Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Stock Assessment and Fisheries Evaluation Report 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Stock Assessment and Fisheries Evaluation Report 2019 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 2019 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division May 2020 Highly Migratory Species Management Division NOAA Fisheries 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone (301) 427-8503 Fax (301) 713-1917 For HMS Permitting Information and Regulations • HMS recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen, and dealer compliance guides: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-hms-fishery- compliance-guides • Regulatory updates for tunas: hmspermits.noaa.gov For HMS Permit Purchase or Renewals Open Access Vessel Permits Issuer Permits Contact Information HMS Permit HMS Charter/Headboat, (888) 872-8862 Shop Atlantic Tunas (General, hmspermits.noaa.gov Harpoon, Trap), Swordfish General Commercial, HMS Angling (recreational) Southeast Commercial Caribbean Small (727) 824-5326 Regional Boat, Smoothhound Shark www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/resources- Office fishing/southeast-fisheries-permits Greater Incidental HMS Squid Trawl (978) 281-9370 Atlantic www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid- Regional atlantic/resources-fishing/vessel-and-dealer- Fisheries permitting-greater-atlantic-region Office Limited Access Vessel Permits Issuer Permits Contact Information HMS Permit Atlantic Tunas Purse Seine (888) 872-8862 Shop category hmspermits.noaa.gov Southeast Directed Shark, Incidental (727) 824-5326 Regional Shark, Directed Swordfish, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/resources- Office Incidental Swordfish, Atlantic fishing/southeast-fisheries-permits Tunas Longline category Dealer Permits Issuer Permits Contact Information Greater Atlantic Atlantic Tunas (978) 281-9370 Regional Dealer www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/resources- Fisheries Office fishing/vessel-and-dealer-permitting-greater-atlantic-region Southeast Atlantic Shark (727) 824-5326 Regional Office Dealer and Atlantic www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/resources- Swordfish Dealer fishing/southeast-fisheries-permits ii U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service For Safety-at-Sea Information through the U.S. Coast Guard • Region-based regulatory and safety information: www.uscg.mil/Units/Organization • Safety alerts, news bulletins and regulatory information: mariners.coastguard.blog For Copies of HMS SAFE Reports • 2014–present: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/content/atlantic-hms-stock-assessment-and- fisheries-evaluation-reports • 2000–2013: Send email to: [email protected] Cover image: Fallbrook, iStock. iii Table of Contents For HMS Permitting Information and Regulations ......................................................................................... ii For HMS Permit Purchase or Renewals ........................................................................................................ ii For Safety-at-Sea Information through the U.S. Coast Guard ...................................................................... iii For Copies of HMS SAFE Reports ............................................................................................................... iii List of Tables and Figures ........................................................................................................................... vii List of Commonly Used Acronyms ............................................................................................................. xiv Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. xviii 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Agency Activities and Regulatory Actions for HMS in 2019 ................................................ 3 1.3 International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas 2019 Accomplishments . 7 1.3.1 Bluefin Tuna ............................................................................................................ 8 1.3.2 Tropical Tunas ........................................................................................................ 8 1.3.3 Marlins .................................................................................................................... 8 1.3.4 Sharks ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.5 Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance Measures..................................................... 9 1.3.6 Convention Amendment.......................................................................................... 9 1.3.7 Compliance ............................................................................................................. 9 1.3.8 Harvest Control Rules and Management Strategy Evaluation ................................ 9 1.4 State Regulations .............................................................................................................. 10 2 STATUS OF THE STOCKS .................................................................................................................. 23 2.1 Status Determination Thresholds ...................................................................................... 23 2.2 Stock Assessment Determinations .................................................................................... 25 2.3 Stock Assessment Report References .............................................................................. 36 Chapter 2 References .................................................................................................................. 37 3 ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ................................................................................................................ 39 3.1 Current Essential Fish Habitat Boundary Data Sources .................................................... 39 3.2 Essential Fish Habitat Designations in the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan and Its Amendments............................................................................ 39 3.3 Shark Nursery Grounds and Essential Fish Habitat Studies ............................................. 40 3.3.1 Cooperative Atlantic States Shark Pupping and Nursery Survey Results ............. 41 3.3.2 Gulf of Mexico States Shark Pupping and Nursery Survey Results ...................... 44 3.3.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 49 Chapter 3 References .................................................................................................................. 51 4 PERMITS AND TOURNAMENTS......................................................................................................... 53 4.1 HMS Vessel Permits .......................................................................................................... 53 4.1.1 Limited Access Permits ......................................................................................... 53 4.1.2 Incidental HMS Squid Trawl Permit ...................................................................... 59 4.1.3 Open Access Permits............................................................................................ 59 4.1.4 HMS Permit Endorsements ................................................................................... 71 4.2 Exempted Fishing Permits, Display Permits, Letters of Acknowledgement, Scientific Research Permits, and the Shark Research Fishery ......................................................... 71 4.3 Dealer Permits for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Shark .................................................. 73 4.4 Atlantic HMS Tournaments ................................................................................................ 76 4.4.1 Background ........................................................................................................... 76 iv U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 4.4.2 Registration Data .................................................................................................. 77 5 FISHERY LANDINGS DATA ................................................................................................................ 83 5.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 83 5.2 Data by Species ................................................................................................................ 83 5.2.1 Total Allowable Catch and Annual Catch Limits for Atlantic HMS Management Groups .................................................................................................................. 83 5.2.2 U.S. Landings by Species ..................................................................................... 86 5.2.3 U.S. Catch Comparison to International Catch ..................................................... 94 5.3 Data by Gear ....................................................................................................................