NOAA Releases Report on Status of U.S. Marine Fisheries for 2005

WASHINGTON, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, NOAA released a report on the status of U.S. marine fisheries for 2005. The government report shows both progress in rebuilding overfished species and response of fisheries managers to slow fishing rates for species that were found in 2005 to have above-target harvests. Each year, NOAA announces the state of U.S. fisheries to inform Congress and the American public of the agency's progress in restoring fish stocks to sustainable population levels. The annual report tracks both population levels and harvest rates for species caught in federal marine waters, between three and 200 miles off U.S. coasts.

In 2005, NOAA scientists determined population levels for 206 fish stocks and multi-species groupings known as complexes. Of these, 152 (74 percent) were not overfished. NOAA scientists also determined the harvest rates for 237 stocks and found that 192 (81 percent) were not subject to overfishing.

This year's report is of special interest as Congress works to strengthen the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which has governed management of America's fisheries for 30 years. Yesterday, the Senate passed its version of the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization bill.

"I'd like to thank and congratulate the United States Senate for its leadership in passing a Magnuson-Stevens bill," said Bill Hogarth, director of NOAA Fisheries Service. "We hope to see passage of a House version soon so the Congress can develop a final Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization bill."

In a proclamation declaring June 4-10 as "National Oceans Week," President Bush reiterated the Administration's commitments to end overfishing and to collaborate with Congress to build an improved, market-based system to better manage our fisheries and keep our commercial and recreational fishing industries strong.

"We continue to make progress in rebuilding overfished stocks and ending overfishing, but this report also signals the need for additional management tools from Congress for us to be more effective stewards of our oceans," Hogarth said. "I look forward to the passage of a robust bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act with provisions that give NOAA and the regional fishery management councils stronger legal mandates to end overfishing more quickly, which in turn will accelerate the rebuilding of overfished stocks."

Hogarth reiterated the need for expanded use of market-based fishery management programs to allow fishermen to manage their fishing operations more like a business, strengthen incentives to fish in a sustainable manner and allow them to fish when weather conditions are safest and prices are best.

NOAA has implemented plans to rebuild the 54 overfished stocks within the last eight years which, in some cases, is not enough time for them to recover from previous decades of substantial overfishing. Although overfishing still occurs on 45 fish stocks and complexes, the regional fishery management councils have been taking action to scale back the rate of overfishing. In many cases, rebuilding plans phase out overfishing over time to prevent major social and economic impacts to fishing communities, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

NOAA scientists collect and analyze data to determine population levels and fishing rates for the major species targeted by recreational and commercial fishermen. While NOAA does not evaluate populations of every marine species, the agency continues to assess the health of more species each year. In 2005, new assessments helped NOAA determine population levels and/or fishing rates for 20 additional stocks and stock complexes.

Changes in fish population levels between 2004 and 2005 consist of the following:

  * Pacific lingcod stocks became fully rebuilt three years ahead of
    schedule and were added to the list of healthy, sustainable fisheries in
    2005;

  * Six stocks grew to a level that they were no longer overfished in 2005
    -- barndoor skate, bluefish, golden tilefish, widow rockfish, Bering Sea
    snow crab, and Eastern Bering Sea tanner crab;

  * Seven stocks whose population levels were unknown in 2004 were
    determined not to be overfished in 2005 -- starry flounder, blackgill
    rockfish, gopher rockfish, California scorpionfish, kelp greenling, and
    Gulf of Alaska rex sole, and Gulf of Alaska rougheye rockfish;

  * Three stocks were determined to be overfished due to population declines
    in 2005 -- Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, scup and Pacific ocean
    perch; and

  * One stock whose population level was unknown in 2004 was determined to
    be overfished in 2005 -- the Caribbean grouper unit 4 complex.

  Changes in harvest rates between 2004 and 2005 consist of the following:

  * Six stocks were no longer subject to overfishing in 2005 -- American
    plaice, witch flounder, golden tilefish, lingcod, shortspine thornyhead,
    and black rockfish (North);

  * Ten stocks whose fishing rates were unknown in 2004 were determined not
    to be subject to overfishing in 2005 -- little skate, winter skate,
    barndoor skate, thorny skate, clearnose skate, rosette skate, smooth
    skate, Gulf of Alaska skate, shortraker rockfish, and longnose and big
    skates;

  * Four stocks were determined to be subject to overfishing in 2005 --
    Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, Georges Bank winter flounder, Central
    Western Pacific yellowfin tuna, and the Caribbean grouper unit 1
    complex;

  * Three stocks whose fishing rates were unknown in 2004 were determined to
    be subject to overfishing in 2005 -- Caribbean grouper unit 4 complex,
    Caribbean snapper unit 1, and Caribbean parrotfishes.

