Seafood Watch Seafood Report
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Seafood Watch Seafood Report Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) © Diane Rome Peebles Florida Original report published: September 23, 2005 Stock update: September 15, 2011 Marianne Cufone, Esq. Maggie Ostdahl Seafood Watch® US Florida Pompano Report September 15, 2011 About Seafood Watch® and the Seafood Reports Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch® program evaluates the ecological sustainability of wild-caught and farmed seafood commonly found in the United States marketplace. Seafood Watch® defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether wild-caught or farmed, which can maintain or increase production in the long-term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. Seafood Watch® makes its science-based recommendations available to the public in the form of regional pocket guides that can be downloaded from www.seafoodwatch.org. The program’s goals are to raise awareness of important ocean conservation issues and empower seafood consumers and businesses to make choices for healthy oceans. Each sustainability recommendation on the regional pocket guides is supported by a Seafood Report. Each report synthesizes and analyzes the most current ecological, fisheries and ecosystem science on a species, then evaluates this information against the program’s conservation ethic to arrive at a recommendation of “Best Choices”, “Good Alternatives” or “Avoid”. The detailed evaluation methodology is available upon request. In producing the Seafood Reports, Seafood Watch® seeks out research published in academic, peer-reviewed journals whenever possible. Other sources of information include government technical publications, fishery management plans and supporting documents, and other scientific reviews of ecological sustainability. Seafood Watch® Research Analysts also communicate regularly with ecologists, fisheries and aquaculture scientists, and members of industry and conservation organizations when evaluating fisheries and aquaculture practices. Capture fisheries and aquaculture practices are highly dynamic; as the scientific information on each species changes, Seafood Watch®’s sustainability recommendations and the underlying Seafood Reports will be updated to reflect these changes. Parties interested in capture fisheries, aquaculture practices and the sustainability of ocean ecosystems are welcome to use Seafood Reports in any way they find useful. For more information about Seafood Watch® and Seafood Reports, please contact the Seafood Watch® program at Monterey Bay Aquarium by calling 1-877-229-9990. Disclaimer Seafood Watch® strives to have all Seafood Reports reviewed for accuracy and completeness by external scientists with expertise in ecology, fisheries science and aquaculture. Scientific review, however, does not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch® program or its recommendations on the part of the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch® is solely responsible for the conclusions reached in this report. Seafood Watch® and Seafood Reports are made possible through a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. 2 Seafood Watch® US Florida Pompano Report September 15, 2011 Table of Contents I. Executive Summary…...……………………………………………………………..4 II. Introduction………………………………………………………………..…………6 III. Analysis of Seafood Watch® Sustainability Criteria for Wild-caught Species…...11 Criterion 1: Inherent Vulnerability to Fishing Pressure…………………………………….11 Criterion 2: Status of Wild Stocks…………………………………………………....…….13 Criterion 3: Nature and Extent of Bycatch…………...………………………….…….….17 Criterion 4: Effect of Fishing Practices on Habitats and Ecosystems………..…..…..…...19 Criterion 5: Effectiveness of the Management Regime……………………………….….23 IV. Overall Evaluation and Seafood Recommendation……………………………...27 V. References……………………………………………………………………..........31 VI. Appendices………………………………………………………..…….…….…….33 3 Seafood Watch® US Florida Pompano Report September 15, 2011 I. Executive Summary Florida pompano is commonly referred to simply as “pompano” and is popular with both commercial and recreational fishing sectors. Florida pompano can be found in western Atlantic coastal waters from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to southeastern Brazil (including in the Gulf of Mexico). They are found year-round in waters off Florida, but appear to move north and south based on seasonal temperature change in nearshore waters (Berry and Iverson 1967). This report covers the Florida commercial fishery. Florida pompano are fast-growing and early-maturing with a life span of approximately 7 years (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, November 2003). All Florida pompano are mature by 14 inches in length, and some are mature as small as 10 inches