Descriptions of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Bottom Longline and Vertical Line Fisheries Based on Observer Data ELIZABETH SCOTT-DENTON, PAT F. CRYER, JUDITH P. GOCKE, MIKE R. HARRELSON, DONNA L. KINSELLA, JEFF R. PULVER, REBECCA C. SMITH, and JO ANNE WILLIAMS Introduction This fishery consists of approxi­ most commercial fishing effort for red mately 890 Federally permitted vessels snapper occurs in the western Gulf of Amendment 22 to the Gulf of Mex­ 2 3 ico Fishery Management Council’s (SERO ). Primary gears used include Mexico (SEDAR ). bottom longline, vertical line (bandit or In November 1984, the Reef Fish (GMFMC) Reef Fish Fishery Manage­ 4 ment Plan (GMFMC1) dictates manda­ handline), and more recently, modified Fishery Management Plan (GMFMC ) tory observer coverage. In July 2006, buoy gear. Although many reef fish spe­ was implemented to rebuild declining in collaboration with the commercial cies are retained, the predominant target reef fish stocks. Since that time, Federal fishing industry and the GMFMC, species are groupers, Epinephelus spp., regulations have restricted size and the National Marine Fisheries Ser­ and snappers, Lutjanus spp. landings of several reef fish species. vice’s (NMFS) Southeast Fisheries Longliners off the coast of Florida Weight quotas regulate commercial Science Center (SEFSC) implemented generally target red grouper, Epineph- landings for grouper, with 7.57 mil­ a mandatory observer program to char­ elus morio, in shallow waters, and in lion lbs for shallow­water grouper and deeper waters yellowedge grouper, E. 1.02 million lbs for deepwater grouper acterize the commercial reef fishery 2 operating in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico flavolimbatus; tilefish (Malacanthidae), (SERO ). The current total allowable (Gulf). and sharks (Carcharhinidae). Vertical catch (TAC) for red snapper is 6.3 mil­ line vessel operators target shallow­ lion lbs, divided between the commer­ water grouper (e.g. red grouper), red cial (51%) and recreational (49%) fish­ 1GMFMC. 2005. Amendment 22 to the Reef Fish snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, and ing sectors. An individual fishing quota Management Plan. Gulf Mex. Fish. Manage. may also seek yellowedge grouper and (IFQ) program for the commercial red Counc., Tampa, Fla. (available at http://www. gulfcouncil.org). vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites au- snapper fishery was implemented in rorubens. From historical effort data, 2007 and for the grouper and tilefish fisheries in 2010. The authors are with the Southeast Fisheries Sci­ Certain areas for reef fish are ence Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 2SERO. 2010. Fishery permits and fishery closed or restricted based on gear type NOAA, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551 quotas. Southeast Reg. Off., Natl. Mar. Fish. 5 (corresponding author: elizabeth.scott­denton@ Serv., NOAA, St. Petersburg, Fla. (available at (GMFMC ). Federal waters are closed noaa.gov) http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov). in the Tortugas North and Tortugas South Ecological Reserves in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Madison and Swanson and Steamboat ABSTRACT—In July 2006, a manda- ity of fish were released alive; minimum Lumps Marine Reserves off the west tory observer program was implemented to assumed mortality was 23% for the vertical central Florida coast. Longline and characterize the commercial reef fish fish- line and 24% for the bottom longline fish- ery operating in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. ery. Of the individuals released alive in the other buoy gear are prohibited inside The primary gear types assessed included longline fishery, 42% had visual signs of bottom longline and vertical line (bandit barotrauma stress (air bladder expansion/ and handline). A total of 73,205 fish (183 and or eyes protruding). In the vertical line 3SEDAR. 2005. Stock assessment report of taxa) were observed in the longline fishery. fishery, 35% of the fish were released in a SEDAR 7 Gulf of Mexico red snapper. Southeast Data Assessment and Review, South Atl. Fish. Most (66%) were red grouper, Epineph­ stressed state. Red grouper and red snap- Manage. Counc., Charleston, SC (available at elus morio, and yellowedge grouper, E. per size composition by depth and gear type www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/). flavolimbatus. In the vertical line fishery, were determined. Catch-per-unit-effort for 4GMFMC. 1984. Reef Fish Management Plan. 89,015 fish (178 taxa) were observed of dominant species in both fisheries, illus- Gulf Mex. Fish. Manage. Counc., Tampa, Fla. which most (60%) were red snapper, Lut­ trated spatial differences in distribution (available at http://www.gulfcouncil.org). janus campechanus, and vermilion snapper, between the eastern and western Gulf. 5GMFMC. 2010. Commercial fishing regulations Rhomboplites aurorubens. Based on sur- Hot Spot Analyses for red grouper and red for Gulf of Mexico Federal waters. Gulf Mex. face observations of discarded under-sized snapper identified areas with significant Fish. Manage. Counc., Tampa, Fla. (available at target and unwanted species, the major- clustering of high or low CPUE values. http://www.gulfcouncil.org). 