Gulf Coast Fisherman

June 2, 2009 (MASGP-09-001-06)

FISHING LINE RECYCLING PROGRAM

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR) wants to remind fishermen along the Coast to drop their used fishing line in the designated recycling tubes located at piers and boat launches throughout the three coastal counties. Only monofilament fishing line should be placed in the tubes. Bait, hooks, nets and all other trash should be placed in a proper garbage receptacle. DMR, along with partners National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Conservation Association and the Mississippi Wildlife Federation, launched the state’s first large-scale monofilament, or fishing line, recycling program in May 2008.

Fishing line is consistently in the top ten of debris found during the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup, which is now held each year on the third Saturday in October. Monofilament is non-biodegradable and can last about 600 years in the marine environment. Monofilament poses an entanglement hazard for all marine life and can cause extensive damage to boat motors when it becomes wrapped around prop shafts.

The monofilament recycling tubes, made from six-inch PVC piping, are posted along with signs encouraging fishermen to “Help Keep Our Gulf Clean” by dropping their used fishing line into the tubes. There are 45 locations across the Mississippi Coast. For a list of locations, see the DMR press release at http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/Public-Affairs/Press-Releases/09-46-LDJ.pdf The used fishing line is collected by DMR and partnering organizations and then shipped to Pure Fishing America, the parent company of Berkley fishing line. Foreign debris is removed from the line and then the line is put through a processing machine. The line is ground into tiny pieces, melted down and then remolded into various products, such as spools for fishing line, tackle boxes and freshwater fish habitats.

SYSTEM FOR MARINE PROTECTED AREAS LAUNCHED

The U.S. Departments of Interior and Commerce are partnering with federal, state and territorial agencies to form a National System of Marine Protected Areas (MPA). MPAs are areas where natural or cultural resources are given greater protection than in the surrounding waters. The majority are 'multiple-use' areas, which allow fishing, diving, boating, swimming and other uses. 'No-take' MPAs allow human access but prohibit extraction or significant destruction of natural or cultural resources. They are sometimes used as research and monitoring zones, to protect spawning or nursery grounds, or to protect ecologically important deep-water habitats.

While MPAs have been established throughout the U.S. for decades, there has not been an overarching mechanism to coordinate effective ecosystem management. Two hundred and twenty-five (225) existing MPAs managed by various agencies will initially enter the system, which aims to enhance protection of marine resources, build partnerships to address issues affecting MPAs, and improve public access to scientific information and decision-making about marine resources.

NOAA REQUESTS SUBMISSION OF LANDING LOCATIONS FOR CURRENT AND PROPOSED GULF OF MEXICO INDIVIDUAL FISHING QUOTA PROGRAMS

In January 2009, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 29 to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico to establish an Individual Fishing Quota Program (IFQ) for groupers and tilefishes in the Gulf of Mexico. If the amendment is approved, the new IFQ program would be implemented January 1, 2010. The rule implementing this new program would also make changes to the red snapper IFQ program. One change would be to require pre-approval by NOAA Fisheries Service’s Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) of all landing locations for both IFQ programs.

In anticipation of this potential requirement, NOAA Fisheries Service is encouraging current and potential IFQ participants to submit additional landing locations now for pre-approval. Landing locations can be submitted by calling or e-mailing IFQ Customer Service (866) 425-7627 at any time . A list of currently approved landing locations for the red snapper IFQ program can be found at the red snapper IFQ Web site (ifq.sero.nmfs.noaa.gov); however, some landing locations currently in use may not meet the proposed requirements (see below).

