NOAA Ecosystem Goal Fisheries Management Program

1. NOAA Ecosystem GoalFisheries Management Program Performance Measures and Strategic Planning

2. Performance Measures • NOAA Fisheries has a number of performance measures used to support the budget and track agency performance • The work of the Regional Fishery Management Councils contributes to this performance in a number of areas

3. Performance Measures most relevant to the Regional Fishery Management Councils p1 • Improving Stock Status • Increase the Fish Stock Sustainability Index (GPRA measure, for use by FMCs) - Components for this measure include knowing the status of a stock, whether it is overfished or subject to overfishing, and what the estimated biomass level is relative to the biomass that produces the maximum sustainable yield (Bmsy). • Percentage of Fish Stocks, known to be subject to Overfishing for longer than one year, with improved management measures to end overfishing in place. – This focuses on getting management measures quickly in place to end overfishing once the status determination is made. • Percentage of required ACL amendments for overfishing stocks implemented on schedule.

4. Performance Measures most relevant to the Regional Fishery Management Councils p2 • Ecosystem Approaches to Management • Percentage of existing fishery management plans (FMPs) reviewed within the past five years to update essential fish habitat (EFH) information per the EFH regulatory guidelines. (Habitat Conservation Program PM) • Fishery Sustainability Index (FSI) (In Development) – This measure is intended to include the socio-economic health on fishing communities as well as the ecological fitness of the fish stocks within that fishery. • Fisheries Information • Number of fisheries regulated through the use of permits. • Number of fisheries with adequate catch data. • Number of fisheries with adequate social and economic data.

5. Performance Measures most relevant to the Regional Fishery Management Councils p3 • Catch Shares • Number of fisheries managed under Limited Access Privilege Programs. • The percentage of overfished stocks with rebuilding plans implemented as required. • Bycatch Reduction • Number of key fisheries that meet bycatch reduction goals. - High-priority fisheries are those fisheries where bycatch is (1) a significant biological concern (i.e., related to an overfished fishery or a fishery with an incidental take statement); (2) an economic concern (i.e., a fishery that closes prematurely due to excessive bycatch); and/or (3) of special concern to the Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries. • Number of additional bycatch reduction engineering projects whose results are incorporated into management systems. • International • Number of partnerships with non-Federal entities, including foreign governments that implement and/or support international conservation and management of fisheries. • Outreach and Education • Number of outreach and education activities completed.

6. Key Performance Measures • The following slides present more detail on some of the most important performance measures: • Number of LAPP programs (Catch Shares) • FSSI • Annual Catch Limit implementation • Essential Fish Habitat 5 year updates

7. Catch Shares • Catch shares are designed to promote economic and ecologically sustainable fishery management practices by supporting a direct link between the long-term ecological health of the fisheries and economic health of those fishing communities. • Catch shares are a general term and include Limited Access Privilege Programs (LAPPs), individual fishing quotas (IFQs), sectors, cooperatives, community development quotas (CDQs), etc. • NMFS is continuing to work towards its goal of doubling the number of LAPPs (from 8 to 16) by 2011. • Performance Measure: Number of fisheries managed under Limited Access Privilege Programs.

8. Number of Fisheries Managed Under Limited Access Privilege Programs (12) • New England: • Georges Bank Cod Hook Gear Sector • Georges Bank Cod Fixed Gear Sector • Atlantic Sea Scallop General Category IFQ • Northeast Groundfish Multispecies Sector Program • Mid-Atlantic: • Surf Clam and Ocean Quohog • Golden Tilefish IFQ • South Atlantic: • Wreckfish Western Pacific None Caribbean: None • Gulf of Mexico: • Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper IFQ • Gulf of Mexico Grouper and Tilefish IFQ U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Sustainable Fisheries Blue = In Development • North Pacific: • Pacific Halibut & Sablefish • Western Alaska Community Development Quota • Bering Sea Pollack (AFA) Cooperatives • Bering Sea King and Tanner Crab • Central GOA Rockfish Pilot Program • Bering Sea Groundfish Cooperative Pacific: 1. Pacific Sablefish Permit Stacking Program 2. West Coast Groundfish Trawl TIQ

