performance and five indicates the fishing operations have no significant impact.

3 3 Table of Contents Final Seafood Recommendation... 2 Executive Summary... 4 Introduction... 5 Analysis... 7 Criterion 1: Stock for which you want a recommendation... 7 Criterion 2: Impacts on other retained and bycatch stocks Criterion 3: Management effectiveness Criterion 4: Impacts on the habitat and ecosystem Acknowledgements Appendix A: Review Schedule About Seafood Watch Guiding Principles... 22

4 4 Executive Summary The Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) is an epipelagic species that inhabits the North Atlantic in two separate populations along each coast, one in the northeast and the other in the northwest. This analysis covers the northwest Atlantic Ocean population that is fished by the US fleet using purse seines. Atlantic mackerel caught in the US purse seine fishery is a Best Choice. Atlantic mackerel has medium vulnerability as a species, but has conflicting spawning stock biomass estimates between the last actual stock assessment (2005) and a draft 2009 stock assessment. Reference points from either assessment are considered inappropriate, but the Transboundary Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC) recognizes that Atlantic mackerel is experiencing reduced productivity. Purse seines are generally very selective for the target species and if at risk species are caught in any purse seine fishery, i.e. marine mammals or sea turtles, they are often released unharmed. The Atlantic mackerel purse seine fishery is not listed in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Protected Resources List of Fisheries; therefore, it does not catch marine mammals and it is not a large enough commercial fishery to be listed. Similar Northwest Atlantic purse seine fisheries are listed as category III a remote likelihood of capture or no known marine mammal interaction. There is no documented bycatch of sea turtles in from 2009 to 2010 in other northeast purse seine fisheries (NEFSC 2011). Fisheries of small pelagic fishes, like Atlantic mackerel, tend to have low discard rates because schools tend to be monospecific and fish are generally the same size. There are no bycatch species that constitute a significant amount of catch in the Atlantic mackerel purse seine fishery. The biggest concern with management is the lack of appropriate reference points for Atlantic mackerel. The fishery is set to close at 95% of the allowable biological catch (ABC) each year. The ABC has been conservatively set to account for the current uncertainty of the stock status of Atlantic mackerel. The Atlantic mackerel stock has had a very good track record with decreasing catch over time. Purse seine gear does not contact the bottom, therefore it has no impacts on seafloor habitats. Atlantic mackerel is considered an exceptional species, but management of this species in relation to its role in the ecosystem is lacking. An exceptional species plays a disproportionately important role relative to their biomass. The most recent stock assessment draft considered predation estimates when establishing natural mortality rates, but no additional assessments to evaluate their ecosystem role are underway.

5 5 Introduction Scope of the analysis and ensuing recommendation The Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) is an epipelagic species that inhabits the North Atlantic in two separate populations along each coast, one in the northeast and the other in the northwest (FAO 2012). This analysis covers the northwest Atlantic Ocean population that is fished by the US fleet using purse seines. Overview of the species and management bodies Atlantic mackerel is a schooling species distributed from North Carolina, USA to Labrador, Canada (Overholtz 2006). Northwest Atlantic mackerel is considered one stock, which appears along the coast each year in April between Chesapeake and Delaware Capes and moves northward to New England, the Gulf of Maine, and into Canadian waters for the summer (Sette 1950). In September, the stock moves southward and in December moves offshore to overwinter between Cape Hatteras, USA and Sable Island, Nova Scotia. (Sette 1950; Overholtz 2006). The maximum observed size and age are 42 cm and 20 years respectively (Overholtz 2006). Sexual maturity generally occurs between two and three years old. The US fishery is managed by annual quotas set by the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) in tandem with the squid (Doryteuthis pealeii and Illex spp.) and butterfish (Peprilus triacanthus) fisheries. The first fisheries management plan was implemented for Atlantic mackerel in 1978, and management was combined with squid and butterfish in 1983 (MAFMC 2012). Purse seines have been used to catch Atlantic mackerel since 1870 (Overholtz 2006). Fishing intensity increased in mid 1960s after the introduction of the otter trawl (Bigelow and Schroeder 2002). The estimated mackerel biomass and catch peaked in 1969 and 1973 respectively, chiefly due to strong recruitment year classes in the late 1960s, and then declined rapidly due to recruitment of small yearclasses from 1970 to 1977 (Bigelow and Schroeder 2002). US landings increased during due to the start of a joint venture fishery in the mid Atlantic region (Overholtz 2006). US landings also increased recently in , due to increased demand (Overholtz 2006). Production statistics Atlantic mackerel in the US is predominantly landed by mid water and bottom trawl (pers. comm. from the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division, Silver Spring, MD). Purse seine activity has been low in the 2000s. National catch statistics ( show 0.2 metric tonnes (mt) caught in 2001, 0.03 mt in 2007, and 16.1 mt in 2008 from purse seines. The total US Atlantic catches from all gears have been around 22,000 mt in 2009 and 10,000 mt in 2010 (Table 1; NAFO 2012).