Pre-approval of landing locations would be required only if Amendment 29 is approved by the Secretary of Commerce and a final rule becomes effective. Currently, participants in the red snapper IFQ program may choose, but are not required, to submit landing locations to OLE for approval. Under the proposed regulations, only pre-approved landing locations would be legal for landing IFQ species. If the requirement is implemented, starting January 1, 2010, new landing locations would be approved only at the end of each calendar-year quarter. To have a landing location approved by the end of the calendar-year quarter, it would have to be submitted at least 45 days before the end of the calendar-year quarter. Landing locations could be submitted by the current methods, or in the future via the IFQ Web site. Pre-approved landing locations would have to be publicly accessible by land and water and have a street address. If a particular landing location has no street address on record, global positioning system (GPS) coordinates for an identifiable geographic location must be provided. Other criteria may also be used by OLE when approving locations. Landing locations that have been approved for use in the red snapper IFQ program will automatically be approved for use on January 1, 2010, if they meet these criteria. Some currently approved locations, for example those at private addresses, are not considered publicly accessible and would no longer be legal for landing IFQ species. Updates to the landing notification screen on vessel monitoring system (VMS) units are constrained by programming requirements. Therefore, pre-approved landing locations may not appear on the VMS screen until some time after approval. The locations will be available when making a notification by phone or online. For more information on the potential grouper and tilefish IFQ program and the proposed changes to the red snapper IFQ program, please read the frequently asked questions at the Southeast Regional Office Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/Amendment29.htm.

NEW FEDERAL FISHING REGULATIONS PAMPHLETS AVAILABLE ONLINE

The Gulf Council announces that the 2009-10 Federal Fishing Regulations pamphlets for Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico are now available online. Printed copies will be available in late June. If you normally receive updates from the Gulf Council, you should automatically receive copies when available. If you do not receive updates and wish to request copies, please call the Council at 813-348-1630, or e-mail gulfcouncil@gulfcouncil.org.

LOOK OUT FOR MIGRATING MANATEES

Boaters should use caution when navigating through shallow coastal waters, as several endangered West Indian manatees are currently migrating through the area. Although manatees are often thought of as occurring only in Florida, they are often spotted in shallow coastal waters from as far west as Texas and as far north as South Carolina. In Mississippi, over the past several years, manatee sightings have become more common, especially in the spring and fall. Manatees are large, slow-moving, gentle aquatic mammals that spend most of their time eating, resting and swimming.

Because these aquatic mammals are air-breathers, they must come up to the surface to breathe. Manatees can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes when they are inactive, but on average, they come to the surface every three to five minutes to breathe. When resting, manatees often float just below the surface of the water or on the bottom. Manatees are considered endangered, so boaters especially must take precautions not to cause harm to them. Boaters cause most of the injuries to manatees when the props from their boats slash the bodies of these hard-to-see aquatic mammals. Please report all Mississippi/Alabama manatee sightings to http://manatee.disl.org or 1-866-493-5803. Please be sure to note the location (GPS coordinates if possible) of the sighting and the length and the condition of the animal whenever possible. Also when you can safely take a picture of the manatee, please try to take a picture of its head and body and any scars that are obvious. Manatees in distress should be reported to the DMR Marine Patrol at (228) 523-4134 or the Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-888-767-3657 (1-888-SOS-Dolphin) immediately.

NOAA RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT ON STATUS OF FISH STOCKS

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries. Four stocks - Atlantic bluefish, Gulf of Mexico king mackerel and two stocks of monkfish in the Atlantic - have been rebuilt to allow for continued sustainable fishing. This is the largest number of stocks to be declared rebuilt in a single year since NOAA declared the first stock successfully rebuilt in 2001. In the report, NOAA scientists reviewed 199 stocks and stock complexes to determine if they were overfished-a population too low to ensure a maximum sustainable harvest-and found that 153 (77 percent) are not overfished, and 46 (23 percent) are overfished. NOAA scientists also reviewed 251 stocks or stock complexes to see if they were currently subject to overfishing - currently being fished at a level that would threatened the stocks - and found only 41 (16 percent) are.

Three stocks - thorny skate, Atlantic blacknose shark and Atlantic shortfin mako shark - were added this year to the list of those that are being fished unsustainably. A fourth stock, Gulf of Mexico pink shrimp, was also listed as subject to overfishing but the stock assessment is being reviewed. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, NOAA and the regional fishery management councils are required to end overfishing, and prevent future overfishing, through annual catch limits and accountability measures. Federal fishery management plans must establish annual catch limits and accountability measures by 2010 for stocks subject to overfishing, and by 2011 for all other stocks.

 

Sincerely,


Dave Burrage

Marine Resources Specialist
MSU Coastal Research and Extension Center