73(2) 1 the 50­fm contour west and the 20­fm the fish trap, bottom longline, and trends and spatial distribution for domi­ contour east of Cape San Blas, Fla. bandit reel fisheries in the U.S. Gulf nant species. In May 2009, an emergency rule to of Mexico (Scott­Denton and Harper8; protect sea turtles (Cheloniidae and Scott­Denton9). Observer coverage Methods Dermochelyidae) went into effect pro­ of the commercial reef fish fishery Protocol sampling modification, ran­ hibiting the use of bottom longline gear operating primarily off the west coast domized vessel selection, and observer east of Cape San Blas, Fla., shoreward of of Florida and, to a lesser extent, off deployment through mandatory efforts the 50-fm contour. Modification through Louisiana, was conducted from 1993 began in 2006 for the commercial reef subsequent regulations (GMFMC5) through 1995. Data from 576 sets fish fishery. NMFS observers were prohibited bottom longline gear east aboard fish trap vessels, 317 sets from placed on reef fish vessels operating of Cape San Blas, Fla., shoreward of bottom longline, and 580 sets from throughout the Gulf of Mexico based the 35­fm contour from June through bandit reel vessels were analyzed. on randomized selection stratified by August, restricted the number of hooks Findings from this study revealed a season, gear, and region. Proportional onboard to 1,000, of which only 750 low proportion (<5% of total number sampling effort, based on coastal log­ could be rigged for fishing, and reduced caught) of fish discarded dead (im­ book data, among seasons and gears the number of vessels through an en­ mediate mortality) based on surface in the eastern and western Gulf of dorsement system based on documen­ observations. However, due to the Mexico was recommended by SEFSC tation of an average annual landing of number of fish released in stressed stock assessment scientists in 2006 at least 40,000 lbs during 1999 through state (air bladder expansion and/or eyes and used thereafter for vessel selection 2007. protruding), total predicted red snapper stratification purposes using annual The effectiveness of quota systems, discards of 25% to 30% were used to updated effort data. Thus, proportional size limits, and area closures as manage­ estimate the number of discarded fish sampling was used to direct coverage ment tools has been debated (Coleman et at age that died and thus contributed to levels (based on sea days, the National al., 2000; Nieland et al., 2007; Stephen fishing mortality (Goodyear10). metric for percent observer coverage and Harris, 2010). Once a vessel’s red The continuing goal of the current levels) toward region and gear strata snapper quota is reached, for example, observer program is to provide quan­ with higher levels of fishing effort, while the vessel simply targets other reef fish, titative biological, vessel, and gear­ continuing to sample strata with lower making red snapper a bycatch species. selectivity information relative to the fishing effort. Currently, the minimum legal size for directed reef fish fishery. The specific In 2008, for the longline fishery, red snapper is 13 in total length (TL). objectives are to: 1) provide general seven trips were not selected through The minimum size limit for red grouper fishery bycatch characterization for the mandatory process. Instead the trips was reduced from 20 in TL to 18 in TL, finfish species taken by this fishery, 2) were based on voluntary cooperation effective 18 May 2009 (GMFMC5). estimate managed finfish discard and as part of a pilot project to assess the The mortality rates of both undersized release mortality levels, and 3) esti­ effectiveness of electronic monitoring target species and nontargeted species mate protected species bycatch levels. equipment. Observers placed on these caught on the various gear types remains The specific objectives of this report vessels were equipped with closed­ a pressing concern. Findings from mark­ are to: 1) summarize trip, vessel, en­ circuit video cameras and associated release mortality studies (Gitschlag and vironmental, and gear characteristics, electronics. Results of this study are Renaud, 1994; Schirripa and Legault6; 2) quantify fish and protected species reported by Pria et al. (2008). Burns et al.7) indicate variable rates of composition and disposition based on In February 2009, increased coverage mortality based on depth and method surface observations, 3) examine size was directed toward the bottom longline of capture. composition of target species, and 4) fishery in the eastern Gulf to monitor In December 1993, SEFSC’s Galves­ estimate catch­per­unit­effort (CPUE) for sea turtle interactions. In response ton Laboratory implemented a volun­ to the bottom longline closure inside tary observer program to characterize the 50­fm contour in the eastern Gulf in 8Scott­Denton, E., and D. Harper. 1995. Char­ acterization of the reef fish fishery of the eastern 2009, some traditional longline vessels Gulf of Mexico. SEFSC Rep. to Gulf Fish. Man­ used modified buoy gear.