6 6 Year Bottom trawl Midwater trawl Purse seine Other Total Table 1. US landing statistics in metric tonnes of Atlantic mackerel by gear type for (pers. comm. National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division, Silver Spring, MD). Importance to the US/North American market In January 2012 about 425 mt of mackerel (all species) from Atlantic fishing were imported into the US mainly from Canada (NMFS 2012c). In 2010 the US caught approximately 17,500 mt of all mackerel species in the Atlantic (NMFS 2012a), so US consumption of mackerel is mostly supported by US fisheries. Common and market names Mackerel, Atlantic mackerel, Boston mackerel, common mackerel, tinker and saba in sushi. Primary product forms It is sold fresh, frozen, smoked or salted whole, as fillets, headed and gutted, as steaks and canned (Fishchoice 2012).

7 7 Analysis Scoring guide All scores result in a zero to five final score for the criterion and the overall final rank. A zero score indicates poor performance, while a score of five indicates high performance. The full Seafood Watch Fisheries Criteria that the following scores relate to are available on our website at Criterion 1: Stock for which you want a recommendation Guiding principles The stock is healthy and abundant. Abundance, size, sex, age and genetic structure should be maintained at levels that do not impair the long term productivity of the stock or fulfillment of its role in the ecosystem and food web. Fishing mortality does not threaten populations or impede the ecological role of any marine life. Fishing mortality should be appropriate given current abundance and inherent resilience to fishing while accounting for scientific uncertainty, management uncertainty, and non fishery impacts such as habitat degradation. Summary Stock Fishery Inherent Vulnerability Stock Status Fishing Mortality Criterion 1 Rank (Score) Rank (Score) Rank (Score) Rank Score Atlantic mackerel Purse Seine Medium Moderate Concern (3) Moderate Concern (2.33) Yellow 2.64 Atlantic mackerel has medium vulnerability as a species, but has conflicting spawning stock biomass estimates between the last actual stock assessment (2005) and a draft 2009 stock assessment. Reference points from either assessment are considered inappropriate, but the TRAC recognizes that Atlantic mackerel is experiencing reduced productivity. Justification of Ranking Atlantic mackerel Factor 1.1 Inherent vulnerability: Medium Key relevant information:

