Sometimes known as Allmouth, Anglerfish, Goosefish, Molligut, Anko, Ankimo

MONKFISH Lophius americanus Sometimes known as Allmouth, Anglerfish, Goosefish, Molligut, Anko, Ankimo SUMMARY Monkfish grow slowly but mature quickly and are typically found in dense aggregations (large groups) on mud and sand bottoms along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. and Canada. They were traditionally caught as bycatch and discarded until the 1980s when market demand first grew in Asia and Europe, and later in North America. Monkfish were considered overfished for many years but through good management their abundance is now at moderate levels. Many fisheries in New England and the Mid-Atlantic catch Monkfish, but the majority are caught in gillnet and bottom-trawl fisheries. Bottom trawling can damage the seafloor. Chef Barton Seaver describes Monkfish as similar to lobster in flavor and texture, it is sometimes referred to as poor man s lobster. It offers dense, meaty flesh with a lingering sweetness. Criterion Points Final Score Color Life History 1.75 2.40-4.00 Abundance 1.75 1.60-2.39 Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts 1.50 0.00-1.59 Management 2.25 Bycatch 2.25 Final Score 1.90 Color

LIFE HISTORY Core Points (only one selection allowed) If a value for intrinsic rate of increase ( r ) is known, assign the score below based on this value. If no r-value is available, assign the score below for the correct age at 50% maturity for females if specified, or for the correct value of growth rate ('k'). If no estimates of r, age at 50% maturity, or k are available, assign the score below based on maximum age. 1.00 Intrinsic rate of increase <0.05; OR age at 50% maturity >10 years; OR growth rate <0.15; OR maximum age >30 years. 2.00 Intrinsic rate of increase = 0.05-0.15; OR age at 50% maturity = 5-10 years; OR a growth rate = 0.16 0.30; OR maximum age = 11-30 years. The intrinsic rate of increase for Monkfish is not known. Female Monkfish start to become sexually mature at age 4, with 50% of females reaching sexual maturity by age 5 (43 cm or 17 in. body length) (NEFSC 2002; 2007). For male Monkfish, 50% reach sexual maturity by age 4 (36 cm or 14 in. body length). Growth for Monkfish is initially rapid but slows as they become adults, with adult growth rates ranging from 0.06-0.12 (NEFSC 2007; Fishbase 2008). Maximum body length captured is over 4 ft (NEFSC 2007). Males have a maximum age of 9 years, and females a maximum age of 12 years (Armstrong et al. 1992). A score of 2 was awarded to reflect the contrasting life history characteristics. 3.00 Intrinsic rate of increase >0.16; OR age at 50% maturity = 1-5 years; OR growth rate >0.30; OR maximum age <11 years. Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed) -0.25 Species has special behaviors that make it especially vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., spawning aggregations; site fidelity; segregation by sex; migratory bottlenecks; unusual attraction to gear; etc.). Little is known about the behavior of Monkfish, thus no points were added or subtracted. -0.25 Species has a strategy for sexual development that makes it especially vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., age at 50% maturity >20 years; sequential hermaphrodites; extremely low fecundity).

-0.25 Species has a small or restricted range (e.g., endemism; numerous evolutionarily significant units; restricted to one coastline; e.g., American lobster; striped bass; endemic reef fishes). Monkfish are found in the Atlantic Ocean from the Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) to the east coast of Florida, but are only common north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (Steimle et al. 1999). They can also be found in the lower Chesapeake Bay from late fall to early spring (DNR 1999). This is considered a small range. -0.25 Species exhibits high natural population variability driven by broad-scale environmental change (e.g. El Nino; decadal oscillations). +0.25 Species does not have special behaviors that increase ease or population consequences of capture OR has special behaviors that make it less vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., species is widely dispersed during spawning). +0.25 Species has a strategy for sexual development that makes it especially resilient to fishing pressure (e.g., age at 50% maturity <1 year; extremely high fecundity). Females lay a large buoyant egg mass which can hold between 300,000 to 3.2 million eggs (Armstrong et al. 1992; Steimle et al. 1999). No points were added because eggs remain in the mass until hatching. +0.25 Species is distributed over a very wide range (e.g., throughout an entire hemisphere or ocean basin; e.g., swordfish; tuna; Patagonian toothfish). +0.25 Species does not exhibit high natural population variability driven by broad-scale environmental change (e.g., El Nino; decadal oscillations). 1.75 Points for Life History