9. Fish Stock Sustainability Index • The FSSI is a performance measure for the sustainability of 230 U.S. fish stocks selected for their importance to commercial and recreational fisheries. • The FSSI will increase as overfishing is ended and stocks rebuild to the level that provides maximum sustainable yield. • The FSSI is calculated by assigning a score for each fish stock based on the five following criteria: • “Overfished” status is known • “Overfishing” status is known • Overfishing is not occurring (for stocks with known “overfishing” status) • Stock biomass is above the “overfished” level defined for the stock • Stock biomass is at or above 80% of the biomass that produces maximum sustainable yield (BMSY)2

10. Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI) 530 fish stocks managed in the U.S.; 230 contribute 95% of total landings If a stock is not overfished, overfishing is not occurring = 4 points per stock = 230 X 4 = 920 = maximum score Steady progress given management & investments Must end overfishing in 2010 No overfishing = 1 Not Overfished = 1 Status of overfishing known = ½ Status of Overfished known = ½ At least 80% of Bmsy = 1

11. Annual Catch Limits • The development and implementation of ACLs is intended as a measure to end overfishing, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. • Performance Measure: Percentage of required ACL amendments for overfishing stocks implemented on schedule. • All stocks subject to overfishing are required to have ACLs in place in 2010. • All other stocks are required to have ACLs in place by 2011.

12. Stocks “Subject to Overfishing” (41) – 2008 • New England: • Cod – Gulf of Maine • Cod – Georges Bank • Yellowtail flounder – Georges Bank • Yellowtail flounder – Southern New England/Middle Atlantic • Yellowtail flounder – Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine • White Hake • Winter Flounder – Georges Bank • Winter Flounder – Southern New England/Middle Atlantic • Thorny Skate North Pacific: None • Pacific: • **Yellowfin Tuna – Eastern Pacific • Mid-Atlantic: • Scup • Highly Migratory • Species: • **Blue Marlin – Atlantic • **White Marlin – Atlantic • **Sailfish – West Atlantic • **Albacore – North Atlantic • **Bluefin Tuna – West Atlantic • Sandbar Shark • Dusky Shark • Blacknose Shark • Shortfin Mako - Atlantic • South Atlantic: • Vermilion Snapper • Red Snapper • Snowy Grouper • Tilefish • Red Grouper • Black Sea Bass • Gag • Black Grouper • Speckled Hind • Warsaw Grouper • Pacific and Western Pacific • **Bigeye Tuna – Pacific • Gulf of Mexico: • Red Snapper • Greater Amberjack • Gag • Gray Triggerfish • 5. Pink Shrimp – Gulf of Mexico • Caribbean: • Snapper Unit 1 • Grouper Unit 1 • Grouper Unit 4 • Queen Conch • *Parrotfishes *Indicates non-FSSI stock **Stock is fished by U.S. and International fleets. Blue = Also Overfished NOTE: This map does not include the results of GARM III. Northeast multispecies stock status is based on GARM II (assessed in 2005). U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Sustainable Fisheries

13. Essential Fish Habitat • Performance Measure: Percentage of existing fishery management plans (FMPs) reviewed within the past five years to update essential fish habitat (EFH) information per the EFH regulatory guidelines. (Habitat Conservation Program Performance Measure). • This Performance Measure was added in 2008. The Fishery Management Councils and NMFS are mandated to periodically review the EFH provisions of FMPs and revise or amend those provisions no less than every five years. • There are several key issues the Councils and/or NMFS should evaluate that could affect existing EFH identifications and descriptions. These may include: • Changes to the status of species (overfished or rebuilt), • Changes to restoration techniques that would allow historic ranges to be restored, • New information about the species and/ or lifestage distribution, abundance, density, productivity, or habitat associations, • New analytical techniques such as modeling applications or mapping applications, • New information on habitat types not previously considered, • Changes in where, when or how gear is used in a fishery, • Improved information about how gear is used, or • New information about the effects of gear on habitat.

14. Council 5-Year Programmatic Plans • Councils will soon be developing their next 5-year grant proposals. • Councils Executive Directors meeting this week to discuss upcoming grants and process. • What are potential key performance metrics for the Councils and how could they be incorporated effectively to show Council performance?

15. Questions? • Ideas? • Next steps?