Interstate Fisheries Management Program Implementation for North Carolina
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INTERSTATE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION FOR NORTH CAROLINA By Kevin Brown and Blake Price Completion Report for NOAA Award No. NA16FG1220 Segment 3 Study II DOCUMENTATION AND REDUCTION OF BYCATCH IN NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES JOB 3: Commercial Gillnet Observations in the Large (> 5 inch stretch mesh) and Small (< 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries throughout the Albemarle Sound, Pamlico/Pungo Rivers, and the Neuse River, North Carolina September 2004 Abstract Observations were made of commercial gillnet fisheries throughout the Albemarle Sound Management Area, the Neuse River, and the Pamlico/Pungo River from January through June 2004. These observations were used to characterize the fishery and determine relative effort and discards of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and other federally managed species of finfish. Observations were made on 101 trips, consisting of 985 nets with a total length of 125,042 yards. Three different gear types were observed: anchored sink gillnets, anchored floating gillnets, and runaround gillnets. There were 423 striped bass observed in this study, with 92% of these caught in the winter. The Albemarle Sound was the most productive area for striped bass. The at-net mortality of striped bass in the winter was low (7% in the large mesh fishery and 2% in the small mesh fishery, respectively). The at-net mortality of striped bass in the large mesh spring fishery was 53%. No striped bass were observed in the spring small mesh fishery. Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus) were only observed in the large mesh spring fishery and all were released alive. The results of this study offer insights for fishery managers developing Fishery Management Plans and may assist in bycatch mortality estimates. Recommendations include expansion of the observer coverage in commercial gillnet fisheries to encompass all seasons, establishing a long-term observer program throughout North Carolina commercial fisheries and requiring mandatory observer coverage in North Carolina commercial fisheries. ii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. v Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Coverage ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Gear Parameters ........................................................................................................................... 7 Species Composition .................................................................................................................... 8 Effort .......................................................................................................................................... 10 Key Species Catches .................................................................................................................. 12 Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) – Key Species ........................................................................... 16 Finfish Bycatch .......................................................................................................................... 18 At Net Discard Mortality ........................................................................................................... 21 Runaround Gillnet Fishery ......................................................................................................... 21 Striped Bass ............................................................................................................................... 22 Red Drum ................................................................................................................................... 23 Sea Bird and Protected Species Bycatch ................................................................................... 24 Project Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 24 Discussion..................................................................................................................................... 24 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 26 Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 26 Literature Cited .......................................................................................................................... 27 iii List of Figures Figure 1. Study areas for commercial gillnet observations made in North Carolina from 1 January through 30 June 2004. ............................................................................................................. 3 Figure 2. Large mesh (> 5 inch stretch mesh) commercial gillnet set samples made in North Carolina from 1 January through 30 June 2004. ..................................................................... 5 Figure 3. Small mesh (< 5 inch stretch mesh) commercial gillnet set samples made in North Carolina from 1 January through 30 June 2004. ..................................................................... 6 Figure 4. Total effort (yards*soakdays) per 100 yards observed in the winter (January – March) and spring (April – June) commercial anchored sink and floating large mesh (> 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries throughout the Albemarle Sound (AS), Neuse River (NR), and the Pamlico River (PR), 2004. .................................................................................................... 11 Figure 5. Total effort (yards*soakdays) per 100 yards observed in the winter (January – March), and spring (April – June) commercial anchored sink and floating small mesh (<5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries of Albemarle Sound (AS), Neuse River (NR), and Pamlico River (PR), 2004. ............................................................................................................................ 12 Figure 6. Total weight (kg) of the top six species observed in the winter (January – March), and spring (April – June) commercial anchored sink large mesh (< 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries throughout Albemarle Sound (AS), Neuse River (NR), and Pamlico River (PR), 2004....................................................................................................................................... 13 Figure 7. Total weight (kg) of the top six species observed in the winter (January – March), and spring (April – June) commercial anchored floating large mesh (> 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries in Albemarle Sound (AS), Neuse River (NR), and Pamlico/Pungo River (PR), 2004. ............................................................................................................................ 14 Figure 8. Total weight (kg) of the top six species observed in the winter (January – March), and spring (April – June) commercial anchored sink small mesh (< 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries in Albemarle Sound (AS), Neuse River (NR), and Pamlico River (PR), 2004. ..... 15 Figure 9. Total weight (kg) of the top six species observed in the winter (January – March) commercial anchored floating small mesh (< 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet fisheries throughout Albemarle Sound (AS), Neuse River (NR), and Pamlico River (PR), 2004. ..... 16 iv List of Tables Table 1. Total reported trips, total trips observed and percent coverage by month and area for commercial gillnet observations made in North Carolina from 1 January through 30 June 2004. AS = Albemarle Sound, NR = Neuse River, and PR = Pamlico/Pungo River. ................................................................................................................................ 4 Table 2. Summary statistics for the large mesh (> 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet gear parameters from observations made in North Carolina, 1 January through 30 June 2004. ................ 7 Table 3. Summary statistics for small mesh (< 5 inch stretch mesh) gillnet gear parameters from observations made in North Carolina, January through June 2004. ................................. 8 Table 4. Relative biomass (kg) and number of individuals observed in the winter commercial gillnet fisheries in North Carolina, January through March 2004. ................................... 9 Table 5. Relative biomass (kg) and number of individuals observed in the spring commercial gillnet fisheries in North Carolina, April through June 2004. ........................................ 10 Table 6. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) defined as: total weight (kg) / (total