ABUNDANCE Core Points (only one selection allowed) Compared to natural or un-fished level, the species population is: 1.00 Low: Abundance or biomass is <75% of BMSY or similar proxy (e.g., spawning potential ratio). 2.00 Medium: Abundance or biomass is 75-125% of BMSY or similar proxy; OR population is approaching or recovering from an overfished condition; OR adequate information on abundance or biomass is not available. In the U.S. Monkfish are managed in two separate regions: the Northern Fishery Management Area (NFMA) extending from Maine to Massachusetts, and the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA) which manages the fishery south of Massachusetts. Monkfish landings in the northern region peaked at 15,100 million tonnes in 2003 (NEFSC 2007). Landings peaked at 19,300 million tonnes in 1998 in the southern region (NEFSC 2007). The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) and Mid-Atlantic Management Council (MAMC), along with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) which was implemented in 1999 and aimed at better managing the fishery (NEFMC 1998). Monkfish was placed under a rebuilding plan in 1999, and Framework Adjustment 2 of the FMP established biomass targets (as weight per tow or kg/tow) for monitoring and rebuilding the fishery. The target was 2.5 kg/tow for the northern area and 1.85 kg/tow for the southern region. In 2005, Monkfish in both management areas were overfished, and had been for nearly a decade (NEFSC 2007). However, effective in 2008 the Fisheries Management Plan revised the definition of biomass target to total stock biomass, as recommended by the Northeast Data Poor Stocks Working Group (July 2007). Monkfish populations in both regions are no longer defined as overfished, and overfishing is not occurring (NOAA 2009). Instead they are defined as rebuilt, but a precautionary approach to management is still recommended (NEFMC 2008). In Canada, Monkfish are managed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Most research concentrates on the Grand Banks and Scotian Shelf, and population surveys reports indicate that biomass and individual size is decreasing (DFO 2000; DFO 2002). 3.00 High: Abundance or biomass is >125% of BMSY or similar proxy.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed) -0.25 The population is declining over a generational time scale (as indicated by biomass estimates or standardized CPUE). -0.25 Age, size or sex distribution is skewed relative to the natural condition (e.g., truncated size/age structure or anomalous sex distribution). In the U.S. the sex distribution is skewed, with all Monkfish larger than 70 cm (total length) being female. In the northern region Monkfish between 20-60 cm have a 50:50 sex ratio. In the southern region the sex ratio is 50:50 for Monkfish between 20-40 cm, while the percentage of females decreases to 30-40 % for Monkfish between 40-60 cm (NEFSC 2002). In the southern Mid-Atlantic Bight region fish 40-65 cm long are predominantly males (Richards et al., 2008). In Canada, data shows that the number of large Monkfish (>70 cm) is continuing to decline (DFO 2002). The mean size of Monkfish in both the northern and southern regions has decreased over generational time (NEFSC 2007). -0.25 Species is listed as "overfished" OR species is listed as "depleted", "endangered", or "threatened" by recognized national or international bodies. Under the latest Fisheries Management Plan, Monkfish is not considered overfished (NEFMC 2008), thus no points were deducted. -0.25 Current levels of abundance are likely to jeopardize the availability of food for other species or cause substantial change in the structure of the associated food web. Monkfish are ambush predators feeding on fish, cephalopods and sea birds (NOAA/ NMFS undated). No associated changes in the food web are known as a result of Monkfish fisheries, but due a lack of further information points are neither added nor subtracted. +0.25 The population is increasing over a generational time scale (as indicated by biomass estimates or standardized CPUE). Monkfish in both the northern and southern regions are no longer considered overfished and overfishing is not occurring (NOAA 2009) but it is too early to determine if Monkfish abundance is increasing over generational time, thus no points were added. +0.25 Age, size or sex distribution is functionally normal. +0.25 Species is close to virgin biomass.

