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Feasibility of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery in North Carolina

Feasibility of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery in North Carolina. Marine Fisheries Commission Business Meeting November 5, 2010. Overview. Issue development and timeline Review of workgroup research and findings Part I: Potential Rule Changes

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Feasibility of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery in North Carolina

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  1. Feasibility of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery in North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Business Meeting November 5, 2010

  2. Overview • Issue development and timeline • Review of workgroup research and findings • Part I: Potential Rule Changes • Part II: Other States Hook-and-Line Fisheries • Part III: Impacts on Current Management

  3. Issue Development • Petition for rulemaking -- March 2010 MFC meeting • Red drum and spotted seatrout rules • Weakfish proclamation • Allow SCFL holders to catch commercial quantities of above species via hook-and-line

  4. Issue Development • March 2010: MFC requested staff examine all issues related to development of a commercial hook-and-line fishery • June-July 2010: Staff met with petitioner to discuss timeframe and issues • August 2010: MFC voted to develop notice of text for rulemaking for 2011-2012 cycle

  5. Part IPotential Rule Changes

  6. History and Current Rules • MFC last examined this issue in 1998 • SCFL holders can only sell bag limit • Many existing rules developed due to conflicts • December 2009: No bag limit sales of snapper grouper • No limits (state waters): Bluefish, mullet (striped/white), kingfish (sea mullet), spot, Atlantic croaker; flounder in internal waters only

  7. * Same trip and bag limit (2 fish) for both commercial and recreational sectors ** Only when commercial season open; fish must be 18-27”

  8. *** Same trip limit in state and federal waters w/exception for spiny dogfish south of Brown’s Inlet (500 lb state waters limit) ^^No limit in directed fisheries in federal waters currently; NMFS has proposed 100 lb bycatch limit for non-directed fisheries, although language is inconsistent. If proposed rule is implemented, will impose 100 lb directed trip limit in federal waters as well.

  9. Potential Rule Changes • Rules for red drum, spotted seatrout, American shad and striped bass would need to be changed • Red Drum: • Directed commercial catch of red drum inconsistent with current state and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) FMPs • Commercial hook-and-line catch up to current 10 fish trip limit allowed if bycatch provision maintained

  10. Potential Rule Changes • Spotted seatrout • Proposed rule: six fish recreational bag limit, no more than three fish greater than 24 inches TL • Additional modifications require review by Spotted Seatrout Advisory Committee • American Shad • Harvest prohibited in ocean • Gamefish status in inland waters (Wildlife Resources Commission)

  11. Potential Rule Changes • Striped Bass • Hook-and-line not allowable commercial gear in striped bass fishery • Directed hook-and-line fishery in Albemarle Sound Management Area inconsistent with state FMP • No commercial harvest in Roanoke River Management Area • Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Commercial Gear Permit would require change

  12. Summary • Unlimited commercial catch via hook-and-line allowed for a number of species • Consistency with ASMFC and federal fishery management council FMPs • Rule changes pursued through FMP review process (every five years) • Rule changes coordinated with annual rulemaking cycle

  13. Part IISummary of Commercial Hook-and-Line Fisheries in Other States

  14. Hook-and-Line Fisheries in Other States Prompted by the issue illustrated in Part I, DMF staff contacted other states to gather information on their hook-and-line fisheries. States contacted

  15. Hook and Line Fisheries in Other States • Which states have a hook-and-line fishery • History of the fishery • Pros and cons of a hook-and-line fishery • From these findings, develop a number of possibilities the MFC could use to administer a commercial hook-and-line fishery in North Carolina

  16. Hook-and-Line Fishery • All states contacted allow catch of finfish with hook-and-line gear • Only Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virginia have a hook-and-line permit • Maryland and Virginia have a limited entry program • Hook-and-line gear is mainly used as a supplement to other gears

  17. Management Tools • Several management tools that are used to manage a hook-and-line fishery • Trip limits • Permits/Species endorsements • Decals • Crew size • These tools can be used independently or in conjunction with one another

  18. Trip Limits • Useful in controlling the harvest of certain species of finfish • Gear-specific limits can be used to increase hook-and-line bag limits, but must not adversely impact fishery stocks • Increase in hook-and-line harvest may require decrease in harvest in other gear types

  19. Trip Limits • South Carolina/Georgia • No commercial hook-and-line harvest and sale over recreational bag limit • Florida • Limits harvest of several species to just hook-and-line • Spotted seatrout (75 per person or vessel) • Tripletail (10 per person or vessel) • American shad (10 per person) • African pompano (2 per person or vessel)

