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Fifty-Fifth Annual Report (2004)

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Fifty-Fifth Annual Report (2004) Fifty-Fifth Annual Report of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission For the Year 2004 The GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION is an organization of the five states whose coastal waters are the Gulf of Mexico. This Compact, authorized under Public Law 66- 81st Congress, was signed by the representatives of the Governors of the five Gulf States on July 16, 1949, at Mobile, Alabama. The Commission’s principal objectives are the conservation, development, and full utilization of the fishery resources of the Gulf of Mexico to provide food, employment, income, and recreation to the people of these United States. GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION Fifty-Fifth Annual Report (2004) to the Congress of the United States and to the Governors and Legislators of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas Presented in compliance with the terms of the Compact and State Enabling Acts Creating such Commission and Public Law 66-81st Congress assenting thereto. Edited by: Teri L. Freitas Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission P.O. Box 726 Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39566-0726 (228) 875-5912 www.gsmfc.org Preserving the Past ▪ Planning the Future ▪ A Cooperative Effort Charles H. Lyles Award The Charles H. Lyles Award is awarded annually by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) to an individual, agency, or organization which has contributed to the betterment of the fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico through significant biological, industrial, legislative, enforcement, or administrative activities. The recipient is selected by the full Commission from open nominations at the spring March meeting. The selection is by secret ballot with the highest number of votes being named the recipient. The recipient is awarded the honor at the annual meeting in October. CHARLES H. LYLES Award Winners Charles H. Lyles 1984 Theodore B. Ford 1985 J.Y. Christmas 1986 John Breaux 1987 John Ray Nelson 1988 I.B. “Buck” Byrd 1989 Hugh A. Swingle 1990 John A. Mehos 1991 J. Burton Angelle 1992 Louis A. Villanova 1993 Theodore H. Shepard 1994 Edwin A. Joyce, Jr. 1995 Tommy D. Candies 1996 Walter M. Tatum 1997 Thomas L. Heffernan 1998 Trent Lott 1999 James Barkuloo 2000 Walter Fondren, III 2001 Jerald K. Waller 2002 Andrew J. Kemmerer 2003 Hal R. Osburn 2004 ii Acknowledgements In submitting this Fifty-Fifth Annual Report, the Commissioners wish to express their most sincere appreciation for the splendid cooperation of the Members of Congress and the Governors and Legislators of the Compact states. The Commission fully appreciates that such measure of success as has been attained in the past fifty-five years could not have been possible without such valued assistance. This acknowledgement is also extended to the directors and staffs of federal, state, and interstate agencies, and to representatives of all organizations and individuals who have contributed to the realization of the objectives of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. Respectfully submitted, Billy Hewes, Chairman John Roussel, Vice Chairman Virginia Vail, Second Vice Chairman Larry B. Simpson, Executive Director iii Table of Contents Charles H. Lyles Award.................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents........................................................................................................................... iv Commission Roster..........................................................................................................................v Active Committees......................................................................................................................... vi Executive Director’s Report ............................................................................................................1 Sport Fish Restoration Administration Program and Administration of the Gulf of Mexico Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species…………….2 Administration of the Gulf of Mexico Regional Panel On Aquatic Invasive Species ...........................................................................................................4 Southeast Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) .........................................................5 Joint GSMFC/GMFMC Habitat Program........................................................................................6 Interjurisdictional Fisheries (IJF) Management Program................................................................8 Fisheries Information Network (FIN)............................................................................................10 Alabama Marine Resources Division ............................................................................................15 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ...................................................................22 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Office of Fisheries...........................................34 Mississippi Department of Marine Resources ...............................................................................43 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department ...........................................................................................49 National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office.....................................................52 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council ..............................................................................57 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ......................................................................................................60 Report on Examination of Financial Statements, Supplemental Data, Internal Control and Compliance for the year ended December 31, 2004 ....................................67 iv Commission Roster Commission Officers Chairman: Billy Hewes First Vice Chairman: John Roussel Second Vice Chairman: Virginia Vail Commissioners (order of listing – administrator, legislator, governor’s appointee) ALABAMA Barnett Lawley Warren Triche Alabama Department of Louisiana House of Representatives Conservation & Natural Resources Thibodaux, Louisiana Montgomery, Alabama Frederic Miller Legislator – Vacant Shreveport, Louisiana Chris Nelson MISSISSIPPI Bon Secour Fisheries William Walker Bon Secour, Alabama Mississippi Department of FLORIDA Marine Resources Ken Haddad Biloxi, Mississippi Florida Fish & Wildlife Fisheries Billy Hewes Commission Mississippi Senate Tallahassee, Florida Gulfport, Mississippi Nancy Argenziano Walter J. Blessey Florida Senate Biloxi, Mississippi Crystal River, Florida TEXAS William Ward Robert L. Cook Tampa, Florida Texas Parks & Wildlife Department LOUISIANA Austin, Texas James H. Jenkins, Jr. Gene Seaman Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Texas Senate Fisheries Austin, Texas Baton Rouge, Louisiana Governor’s Appointee – Vacant Staff Larry B. Simpson, Executive Director Ronald R. Lukens, Assistant Director Virginia K. Herring, Executive Assistant David M. Donaldson, Program Manager Nancy K. Marcellus, Administrative Assistant Steven J. VanderKooy, Program Coordinator Cynthia B. Yocom, Staff Assistant Jeffrey K. Rester, Program Coordinator Cheryl R. Noble, Staff Assistant Gregory S. Bray, Programmer/Analyst Madeleine A. Travis, Staff Assistant A. Mike Sestak, III, Programmer/Analyst Deanna L. Valentine, Data Entry Clerk Douglas J. Snyder, Survey Coordinator Gayle E. Jones, Receptionist Donna B. Bellais, Survey Coordinator Jason S. Keenum, CPA Joseph P. Ferrer, III, Network Administrator v Active Committees Executive Committee.....................................................................................................Billy Hewes John Roussel Virginia Vail Vernon Minton Mike Ray Law Enforcement Committee.....................................................................Larry Young, Chairman J.T. Jenkins, Vice Chairman Commercial/Recreational Fisheries Advisory Panel ............... Philip Horn, Commercial Chairman Grey Cane, Recreational Chairman State-Federal Fisheries Management Committee .............................. Larry B. Simpson, Facilitator Menhaden Advisory Committee......................................................Borden Wallace, Chairman Striped Bass Technical Task Force.........................................................Doug Frugé, Chairman Stock Assessment Team ........................................................................ Joe Shepard, Chairman Technical Coordinating Committee.....................................................William S. Perret, Chairman TCC Artificial Reef Subcommittee ....................................................... Steve Heath, Chairman TCC Crab Subcommittee......................................................................Tom Wagner, Chairman TCC Data Management Subcommittee ............................................ Page Campbell, Chairman TCC Habitat Subcommittee.................................................................Mark LaSalle, Chairman TCC SEAMAP Subcommittee .............................................................. Jim Hanifen, Chairman vi ULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT G Larry B. Simpson, Executive Director As I was looking over my calendar for the year 2004 • Participated in an eight (8) Council Chairman to begin writing this piece for the Annual Report, I and Executive Directors Meetings regarding
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