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Understanding and resolving conflicts between winter flounder and dredging

Understanding and resolving conflicts between winter flounder and dredging. Thomas M. Grothues Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University Eleanor A. Bochenek Haskins Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University Beth A. Phelan National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA.

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Understanding and resolving conflicts between winter flounder and dredging

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  1. Understanding and resolving conflicts between winter flounder and dredging Thomas M. Grothues Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University Eleanor A. Bochenek Haskins Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University Beth A. Phelan National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

  2. The conflict Winter flounder – a valuable resource Navigable waterways – a valuable resource Nexus occurs in estuarine waters

  3. Winter Flounder • Valuable • Vulnerable • to overfishing • to habitat degradation • Protected • catch limits • Essential Fish Habitat legislation

  4. Essential Fish Habitat • EFH- A legal term • Congressional Amendment to the 1996 Magnuson Stevens Fishery Act • “…protect habitat necessary to continuation of the species” • http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/habitat/efh/

  5. Winter flounder reproduction • Spawn in winter • Lay benthic egg clutches • Spawn in estuaries • Larvae (young) hatch and move into water column • Larvae settle

  6. When does dredging conflict with EFH?

  7. When does dredging conflict with EFH?When it is to occur in estuarine waters January through May

  8. When does dredging conflict with EFH?When it is to occur in estuarine waters January through May • Marinas are in estuaries • Boat traffic and slip use decreases in winter • NJ estuaries are typically depositional environments

  9. Refining EFH for winter flounder • At the inter-estuary (coast-wide) scale • Includes historical ranges • At the within-estuary scale • Estuaries are dynamic environments • May include areas or times of unfavorable conditions to winter flounder spawning that can be used for dredging • We can let the fish tell us their story

  10. Telemetry study • Tag fish with acoustic transmitters • Follow them synoptically and automatically 24/7 in the study area • Identify habitat use patterns • Identify spawning locations from specific behaviors • Map to environmental factors in the estuary

  11. C.T. N.Y. N.J. Study Area Atlantic Ocean Study Area Sandy Hook Bay Navesink River 0 3 km

  12. Sandy Hook Bay Year One Broad Scale Habitat Use Hydrophone

  13. Sandy Hook Bay Year Two Sub-meter Scale Habitat Use Hydrophone

  14. Summary • Winter flounder eggs are vulnerable to dredges • EFH legislation protects them • EFH designation may be unnecessarily broad • Study could revise EFH designation • Study could confirm EFH designation

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