+0.25 Current levels of abundance provide adequate food for other predators or are not known to affect the structure of the associated food web. 1.75 Points for Abundance HABITAT QUALITY AND FISHING GEAR IMPACTS Core Points (only one selection allowed) Select the option that most accurately describes the effect of the fishing method upon the habitat that it affects 1.00 The fishing method causes great damage to physical and biogenic habitats (e.g., cyanide; blasting; bottom trawling; dredging). Monkfish are targeted in multispecies fisheries, as well as caught incidentally and landed in other fisheries, resulting in no true directed' fishery. The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) defines the directed fishery as any fishing trip that takes more than 400 lbs of Monkfish (NEFMC 2004). Commercial fisheries use gillnets, trawls and scallop dredges (Richards et al., 2008). In the U.S. northern management region 80% of landings are caught in bottom trawls, 19% in gillnets and <1% using scallop dredges (NEFSC 2007). In the U.S. southern management region 66% of landings are caught in gillnets, 18% in trawls and 16% using scallop dredges (NEFSC 2005; 2007). In Canada Monkfish are caught using all three methods (DFO 2000; DFO 2002). A trawl fishery began in 1991, and an experimental gill net fishery was used between 1993 and 1994. Since then the directed fishery has primarily used gill nets (DFO 2000). Monkfish are caught for their meaty tails popular in the U.S. and Europe, and livers which are popular in Asia. In the U.S. 97 % of the Monkfish sold are caught from U.S. waters (NOAA/NMFS undated). Until the late 1990's landings were dominated by Monkfish tails, this has since declined as a demand has increased for whole gutted fish (NEFSC 2002). Harvesting peaks during November to June, and market value is highest in the fall due to the high quality of liver (NEFSC 2007). A score of 1 was given because many Monkfish are caught using bottom trawls, which can cause extensive damage to the seafloor. 2.00 The fishing method does moderate damage to physical and biogenic habitats (e.g., bottom gillnets; traps and pots; bottom longlines).

3.00 The fishing method does little damage to physical or biogenic habitats (e.g., hand picking; hand raking; hook and line; pelagic long lines; mid-water trawl or gillnet; purse seines). Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed) -0.25 Habitat for this species is so compromised from non-fishery impacts that the ability of the habitat to support this species is substantially reduced (e.g., dams; pollution; coastal development). -0.25 Critical habitat areas (e.g., spawning areas) for this species are not protected by management using time/area closures, marine reserves, etc. No critical habitat areas have been assigned for Monkfish. -0.25 No efforts are being made to minimize damage from existing gear types OR new or modified gear is increasing habitat damage (e.g., fitting trawls with roller rigs or rockhopping gear; more robust gear for deep-sea fisheries). -0.25 If gear impacts are substantial, resilience of affected habitats is very slow (e.g., deep water corals; rocky bottoms). +0.25 Habitat for this species remains robust and viable and is capable of supporting this species. Monkfish spend most of their time densely congregated in soft bottom substrate (mud and sand), which is highly resilient to disturbance and is likely capable of supporting this species. +0.25 Critical habitat areas (e.g., spawning areas) for this species are protected by management using time/area closures, marine reserves, etc. +0.25 Gear innovations are being implemented over a majority of the fishing area to minimize damage from gear types OR no innovations necessary because gear effects are minimal. The Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) implemented regulations to aid in protecting the habitat from gear damage. Two deep-sea canyons are closed to all gear types to help protect deep-sea corals and sponges. Trawlers fishing in the southern management region need to have a maximum roller disc diameter of 6 inches. These regulations were passed to aid in management and conservation of the Monkfish fishery (NEFMC 2004).

+0.25 If gear impacts are substantial, resilience of affected habitats is fast (e.g., mud or sandy bottoms) OR gear effects are minimal. Monkfish live in pelagic and demersal waters depending on their life stage. For most of their life, they live densely congregated on soft bottom substrate (mud and sand), which is highly resilient to the effects of bottom trawls and gill nets (NEFSC 2007). 1.50 Points for Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts MANAGEMENT Core Points (only one selection allowed) Select the option that most accurately describes the current management of the fisheries of this species. 1.00 Regulations are ineffective (e.g., illegal fishing or overfishing is occurring) OR the fishery is unregulated (i.e., no control rules are in effect). 2.00 Management measures are in place over a major portion over the species' range but implementation has not met conservation goals OR management measures are in place but have not been in place long enough to determine if they are likely to achieve conservation and sustainability goals. In the U.S. Monkfish populations decreased during the 1980's and 1990's, and as a result a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was implemented in November 1999 aimed at addressing the problem. Management includes: target catch levels defined as Total Allowable Catch (TAC's), limiting the number of days at sea, trip limits, bycatch allowances, minimum fish sizes, minimum mesh sizes, gear restrictions, spawning season closures, and permit and reporting requirements (NEFMC 1998). The National Marine Fisheries Service sent notification to Monkfish permit holders stating that effective May 2008 Monkfish populations are no longer considered overfished, but defined as rebuilt (NOAA/NMFS 2008). A score of 2 was assigned because this rebuilt status has been for a short period of time. 3.00 Substantial management measures are in place over a large portion of the species range and have demonstrated success in achieving conservation and sustainability goals. Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)

