The Hploitation Status of the Atlantic Amberjack Fisheries Through 1991
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The hploitation status of the Atlantic Amberjack Fisheries Through 1991 Mancle Oinings-Parrack 41 March 1"3 Department of CORIUCO National Oceanic ' ad ktmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries service southeast Fisheries science enter 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami, Florida 33149 Contribution: Nlk-92/93-30 0 Table of Contents Page Introduction 1 Background 1 Fisheries 2 Assessment History and Management • 3 Gulf of Mexico . 3 Atlantic 4 Objectives 4 stock Groups 5 Fishery statistics and Biometric Samples 6 Analytical Methods ••••• 8 Results - Greater Amberjack 9 Atlantic Group •••••• 9 Commercial Landings 9 Recreational Harvest Estimates 10 Fishery Biostatistical Samples 11 Recreational Catch Per Unit of Effort 12 Recreational Bag Limit Analyses 13 Fishing Effort •••• 13 stock Size Estimates 14 Gulf Group •••••• 16 Commercial Landings 16 Recreational Harvest Estimates 16 Fishery Biostatistical Samples 17 Recreational Catch Per Unit of Effort 17 Recreational Bag Limit Analyses • 18 Fishing Effort •.••••.••••• 18 stock Size Estimates ...••.•••• 19 Supplementary Seriola Fishery Information - Other Species 21 Commercial Landings and Biometric Samples 21 Recreational Harvest and Biostatistical Samples 22 Atlantic ••••. 22 Lesser Amberjack • 22 Almaco jack 22 Banded Rudderfish 23 i Gulf of Nelioo . 23 jAmr AllberjaCk . ... ... 23 klzaco jack . .. 23 Barded Rudderfish . 23 Recreational Catch Per Unit of Iffort - Other &JiRk Species . 24 Racreationi Bag Lialts - other &LjQl& Species . 24 References .. 25 ii introduction Investigations were begun In 1990 to address the status of amharjack resources off the southeastern United States. Four members of the addl gems frequently encountered in the recreational and commercial Carangidae fisheries (i.e., greater amberjack, &XidA duserili; lesser amberjack, &ZIQU fasciata; handed rudderfish, &Xi9" Loadd, and the almoo jack, &ZiWA rivoli ) were studied. Although, other members of the Caregidae family are encountered in the local fisheries and infect may be mixed in the landings on ocassion, the specific focus of this research was directed to the greater amberjack and to species that Right be most easily confused in the landings. Thus, only species of the amberjack genera found off the southeastern U.S. were of interest. These species are distributed In tropical and temperate waters througbout the Pacific, Indian am the Atlantic Ooew. This group occurs in the western Itlantic fro* Nova Scotia to Brazil, including the Gulf of Nexioo and the Caribbean Sea. The group is epibentbic to pelagic occurring in depths to 200 fathoms (366 a). All are predacious, fast swimmers and most are thought to occur both in schools and as solitary individuals (Berry and larch 1978; Fischer 1978; Naftocb 1984). fty are known to ooncentzate around reds, rock outcroppirgs and wrecks. commercial landings of &Ligb W, rose explosively during the early to aid 1980's. Prior to this time, amberjack were largely ignored by fisheries because large portions of the flesh contained infestations of larval tapeworms requiring fro* 30-35 1 of the flesh to be wanted in cleming. Extensive concern about possible cigutera 1D large individuals from Caribbean waters exists also. 11504, SOME Potential for scombrold poisoning in amberjack exists, It has ben found to be tore associated with improper processing resulting 'a immediate flesh spoilage. The recent increase in commercial amberjack landings my be attributable to 1) greater consuer acceptance of amberjack as an edible fish and as a viable replacement for red drua in the blackened fish market and 2) effort displacement of king vackeral fishermen in 1986 by the drift net fleet off Ft. Pierce, Florida and reeffish vessels from the snapper/grouper fisheries by fish trappers working off the Florida Keys. Two major concerns among anglers have focused attention on research weft for the &1hk group as to the status the resource(s) and to reasonable management measures aimed at maintaining a viable resource. First, reported landings are believed to be a minor proportion of the total removals. Landings of un-reported catches are believed to have ben substantial and loDringff (i.e., leading and selling of only the edible flesh) is believed to be significant (see Berry and Burch 1979). in addition, a perception exists among many in the recreational fishery of a rapid drop in the average size of individuals in the population occurring about the am time as landings increased. The recreational fisheries for greater nberjack were first described in detail by Berry and Burch (1978) and Burch (1979). They also documented the Importance of the &XiWA group as a commercial species as early as 1957 and made the first attempt