8 8 Fishbase vulnerability is 44, which indicates medium vulnerability of this species ( Factor 1.2 Stock status: Moderate concern Key relevant information: The spawning stock biomass (SSB) was estimated at 2.3 million in 2004, but this may have been overestimated due to an unaddressed retrospective pattern (Figure 1; NEFSC 2006; TRAC 2010). From this data the SSB reference point at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) wass estimated at 644,000 mt, therefore the SSB in 2004 was above the management target. A draft stock assessment in 2009 estimated the SSB at 154,000 mt, which estimates that the stock is overfished (Figure 2; TRAC 2010). The 2005 assessment is no longer considered appropriate due to a failure to account for the retrospective pattern (TRAC 2010). The referencee points from the 2009 assessment are not recommended for management use due to the highly uncertain model results (TRAC 2010). However, there are unambiguous indications of reduced productivity and a lack of older fish in catches and fishery independent surveys (TRAC 2010). Due to the contrast between the two most recent stock assessments, and that they are both considered inappropriate, the stock is currently categorized as a moderate concern. Detailed rationale (optional): The 2005 stock assessment used an age structured forward projection model (ASAP) with flexibility to address fishery selectivity, stock recruitment, and constraintss on virgin biomass, steepness, scale and other factors (NEFSC 2006). The 2009 assessment used a VPA ADAPT (adaptive virtual population analysis) model that incorporates retrospective patterns. Thee reference point of SSB 40% estimated at 194,000, but the confidence intervals (10 th 90 th in 2008 was : 143,500 mt and 296,600 mt) only incorporate a fraction of the model uncertainty (TRAC 2010). Due to the uncertainty of the 2009 assessment results, short term projections and characterizati ions of stock status are not currently appropriate (TRAC 2010). Figure 1. Spawning stock biomass estimates during from the ASAP base model run, adapted from NEFSC 2006.

9 9 Figure 2. Spawning stock biomass from the final VPA model selected by the TRAC (2010). Factor 1.3 Fishing mortality: Moderate concern Key relevant information: The fishing mortality rate for Atlantic mackerel was estimatedd at 0.05 in 2004 (Figure 3; NEFSC 2006). The target reference point F MSY was estimated at 0.16 (NEFSCC 2006). The draft stock assessment of 2009 estimated fishing mortality at 0.51 (Figure 4) with a target reference pointt (F 40% ) of 0.25 and an overfishing point (F 0.1 ) of 0.29 (TRAC 2010). Neither the 2005 nor the 2009 estimated reference points are considered appropriate due to an unaddressed retrospective pattern and high model uncertainty (TRAC 2010). The purse seine fishery for Atlantic mackerel, however, is not a substantial contributor to Atlantic mackerel mortality. Only two vessels were recorded using purse seine gear from 2003 to 2007 in US waters (MAFMC 2011). No purse seine catch was reportedd for , where total US catch was about 22, 000, 10,000, and 500 mt respectively (Table 1; In 2007 and 2008, reported Atlantic mackerel landings from the purse seine fishery were less than 0.1% of each year s total Atlantic mackerel landings (Table 1; Detailed rationale (optional):

10 10 Figure 3. Fishing mortality for Atlantic mackerel (all gears) during from the ASAP base run model, adapted from NEFSC Figure 4. Average fishing mortality (ages 4 6) for all Northwest Atlantic mackerel fisheries from the final VPA model selected by the TRAC (2010).

11 11 Criterion 2: Impacts on other retained and bycatch stocks Guiding principles The fishery minimizes bycatch. Seafood Watch defines bycatch as all fisheries related mortality or injury other than the retained catch. Examples include discards, endangered or threatened species catch, pre catch mortality and ghost fishing. All discards, including those released alive, are considered bycatch unless there is valid scientific evidence of high post release survival and there is no documented evidence of negative impacts at the population level. Fishing mortality does not threaten populations or impede the ecological role of any marine life. Fishing mortality should be appropriate given each impacted species abundance and productivity, accounting for scientific uncertainty, management uncertainty and non fishery impacts such as habitat degradation. Summary Stock Inherent Vulnerability Rank Stock Status Rank (Score) Fishing Mortality Rank (Score) Subscore Score (subscore*discard modifier) Rank (based on subscore) No other main species caught Green Purse seines are generally very selective for the target species and if at risk species are caught in any purse seine fishery, i.e. marine mammals or sea turtles, they are often released unharmed (Thompson and Ben Yami 1984; Tudela 2004; Amande et al 2010; NMFS 2012e). The Atlantic mackerel purse seine fishery is not listed in the NOAA Office of Protected Resources List of Fisheries; therefore, it does not catch marine mammals and it is not a large enough commercial fishery to be listed. Similar Northwest Atlantic purse seine fisheries are listed as category III a remote likelihood of capture or no known marine mammal interaction. There is no documented bycatch of sea turtles in from 2009 to 2010 in other Northeast purse seine fisheries (NEFSC 2011). Fisheries of small pelagic fishes, like Atlantic mackerel, tend to have low discard rates because schools tend to be monospecific and fish are generally the same size (Kelleher 2005). There are no bycatch species that constitute a significant amount of catch in the Atlantic mackerel purse seine fishery. Detailed rationale: Since the Atlantic mackerel purse seine fishery is not listed on the NOAA List of Fisheries, there is no requirement for the fishery to be observed. Thus, fishery discards are not well known. A proxy to examine potential bycatch besides marine mammals and sea turtles is in the annual discard report based on data from the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (NEFOP; NEFSC 2011). Combined northeast purse seine fisheries, excluding the Atlantic mackerel purse seine, catch mostly Atlantic herring (~ 7.5 million lbs in a one year span), unknown herring species (101,805 lbs), unknown fish

