River Herring Bycatch Avoidance Program Mid-water Trawl and Rhode - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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River Herring Bycatch Avoidance Program Mid-water Trawl and Rhode - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jun 08, 2023 429 likes •604 views

River Herring Bycatch Avoidance Program Mid-water Trawl and Rhode Island Bottom Trawl Peter Moore (PI) Participating Fishing Vessels: Kevin Stokesbury (PI) Mike Armstrong (PI) Sea Breeze Too Western Venture Dave Bethoney Bill Hoffman

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SLIDE 1

River Herring Bycatch Avoidance Program Mid-water Trawl and Rhode Island Bottom Trawl

Kevin Stokesbury (PI) Dave Bethoney Dan Georgianna (PI) RI Small-Mesh Bottom Trawl Fleet Mike Armstrong (PI) Bill Hoffman Brad Schondelmeier Peter Moore (PI) Participating Fishing Vessels: Sea Breeze Too Ocean State Heather Lynn Darana R Prevail Tiger Jo Dona Martita Retriever Enterprise Isabelle Taylor Western Venture Osprey Challenger Endeavour Voyager Nordic Explorer Starlight Sunlight Jean McCausland Providian

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SLIDE 2

Voluntary Bycatch Avoidance Program

  • Near real time information systems

– Communicate high bycatch areas

  • Evaluation

–Industry Support

  • Collaboration
  • Fishing patterns

–Bycatch reduction

  • Space/time patterns
  • Bycatch rates/amounts
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SLIDE 3

Alosine Avoidance System

DMF Port Sampling Fishing/Landing Dates Tows: Begin Lat/Long, Tow Duration, Cells Fished Trip: Target Spp. & RH/S Weights, Weight ratios SMAST Determine trip area Classify Trip Create Advisory Participating Vessels Mid-water trawl RI Bottom Trawl NEFOP/Study Fleet Oral description Trip info. 5-7 days Tow comp./location

  • hrs. after

Data in <24 hours

Flow of Information

Sample at >50% <48 hrs

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SLIDE 4

35 tows (of ≈350) > 2,000kg 80% of bycatch by weight

Observed bycatch Mid-Water trawls 2000-Sept2010 High: Alosine weight >1.25% of target species weight Moderate: Between 1.25% and 0.2% Low: <0.2%

Observed Tow

RI Bottom Trawl: Similar approach, different percents

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SLIDE 5

Communication approach

  • Coded grids

–Cells:≈5x8 Nm

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SLIDE 6

Avoidance Areas 2011 2012 2013

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SLIDE 7
  • Participation

– More vessels each year – All active mid-water trawl vessels

  • Consistent Communication

– Phone calls/Emails/In-person – MA DMF trip log completion

  • Movement patterns

– Re-entry into high bycatch cells – Direction of effort

Information System Evaluation: Industry Collaboration

B.Hoffman

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SLIDE 8

Direction of Effort

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SLIDE 9

Spatial, Temporal Separation

Winter 2011: New Jersey, MWT 4/1

75% of effort 75% of target catch 97% of alosine catch 25% of effort 25% of target catch 3% of alosine catch

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SLIDE 10

Spatial, Temporal Separation Winter 2012: RI BT

2/8

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SLIDE 11

Spatial, Temporal Separation Winter 2012: RI BT

2/9 to 2/15

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SLIDE 12

Spatial, Temporal Separation Winter 2013: East of Cape Cod, MWT

1/21/13 1/28/13 To Date

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SLIDE 13

Winter 2013: Area 2, MWT and BT

  • Lack of clear spatial, temporal pattern
  • Evidence for intra-annual bycatch reduction in RI BT fishery

– ≈ 65% cell classified as “high” avoided

– ≈ 10% of re-entries into a “high” cells resulted in high bycatch event

  • 6 of the top 10 highest catches of river herring (kg)
  • 30% of all bycatch
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SLIDE 14

Summary

  • Industry support
  • Demonstrated separation
  • Some numerical evidence

– Lack of control group – More analysis in dissertation

  • Under 380 mt threshold

– Set by funding agency – 50% ↓ from 2004-2007 levels

  • Increasing river herring populations?

– Reports of increased run sizes

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SLIDE 15

Future

  • Funding

– National Fish and Wild Life grant

  • Fall 2013, Winter 2014?

– Nature Conservancy

  • Winter 2014, RI Bottom Trawl?

– Atlantic Herring RSA

  • 2014-2015?
  • River herring catch caps

– Support Program

  • Substantial consequences
  • Focused accountability

– Undermine Program

  • Maintain catch history
  • Improvements

– Revised thresholds – Further collaboration with at-sea observers – Incorporating environmental information

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SLIDE 16

Discussion/Questions