to quantify total aelerjack landings in the U.S. Very brief accounts of the recreational importance of greater amberjack we given by Ellis (1957), Rather (1958), Gentle (1977), and Browder at al. (1978). Then studies were specific and were limited temporally or spatially. Gentle (1977) considered only a single year and the study of Ellis (1957) focused on the Florida charterboat fishery. Rather (1958) and Browder et al. (1978) summarized information on specific geographical regions. substantial landings of askerjack do mot appear In the commercial fisheries statistics until the old 1980's. It is believed that the reported landings were grossly underestimated In those reports. IltbDugh this species complex is important both recreationally and commercially, very little research ban been conducted on it and the status of the stock and production level is virtually unknown. Early Investigations dealt mainly with taxonomic larval development, larval and juvenile distribution, predator-prey research, and the tiedag and periodicity of spawn*. Berry and Batch (1978), Bu:rch (1979), and Nakamura (1980) provide details on these studies. Tbese studies suggested that spawning o=aTW year-round in the eastern Gulf of Nexico and Florida Straits. Recent studies focused on typical applied fisheries research (e.g., age slid growth, reproduction, systematics) and were mostly conducted in the Gulf of Mexico. Kanowh (unpublished data) investigated the use of whole otoliths for age determination for greater amb8rjack collected from the Gulf of Mexico headboat fishery. Namoch's preliminary results describe -growth without regard to differences between sexes. Findings from Thompson at al. (1"2) supports that sexual dimorphism in the growth stanzas of greater wberjad. Evidence of sexual dimorphism in maxim longevity is also evident (Thompson at al. 1"2). Additional agelag studies my be required to completely define growth. The used for sectioned otollths, to determine accurate ages for the greater amberjack species is currently being investigated by Thompson at al. (Louisiana State University (LSU)). Neither ageing study ban readied completion. Reproductive studies are under way to evaluate the timing and periodicity of maturation in Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack (LSU). Studies to allow separation of lesser amberjack from grater amberjack directly in the field are also ongoing at LSU with efforts to further identify movement patterns being carried out by )lots Marine Laboratory (MNL) and the National Marine fisheries Service (IMPS). fisheries Florida wberjack landings account for am 60-98 1 of the total annual landings in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic each year while landings from other states us small in comparison because amberjack is not usually targeted in other states. Historically, only the commercial landings of anterjack were included in the reported statistics and litle information van available for recreational catches. Peak commercial production occurs from Marcb-June off the east coast of Florida between Cape Canaveral (4-5 boats) and Ft. Pierce, Florida (6-10 boats) and off the Florida Keys (about 20-25 boats) in depths from 150-400 feet. landings from other states are small in comparison to those of Florida because wberjack are rarely targeted. Historically off of the east coast of Florida, fish raging from about 10 pounds to 100 pounds and averaging from 25-50 lbs was caught (Barry and Burch 1978) although in recent years the average size is believed to have declined. Most vessels are fished by a single fisberman and are the typical 23-30 ft fiberglass boat employed in the king aackmel and reeffish fisheries. The primary gear used by commercial boats is usually two electric book and line (bandit) reels fitted with a 5-10 lb lead weight, a 10-20 foot / 150-400 pound test sonofilament leader, and a single 12/0 - 16/0 circle book directly attached to this leader. A few fishermen employ hydraulic retrieval gear. Live bait, including goggle-eyes (cigar vinnows) and blue runners, have traditionally ban favored altbDUgh, white mullet, towtate, and beeliners (vermilion snapper) are also used. Around 1989 fisberiisn began making longer trips and reportedly bad to use lighter leaders and smaller books to sustain similar catching success as in previous years. Incidental commercial spear fid fisheries operate out of Ft. Plum, Sebastian, and Ft. Meyers, Florida; 5-6 boats operate In this fishery with diva catches accounting for a very minor part of the total landings. Landings from this fishery are not only related to total availability but also are dependent on the Gulf Strew being located in 135 ft or less. Incidental commercial catches come fro% pelagic longline vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico for yellowfin tuna and in the directed snapper/grouper fisheries in