12 12 species (762,325 lbs), and spiny dogfish (~32,000 lbs; NEFSC 2011). Alewife, blueback herring, and American shad, which are species of concern, are caught in all northeast purse seines excluding the Atlantic purse seine fishery (NEFSC 2011). Considering the catch of alewife, blueback herring, and American shad in other northeast purse seine fisheries, it is possible that these species are caught in the Atlantic mackerel purse seine, but bycatch is low enough to not be considered here. There are no other species of concern that are bycaught in northeast purse seine fisheries (NEFSC 2011). Factor 2.4 Discards and Bait Use <20%

13 13 Criterion 3: Management effectiveness Guiding principle The fishery is managed to sustain the long term productivity of all impacted species. Management should be appropriate for the inherent resilience of affected marine life and should incorporate data sufficient to assess the affected species and manage fishing mortality to ensure little risk of depletion. Measures should be implemented and enforced to ensure that fishery mortality does not threaten the long term productivity or ecological role of any species in the future. Summary Fishery Management: Retained Species Rank (Score) Purse Seine Moderate (3) Management: Non retained species Rank (Score) All Species Retained (N/A) Criterion 3 Rank Score Yellow 3 The main concern with management is the lack of appropriate reference points for Atlantic mackerel. The fishery is set to close at 95% of the allowable biological catch (ABC) each year. The ABC has been conservatively set to account for the current uncertainty of the stock status of Atlantic mackerel. The Atlantic mackerel stock has had a very good track record with decreasing catch over time. Justification of Ranking Factor 3.1 Management of fishing impacts on retained species: Moderate Fishery Mgmt strategy and implement. Recovery of stocks of concern Scientific Scientific research and advice monitoring Enforce. Track record Stakeholder inclusion Purse Seine Moderately Effective Highly Effective Moderately Effective Highly Effective Moderately Effective Highly Effective Highly Effective Key relevant information: The 2005 stock assessment states that the northwest stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. However, due to the lack of an up to date stock assessment, stock status is unknown. Regular stock assessments from fishery independent and fishery dependent data are conducted and the results are directly incorporated into MAFMC fishery management plans (FMP). Fishery closure is set at 95% of the ABC. The track record of the fishery has experienced decreased landings recently, but overall increasing abundance since the 1980s. Stakeholders and public comment are incorporated into the MAFMC FMPs regularly.