-0.25 There is inadequate scientific monitoring of stock status, catch or fishing effort. In the U.S. current data collection and report availability is adequate for monitoring Monkfish abundance, catch and fishing effort. The NEFSC runs the Co-operative Monkfish Research Program. The program uses 500 Monkfish directed fishery days each year for related research, which is funded by revenues generated from fishing during these days (NOAA/NMFS undated). In Canada the DFO has limited knowledge on size, age structure, growth rates, age at maturity, and commercial catch size and ages (DFO 2000). Points were not added or subtracted due to these differences in scientific monitoring. -0.25 Management does not explicitly address fishery effects on habitat, food webs, and ecosystems. -0.25 This species is overfished and no recovery plan or an ineffective recovery plan is in place. -0.25 Management has failed to reduce excess capacity in this fishery or implements subsidies that result in excess capacity in this fishery. +0.25 There is adequate scientific monitoring, analysis and interpretation of stock status, catch and fishing effort. +0.25 Management explicitly and effectively addresses fishery effects on habitat, food webs, and ecosystems. +0.25 This species is overfished and there is a recovery plan (including benchmarks, timetables and methods to evaluate success) in place that is showing signs of success OR recovery plan is not needed. The Fisheries Management Plan took effect in 1999 when the Monkfish was declared overfished, and a 10 year rebuilding plan was implemented. As of May 2008 Monkfish are no longer considered overfished, but in the rebuilding phase with a precautionary approach to management in effect (NEFMC 2008). +0.25 Management has taken action to control excess capacity or reduce subsidies that result in excess capacity OR no measures are necessary because fishery is not overcapitalized. The fishery is not overcapitalized due to the implementation of annual quotas, limit access program and no subsides in place for the fishery. However, excess capacity occurs when vessels catch Monkfish while targeting other species. As a result, no points were added or subtracted. 2.25 Points for Management

BYCATCH Core Points (only one selection allowed) Select the option that most accurately describes the current level of bycatch and the consequences that result from fishing this species. The term, "bycatch" used in this document excludes incidental catch of a species for which an adequate management framework exists. The terms, "endangered, threatened, or protected," used in this document refer to species status that is determined by national legislation such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (or another nation's equivalent), the IUCN Red List, or a credible scientific body such as the American Fisheries Society. 1.00 Bycatch in this fishery is high (>100% of targeted landings), OR regularly includes a "threatened, endangered or protected species." 2.00 Bycatch in this fishery is moderate (10-99% of targeted landings) AND does not regularly include "threatened, endangered or protected species" OR level of bycatch is unknown. Monkfish are caught in directed fisheries and as incidental catch in otter trawl, sink gill net, and scallop dredge fisheries. Monkfish larger than 40 cm are generally kept, while individuals between 20-40 cm are discarded (NEFSC 2002). The majority of Monkfish in the northern area are caught by multi-species trawling, and the majority in the southern area is caught using gill nets. Discard rate estimates have increased since the Fisheries Management Plan was implemented. In the northern area the discard rate has increased from 7-15% of the catch from 1996 to 2000, to 16-24% between 2001 and 2003. In the southern area the discard rate has increased from 6-22% of the catch from 1996 to 2000, to 20-50% between 2001 and 2003 (NEFSC 2005). Scallop dredges have the highest discard rate and gill nets the lowest. Monkfish are mainly discarded in the trawl and scallop fisheries due to being too small for the markets or below minimum size, where as gill net discards are mainly due to poor quality of the fish (NEFSC 2002). Monkfish fisheries also discard other species, with winter skates, thorny skates, dogfish and red crab being the most frequently discarded species (NOAA/NMFS undated). Discards occur due to being too small to sell, or under the minimum size allowed for the fishery. Fishing gears used to harvest Monkfish adversely interact with marine mammals and sea turtles, mainly through entanglement with gill nets. Many of the effected species are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 or listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Actions are being taken to minimize the risk of fishing on these endangered species (NEFMC 2008). A score of 2 is assigned here because bycatch is between 10-99 % of total landings, and it is hard to attribute the gill net deaths of marine mammals and turtles to a specific fishery.

