Commercial Pink Shrimp Fishery Management

Transcription

1 Commercial Pink Shrimp Fishery Management Exhibit F January 19 th, 2018 Scott Groth, Pink shrimp project leader Marine Resources Program 1

2 Why are we here? Issue 1: Proposed adoption of a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Issue 2: Proposed requirement of the use of lighting devices on the footropes of shrimp trawls Ocean (pink) shrimp Eulachon smelt LED fishing light

3 Fishery Management Plan FMP designed to promote fishery sustainability Describes species, fishery, and monitoring Identifies trends, objectives, and priorities Describes biological reference points and harvest controls Adoption needed to meet state and MSC objectives 3

4 What is a pink shrimp? Ocean shrimp, bay shrimp, Pandalus jordani Small, short lived shrimp found offshore only Salad shrimp, shrimp cakes, shrimp cocktail Ocean (pink) shrimp

5 Resource Analysis: Species Description Very short lived (<4 years) Hermaphroditic Carry eggs from November to April. Live on soft bottom substrate fathoms Feed on copepods, euphausiids, etc. Oregon is the center of their distribution

6 Fishery Background Oregon s 2 nd most valuable state managed fishery (commercial only) Semi-pelagic trawl fishery Season= April 1- October 31 Management and industry have worked closely to improve its sustainability 1 st ever shrimp fishery to be certified sustainable by Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

7 Resource analysis: Stock status (Recruitment) Highly variable, environmentally forced recruitment Spring transition April to December: upwelling season Early Spring: Eggs released

8 Environmental events reflected in annual catch Major ENSO events MILLIONS OF POUNDS

9 Resource Analysis: Stock status (Stock-recruit relationship) # of spawners # of recruits NOT closely linked to Instead, recruitment is more dependent on ocean conditions (upwelling, larval transport, water temperature, etc.)

10 Management objectives 1. Maximize biomass yield while monitoring and addressing overfishing 2. Stable regulatory platform, maximum flexibility to fleet 3. Collaborate with fleet on research, share findings 10

11 MILLIONS OF POUNDS Harvest management strategy: Fishery description Annual catch = variable TOTAL EX-VESSEL VALUE (Millions of dollars) Value= recent increases 11

12 Biological Reference Points and Harvest Controls Designed to limit fishing when stock is depressed Vetted through fleet in 2014 (73% support) June average shrimp catch/trip Current season will close Following season will open More than 12,500 lbs October 31 April 1 Less than 12,500 lbs October 15 April 15 Less than 10,000 lbs and prior April-January SLH exceeds 7.5 ft. As soon as possible April 15 12

13 Looking back on biological reference points If this was in place, season would have: Closed early due to persistently high sea level height (El Nino indicator) and low landings :1983, 1984, 1998 (Blue) Curtailed season 1982 and 1995 (Green) Shuts fishing down when depressed, gives best chance for rebound Sea Level Height (Apr- Jan) June Landings (100 s of pounds) Landings indicator Environmental indicator

14 Industry support for FMP Group n Yes No No opinion Permit holders 15 67% 7% 27% Vessel operators 48 69% 8% 23% 14

15 FMP Summary FMP designed to promote fishery sustainability Describes species, fishery, and monitoring Identifies trends, objectives, and priorities Describes biological reference points and harvest controls Adoption needed to meet state and MSC objectives 15

16 Issue 2: Footrope lighting devices Anadromous forage fish, common bycatch of shrimp fishery Listed as threatened under ESA in 2010 NMFS 2017 eulachon recovery plan lists eulachon bycatch as a high threat LED fishing light Eulachon smelt 16

17 Exclusion from a trawl Before net entrainment After entrainment In codend Trawl door LEDs Net Escape hole BRD codend Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) or Shrimp grate OFWC implemented a eulachon optimized ¾ in 2012

18 Bycatch reduction timeline 2003-> Bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) required 2007-> First shrimp fishery certified sustainable 2010-> Eulachon listed threatened under ESA 2012->OFWC implemented eulachon optimized BRDs, which strongly reduced bycatch 2014->LEDs discovered DRAMATIC reduction of eulachon bycatch (~90%) 2017-> LED efficacy confirmed, amount of lighting better understood 18

19 Exclusion from a trawl Before net entrainment After entrainment In codend Trawl door LEDs Net Escape hole BRD codend LEDs use discovered in 2014

20 What you re about to see Head rope- Above LEDs Eulachon Drop chain Ground line- Below 20

21 LEDs in action! Video courtesy of Bryson Burns, F/V Coho

22 Impact of footrope lighting Huge population of eulachon LED use show 90% eulachon reduction! 100% voluntary use immediately Low population of eulachon Confirm dramatic eulachon reduction (85%) Voluntary use reduced 22

23 Need for footrope lighting requirement As eulachon have been less prevalent, voluntary usage has decreased Fishing mortality typically impactive when populations are depressed Voluntary compliance of LED use by year (from fleet surveys) 23

24 Industry support for footrope lighting requirement Group n Yes No No opinion Permit holders 15 87% 7% 7% Vessel operators 56 74% 19% 7% 24

25 Footrope lighting summary Bycatch reduction research and industry cooperation have resulted in very low bycatch LEDs are inexpensive and highly effective for bycatch reduction of eulachon smelt Use of 5 LEDs/net was highly effective (2017 research) Voluntary use of LEDs has reduced in years when less bycatch encountered 25

26 Staff Recommendation Issue 1: FMP Adopt draft FMP Issue 2: Footrope lighting devices Adopt OAR as described in attachment 3 26

27 Acknowledgments Bob Hannah and Steve Jones (ODFW retired) Oregon s pink shrimp industry Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission MRP/ Fish division leadership Matt Blume, Jill Smith, Kelly Lawrence, Craig Good (ODFW shrimp project) Mark Lomeli (PSMFC) Oregon Trawl Commission 27