14 14 Detailed rationale: Management Strategy and Implementation: The TRAC decided that due to the uncertainty of the 2009 assessment, short term projections and stock characterizations should not be made from the 2009 estimated references points (TRAC 2010). Also the 2005 assessment failed to address a retrospective pattern (TRAC 2010), therefore the stock status is currently unknown. In 2012, the ABC was set at the average landings over three recent years ( ), 80,000 mt between Canada and the USA, until new information suggests a different approach (TRAC 2010). The 2012 ABC is a large reduction in the ABC from 156,000 mt in 2009 (MAFMC 2009) most likely due to the low catch in 2008 (TRAC 2010). The combined USA and Canada landings for 2006, 2007, and 2008 were 111,922, 79,446, and 50,685 mt respectively (TRAC 2010). Since neither the 2005 nor the 2009 estimated reference points are considered appropriate (TRAC 2010), the stock is in need of a new assessment. For this reason, management strategy and implementation is deemed moderately effective. Recovery of stocks of concern: The ABC for Atlantic mackerel has been reduced by the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council. In 2009, the ABC for Canada and USA was 156,000 mt (MAFMC 2009), but the 2012 ABC was 80,000 mt (NMFS 2012b). This shows an effort to reduce fishing mortality and suggests there is some concern for the state of the stock with observed reduced productivity and lack of older fish in the scientific surveys and commercial catches (TRAC 2010). For this reason the recovery of stocks of concern is deemed highly effective. Scientific Research and Monitoring: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) conducts fishery independent bottom trawl surveys in the spring to assess the status of the Atlantic mackerel resource (NEFSC 2006). Spring surveys have been conducted from 1968 to present (TRAC 2010). The data from this survey and two indices of abundance based on commercial catch per effort inform the stock assessment models for Atlantic mackerel (TRAC 2010). Regular stock assessments are conducted for this species, but a new stock assessment is needed since the 2009 assessment did not provide appropriate reference points. Due to the uncertainty regarding current stocks, scientific research and monitoring for the northwest Atlantic population of the Atlantic mackerel are deemed moderately effective. Scientific Advice: The MAFMC considers recommendations for the ABC from the monitoring committee, as well as from the scientific and statistical committee (NMFS 2012d). Recommendations include scientific uncertainty regarding stock status and biological reference points (NMFS 2012d) and that annual total catches not exceed the average total landings (80,000 mt) over the last three years ( ) until such time that new information suggests that a different amount is appropriate (TRAC 2010). The ABC for 2012 was directly informed by the recommendation of TRAC (2010). Therefore the scientific advice is considered highly effective. Enforcement: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) summarizes Atlantic mackerel landings from dealer reports on a weekly basis. This information is available on the Northeast Regional Office website ( The fishery will be closed when 95% of the annual quota is reached each year (NMFS 2012b). The enforcement is deemed moderately effective.

15 15 Track Record: Landings were high in 1970s (~400,000 mt) when the first FMP for Atlantic mackerel was implemented, but since then, landings have been at or below 50,000 mt up to 2004 (NEFSC 2006). The fishing mortality estimate has been maintained below F 0.1 and the abundance estimates have been stable or increasing since the mid 1980s, but the stock is experiencing low productivity and a lack of older fish (TRAC. 2010). There is some uncertainty about the current status of Atlantic mackerel, but in general, the track record is rated as highly effective. Stakeholder inclusion: All FMPs and new specifications for the Atlantic mackerel fishery are subject to comments from stakeholders and the public. Comments are included and addressed for each document produced by the MAFMC. The public comment process is encouraged and clearly laid out on the MAFMC website ( For this reason the stakeholder inclusion is considered highly effective. Factor 3.2 Management of fishing impacts on bycatch species: N/A Key relevant information: No significant bycatch exists for this fishery.

16 16 Criterion 4: Impacts on the habitat and ecosystem Guiding principles The fishery is conducted such that impacts on the seafloor are minimized and the ecological and functional roles of seafloor habitats are maintained. Fishing activities should not seriously reduce ecosystem services provided by any fished species or result in harmful changes such as trophic cascades, phase shifts or reduction of genetic diversity. Summary Fishery Impact of gear on the substrate Mitigation of gear impacts Rank (Score) Rank (Score) Rank (Score) EBFM Criterion 4 Rank Score Purse Seine None (5) N/A High Concern (2) Yellow 3.16 Purse seine gear does not contact the bottom; therefore, it has no impacts on seafloor habitats. Atlantic mackerel is considered an exceptional species, but management of this species in relation to its role in the ecosystem is lacking. The most recent stock assessment draft considered predation estimates when establishing natural mortality rates, but no additional assessments to evaluate their ecosystem role are underway. Justification Purse Seine Factor 4.1 Impact of the fishing gear on the substrate: None Key relevant information: The purse seine as a gear does not encounter the seafloor (Chuenpagdee et al. 2003). Factor 4.2 Modifying factor: Mitigation of fishing gear impacts: N/A Key relevant information: N/A. See Factor 4.1 for explanation. Factor 4.3 Ecosystem and Food Web Considerations: High concern

