,,~~!:Y-P ..::- C;MMf~TEE AIRMAN SHEEPSHEAD TECHNICAL TASK FORCE MINUTES February 19, 2004 Pensacola Beach, Florida Chairman Chuck Adams called the meeting to order at 8:32 a.m. He introduced Jessica Mccawley who replaced Andrew Strelcheck as Florida's state representative. Mike Jepson was welcomed to the group as the task force anthropologist/sociologist. Members Attending: Chuck Adams, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Jason Adriance, LDWF, Grand Isle, LA Mike Brackin, Breakaway Fishing, GulfPort, MS Mike Jepson, Gainesville, FL John Mareska, ADCNR/MRD, Dauphin Island, AL Jessica McCawley, FWC, Tallahassee, FL Perry Trial, TPWD, Corpus Christi, TX Members Absent: Paul Cook, LDWF, New Iberia, LA Jeff Mayne, LDWF Enforcement Division, Baton Rouge, LA Erick Porche, MDMR, Biloxi, MS Simon Zirlott, Commercial Representative, Coden, AL Staff: Steven J. VanderKooy, IJF Coordinator, Ocean Springs, MS Cynthia B. Yocom, IJF Staff Assistant, Ocean Springs, MS Adoption of Agenda With the deletion of item 3, the group adopted the agenda by consensus. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the meeting held October 27-28, 203, in New Orleans, Louisiana, were reviewed. J. Mareska moved to approve the minutes as written. P. Trial seconded the motion, which passed by consensus. General Discussion S. VanderKooy presented cover art for the profile. Gayle and Steve Jones developed the design. Gayle is the talented Commission receptionist, and her husband has a background in graphics design. The design was received positively and by consensus. The draft to date was reviewed thoroughly by the group. The following action items were noted: J. McCawley- get Florida genetics info to P. Trial Get third subspecies (Mexico) info from A. Strelcheck Send E. Porche info on fish health Send status & trends data to J. Adriance Send recreational fishing landing summary to J. Adriance P. Trial - get the most recent TX genetics study. Recheck Jennings to see if more info can be added to 3.2.5 Check munbers 3.2.5 (50 mm), 3.2.7 (35 mm), 4.4 (50 mm) Specify standard or fork length Get C. Adams a contact name for TX mariculture activity C. Adams - get third subspecies (Mexico) info from D. Muree Send fish kill counts to P. Cook S. VanderKooy/C. Yocom -update Table of Contents on the next version Incorporate E. Porche's parasite's addition Send Lukens M.S. work to P. Trial Put tables/figures in next version Clean up table formats Send P. Trial contact info for Winner Work up contaminant section (re: human risk) Add state web site addresses to Section 5 Work with M. Brackin to develop a description of recreational gear for Section 6 Get antidotal info to J. Adriance (large AL catches/Maryland lump crab) Talk to E. Porche re: MS Asian market Get numbers/size range data from Jewel's midden info & send to J. Adriance Send M. Jepson a LEC roster Send M. Jepson MS rodeo statistics Review SAT roster/request membership from State Director if needed Convene a conference call of the SAT to determine if an assessment can be done Send J. Mccawley a flounder & seatrout plan Send J. Adriance a flounder plan Add a scientific illustration of sheepshead E. Porche - Add abnormalities Alabama Vibrio case from sheepshead spine. 3 .2. 7 add Sedberry reference 6.2.2.3 expand P. Cook - add dredge & fill issues for each state J. Adriance -recheck MRFSS numbers Check commercial fishing rank- MS & FL both ranked fourth (6.2.2.1 & 6.2.2.3) Show landings by gear type. Get defined values of finfish from LA statutes to C. Adams Add fishery-independent data to clarify fluctuations in landings C. Adams - MRFSS data 363,986 fishermen targeted sheepshead Check TX & MS landings/dockside value (doesn't equate to 6.2) All- send M. Jepson any info to contribute to the section (e.g., rodeo results, NOLA Sheepshead Club, Texas snowbirds targeting sheepshead, guides) Send an up-to-date list of state fishing organizations to S. VanderKooy Send fishery-independent data to J. Adriance Send hard copy of all literature cited used within the document to S. VanderKooy. Recommendation - minimum size limit 400 mm (according to growth characteristics) Review of Assignments/Deadlines C. Yocom will send the committee action items as soon as possible. The next draft is due to the Commission two weeks prior to the next meeting. A reminder will be sent. Next Meeting The meeting was scheduled for either the week of May 24, 2004 or June 14, 2004. C. Adams suggested the next meeting be held at the Key's Marine Laboratory in Long Key, Florida. The Lime Tree Bay Resort is next door and honors government rates. Adams will provide contact information to S. VanderKooy. Other locations discussed were Marathon and Cedar Key, Florida. The group also tentatively scheduled a fall meeting for the week of November 18, 2004, at South Padre Island, Texas. Other Business Simon Zirlot, the commercial