Andrew Applegate NEFMC Staff EBFM PDT Chair EBFM Committee - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Andrew Applegate NEFMC Staff EBFM PDT Chair EBFM Committee September 12, 2017

NOAA Fisheries Definition EBFM Strategic Policy  A systematic approach  In a geographically specified area  That ensures resilience and sustainability of the ecosystem  Recognizes the physical, biological, economic, and social interactions  Among the affected components of the ecosystem, including humans 2

EBFM Steps 1. Specify spatial management units 2. Define stock complexes 3. Establish specific management objectives and exploitation reference points. 4. Establish biomass thresholds (floors) 5. Devise an ecosystem-based harvest control rule 6. Simulate the performance of EBMP 7. Identify and reconcile tradeoffs. 3

EPU identification 4

Scope – area to be included Georges Bank EPU? 5

EBFM Framework 6

Productivity 7

Scope – species/stocks Georges Bank EPU 8

Functional groups 9

NEFMC Managed Species 10

Recent Fishing Mortality 11

Status Quo Target Exploitation 12

Georges Bank Landings 13

Georges Bank catch (mt) by Feeding guild: Commercial landings and discards, herring landings, Recreational (A+B1) 14

Georges Bank catch (mt) proportion by Feeding guild: 15

Western Gulf of Maine catch (mt) by Feeding guild: Commercial landings and discards, herring landings, Recreational (A+B1) 16

T esting management procedures 17

Draft Operational Framework  Operating (ecosystem simulation) models  Hydra – 10 species length-structured model with trophic interactions  Ecosym/Ecopath (EwE) – mass-balance energy flow  Atlantis – end-to-end with physical and biological processes  Operational Framework  Operating models used to evaluate management strategies  Require goals and objectives to evaluate effectiveness  Management Strategy Evaluation process  Assessments to provide tactical advice  Functional groups and EPU catch cap  Ecosystem overfishing definition  Overfished/depleted definitions for individual species 18

Harvest Control Rules 19

Worked examples of potential HCRs 1. Threshold exploitation (no ramp down) at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Floor=0.2 of unfished biomass applied at the species complex level 2. Threshold exploitation (no ramp down) at Ex= 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Floor=0.2 of unfished biomass applied at the individual species level 3. Threshold exploitation (no ramp down) at Ex= 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Floor=0.2 of unfished biomass for each species except winter skate and dogfish (Floor=0.3 of unfished biomass) applied at the individual species level 4. Ramp-down exploitation using 'steps' at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Starting at B/Bo = 0.4 applied at the species complex level 5. Ramp-down exploitation using 'steps' at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Starting at B/Bo = 0.4 applied at the individual species level 6. Ramp-down exploitation using 'steps' at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Starting at B/Bo = 0.5 applied at the individual species level for winter skate and dogfish 20

Worked examples of potential HCRs 1. Threshold exploitation (no ramp down) at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Floor=0.2 of unfished biomass applied at the species complex level 2. Threshold exploitation (no ramp down) at Ex= 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Floor=0.2 of unfished biomass applied at the individual species level 3. Threshold exploitation (no ramp down) at Ex= 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Floor=0.2 of unfished biomass for each species except winter skate and dogfish (Floor=0.3 of unfished biomass) applied at the individual species level 4. Ramp-down exploitation using 'steps' at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Starting at B/Bo = 0.4 applied at the species complex level 5. Ramp-down exploitation using 'steps' at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Starting at B/Bo = 0.4 applied at the individual species level 6. Ramp-down exploitation using 'steps' at Ex=0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and Starting at B/Bo = 0.5 applied at the individual species level for winter skate and dogfish 21

Scenario 1 Fixed exploitation  Catch, biomass, and proportion overfished  Fixed exploitation for all biomass levels 22

Scenario 1 Fixed exploitation 23

Scenario 4 Ramp applied to depleted guild  Exploitation reduced for guilds  Threshold: Guild biomass < 40% of unexploited state  Floor, no landings: Guild biomass < 20% of unexploited state 24

Scenario 4 Ramp applied to depleted guild 25

Scenario 5 Ramp applied to depleted species  Exploitation reduced for species  Threshold: Species biomass < 40% of unexploited state  Floor, no landings: Species biomass < 20% of unexploited state 26

Scenario 5 Ramp applied to depleted species 27

Catch biomass comparisons 28

Catch biomass comparisons 29

Application to managed species  Species complex exploitation from simulation and tradeoff analyses  Actual biomass determined from expanded survey data or multispecies assessment results  Apply exploitation rate to above; group target catches by stock complex  Aggregate amount is the ecosystem catch cap 30

Identifying Depleted Species Smooth research vessel survey estimates using Kalman filter Species classified as depleted when below 20% percentile

Other broad scale models Production Potential Upper Trophic Levels Benthivores Planktivores Deposit-Feeding Benthos Mesozooplankton Suspension-Feeding Benthos Microzooplankton Nanoflagellates Nano-Picoplankton Microplankton Bacteria

Back to the Real World: Fishery Production Potential by Functional Group Median Production Potential for Bivalves ~ 20kt (Live Weight) Median Production Potential all others ~ 220kt (Live Weight) [~160kt for currently Exploited species] Exploitation Rate= 0.2 for each functional group Production Potential includes all size classes and species within functional Groups

Performance metrics Punt et al. 2016 34

Performance metrics 35

Questions Science, models, and operational framework  Is the operational framework and document clear?  What critical elements are missing?  Is the approach of establishing an EPU catch cap and allocations amongst functional groups of species an acceptable approach?  What do you want the EBFM PDT to do next? 36

Questions Science, models, and operational framework  Are the data and models sufficient to test and validate real world management approaches that could be implemented as regulations?  What type of development or parameterization (tesing, peer review, etc) needed before developing a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) and engaging fishermen and the public? 37