17 17 Key relevant information: Atlantic mackerel is considered an exceptional species following the Seafood Watch Fisheries Criteria. An exceptional species plays a disproportionately important role relative to their biomass. Atlantic mackerel is a forage species that many predators rely on for food (Bigelow and Schroeder 2002). A connection between the ecological role of Atlantic mackerel and how the species is managed is lacking. A draft scientific assessment of the stock s status including predation in the natural mortality rate has been conducted (TRAC 2010), but no additional assessments to evaluate their ecosystem role are underway.

18 18 Acknowledgements Scientific review does not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch program, or its seafood recommendations, on the part of the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch is solely responsible for the conclusions reached in this report. Seafood Watch would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for graciously reviewing this report for scientific accuracy. References Amande, M.J., J. Ariz, E. Chassot, A. Delgado de Molina, D. Gaertner, H. Murua, R. Pianet, J. Ruiz, and P. Chavance Bycatch of the European purse seine tuna fishery in the Atlantic Ocean for the period. Aquatic Living Resources. 23: Bigelow, H.B., and W.C. Schroeder Fishes of the Gulf of Maine. B.C. Collette and G. Klein MacPhee (eds.). 3 rd edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C Chuenpagdee, R., L.E. Morgan, S.M. Maxwell, E.A. Norse and D. Pauly Shifting gears: Assessing collateral impacts of fishing methods in US waters. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 1(10): FAO Species fact sheet: Scomberscrombrus. Food and agriculture organization (FAO). Fishchoice Mackerel, Atlantic. Seafood/Search Results/Product Detail/tabid/68/ProductId/468/Default.aspx Hall, M.A An ecological view of the tuna dolphin problem: impacts and trade offs. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 8:1 34. Kelleher, K Discards in the world s marine fisheries.fao Fisheries Technical Paper no pp MAFMC proposed and final federal commercial and recreational management measures. Mid Atlantic Fisheries Management Council pdf MAFMC Amendment 11 to the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB) fishery management plan (FMP). Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council. %20FINAL_2011_05_12.pdf MAFMC History of the Atlantic mackerel, squid and butterfish FMP. Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council. hist.htm NAFO NAFO Annual Fisheries Statistics Databases. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization. stats.html NEFSC Stock Assessment Report Part A: silver hake, Atlantic mackerel and northern shortfin squid. 42 nd Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop. Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). NEFSC Reference Document 06 09a. 284 pp NEFSC Standardized bycatch reporting methodology annual discard report. Section p.

19 19 NMFS. 2012a. Annual Commercial Landings by Gear Type. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NMFS. 2012b. Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish fisheries. Northeast Region Bulletin. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). March 2012 NMFS. 2012c. Cumulative Trade Data by Product. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NMFS. 2012d. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Specifications and Management Measures. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.National Marine Fisheries Service /fisheries of thenortheastern united states atlantic mackerel squid and butterfish fisheries 21 March NMFS. 2012e. List of Fisheries National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Overholtz, W Atlantic Mackerel. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern US. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration (NOAA). Sette, O.E Biology of the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) of North America. Part II Migrations and habits. Fishery Bulletin Thompson, D.B., and M. Ben Yami Fishing gear selectivity and performance. In. FAO Papers presented at the expert consultation on the regulation of fishing effort (fishing mortality). Rome, January TRAC Atlantic mackerel in the Northwest Atlantic. Transboundary Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC). TRAC Status Report 2010/01. Tudela, S Ecosystem effects of fishing in the Mediterranean: an analysis of the main threats of fishing gear and practices to biodiversity and marine habits. General fisheries commission for the Mediterranean studies and reviews. No. 74. FAO. 44 p.