3.00 Bycatch in this fishery is low (<10% of targeted landings) and does not regularly include "threatened, endangered or protected species." Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed) -0.25 Bycatch in this fishery is a contributing factor to the decline of "threatened, endangered, or protected species" and no effective measures are being taken to reduce it. Measures are in place to reduce the effect of fishing gear on marine mammals and sea turtles. The gill net fishery falls under the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction which is designed to reduce the fishing impact on right, fin, humpback and minke whales, and the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan which requires gear modifications and area closures. Underwater video cameras have been used to observe the interaction of marine mammals and turtles with fishing gear. As of 2003 seasonal closures of large mesh gill nets occur off the coast of Virginia and North Carolina to reduce the impact of the industry on threatened and endangered sea turtles (NOAA/NMFS undated; NEFMC 2008). Points were subtracted because it is unknown if gear modifications have significantly reduced bycatch of marine mammals and turtles. -0.25 Bycatch of targeted or non-targeted species (e.g., undersize individuals) in this fishery is high and no measures are being taken to reduce it. -0.25 Bycatch of this species (e.g., undersize individuals) in other fisheries is high OR bycatch of this species in other fisheries inhibits its recovery, and no measures are being taken to reduce it. -0.25 The continued removal of the bycatch species contributes to its decline. +0.25 Measures taken over a major portion of the species range have been shown to reduce bycatch of "threatened, endangered, or protected species" or bycatch rates are no longer deemed to affect the abundance of the "protected" bycatch species OR no measures needed because fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear). +0.25 There is bycatch of targeted (e.g., undersize individuals) or non-targeted species in this fishery and measures (e.g., gear modifications) have been implemented that have been shown to reduce bycatch over a large portion of the species range OR no measures are needed because fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear). In the U.S. minimum mesh sizes are in effect for the gill net fishery (10 inches for square mesh and 12 inches for diamond mesh). This has reduced the capture rate of skates and other groundfish (NEFMC 2004). In Canada similar mesh sizes are used (300 mm or 356 mm) to reduce bycatch of other species (DFO 2000).

+0.25 Bycatch of this species in other fisheries is low OR bycatch of this species in other fisheries inhibits its recovery, but effective measures are being taken to reduce it over a large portion of the range. Before the 1980's Monkfish were caught as bycatch in scallop and groundfish fisheries, and were generally discarded, sold outside of dealers, or kept for personal consumption (NEFSC 2002). To reduce high discard rates in other fisheries all vessels that catch Monkfish can retain them. There are minimum net mesh sizes in effect in the U.S. and Canadian gill net and trawl fisheries to reduce the catch of juvenile Monkfish (DFO 2000; NEFMC 2004). +0.25 The continued removal of the bycatch species in the targeted fishery has had or will likely have little or no impact on populations of the bycatch species OR there are no significant bycatch concerns because the fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear). 2.25 Points for Bycatch REFERENCES Armstrong MP, JA Musick, JA Colvocoresses. 1992. Age, growth, and reproduction of the goosefish Lophius americanus (Pisces: Lophiiformes). Fisheries Bull. 90: 217-230. DFO (Department Fisheries and Oceans Canada). 2000. Monkfish in divisions 3L, 3N, 3O and subdivision 3Ps. Stock Status Report A2-20. DFO (Department Fisheries and Oceans Canada). 2002. Monkfish on the Scotian Shelf and Northeast Georges Bank (4VWX and 5Zc). Stock Status Report A3-30. DNR (Maryland Department of Natural Resources). 1999. Monkfish Fact Sheet. Available online at: www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/monkfish.asp Fishbase. 2008. Lophius americanus. Available online at: http://www.fishbase.org. Accessed 25 June 2008. NEFMC (New England Fishery Management Council). 1998. Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). NEFMC (New England Fishery Management Council). 2004. Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Framework Adjustment 2.

NEFMC (New England Fishery Management Council). 2008. Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Framework Adjustment 5. NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center). 2002. 34th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (34th SAW) Stock Assessment Review Committee Consensus Summary of Assessments. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 02-06. NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center). 2005. 40th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (40th SAW) Stock Assessment Review Committee Consensus Summary of Assessments. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 05-04. NEFSC (2007) Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern US: Monkfish. Available at: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/og/goose/ NOAA/NMFS (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Service). Undated. FishWatch C U.S. Seafood Facts Monkfish (Goosefish). Available online at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/monkfish.htm NOAA/NMFS (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Service). 2008. Small Entity Compliance Guide, Monkfish Framework 5 Final Measures, notice sent to Monkfish Permit Holders. NOAA 2009. 2008 Status of U.S. Fisheries. Richards A, PC Nitschke, KA Sosebee. 2008. Population biology of Lophius americanus. ICES J. of Mar. Sci. 1-15 Steimle FW, WW Morse, DL Johnson. 1999. Essential fish habitat source document: Goosefish, Lophius americanus, life history and habitat characteristics. NOAA Tech. Memorandum NMFS- SE 127.