representative, has not attended any meetings. The group requested S. VanderKooy investigate a replacement who can participate. There being no further business, the meeting ended at 4:30 p.m. COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN S-FFMC MENHADEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES - 54°' Spring Meeting Monday, March 15, 2004 New Orleans, Lonisiana B. Wallace, Chainnan, called the meeting to order at 1 :02 p.m. with the following in attendance: Members Rick Schillaci, Omega Protein, Inc., Moss Point, MS Borden Wallace, Daybrook Fisheries, Inc., Empire, LA Ed Swindell, Daybrook Fisheries, Inc., Empire, LA Joseph Smith, NMFS, Beaufort, NC Doug Vaughan, NMFS, Beaufort, NC Kevin Anson, AMRD/ADCNR, Gulf Shores, AL (Proxy for Vernon Minton) Toby Gascon, Omega Protein, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA Corky Perret, GSMFC Commissioner, MDMR, Biloxi, MS Jerry Mambretti, TPWD, Port Arthur, TX Vince Guillory, LDWF, Bourg, LA Staff Larry Simpson, Executive Director, Ocean Springs, MS Steve VanderKooy, IJF Program Coordinator, Ocean Springs, MS Ron Lukens, Assistant Director, Ocean Springs, MS Dave Donaldson, Data Program Coordinator, Ocean Springs, MS Others Tom Wittmann, Omega Protein, Inc., Abbeville, LA Joey Shepard, LDWF, Baton Rouge, LA Anne Lange, NMFS, Silver Spring, VA Nancy Thompson, NMFS/SEFSC, Miami, FL Introductions and Membership Review B. Wallace led the introductions of the MAC and the audience. Adoption of Agenda C. Perret moved to adopt the agenda as written, R. Schillaci seconded the motion, and with no opposition, the agenda was adopted. 27 Approval ofMinntes (October 14, 2003) The minutes from the last meeting were reviewed. R. Schillaci moved to accept the minutes as written. J. Mambretti seconded the motion and the minutes were approved. Forecast for 2004 Gulf of Mexico Menhaden Fishing Season J. Smith reported that landings of Gulf menhaden in 2003 were 517,079 mt or 1,701 million standard fish which was down 10% from 2002 (574,530 mt) and down 9% from previous 5-yr average of 569,136 mt. The highest landings in 2003 occurred in May and June at 101,000 mt each. July experienced the lowest landings since 1996 at 68,500 mt mainly due to inclement weather. Landings in the "extended season" were 54,600 mt which was higher than the 10-yr mean (1993-2002) of 50,958 mt. April saw good catches during the first week of the season with the prices for meal and oil starting off strong. May and June saw good catches but low oil yields from near drought conditions in the western Gulf. Drought turned to monsoon in parts of the western Gulf in the end of June and fish oil yields improved with the western ports setting near record landings for plant-weeks. July landings fell substantially due to holidays and two tropical systems. August weather and catches were good with the exception of mid-month when T.S. Erika made its way into the Brownsville area. Windy weather and T.S. Larry in mid-September resulted in an ending to the 2003 season. Vessel participation in 2003 included 42 vessels (39 regular steamers, 2 run boats, and one bait boat), which was similar to 2002. Nominal fishing effort in 2003 was 363,200 vessel ton weeks; the lowest since 1965 which was down 6% from 2002 and down 10% from previous 5-yr mean (405,700 vtwks). It should be noted that the 2003 landings were 1% greater than March '03 forecast provided by J. Smith at the NMFS in Beaufort. In 2004 Smith predicts that there should be 4 factories operating in the Gulf with 43 vessels [40 steamers, 2 run boats, and 1 bait boat] at 385,000 vtwks of nominal eff01i. With those values, it is estimated that the landings in 2004 should be around 515,000 mt. Louisiana Forecast V. Guillory provided Louisiana's annual forecast based on environmental data, recruitment, and previous years juvenile abundance indices. Based on low average water temps in January 2003, high river discharge, low rainfall, and lower salinities in early 2003, and average juvenile abundances overall in 2003, the forecast for Louisiana waters is between 387,000 and 439,000 mt. 28 Gulf Menhaden Stock Assessment D. Vaughan provided the current assessment for Gulf menhaden. Using information on growth, reproduction, natural mortality, fishery landings, and fishery-independent surveys, Vaughan estimated age-specific fishing mortality and population abundances of Gulf menhaden between 1964-2002. In addition, he proposed benchmarks (targets and limits) to determine stock status in the future. Regardless of the model Vaughan used, estimates of fishing mortality have generally decreased over the assessment period, while estimates of reproductive success have generally increased (measured as spawning stock biomass or population fecundity). Estimates of the tenninal (2002) population fecundity are well above target, suggesting that the stock is healthy (not overfished).