When a fish stock is determined to be either overfished or subject to overfishing, the regional fishery management councils must develop a plan to correct the problem. The councils were notified of the four new overfished and seven new overfishing determinations for 2005, and have taken corrective action or are scheduled to take action this summer.

NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation's living marine resources and their habitats through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.

NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

  Councils in Action:  Steps Taken for Stocks that Were Determined to be
                       Overfished or Subject to Overfishing in 2005

  Introduction

Nationwide, 54 fish stocks and complexes are overfished and 45 stocks and complexes are subject to overfishing. NOAA Fisheries Service notifies the regional fishery management councils when stock assessments show species to be overfished or subject to overfishing, and new management action is required. Rebuilding plans are in place for the species that were designated as 'overfished' prior to 2005, and the councils already have taken action to address the new overfished and overfishing determinations of 2005, as described below. Recent council actions to end overfishing and rebuild some additional stocks are described as well.

  New England Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Progress:  witch flounder and plaice -- overfishing ended; barndoor skate
   -- no longer overfished
  Overfishing:  Georges Bank yellowtail flounder and winter flounder
  Overfished:  Georges Bank Yellowtail flounder

  Council Action:  Georges Bank Yellowtail Flounder

In 2005, overfishing was found to be occurring for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, and the stock was deemed to be overfished even though the catch of this species was substantially below target harvest levels for the 2005-2006 fishing year and landings consistently have been below target levels in previous years.

The New England Council responded by developing Framework 42 to the Northeast Multispecies fishery management plan, which would cut the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of Georges Bank yellowtail for U.S. fishermen by more than one-half and close that fishery once the TAC is reached. The recovery program is designed to rebuild this stock by 2014 (two years earlier and at a higher level of certainty than required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act). Bycatch TACs for the catch of yellowtail flounder in other fisheries also are reduced, and yellowtail would no longer be targeted as part of special access programs. The Council submitted Framework 42 to NOAA in April 2006; a proposed rule to implement these measures is under review. In the meantime, an emergency rule took effect in May 2006 to reduce fishing effort.

Council Action: Georges Bank Winter Flounder

Framework 42 would reduce fishing mortality for Georges Bank winter flounder to target levels by imposing a 7,500-pound landing limit and reducing fishing time for the vessels fishing on Georges Bank by about eight percent. The trip limit would be adjusted during the year to achieve target catch levels, and winter flounder would no longer be targeted as part of special access programs. Landings of Georges Bank winter flounder for the 2005-2006 fishing year were kept substantially below target levels by restricting fishing time.

  Pacific Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Progress:  lingcod -- fully rebuilt; lingcod, black rockfish (North) and
   shortspine thornyhead -- overfishing ended; widow rockfish -- no longer
   overfished
  Overfishing:  none
  Overfished:  Pacific Ocean perch

  Council Action:  Pacific Ocean Perch

The council banned directed fishing for Pacific Ocean perch after the species was declared overfished in 1999. Although the stock increased to above the overfished level in 2004, it remains close to the threshold, and based on a 2005 assessment it is again considered overfished. However, a new assessment shows an upward trend in the population level. This increase can be attributed, in part, to the coast-wide depth-based closed areas that the council has implemented since 2002 in order to help fishermen target healthy species and avoid the incidental catch of overfished species. The council will continue to implement new management measures in order to rebuild Pacific Ocean perch and its six other species under rebuilding plans until each reaches a healthy stock level.

  Mid-Atlantic Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Progress:  golden tilefish -- overfishing ended; bluefish and golden
   tilefish -- no longer overfished
  Overfishing:  none
  Overfished:  scup

  Council Action:  Scup

Scup is part of a multispecies complex that also includes summer flounder and black sea bass. To end overfishing of both scup and summer flounder and to rebuild scup, the council is developing Amendment 14 to the management plan for these species. The council is scheduled to complete a draft in time for public hearings in September and October 2006, with a target implementation date of March 2007.

  Western Pacific Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Overfishing:  Central Western Pacific Yellowfin Tuna
  Overfished:  none

  Council Action:  Central Western Pacific Yellowfin Tuna

When the council was notified of overfishing on Central Western Pacific yellowfin tuna last year, it added the species to Amendment 14 to the pelagics fishery management plan, which was already under development to end overfishing for bigeye tuna. Both species are part of the same international fisheries, and the United States accounts for less than five percent of yellowfin harvests. The council has voted to recommend that the international community adopt a 20 percent reduction in fishing mortality for both species in the Western and Central Pacific and a 30 percent reduction in mortality of bigeye in the Eastern Pacific. The council is meeting in June 2006 to take final action on how these reductions should be achieved. To be successful at ending overfishing, the international community in the Pacific will have to adopt these recommendations since the United States accounts for a fraction of the fishing mortality.

