final annual catch limit guidance prepared by andy strelcheck (nmfs, sero) presented by joe kimmel
TRANSCRIPT
Final Annual Catch Limit Guidance
Prepared by Andy Strelcheck (NMFS, SERO)Presented by Joe Kimmel
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National Standard 1 Guidance
Final rule published January 16, 2009 (74 FR 3178); rule became effective February 17, 2009
Rule provides guidance on how to comply with new annual catch limit (ACL) and accountability measure (AM) requirements for ending overfishing of Federally managed fisheries.
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MSA Mandate
Fishery management plans shall “establish a mechanism for specifying annual catch limits in the plan … at a level such that overfishing does not occur in the fishery, including measures to ensure accountability.” – MSA Section 303(a)(15)
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Snapper unit 1 - black snapper - blackfin snapper - silk snapper - vermilion snapper
Grouper unit 4 - tiger grouper - yellowfin grouper - yellowedge grouper - misty grouper
- red grouper
ParrotfishesQueen Conch (harvest prohibited in EEZ off STT/STJ and PR)
Nassau Grouper (harvest prohibited in EEZ)
Caribbean Stocks/Complexes Requiring ACLs by 2010
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Role of SSC
• Each Council is required to “develop annual catch limits for each of its managed fisheries that may not exceed the fishing level recommendations of its SSC …”
• “Each SSC shall provide its Council ongoing scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for ABC, preventing overfishing, MSY, …”
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Setting Limits and Targets
Overfishing Limit
Acceptable Biological
CatchABC ≤ OFL
Scientific Uncertainty
Annual Catch Limit
ACL ≤ ABC
Annual Catch TargetACT ≤ ACL
Science-Management feedback loop
Management Uncertainty
Science-Management feedback loop
SSC Role Council Role
(recommended)
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Setting ABC
• Council must establish a specified approach for setting ABC (i.e., an ABC control rule) based on SSC advice.
• ABC should be set for a stock or stock complex as a function of the scientific uncertainty in the estimate of OFL.
• If possible, ABC should be based on the probability of whether or not overfishing will occur. This probability should not exceed 50%.
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Flexibility in Application of Guidelines
• These include, among other things,conservation and management of ESA listed species, harvests from aquaculture operations, …
• Councils may propose alternative approaches for satisfying requirements of the MSA than those set forth in guidelines.
• Councils must document their rationale for any alternative approaches for these limited circumstances in an FMP or FMP amendment, …
• Some circumstances may not fit the standard approaches to specification of reference points and management measures.
Questions?
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Overfishing Limit
SSC Role
OFL determined by peer-review process and SSC
OFL = annual amount of catch corresponding to MFMT
The OFL is an estimate of the catch level above which overfishing is expected to occur
Overfishing Limit
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Acceptable Biological Catch
Overfishing Limit
Acceptable Biological
CatchABC ≤ OFL
Scientific Uncertainty
Science-Management feedback loop
SSC Role
ABC set by SSC
ABC ≤ OFL
ABC should account for scientific uncertainty and be specified based on ABC control rule
Probability of overfishing cannot be > 50% and should be lower
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Scientific Uncertainty
• ABC control rule should consider uncertainty in such factors as: stock assessment results retrospective revision; assessment time lags; and, projections
• The ABC control rule may be used in a tiered approach to address different levels of scientific uncertainty.
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Annual Catch Limit
Overfishing Limit
Acceptable Biological
CatchABC ≤ OFL
Scientific Uncertainty
Annual Catch Limit
ACL ≤ ABC
Science-Management feedback loop
SSC Role Council Role
ACL set by Council; must be ≤ ABC
If ACL exceeded, accountability measures triggered
ACL should not be exceeded > 1 out of 4 years
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Annual Catch Target
Overfishing Limit
Acceptable Biological
CatchABC ≤ OFL
Scientific Uncertainty
Annual Catch Limit
ACL ≤ ABC
Annual Catch TargetACT ≤ ACL
Science-Management feedback loop
Management Uncertainty
Science-Management feedback loop
SSC Role Council Role
(recommended)
ACTs recommended in system of AMs to ensure the ACL is not exceeded.
Take into account management uncertainty
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Management Uncertainty
• Sources of uncertainty Late reporting Misreporting/under reporting Management’s ability or inability to constrain catch
• Should assess past management performance when setting catch targets