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Assessment and Management of Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Stocks

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Assessment and Management of Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Stocks Assessment and Management of Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Stocks Item Type article Authors Vaughan, Douglas S.; Merriner, John V. Download date 07/10/2021 16:15:09 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/26534 Assessment and Management of Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Stocks D. S. VAUGHAN and J. V. MERRINER Introduction offbetween catching greater numbers of age-l are obtained from virtual popula­ younger and smaller fish or catching tion analysis (VPA) conducted separately Stock assessment refers to the process fewer numbers ofolder and larger fish. for both Atlantic and Gulf menhaden. ofcollecting and analyzing biological and The trade-offdepends both on the rate of Equilibrium spawning stock ratios are statistical information to determine growth of individual fish and on their computed to compare the level ofspawn­ changes in abundance of fish stocks in natural mortality rate. The concept of ing stock expected based on estimated response to fishing, and, to the extent "recruitment overfishing, " on the other fishing mortality for a fishing year to that possible, predict future trends of stock hand, refers to a concern that insufficient level with no fishing mortality. Estimates abundance. Relevant questions arising numbers of fish are reaching spawning of potential yield from varying age at during such an assessment include: age and subsequently reducing the entry to the fishery and fishing mortality number of future recruits below levels rates are investigated using yield-per­ 1) Do current landings exceed max­ that will maintain the stock at fishable recruit analysis. Recent landings are imum sustainable yield or some other levels. compared to estimates ofmaximum sus­ measure of optimal yield? Landings and fishing effort data have tainable yield (MSY) obtained from 2) Is recruitment sufficient to support been collected for the Atlantic menhaden surplus production, spawner-recruit, current levels of landings? purse-seine fishery since 1940 and for the and population simulation models. Final­ 3) Does recruitment depend more on Gulfmenhaden purse-seine fishery since ly, management implications drawn from spawning stock size or more on envi­ 1946 (Smith, 1991). Port sampling data this information are discussed in light ronmental conditions? for size and age composition from scales ofthe pastdecade ofmanagementactions 4) Should age-at-entry to the fishery (procedures described by Chester, 1984) and inactions by the coastal states. (minimum size or age landed) be raised have been conducted by NMFS port to increase yield to the fishery? samplers since 1955 for the Atlantic Organization of Coastwide menhaden purse-seine reduction fishery Management Programs Fishery management, or the system and since 1964 for the Gulf menhaden Authority for menhaden fishery man­ used to conserve and allocate fishery re­ purse-seine reduction fishery. agement resides with individual states. sources, must address these questions. This paper describes the organization The formation of the Atlantic and Gulf Two "overfishing" concepts are re­ ofcoastwide management programs for States Marine Fisheries Commissions ferred to in this paper. The concept of the Atlantic and Gulf menhaden stocks, (ASMFC and GSMFC, respectively) in "growth overfishing" refers to the trade- summarizes current information about the 1940's provided a forum for discus­ the effects of purse-seine fishing for re­ sion and resolution of common marine duction on these stocks, and discusses resource issues and a vehicle for develop­ management implications drawn from ment ofcooperative multistate fisheries this information. Regular stock assess­ programs such as for menhaden. The ABSTRACT-The organization of coast­ ments are conducted on Atlantic and Gulf NMFS serves as the primary research wide management programs for Atlantic menhaden and have been presented at agency dealing with menhaden for the menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, and Gulf stock assessment workshops held by the commissions. Through the years this menhaden, B. patronus, are described. Recent NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science state-federal research and fishery man­ assessments ofthe status ofthe Atlantic and Center (Powers, 1983; Vaughan et al. , agement system drew heavily upon in­ Gulfmenhaden stocks are summarized. Esti­ mates ofpopulation size and fishing mor­ 1986). Estimates of age-specific popu­ put and voluntary participation of the talities are obtained from virtual popula­ lation numbers and fishing mortality menhaden industry. This informal in­ tion analysis, and are used in determining rates, spawning stock, and recruits to stitutional