Wiley - looking for maximum exposure on this until tomorrow evening and think this forum would be best. If you could leave this posted here (or better spot if you have it) until then and move to the regional forum after tomorrow evening, I would appreciate it.
SE Florida-area anglers - need your help!
I spoke to Ellen (TBF) at length today and asked for her perspective of the meeting tomorrow night (details below) and how the recreational anglers could best represent themselves during the meeting.
Don't mean to be presumptuous but thought since I'm new to the sport and interested, I would share what she said and paste in some information she forwarded to me today. Sorry for the long post - ignore if its old news! She was very pleased that there were a number of rec anglers planning to come and looks forward to meeting some of us. She will be there early and will be available if we have any questions before the meeting starts.
In addition to the newsletter data which follows, she suggested the following if you get the chance to speak:
- understand the background and purpose of the meeting (see below) and if possible, acknowledge the work the NMFS is doing on behalf of fish stock management
- speak about the $$ you spend and the economic benefit to the area/region
- help dispel the rumor that the rec guys are out there fishing, catching and then selling their catch for profit
- indicate the importance of the S. Florida "nursery area" closure and the positive results it has achieved.
- represent ourselves as an intelligent bunch, concerned about conservation while investing big $$ into our local economy (leave the
rants and
flames at home).
Here is the info she forwarded from a recent newsletter (including TBF recommendations), which should provide good background and the key messages to communicate.
FT. LAUDERDALE SWORDFISH MEETING
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recommends that all anglers in south Florida interested in swordfishing attend the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, 2006, between 7-9 pm, at the Broward County Library (100 S. Andrews, just off Broward Blvd). The purpose of the meeting is for the NMFS to receive comments on how to reinvigorate the U.S. swordfish fishery.
Background of Swordfish Fishery:
- North Atlantic swordfish stocks have been overfished since 1978, and despite changes in quota levels over the years, the U.S. longline fleet has not taken its allowable catch since 1992.
- Beginning in 1999 the stock assessment reported an increase in stock size and a decrease in the rate of fishing mortality with a substantial increase in the recruitment of young fish into the fishery. An international rebuilding plan was adopted at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
- In 2000 the U.S. implemented closed zones to pelagic longline gear in the Gulf of Mexico and along the eastern seaboard as part of the nation’s rebuilding strategy, particularly to protect juvenile swordfish.
- By 2002 the stock size had increased to 94% and the fishing mortality rate was down to .75. Against U.S. opposition, ICCAT responded by increasing the Total Allowable Catch allocation to nations. The U.S. feared the recent gains in stock size would be lost through renewed overfishing.
- In 2003 the U.S. implemented a recreational bag limit on swordfish, also to protect juvenile fish.
- Despite the increase in catch quotas authorized by ICCAT, the 2006 stock assessment indicates that North Atlantic swordfish have recovered. This is the first success case for an Atlantic highly migratory species based on national and international management and a few large year classes of the species. What percentage of the recovery is comprised of juvenile fish has not been quantified.
U.S. Management:
- The nation’s primary fishery management law, the Magnuson Act, requires the NMFS to identify overfished species and to implement a ten year rebuilding program. In 1999, the NMFS finalized and implemented the first Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks, which included the foundation to develop an international 10-year rebuilding program.
- Part of the swordfish rebuilding included the implementation of the closed zones to the U.S. longline fleet off the east coast of Florida up through South Carolina and two adjacent areas in the Gulf of Mexico in 2000.
- The 2006 North Atlantic swordfish stock assessment reports that the stock has recovered.
International Pressure:
- Other nations want a portion of the uncaught U.S. quota. If a portion is re-allocated to another country, the remaining U.S. quota could be divided again among recreational and commercial interests based on catch history (reported catch). No catch history, no catch; this is why it is important to report landed fish. (800-894-5528 to report)
- Other nations fish with little respect for the conservation of species, so re-allocation of some of the U.S. quota could result in an increase in the retention and overfishing of juvenile swordfish.
U.S. Pressure:
-The government does not want to lose part of its north Atlantic swordfish quota to another country.
- TBF and the recreational fishery and associated businesses do not want the closed zones, in which 99% of the recreationally caught swordfish are caught, re-opened to longline fishing.
- TBF and anglers do not want to see swordfish overfished again.
- The longline swordfish fishery wants to catch more fish within the allotted U.S. quota.
- The law states that once a stock has recovered, all interests must be given access.
- The government would like both U.S. recreational and commercial swordfish fisheries to co-exist.
- The U.S. government is likely wanting to take a plan to present at the November ICCAT meeting that indicates the U.S. might be able to catch its quota. In light of the catch history, this seems no longer possible because the quota has not been taken since 1992 and there are fewer boats now in the fleet.
TBF Recommendations:
Insist that the U.S. government:
- Retain the closed zone protections off southeast Florida to protect juvenile swordfish and to protect sailfish for the recreational fishery and businesses.
- Retain closed zone protections in the Gulf of Mexico for the fish and the recreational fishery.
- Begin bycatch reduction research outside closed zones.
- Use the accumulated “uncaught” U.S. quota to bargain with other countries that desire some swordfish quota. This could be on a year-to-year basis as a loan in return for their support of U.S. positions for billfish or other species.
- Reissue the call to anglers to submit their catch data, which might help close some of the quota gap. Also urge anglers to tag and release swordfish so that recapture data can be made available to better assess the juvenile swordfish movements.
- Monitor the newly authorized buoy fishery to assess how much of the quota it will catch.
For more information, contact Ellen at 954-938-0150, ext. 108.
NMFS Meeting 9/27 - Recommendations from TBF 
