U.S. Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog MSC Fishery Assessment Report Public Comment Draft Report 2000 Powell Street, Ste. 600 Emeryville, CA 94608 USA +1.510.452.8000 main +1.510.452.8001 fax Authors: Clients: Joseph DeAlteris Bumble Bee Foods Richard Allen Sea Watch International Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc. Surfside Foods, LLC LaMonica Fine Foods September 26, 2016 Document: MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template V2.0 page i Date of issue: 8 October 2014 © Marine Stewardship Council, 2014 Contents Glossary of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................ iv 1. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 6 Assessment Overview ......................................................................................................................... 7 Summary of Findings........................................................................................................................... 8 2. Authorship and Peer Reviewers ........................................................................................................ 10 Audit Team .................................................................................................................................... 10 Peer Reviewers.............................................................................................................................. 11 3. Description of the Fishery ................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 Unit(s) of Assessment (UoA) and Scope of Certification Sought ................................................ 13 UoA and Proposed Unit of Certification (UoC) ............................................................................. 13 Final UoC(s) - Considered final at PCR stage ................................................................................. 16 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and Catch Data (taken from 2015 MAFMC Information documents for Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs) .............................................................................................. 16 Scope of Assessment in Relation to Enhanced Fisheries .............................................................. 17 Scope of Assessment in Relation to Introduced Species Based Fisheries (ISBF) .......................... 17 3.2 Overview of the Fishery .............................................................................................................. 17 Historical Overview of Fleet Capacity and Management ............................................................. 17 Fishing Practices ............................................................................................................................ 21 3.3 Principle One: Target Species Background ................................................................................. 25 3.4 Principle Two: Ecosystem Background ....................................................................................... 72 3.5 Principle Three: Management System Background .................................................................... 94 4. Evaluation Procedure ...................................................................................................................... 111 4.1 Harmonised Fishery Assessment .............................................................................................. 111 4.2 Previous Assessments ............................................................................................................... 112 4.3 Assessment Methodologies ...................................................................................................... 113 4.4 Evaluation Processes and Techniques ...................................................................................... 113 Site Visits ..................................................................................................................................... 113 Consultations .................................................................................................................................. 114 Evaluation Techniques, Media Announcements ........................................................................ 114 Documentation ........................................................................................................................... 114 Scoring Process ........................................................................................................................... 115 5. Traceability ...................................................................................................................................... 116 5.1 Eligibility Date ........................................................................................................................... 116 5.2 Traceability within the Fishery .................................................................................................. 116 Eligibility to Enter Further Chains of Custody ................................................................................. 120 6 Evaluation Results ....................................................................................................................... 122 Document: MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template V2.0 page ii Date of issue: 8 October 2014 © Marine Stewardship Council, 2014 6.1 Principle Level Scores .......................................................................................................... 122 6.2 Summary of PI Level Scores ................................................................................................ 123 6.3 Summary of Conditions ............................................................................................................. 124 6.4 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 124 6.5 Determination, Formal Conclusion and Agreement—To be provided at FR and PCR .............. 124 References .......................................................................................................................................... 124 Appendices .......................................................................................................................................... 138 Appendix 1 Scoring and Rationales ..................................................................................................... 138 Appendix 1.1 Performance Indicator Scores and Rationale ..................................................... 138 Appendix 1a Conditions .................................................................................................................. 229 Appendix 2 Peer Review Reports ........................................................................................................ 234 Peer Review 1: ............................................................................................................................ 234 Peer Reviewer 2: ......................................................................................................................... 259 Appendix 3 Stakeholder submissions ................................................................................................. 274 Appendix 4 Surveillance Frequency .................................................................................................... 275 Appendix 5 Objections Process ........................................................................................................... 276 Appendix 6 Records Pertaining to the FOIA Request with NOAA OLE ............................................... 277 April 2016 NOAA OLE Response to Initial FOIA Request ............................................................ 277 May 2016 Letter from Client Group to NMFS ............................................................................. 277 June 2016 Email to OLE to Clarify FOIA Request ........................................................................ 280 June 2016: OLE Response Regarding FOIA Request ................................................................... 281 July 2016: Letter from NOAA to Client Group Regarding Information Request ......................... 282 July 2016: Letter from NOAA Providing FOIA Records................................................................ 283 FOIA Records Summary............................................................................................................... 286 Document: MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template V2.0 page iii Date of issue: 8 October 2014 © Marine Stewardship Council, 2014 Glossary of Acronyms ABC Acceptable Biological Catch ACE Annual Catch Entitlements ASAP Age Structured Assessment Program B Biomass BMSY Biomass calculated for Maximum Sustainable Yield Bu Bushels, one bushel of surfclams is equivalent to 17 pounds of meat; one bushel of ocean quahogs is equivalent to 12 pounds of meat CAB Conformity Assessment Body CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora DFO Fisheries and Oceans Canada EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone ETP Endangered, Threatened or Protected species F Fishing Mortality FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FCM Fisheries Certification Methodology FG Fixed Gear FLIM Limit Reference Point for Fishing Mortality FREF Fishing Mortality Reference Point GAO Government Accounting