arrangement provided guid­ spawner-recruit relationships, spawning ance and fishery oversight through the stock ratios, yield-per-recruit, and surplus D. S. Vaughan and J. V. Merriner are with the 1960's and into the 1970's. Interstate production. Management issues are ad­ Beaufort Laboratory, Southeast Fisheries Science dressed in the framework of assessment Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, research and monitoring coordination results. Beaufort, NC 28516. was through the ASMFC Advisory Com­ 53(4),1991 49 mittee and the GSMFC Technical Coor­ For various reasons, several states and Federal representation and serve as dinating Committee (TCC). recently have passed severe limits on a clearinghouse for proposed regulations menhaden purse-seine fishing (New or laws affecting the menhaden fishery. Atlantic Menhaden Jersey, Delaware, and South Carolina Preparation of a major rewrite of the Development ofan Atlantic Menhaden have closed all or part of their waters). Fishery Management Plan by the Atlan­ Management Plan under the auspices of Continued human population growth in tic Menhaden Advisory Committee the ASMFC and the State-Federal Fish­ the Atlantic coastal zone and conditions began in 1989 with expected completion eries Management Program was begun in the U.S. economy have resulted in in 1992. by the Statistical and Scientific Commit­ pressures for fishery restrictions based tee (SSC) in fall 1976. The SSC had a very on political reasons rather than the bio­ Gulf Menhaden general charge and prepared an interim logical needs of the fishery resource as The GulfMenhaden Regional Fishery report (plan) in February 1977. In July called for in the plan. This is tending Management Plan (Christmas and Et­ 1977 the SSC was asked to prepare a plan toward a reduced number of operating zold, 1977) was developed in the 1970's for the utilization of Atlantic menhaden plants and reduced fleet size in the Atlan­ as a product ofthe Gulf Menhaden Sub­ that' 'is biologically, economically, and tic menhaden fishery (Smith, 1991). By committee ofthe TCC; it was composed socially sound and which protects the 1988 reduction plants for Atlantic of state, industry, and Federal repre­ resource and its users" (AMMB, 1981). menhaden were reduced to four U.S. sentatives. The charge to the subcom­ Over the next 3 years the SSC and At­ shore-based facilities (one in Maine, mittee was to consider the need for and lantic Menhaden Management Board two in Virginia, and one in North Caro­ possible procedures for establishing a (AMMB) developed a plan, with support­ lina). The 1989 fishing year was the uniform menhaden fishing season in ing analyses by staffofthe NMFS Beau­ third during which menhaden caught the GulfCoast states. In spring 1976 the fort Laboratory. In 1981 the AMMB, and off Maine were transported to a land­ Menhaden Subcommittee, the TCC, later that year the full ASMFC, adopted based facility in New Brunswick, Can., and the GulfState-FederalFishery Man­ the menhaden plan (AMMB, 1981). This for reduction, and the second year ofan agement Board endorsed a proposal to plan recommended adjustment of time Internal Waters Processing venture be­ develop a fishery management plan for and area closures if necessary (based tween a Maine company and the Soviet Gulf menhaden. With support ofNMFS, upon the best data available) to achieve Union; Maine fisherman caught Atlantic the states, and industry, the plan was a short-term objective ofattaining an age menhaden and offloaded the fish onto developed and issued in May 1977 composition in the population which a Soviet processing vessel (FlY Riga). (Christmas and Etzold, 1977). Revisions included 10% age-3 or older and estab­ The land-based reduction plant in Maine of the plan have been issued by the lished an organizational framework for ceased operation following the 1988 GSMFC in about 5-year intervals management. The contents of the plan fishing year. (Christmas et al. ,1983,1988), providing and the management structure were a Furthermore, in 1987 the ASMFC updates of stock assessments of the combined state, industry, and Federal in its Interstate Fishery Management resource, descriptions ofindustry, fish­ effort of data gathering, analysis, and Program reorganized the management ery, biology, and identification and fishery management decision-making. structure for territorial sea fish species. ranking of research needs. The major Later, fishery statistical information in That action eliminated the AMMB and management feature of the Gulf men­ the fishery managementplan was updated AMAC; it also removed most of the in­ haden plan is a uniform season (third (AMMB,1986). dustry's participation in the manage­ Monday of April through the Friday In May 1982 the AMMB considered ment process. The new plan review pro­ following the second Tuesday in Octo­ several management options which cedure calls for annual status reports ber, equals 26 weeks)
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