  20. Permits • In other states permits have been used to: • Control the number of fishermen in the fishery • Control the amount of effort in the fishery • Enable better tracking of trends in the commercial fisheries • North Carolina • Requires a statute change to have limited entry permit • Requires a statute change to charge for permit

  21. Permits • Massachusetts • No limited entry • 1,121 permits • Requirements: Commercial license and species endorsement to harvest certain species of finfish • Maryland • Permits issued for hook-and-line and other gear types • Striped bass: 1,231 (~30%) limited entry • Flounder: 7 (0%) limited entry • Yellow perch: 50-60 (<1%) not limited entry • Requirements: Commercial license

  22. Permits • Virginia • Originally set up as specialized commercial fishery • Limited entry (individual transferable quota program) • 200 permits • Requirements: 1,000 pounds of seafood landed over two years and valid striped bass permit

  23. Species Endorsement Can be an alternative or work in conjunction with a permit to harvest certain species of finfish (ex. Florida and Massachusetts) Requirement to obtain endorsement: • Commercial fishing income • Landing history • Pay a fee • Age North Carolina • Requires statute change to charge for endorsement • Requires statute change to create endorsement

  24. Markings and Notification Allow for quick identification of participants in the fishery • Maryland: Flag • Virginia: License plate North Carolina • Decals • For-hire fishing permit • For-hire blanket coastal recreational fishing license • Commercial fishing vessel registration • Call-in policy • Scientific and educational collection permit

  25. Crew Size • This management method has been used to: • Deter selling of fish caught on chartered vessels • Enable accurate counts of fishermen operating in fishery • Limit effort and harvest in fishery • Massachusetts • Each crew member must have a permit • Maryland • One permit holder allowed with three additional non-permit holders onboard • Two permit holders allowed with one additional non-permit holder (each) onboard • Virginia • All crew members must register on an annual basis

  26. Other Management Issues • Double-counting of a trip as both commercial and recreational • Conflicts between commercial and recreational hook-and-line fishermen

  27. Charter/Commercial Fishermen • Issue • Commercial fishermen with for-hire licenses or charter boat captains with commercial licenses would have a distinct advantage if they were able to take clients out on a chartered “commercial” trip where clients were not subject to the recreational trip limits • Virginia • Crew list with over 200 fishermen listed

  28. Competition for Space • Other states indicated they have conflict issues between user groups • Virginia • Distance one can fish from certain structures: bridges, jetties, and piers • Seasons • Weekend closure • Time of day North Carolina has addressed some of these issues as listed in 15ANCAC 03J .0402 of the Rules for Coastal Fishing Waters.

  29. How effective is hook-and-line gear? Percent of selected species caught commercially with hook-and-line gear in North Carolina coastal waters from 1994-2009 (NC TTP).

  30. Rank of landings harvested with hook-and-line gear by state (Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina) from 2005-2009 (ACCSP). Rank of landings harvested with hook-and-line gear by state (Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina) from 2005-2009 (ACCSP). Rank of landings harvested with hook-and-line gear by state (Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina) from 2005-2009 (ACCSP). Rank of landings harvested with hook-and-line gear by state (Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina) from 2005-2009 (ACCSP). Other States 2009 Commercial Landings by Hook-and-Line • South Carolina: Bluefish ranked 17th out of 35 species landed • Georgia: Red drum ranked 7th, spotted seatrout ranked 11th out of 25 species landed • Florida: Spotted seatrout ranked 10th, bluefish ranked 11th out of 95 species landed

  31. Summary Issues to address: • Consider effects of increasing trip limits on finfish stocks • Establish a permitting/endorsement system • Establish means to distinguish commercial hook-and-line fishermen from recreational fishermen • Determine the number of crew members allowed • Establish restrictions or conditions to prevent double-dipping • Identify geographic areas where conflicts might occur

  32. Part IIIPotential Impacts on Current Management and FMPs

  33. Overview • Species current management • Broad overview of the effects a commercial hook-and-line fishery may have on each

  34. Striped Bass Management Atlantic Ocean • Managed under ASMFC Striped Bass FMP Amendment 6 • 480,480-pound Total Allowable Catch (TAC) • Dec 1-Nov 30 fishing year • 28-inch TL minimum size limit • TAC allocated among three fisheries with daily landing limits • Beach seine, gill net, trawl • 2009 NCDMF established permit system; fishermen declare gear/fishery and are locked in for three consecutive years • Hook-and-line not allowable commercial gear in striped bass fishery • Sale of hook-and-line striped bass prohibited

  35. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery • Rule change to allow hook-and-line as commercial gear for striped bass • Addition of fourth permit category • Considering limited entry requires legislative approval • ASMFC approval not required

