APPENDIX II Monkfish FMP Amendment 2 Habitat Considerations – Gear Effects Evaluation Monkfish FMP Amendment 2 1 Appendix II Monkfish FMP Amendment 2 1 Appendix II TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Essential Fish Habitat Gear Effect Evaluation............................................................................1 1.1 OVERVIEW ..........................................................................................................................1 1.2 GEAR DESCRIPTIONS............................................................................................................1 1.2.1 Bottom Tending Mobile Gear........................................................................................7 1.2.1.1 Otter Trawls .............................................................................................................7 1.2.1.1.1 Doors .................................................................................................................8 1.2.1.1.2 Ground Cables and Bridles ..................................................................................8 1.2.1.1.3 Sweeps...............................................................................................................8 1.2.1.2 Beam Trawls ............................................................................................................9 1.2.1.3 Hydraulic Clam Dredges .........................................................................................10 1.2.1.4 Sea Scallop Dredges ...............................................................................................11 1.2.1.5 Other Non-Hydraulic Dredges .................................................................................11 1.2.1.5.1 Quahog Dredge.................................................................................................11 1.2.1.5.2 Oyster or Crab Dredge/Scrape/Mussel Dredge ....................................................12 1.2.1.5.3 Bay Scallop Dredge ..........................................................................................12 1.2.1.5.4 Sea Urchin Dredge ............................................................................................12 1.2.1.5.5 Clam “Kicking” ................................................................................................12 1.2.2 Seines........................................................................................................................12 1.2.2.1 Haul Seines ............................................................................................................12 1.2.2.1.1 Beach Haul Seines ............................................................................................13 1.2.2.1.2 Long Haul Seines..............................................................................................13 1.2.2.2 Stop Seines.............................................................................................................13 1.2.2.3 Danish and Scottish Seines......................................................................................13 1.2.3 Bottom-Tending Static Gear........................................................................................13 1.2.3.1 Pots .......................................................................................................................13 1.2.3.1.1 Lobster Pots .....................................................................................................14 1.2.3.1.2 Fish Pots ..........................................................................................................14 1.2.3.1.3 Crab Pots..........................................................................................................14 1.2.3.2 Traps .....................................................................................................................15 1.2.3.2.1 Fish Pound Nets................................................................................................15 1.2.3.2.2 Fyke and Hoop Nets..........................................................................................15 1.2.3.2.3 Weirs ...............................................................................................................15 1.2.3.2.4 Shallow Floating Traps .....................................................................................15 1.2.4 Sink Gill Nets and Bottom Longlines............................................................................16 1.2.4.1 Sink/Anchor Gill Nets.............................................................................................16 1.2.4.2 Stake Gill Nets .......................................................................................................16 1.2.4.3 Bottom Longlines ...................................................................................................16 1.2.5 Pelagic Gear..............................................................................................................16 1.2.5.1 Mid-Water Otter Trawl ...........................................................................................16 1.2.5.2 Paired Mid-Water Trawl..........................................................................................17 1.2.5.3 Purse Seines ...........................................................................................................17 1.2.5.4 Drift Gill Nets ........................................................................................................17 1.2.5.5 Pelagic Longline Gear.............................................................................................17 1.2.5.6 Troll Lines .............................................................................................................18 1.2.6 Other Gear ................................................................................................................18 1.2.6.1 Rakes.....................................................................................................................18 1.2.6.2 Tongs.....................................................................................................................18 1.2.6.3 Line Fishing ...........................................................................................................18 Monkfish FMP Amendment 2 i Appendix II 1.2.6.3.1 Hand Lines.......................................................................................................18 1.2.6.3.2 Mechanized Line Fishing ..................................................................................18 1.2.6.4 Hand Hoes .............................................................................................................19 1.2.6.5 Diving....................................................................................................................19 1.2.6.6 Spears ....................................................................................................................19 1.3 DISTRIBUTION OF FISHING ACTIVITY BY GEAR TYPE.............................................................19 1.3.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................19 1.3.2 Data Sources and Processing......................................................................................19 1.3.3 Data Analysis.............................................................................................................21 1.3.4 Results.......................................................................................................................22 1.3.4.1 Bottom Gill Nets ....................................................................................................22 1.3.4.2 Bottom Longlines ...................................................................................................22 1.3.4.3 Pots .......................................................................................................................22 1.3.4.4 Bottom Trawls........................................................................................................23 1.3.4.5 Scallop Dredges......................................................................................................24 1.3.4.6 Hydraulic Clam Dredges .........................................................................................24 1.4 TYPES OF GEAR EFFECTS....................................................................................................38 1.4.1 Overview of Existing Information ................................................................................38 1.4.2 Alteration of Physical Structure...................................................................................40 1.4.3 Changes in Chemistry.................................................................................................41 1.4.4 Changes to Benthic Communities ................................................................................41 1.4.5 Review of Fishing Gear Effects Literature Relevant to the U.S. Northeast Region...........42 1.4.5.1 OTTER TRAWLS ..................................................................................................44 1.4.5.1.1 Otter Trawls – Mud...........................................................................................44 1.4.5.1.2 Otter Trawls – Sand ..........................................................................................47 1.4.5.1.3 Otter Trawls – Gravel/Rocky Substrate ..............................................................51 1.4.5.1.4 Otter Trawls – Mixed Substrates........................................................................52