Commercial Pink Shrimp Fishery Management Exhibit F January 19 th, 2018 Scott Groth, Pink shrimp project leader Marine Resources Program 1
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
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
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
Resource Analysis: Species Description Very short lived (<4 years) Hermaphroditic Carry eggs from November to April. Live on soft bottom substrate 40-150 fathoms Feed on copepods, euphausiids, etc. Oregon is the center of their distribution
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)
Resource analysis: Stock status (Recruitment) Highly variable, environmentally forced recruitment Spring transition April to December: upwelling season Early Spring: Eggs released
Environmental events reflected in annual catch Major ENSO events 60 50 MILLIONS OF POUNDS 40 30 20 10 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 8
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.)
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
MILLIONS OF POUNDS 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 50 Harvest management strategy: Fishery description 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Annual catch = variable TOTAL EX-VESSEL VALUE (Millions of dollars) 40 30 20 10 0 1980 1990 2000 2010 Value= recent increases 11
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
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) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 7.75 7.5 7.25 7 6.75 Landings indicator 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017 Environmental indicator 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 13
Industry support for FMP Group n Yes No No opinion Permit holders 15 67% 7% 27% Vessel operators 48 69% 8% 23% 14
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
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
Exclusion from a trawl 1 2 3 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
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
Exclusion from a trawl 1 2 3 Before net entrainment After entrainment In codend Trawl door LEDs Net Escape hole BRD codend LEDs use discovered in 2014
What you re about to see Head rope- Above LEDs Eulachon Drop chain Ground line- Below 20
LEDs in action! Video courtesy of Bryson Burns, F/V Coho
Impact of footrope lighting 2014- Huge population of eulachon LED use show 90% eulachon reduction! 100% voluntary use immediately 2017- Low population of eulachon Confirm dramatic eulachon reduction (85%) Voluntary use reduced 22
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
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
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
Staff Recommendation Issue 1: FMP Adopt draft FMP Issue 2: Footrope lighting devices Adopt OAR as described in attachment 3 26
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