and as young as one year of age (Guindon, Powell, and Barbieri 2002, unpublished data); it is believed that all males are mature by one year of age (Muller et. al. 2002). Peak spawning activity occurs during spring and fall (Finucane 1969a; 1969b), and spawning is believed to occur in offshore waters (Fields 1962). Their life history characteristics make pompano inherently resilient to fishing pressure. According to information from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the main agency with management authority for Florida pompano, the current status for the species is rebuilding, with overfishing likely occurring along the state’s Atlantic coast, although significant uncertainty around fishing mortality estimates exists. Stocks of Florida pompano on the Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida are considered a moderate concern, while stocks on the Atlantic coast of Florida are in poor condition. Fishing practices for Florida pompano differ somewhat between the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida (Muller et al. 2002). Prior to the 1995 Florida Net Ban, which eliminated gillnet fishing for a variety of finfish, gillnets were the primary gear used to catch pompano (Richard Van Muenster, September 2004, Personal Communication, former Florida gillnet fisherman). There is still a gillnet fishery for Florida pompano in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but after 1995 cast nets and seine nets became popular for capturing Florida pompano along the Gulf Coast. On the Atlantic coast, Florida pompano are primarily caught with hook-and-line gears, including bandit gear (power rod and reel), rod and reel gear, and hand lines (Muller et al. 2002). Hook and line gears are also used to catch pompano along the Gulf Coast. Sport fishermen also catch pompano with cast and seine nets and hook and line gears; recreational landings dominate commercial landings of pompano on Florida’s Atlantic coast (Murphy et. al. 2008). Hook and line gear and cast and seine nets are selective and result in little bycatch or habitat impacts, while gillnets have a moderate impact on the seafloor and result in a moderate level of bycatch. The catch of fish in Florida has been managed by the state since 1861. Regulations specific to Florida pompano began in 1881 when it was deemed unlawful to catch them exclusively for the purpose of making oil, fertilizer, or compost (FWC, November 2003). Since then, size limits, bag limits, slot sizes, gear restrictions, and other rules have been created and implemented for Florida pompano. The most recent regulatory changes went into effect in late summer 2011. Effectiveness of the new management towards continued rebuilding of the Florida pompano stock cannot yet be determined, but overall management effectiveness is considered moderate. 4 Seafood Watch® US Florida Pompano Report September 15, 2011 Florida pompano from both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Florida is considered a Good Alternative, due to high inherent resilience of the species, moderate bycatch and habitat concerns, moderate to poor stock status, and moderately effective management. Table of Sustainability Ranks Conservation Concern Sustainability Criteria Low Moderate High Critical Inherent Vulnerability √ √ √ Status of Stocks Gulf Coast of Atlantic Coast Florida of Florida √ Hook and line, √ Nature of Bycatch cast and seine Gillnets nets √ Hook and line, √ Habitat & Ecosystem Effects cast and seine Gillnets nets Management Effectiveness √ About the Overall Seafood Recommendation: • A seafood product is ranked Best Choice if three or more criteria are of Low Conservation Concern (green) and the remaining criteria are not of High or Critical Conservation Concern. • A seafood product is ranked Good Alternative if the five criteria “average” to yellow (Moderate Conservation Concern) OR if the “Status of Stocks” and “Management Effectiveness” criteria are both of Moderate Conservation Concern. • A seafood product is ranked Avoid if two or more criteria are of High Conservation Concern (red) OR if one or more criteria are of Critical Conservation Concern (black) in the table above. Overall Seafood Recommendation: Gulf and Atlantic Coast of Florida : Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid 5 Seafood Watch® US Florida Pompano Report September 15, 2011 II. Introduction Florida pompano is a member of the family Carangidae, which includes jacks and pompanos. Jacks and pompanos are often identified with their noticeable v-shaped tails. Coloration is usually a greenish gray on back, with shading to silvery sides. Those found in dark waters often show some gold on the throat, pelvic, and anal fins. Florida pompano have a deep, flattened body with a small mouth and no scutes. Soft dorsal rays usually number 22 to 27 with 20 to 23 soft anal rays. The origin of the anal fin is