  Gulf of Mexico Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Overfishing:  none
  Overfished:  none

Though there were no new overfished or overfishing determinations for the Gulf region in 2005, four species are still undergoing overfishing. Rebuilding plans have been established for greater amberjack, red grouper, red snapper and vermilion snapper. Recent management measures include reductions to the greater amberjack recreational catch limit, commercial seasonal closures for both greater amberjack and red snapper, and a recreational seasonal closure for red snapper. The rebuilding plans propose to end overfishing for red grouper by 2006, red snapper by 2009 or 2010, and vermilion snapper by 2007.

Additional regulatory actions have been implemented since the rebuilding plans were established for vermilion snapper and red grouper. The recreational catch limits were reduced for vermilion snapper and red grouper, the vermilion snapper minimum size was increased for both recreational and commercial fisheries, trip limits and quota closures were implemented for all groupers, and the council adopted seasonal commercial closures for red grouper (including black and gag grouper) and vermilion snapper.

Assessments were completed for red snapper in 2005, greater amberjack and vermilion snapper in 2006, and an assessment for red grouper will be completed in 2006/2007. The council is currently considering additional red snapper regulatory actions, such as commercial individual fishing quotas, and reductions in total allowable catch and bycatch, and will address any necessary actions on greater amberjack and red grouper after the new assessments next year.

  North Pacific Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Progress:  Snow crab and Eastern Bering Sea tanner crab -- no longer
   overfished
  Overfishing:  none
  Overfished:  none

The North Pacific Council has no stocks subject to overfishing, and only two stocks that are overfished (the Pribilof and St. Matthew Island stocks of blue king crab), both of which have been closed to harvest for many years.

  South Atlantic Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Overfishing:  none
  Overfished:  none

Although there were no new overfished or overfishing determinations in the South Atlantic in 2005, the region still has 11 species listed as subject to overfishing, all part of the multi-species snapper grouper complex. A rebuilding plan has been in place for many years. Catch limits for speckled hind and Warsaw grouper, also reported as subject to overfishing, have been set at one fish with no sale allowed for the past 13 years. No harvest of goliath and Nassau grouper has been allowed since 1990. Another species, red drum, has been closed to all harvest since 1985.

The Council has taken additional action to stop overfishing for vermilion snapper, snowy grouper, tilefish and black sea bass. Once implemented, Amendment 13C to the Snapper Grouper fishery management plan will reduce commercial quotas and recreational catch limits and increase minimum sizes. The amendment has been submitted to NOAA and is open for public comment. The council now plans to focus its attention on developing measures to end overfishing for the remaining stocks: red snapper, red grouper, gag and black grouper.

  Caribbean Council -- New Determinations for 2005
  Overfishing:  Grouper Unit 1, Grouper Unit 4, Parrotfishes, and Snapper
   Unit 1
  Overfished:  Grouper Unit 4

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council developed Amendment 3 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan to address overfishing and to rebuild overfished stocks. This amendment includes closed seasons and closed areas that provide protection during peak spawning periods. The amendment also closed the queen conch fishery throughout the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the Caribbean except a small area off St. Croix; this stock continued to be listed as overfished and subject to overfishing in 2005. Amendment 3 was implemented through a final rule in November 2005. The council is currently working with fishing communities to develop new management actions, which may include limited entry and/or dedicated access programs.

  Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (Not Council Managed) -- New
   Determinations for 2005
  Overfishing:  None
  Overfished:  None

For many highly migratory species (HMS), U.S. fisheries account for a small fraction of the Atlantic-wide catch. International rebuilding programs are already in place for blue marlin, white marlin and bluefin tuna. An international rebuilding program for North Atlantic swordfish has ended overfishing and rebuilt the stock to 94 percent of its target level. For large coastal sharks, NOAA implemented a rebuilding plan in 2003 that reduced quotas and established a time/area closure to protect juvenile sandbar and dusky sharks. The August 2005 draft consolidation of the HMS Fishery Management Plan included proposals to seek an international rebuilding program for northern albacore and to explore options available to end overfishing on finetooth sharks. It also proposed new conservation measures, such as special hook and bait combinations and limiting white marlin fisheries to catch-and- release only, to support marlin rebuilding. Public comment on these proposals ended in March and a final rule is expected later in 2006.