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 81‑66, 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 Sixty‑Second Annual Report (2011) 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: Debora K. McIntyre and Steven J. VanderKooy Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission 2404 Government St. Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564 (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 Recipients 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 Osburn 2004 Leroy Kiffe 2005 Robert P. Jones 2006 Wayne E. Swingle 2007 Ralph Rayburn 2008 W. “Corky” Perret 2009 Albert L. King, Sr. 2010 Virginia “Ginny” Vail 2011 Acknowledgements In submitting this Sixty‑Second 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 sixty 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, Chris Blankenship, Chairman Joe Gill, Vice Chairman Joe Shepard, Second Vice Chairman Larry B. Simpson, Executive Director 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 Emergency Disaster Recovery Program ........................................................................................................2 Oil Disaster Recovery Program .....................................................................................................................6 Stock Assessment Enhancement Program………………………………………………………………….10 Sport Fish Restoration Administration Program ..........................................................................................11 Administration of the Gulf of Mexico Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species ..................................13 Southeast Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) ......................................................................17 Joint GSMFC/GMFMC Habitat Program ....................................................................................................19 Interjurisdictional Fisheries (IJF) Management Program ............................................................................20 Fisheries Information Network (FIN) ..........................................................................................................23 Economics Program .....................................................................................................................................28 Alabama Marine Resources Division ..........................................................................................................32 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ..................................................................................40 Florida Department of Agriculture ...............................................................................................................56 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Office of Fisheries .........................................................60 Mississippi Department of Marine Resources .............................................................................................87 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department ..........................................................................................................94 National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office .................................................................103 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council ..........................................................................................115 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................................119 Report on Examination of Financial Statements, Supplemental Data, Internal Control and Compliance for the year ended December 31, 2011.................................................125 Commission Roster Commission Officers Chairman: Mike Ray First Vice Chairman: Chris Blankenship Second Vice Chairman: Joe Gill, Jr. Commissioners (order of listing – administrator, legislator, governor’s appointee) ALABAMA N. Gunter Guy Butch Gautreaux Alabama Department of Conservation & Louisiana Senate Natural Resources Morgan City, Louisiana Montgomery, Alabama Campo “Camp” Matens TBA Baton Rouge, Louisiana Chris Nelson MISSISSIPPI Bon Secour Fisheries William Walker, Executive Director Bon Secour, Alabama Mississippi Department of Marine FLORIDA Resources Nick Wiley, Executive Director Biloxi, Mississippi Florida Fish & Wildlife Fisheries Tommy Gollott Commission Mississippi Senate Tallahassee, Florida Biloxi, Mississippi Thad Altman Joe Gill, Jr. Florida Senate Joe Gill Consulting, LLC Melbourne, Florida Ocean Springs, Mississippi Stephen Greep TEXAS Alexander & Greep Insurance Carter Smith, Executive Director Fort Lauderdale, Florida Texas Parks & Wildlife Department LOUISIANA Austin, Texas Robert Barham, Secretary Mike Jackson Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Texas Senate Fisheries Austin, Texas Baton Rouge, Louisiana Troy Bello Williamson, II Corpus Christi, Texas Staff Larry B. Simpson, Executive Director David M. Donaldson, Assistant Director Virginia K. Herring, Administrative Officer Steven J. VanderKooy, Program Coordinator Nancy K. Marcellus, Administrative Assistant Jeffrey K. Rester, Program Coordinator Cheryl R. Noble, Staff Assistant Ralph E. Hode, Program Coordinator Debora K. McIntyre, Staff Assistant Gregory S. Bray, Programmer/Analyst Alyce R. Catchot, Staff Assistant Robert W. Harris, Programmer/Analyst Ashley P. Lott, Staff Assistant Douglas J. Snyder, Survey Coordinator Deanna L. Valentine, Data Entry Clerk Donna B. Bellais, Survey Coordinator Alexander L. Miller, Program Coordinator Joseph P. Ferrer, III, Systems Administrator James R. Ballard, Program Coordinator Lloyd W. Kirk, SEAMAP Database Programmer Adam B. McInnis, Senior Accountant Angela R. Rabideau, Staff Accountant Active Committees Executive Committee .......................................................................................................................Mike Ray Chris Blankenship Joe Gill, Jr. Law Enforcement Committee ...........................................................................Walter Chataginer, Chairman State‑Federal Fisheries Management Committee .......................................................... Mike Ray, Chairman Menhaden Advisory Committee .................................................................... Jerry Mambretti, Chairman Commercial/Recreational Fisheries Advisory Panel ....................... Philip Horn,