20 20 Appendix A: Review Schedule Stock assessments of Atlantic mackerel occur on a regular basis. The latest was published in 2010, and the previous one was published in Due to the contrast in spawning stock biomass and fishing mortality estimates between the two latest assessments, more definitive work will occur to resolve the biological reference point estimates. Work will likely be conducted by the US and Canada. There is no timeline for the next assessment.

21 21 About Seafood Watch Monterey Bay Aquarium s Seafood Watch program evaluates the ecological sustainability of wildcaught and farmed seafood commonly found in the United States marketplace. Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether wild caught or farmed, which can maintain or increase production in the long term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. Seafood Watch makes its science based recommendations available to the public in the form of regional pocket guides that can be downloaded from The program s goals are to raise awareness of important ocean conservation issues and empower seafood consumers and businesses to make choices for healthy oceans. Each sustainability recommendation on the regional pocket guides is supported by a Seafood Report. Each report synthesizes and analyzes the most current ecological, fisheries and ecosystem science on a species, then evaluates this information against the program s conservation ethic to arrive at a recommendation of Best Choices, Good Alternatives or Avoid. The detailed evaluation methodology is available upon request. In producing the Seafood Reports, Seafood Watch seeks out research published in academic, peer reviewed journals whenever possible. Other sources of information include government technical publications, fishery management plans and supporting documents, and other scientific reviews of ecological sustainability. Seafood Watch Research Analysts also communicate regularly with ecologists, fisheries and aquaculture scientists, and members of industry and conservation organizations when evaluating fisheries and aquaculture practices. Capture fisheries and aquaculture practices are highly dynamic; as the scientific information on each species changes, Seafood Watch s sustainability recommendations and the underlying Seafood Reports will be updated to reflect these changes. Parties interested in capture fisheries, aquaculture practices and the sustainability of ocean ecosystems are welcome to use Seafood Reports in any way they find useful. For more information about Seafood Watch and Seafood Reports, please contact the Seafood Watch program at Monterey Bay Aquarium by calling

22 22 Guiding Principles Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether fished1 or farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the long term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. The following guiding principles illustrate the qualities that capture fisheries must possess to be considered sustainable by the Seafood Watch program: Stocks are healthy and abundant. Fishing mortality does not threaten populations or impede the ecological role of any marine life. The fishery minimizes bycatch. The fishery is managed to sustain long term productivity of all impacted species. The fishery is conducted such that impacts on the seafloor are minimized and the ecological and functional roles of seafloor habitats are maintained. Fishing activities should not seriously reduce ecosystem services provided by any fished species or result in harmful changes such as trophic cascades, phase shifts, or reduction of genetic diversity. Based on these guiding principles, Seafood Watch has developed a set of four sustainability criteria to evaluate capture fisheries for the purpose of developing a seafood recommendation for consumers and businesses. These criteria are: 1. Impacts on the species/stock for which you want a recommendation 2. Impacts on other species 3. Effectiveness of management 4. Habitat and ecosystem impacts Each criterion includes: Factors to evaluate and rank Evaluation guidelines to synthesize these factors and to produce a numerical score A resulting numerical score and rank for that criterion Once a score and rank has been assigned to each criterion, an overall seafood recommendation is developed on additional evaluation guidelines. Criteria ranks and the overall recommendation are color coded to correspond to the categories on the Seafood Watch pocket guide: Best Choices/Green: Are well managed and caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Good Alternatives/Yellow: Buy, but be aware there are concerns with how they re caught or farmed. Avoid/Red: Take a pass on these. These items are overfished or caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment. 1 Fish is used throughout this document to refer to finfish, shellfish and other invertebrates.