  36. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery • Possibly reduce seines, gill nets, trawl effort • Possibly reduce bycatch and interactions with protected species • Additional participants in already “crowded” fishery with a small quota (~780 participants for 2010/2011 season) • Charter boats with multiple license/multiple trips and sale of customer limits • Allocation of TAC to hook-and-line gear/fishery

  37. Striped Bass Management Albemarle Sound Management Area • Managed under ASMFC Striped Bass FMP Amendment 6 and 2004 NC Estuarine Striped Bass FMP (currently under revision - joint plan DMF/WRC) • 275,000-pound commercial TAC with daily harvest limits • Spring and fall season • 18-inch TL minimum size limit • Bycatch fishery 50% by weight • Hook-and-line not allowable commercial gear • Sale of hook-and-line striped bass prohibited

  38. Striped Bass ManagementCentral Southern Management Area • Managed under 2004 NC Estuarine Striped Bass FMP (joint plan DMF/WRC) • No ASMFC compliance requirements • 25,000-pound TAC with daily harvest limits • March-April season • 18-inch TL minimum size limit • Bycatch fishery in sounds 50% by weight; low level directed fishery in rivers

  39. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line FisheryASMA/CSMA • Rule change to allow hook-and-line as commercial gear for harvest and sale of striped bass • Change in bycatch provision to allow directed harvest • Revision of state FMP required

  40. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line FisheryASMA/CSMA • Provide opportunities for fishermen displaced from gill net fisheries due to recently implemented regulations • Possibly decrease amount of gill net, pound net effort • Reduce bycatch and interactions with protected species • Increase number of participants • Charter boats with commercial license • Effects on depleted stock

  41. Red Drum Management • Managed under NC Red Drum FMP Amendment 1 and ASMFC Red Drum FMP Amendment 2 • 250,000-pound annual cap with daily harvest limit; currently 10 fish • Fishing year September 1-August 31 • Size limit 18-27 inches TL • Bycatch fishery; 50% by weight • Commercial hook-and-line currently allowed; limited to recreational bag limit of one fish between 18-27 inches when season is open

  42. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery • Directed hook-and-line commercial fishery inconsistent with state and ASMFC FMP • Allowance of current 10 fish trip limit with bycatch provision consistent with both state and ASMFC FMPs • Likely to increase commercial harvest • Unknown how much; could be significant

  43. Spotted Seatrout Management • ASMFC FMP exists but does not carry compliance requirements • Currently managed under NC Spotted Seatrout FMP; awaiting final approval • 14-inch TL minimum size limit • Current bag limit is 10 fish taken by hook and line (or for recreational purposes); accounts for < 1.0% of commercial landings • In recent years, gill nets account for 78% of annual commercial landings

  44. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery • Reduce amount of gill net used • Provide opportunity for fishermen displaced from gill net fisheries • Could reduce bycatch • Could significantly increase participant numbers thereby increasing harvest; currently overfished and overfishing • May increase competition/conflict between recreational and commercial fishermen (this was the reason for the commercial hook-and-line bag limit) • Revision of state FMP

  45. Southern Flounder Management • Currently managed under 2005 NC Southern Flounder FMP • Amendment 1 under development • 14-inch TL minimum size limit • Gill nets and pound nets account for over 90% of annual commercial landings

  46. Changes/Effects of a Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishery • Hook and line commercial fishery currently exists; landings are minimal • Less than 0.1% of annual commercial landings from 1994-2009 • Continued restrictions on other gears could increase these landings; likely not significant

  47. Kingfish • Currently managed under the 2007 NC Kingfish FMP • No commercial size or harvest limits • Commercial hook-and-line fishery currently allowed • Accounts for less than 0.1% of annual commercial landings 1994-2009 • Unlikely lost landings from other gears will be recouped in commercial hook-and-line fishery

  48. Striped Mullet • Currently managed under 2006 NC Striped Mullet FMP • Commercial hook-and-line fishery currently allowed and has little to no impact • Mostly feed on detritus, plant material and microorganisms • Not often caught by hook and line • Potential increase in use of striped mullet as bait in other commercial hook-and-line fisheries

  49. Summary • Addition of a commercial hook-and-line fishery will affect each current fishery differently • Some fisheries may experience substantial changes (i.e. shift in effort, increased participants, increased landings, increased conflicts); others may not • Difficult to project impacts of increased hook-and-line effort on stock status and current management objectives • Any changes to current management regimes need to go through FMP review process

  50. Recommendations • Careful establishment on a fishery-by-fishery basis • Plan Development Team should be responsible for developing hook-and-line program for a fishery during scheduled FMP review process Development of commercial hook-and-line fishery may offset some economic hardship from recent gill net restrictions

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