14 - USA

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Approves Measures to Address Overfishing Snapper-Grouper Species (see also Newsletter 13)

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within its jurisdiction through the development of fishery plans, with requirements to prevent and stop overfishing, minimize bycatch, and protect habitat. In our last Newsletter (No. 13) we suggested that spatial measures could also be applied. In feedback to that article, we were advised that there is already some spatial protection involved, and that efforts are now being made to incorporate more spatial measures in management planning in the snapper-grouper fishery of the region.  While multiple conventional fishery management measures are applied to several of the fisheries under SAFMC jurisdiction, it is only more recently that spatial measures have begun to specifically address spawning aggregation sites. This is partly due to the fact that, despite several species being confirmed aggregation spawners, their aggregation sites are generally not widely known outside the fishing community, while spawning seasonality is better understood, facilitating the seasonal protective measures currently in place for a number of species during their reproductive periods. In December 2009, the SAFMC approved amendment 16 of the Fishery Management Plan for the snapper-grouper fishery in the region [http://www.safmc.net/Portals/6/Library/FMP/SnapGroup/SnapGroupAmend16FINAL.pdf]. This amendment addresses overfishing for nine snapper and grouper species (golden tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, snowy grouper Epinephelus niveatus, speckled hind E. drummondhayi, Warsaw grouper E. nigritus, black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci, black sea bass Centropristis striata, gag M. microlepis, red grouper E. morio, and vermilion snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens), most of them aggregation-spawners, by establishing annual catch limits and introducing accountability measures.

Amongst other measures, this amendment involves spatial deepwater closures (73 m seaward) for deepwater species to help protect Warsaw grouper and speckled hind, two fishes extremely vulnerable to overfishing and for which no landings are permitted either commercially or recreationally. The deepwater closure is expected to also help protect other deepwater species (snowy grouper, blueline tilefish Caulolatilus microps, yellowedge grouper E. flavolimbatus, misty grouper E. mystacinus, queen snapper Etelis oculatus and silk snapper Lutjanus vivanus) where fishing, possession, and retention of these species are prohibited. As knowledge increases on the spawning locations, their seasonal or year-round protection can be applied as a management measure, especially the species included in this management plan that are of conservation concern [http://www.iucnredlist.org] and are verified aggregation-spawners (Sedberry et al. 2006).

 A new amendment (17A), recommended by the SAFMC, suggests to extend the red snapper closure and a large area closure (~17,000 square km) in waters from 30 m to 73 m where fishing, except for spearfishing and use of black sea bass pots, for all snapper and grouper species would be prohibited to address overfishing, as well as to reduce the high mortality associated with discards. This amendment, alongside the newly designed Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern encompassing ~60,000 square km, will hopefully protect important spawning habitats that fall within the boundary. 

Summarized by
Joy TL Lam
SCRFA
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Reference

Sedberry G.R., O. Pashuk, D.M. Wyanski, J.A. Stephen, P. Weinbach (2006) Spawning locations for Atlantic reef fish off the southeastern U.S. . 57^th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, 464-514.