October 9, 2013 Menhaden Advisory Committee Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission 2404 Government St. Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Dear Chairman Gill and members of the Menhaden Advisory Committee: We, the undersigned recreational anglers, commercial fishermen, fishing organizations and conservation groups, urge the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) to revise the Gulf Menhaden Fishery Management Plan (FMP) so that it explicitly incorporates the significant ecological role menhaden play in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. The Gulf menhaden fishery is the second largest by volume in the U.S., averaging more than 500,000 metric tons harvested each year, with more than 1 million metric tons harvested in 2011.1 Management of this very important forage species should transition toward an ecosystem-based approach. Abundant menhaden are crucial for maintaining healthy ocean and estuarine ecosystems. They are prey for a suite of predators that include economically important fish species, dolphins, and shore and seabirds.2 Targeted fish species that feed heavily on menhaden include spotted sea trout, red drum, king and Spanish mackerel, sharks, and even groupers and snappers.3 Menhaden also contribute significantly to the diets of certain birds, such as pelicans, osprey, loons, terns and herons, some of which are listed as endangered or threatened.4 Not only are menhaden the quintessential forage base in the Gulf for a variety of marine wildlife, they are also filter feeders that consume plankton, algae and detritus.5 They provide a pivotal link between primary production and top oceanic predators6, and play a substantial role in the transfer of energy through the ocean food web. Gulf menhaden have recently been described as a “sentinel species” (i.e., ecosystem indicator) and as such are being studied to assess the health of the ecosystem as a whole after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.7 A growing body of science recommends that management of important forage species like Gulf menhaden should directly incorporate their ecological role as prey. The Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force, a panel of thirteen preeminent marine and fisheries scientists from around the world, was convened to provide practical, science-based advice for the management of forage species. This Task Force undertook a comprehensive examination of the science and management of forage fish populations and concluded that in most ecosystems, fishing rates should be half the typical rates that conventional practice dictates.8 Another recent study demonstrated that a third of overall forage species abundance is needed to sustain seabird productivity over the long term.9 Finally, it is important to consider that the long-term impacts on the menhaden population from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster are still not known. Thus, extra precaution should be taken when revising the management plan until the effects of the oil and dispersants on these fish are well understood. To date, the essential ecological role of menhaden in the Gulf of Mexico has not been explicitly incorporated in the stock assessment or FMP. It is time to move management of this very important forage species beyond the conventional single-species approach still used for most predator fish. Thus, it is vital that management target levels used to gauge the status of the menhaden population be established in the FMP to acknowledge and incorporate menhaden’s significant ecological role. Additionally, management measures, including a Gulf-wide menhaden quota, should be set based on those appropriate target levels. Explicitly considering the ecological role of menhaden when you revise the Gulf Menhaden Fishery Management Plan is an important step to ensure sufficient prey for the variety of marine wildlife that feed on these species, which in turn support important fishing and tourism industries across the Gulf. Thank you for considering these recommendations. Sincerely, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance Tj Tate, Executive Director Galveston, TX Charter Fishermen’s Association Capt. Michael W. Jennings, President Galveston, TX Florida Wildlife Federation Manley Fuller, President Tallahassee, FL Louisiana Wildlife Federation Rebecca Triche, Executive Director Baton Rouge, LA Texas Conservation Alliance Janice Bezanson, Executive Director Dallas, TX The PEW Charitable Trusts Holly Binns, Director U.S. Oceans, Southeast Alabama Davis Walker Walker Fishing Fleet, Inc. Andalusia, AL Louisiana Steve Tomeny Charter/Commercial Fisherman Port Fourchon, LA Mississippi Capt. Sonny Schindler Shore Thing Fishing Charters Bay St. Louis, MS Florida Capt. Michael Colby, Vise-President Charter Fisherman’s Association Clearwater Beach, FL Capt. Gary Jarvis Back Down 2 Fishing Charters Destin, FL Capt. Karen Hughart Captain K’s Bait and Fishing Charters St. Petersburg, FL E.M. “Skeet” Lores, Ph.D. Retired Marine Scientist and Angler Pensacola, FL Christian Wagley Angler Pensacola, FL Dennis McKay Angler Pensacola, FL Jon Brett, Editor Fishbuzz TV Station Director St. Petersburg, FL Mike Connor Fly & Light Tackle Angler DBA Mean Tide Media, LLC Stuart, FL Donald A. Waters Commercial Fisherman Pensacola, FL Wayne Werner Commercial Fisherman Alachua, FL Chris Niquet Commercial Fisherman Panama City, FL James M. Clements Commercial Fisherman Carrabelle, FL Russell Underwood Commercial Fisherman Lynn Haven, FL W.E. “Bill” Tucker Commercial Fisherman Dunedin, FL Texas Buddy Guindon Katie’s Seafood Market Galveston, TX Bubba Cochrane Southern Seafood, LLC Galveston, TX Capt. Michael Miglini, Executive Director Charter Fisherman’s Association Port Aransas, TX Capt. Shane Cantrell Galveston Sea Ventures Galveston, TX Capt. Scott Hickman Circle H Outfitters and Charters Galveston, TX Capt. Bruce Shuler Shuler Outdoors Port Mansfield, TX 1. From NOAA Annual Commercial Landings Statistics 1950 to 2011, st.nmfs.noaa.gov/commercial-fisheries/commercial-landings/annual-landings/index 2. Vaughan, D.S., K.W. Schertzer, and J.W. Smith. 2007. Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico: Fishery characteristics and biological reference points for management. Fisheries Research 83, p 263-275. 3. Vanderkooy, S.J. and J.W. Smith, 2002. The Menhaden Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, United States, A Regional Management Plan. 2002 Revision. Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, Publication Number 99. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Vaughan, D., A. Schueller, J. Smith, and S. Vanderkooy. 2011. SEDAR 27: Gulf Menhaden Stock Assessment Report, pg 19. 7. wwno.org/post/why-finding-oil-fish-organs-isnt-bad-it-looks#.UebfBPnQxIQ.twitter 8. Pikitch, E.K. et al. 2012. Little Fish, Big Impact: Managing a Crucial Link in Ocean Food Webs. Lenfest Ocean Program, Washington, DC, 108 pp. 9. Cury, P.M. et al. 2011. Seabird Response to Forage Depletion – One-Third for the Birds. Science 334, p 1703 - 1706.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:28:54 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015