Tab E, No. 6(a) Lionfish Requests
Requests to NMFS SERO • Gulf EFPs – limited testing – Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association – Keys Fisheries – Reefsavers • LOA – scientific research – S. Gittings (renewed 6/13/17) • New gear – Lionfish International
Purposes • Test effectiveness of gear • Deplete lionfish in deep water • Develop a commercial fishery • Promote lionfish to consumers
Gear • FAD ‐ based purse trap • Modified lobster traps • Sea bass traps • ROV
Issues • Fish traps are prohibited • Cannot manage by EFP • Need scientific rigor • Number of traps • Unknown impacts – Bycatch/ghost fishing – Habitat – Protected resources
Scientific Needs • Manage studies as a whole • Address questions – Effectiveness – Efficiency – Bycatch – Entanglement – Movement – Other impacts • Determine sample size and methodology
Next Steps • Scientific workshop (August) – To inform study objectives and survey design – Will provide context for review of applications • Programmatic environmental assessment – Covers gear, potential studies – Analyzes expected impacts • Evaluate current applications – Which questions will they address? – Is the sample size and methodology appropriate?
Long ‐ term Goals • Allow for commercial fishery in the EEZ – Cannot manage under an FMP – Can approve non ‐ FMP gear • Fish trap prohibition – Exemptions? • New gear – Can be allowed/prohibited by Council and NMFS
Trap exemption • Would need to revise regulations – Exemption for lionfish/invasive species? – Type approval? – Limitations? §622.9 Prohibited gear and methods—general. (c) Fish traps. A fish trap may not be used or possessed in the Gulf or South Atlantic EEZ. §622.2 Definitions and acronyms. Fish trap means—(2) In the Gulf EEZ, a trap and its component parts (including the lines and buoys), regardless of the construction material, used for or capable of taking finfish, except a trap historically used in the directed fishery for crustaceans (that is, blue crab, stone crab, and spiny lobster).
Allowable Gear §600.725 General prohibitions. (v) The use of any gear or participation in a fishery not on the following list of authorized fisheries and gear is prohibited ... IV. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council 19. Commercial Fishery (Non ‐ FMP) Trawl, gillnet, hook and line, longline, handline, rod and reel, bandit gear, cast net, lampara net, spear. 20. Recreational Fishery (Non ‐ FMP) Bandit gear, handline, rod and reel, spear, bully net, gillnet, dip net, longline, powerhead, seine, slurp gun, trap, trawl, harpoon, cast net, hoop net, hook and line, hand harvest.
Allowable Gear §600.725 General prohibitions. (v) … an individual fisherman may notify the appropriate Council … of the intent to use a gear or participate in a fishery not already on the list. Ninety days after such notification, the individual may use the gear or participate in that fishery unless regulatory action is taken to prohibit the use of the gear or participate in the fishery ( e.g., through emergency or interim regulations). §600.747 Guidelines and procedures for determining new fisheries and gear. (2) Notification procedures. (i) A signed return receipt for the notice serves as adequate evidence of the date that the notification was received by the appropriate Council … and establishes the beginning of the 90 ‐ day notification period, unless required information in the notification is incomplete. (3) (A) Upon signing a return receipt of the notification by certified mail regarding an unlisted fishery or gear, a Council must immediately begin consideration of the notification and send a copy of the notification to the appropriate Regional Administrator.
Allowable Gear (ii) The notification must include: (A) Name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the notification. (B) Description of the gear. (C) The fishery or fisheries in which the gear is or will be used. (D) A diagram and/or photograph of the gear, as well as any specifications and dimensions necessary to define the gear. (E) The season(s) in which the gear will be fished. (F) The area(s) in which the gear will be fished. (G) The anticipated bycatch species associated with the gear, including protected species, such as marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, or species listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. (H) How the gear will be deployed and fished, including the portions of the marine environment where the gear will be deployed (surface, midwater, and bottom).
Questions? More information on LOAs and EFPs http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov /sustainable_fisheries/loa_ efp/index.html
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