CHAPTER 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 3 Table of Contents......................................................................................................3-i Chapter 3 List of Tables............................................................................................................3-v Chapter 3 List of Figures ........................................................................................................3-xii 3.0 Description of Affected Environment..............................................................3-1 3.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Status of the Stocks .............................................................................................3-9 3.2.1 Atlantic Swordfish..............................................................................................3-9 3.2.1.1 Life History/Species Biology...........................................................................3-9 3.2.1.2 Effect of ICCAT Regulations ........................................................................3-11 3.2.1.3 Stock Status and SCRS Outlook....................................................................3-12 3.2.2 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna........................................................................................3-16 3.2.3 Atlantic Bays Tuna............................................................................................3-26 3.2.3.1 Atlantic Bigeye Tuna .....................................................................................3-26 3.2.3.2 Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna ................................................................................3-31 3.2.3.3 Atlantic Albacore Tuna..................................................................................3-36 3.2.3.4 Atlantic Skipjack Tuna ..................................................................................3-41 3.2.4 Atlantic Billfish.................................................................................................3-44 3.2.4.1 Blue Marlin....................................................................................................3-44 3.2.4.2 White Marlin..................................................................................................3-49 3.2.4.3 Sailfish ...........................................................................................................3-53 3.2.4.4 Longbill Spearfish..........................................................................................3-58 3.2.5 Atlantic Sharks..................................................................................................3-60 3.2.5.1 Life History/Species Biology.........................................................................3-60 3.2.5.2 Status of the Stocks........................................................................................3-62 3.2.5.3 Finetooth Sharks ............................................................................................3-62 3.2.5.4 Ongoing Research..........................................................................................3-67 3.3 Habitat...............................................................................................................3-74 3.3.1 Regulatory Requirements..................................................................................3-74 3.3.1.1 Habitat Areas of Particular Concern..............................................................3-74 3.3.2 Habitat Types and Distributions........................................................................3-75 3.3.2.1 Atlantic Ocean...............................................................................................3-76 3.3.2.2 Gulf of Mexico...............................................................................................3-81 3.3.2.3 U.S. Caribbean...............................................................................................3-83 3.4 Fishery Data Update..........................................................................................3-86 3.4.1 Pelagic Longline Fishery...................................................................................3-87 3.4.1.1 Domestic Aspects of the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Fishery .........................3-87 3.4.1.2 International Aspects of the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Fishery ....................3-99 3.4.1.3 U.S. Pelagic Longline Catch in Relation to International Catch .................3-102 3.4.1.4 Management of the U.S. Pelagic Longline Fishery .....................................3-105 3.4.2 Purse Seine......................................................................................................3-107 3.4.2.1 Overview of History and Current Management...........................................3-107 DEIS FOR THE CONSOLIDATED HMS FMP 3-i CHAPTER 3 AUGUST 2005 DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 3.4.2.2 Most Recent Catch and Landings Data........................................................3-108 3.4.2.3 U.S. vs. International Purse Seine Catch .....................................................3-108 3.4.2.4 Bycatch Issues and Data Associated with the Fishery.................................3-109 3.4.2.5 Safety Issues Associated with the Fishery...................................................3-109 3.4.3 Commercial Handgear....................................................................................3-110 3.4.3.1 Overview of History and Current Management Measures ..........................3-110 3.4.3.2 Most Recent Catch and Landing Data .........................................................3-111 3.4.3.3 U.S. vs. International Handgear Catch.........................................................3-113 3.4.3.4 Bycatch Issues and Data Associated with the Fishery.................................3-113 3.4.3.5 Safety Issues Associated with the Fishery...................................................3-113 3.4.4 Recreational Handgear....................................................................................3-114 3.4.4.1 Overview of History and Current Management...........................................3-115 3.4.4.2 Most Recent Catch and Landings Data........................................................3-115 3.4.4.3 U.S. vs. International Catch .........................................................................3-124 3.4.4.4 Bycatch Issues and Data Associated with the Fishery.................................3-124 3.4.4.5 Safety Issues Associated with the Fishery...................................................3-129 3.4.5 Commercial Atlantic Shark Fishery................................................................3-130 3.4.5.1 Overview of History and Current Management...........................................3-130 3.4.5.2 Most Recent Catch and Landings Data........................................................3-131 3.4.5.3 Bottom Longline Fishery .............................................................................3-137 3.4.5.4 Gillnet Fishery .............................................................................................3-141 3.4.5.5 Pelagic Longline Fishery .............................................................................3-144 3.4.5.6 Protected Resources.....................................................................................3-144 3.4.5.7 U.S. vs. International Breakdown of Landings............................................3-150 3.4.6 Fishery Data: LANDINGS BY SPECIES.......................................................3-153 3.5 Economic Status of HMS Fisheries ................................................................3-158 3.5.1 Commercial Fisheries......................................................................................3-159 3.5.1.1 Ex-Vessel Prices ..........................................................................................3-159 3.5.1.2 Revenues......................................................................................................3-166 3.5.1.3 Wholesale Market........................................................................................3-168 3.5.2 Recreational Fisheries.....................................................................................3-169 3.6 Community and Social Update .......................................................................3-173 3.7 International Trade and Fish Processing .........................................................3-174 3.7.1 Overview of International Trade for Atlantic HMS........................................3-174 3.7.1.1 Trade Monitoring.........................................................................................3-174 3.7.1.2 Bluefin Tuna Statistical Document..............................................................3-175 3.7.1.3 Swordfish Certificate of Eligibility and Statistical Document ....................3-175 3.7.1.4 Bigeye Tuna Statistical Document...............................................................3-176 3.7.1.5 Yellowfin Tuna Form 370 ...........................................................................3-176 3.7.1.6 Billfish Certificate of Eligibility ..................................................................3-176 3.7.2 U.S. Exports of HMS ......................................................................................3-176 3.7.2.1 Atlantic and Pacific Bluefin Tuna Exports ..................................................3-176 3.7.2.2 Other Tuna Exports......................................................................................3-177