Summary of April 2019 Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team Meeting Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office New England Fishery Management Council Portland, ME June 13, 2019 Michael J. Asaro, PhD michael.asaro@noaa.gov 978-282-8469
Purpose of the April 2020 ALWTRT meeting Identify and recommend modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to further reduce impacts of U.S. fixed gear fisheries on large whales to reduce mortality and serious injury to below PBR (0.9/year) for right whales U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2
Target Risk Reduction/ Meeting Objective Develop consensus recommendations on a suite of measures that will achieve a 60 to 80% reduction in mortalities and serious injuries of right whales in U.S. fisheries to achieve PBR • Target assumes serious injuries and mortalities of unknown origin occur equally in U.S. and Canadian waters • Meeting was best opportunity for Team’s input on measures U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3
Relative Risk Reduction Decision Support Tool Need: Ability to compare alternatives to identify a suite of measures that would achieve PBR Decision Support tool: RISK = Whale Density * Gear Density (IEC co-occurrence model) * Relative risk of gear configuration Updates previous TRT model and methods: • With NE states, ASMFC, and NEFSC, IEC improved trap/pot line estimates and distribution data • Whale habitat density model created for the Navy by Duke • Applied TRT member’s expertise to assign risk factors to commonly observed gear configurations U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4
E.g. of outputs: 4/24 Caucus and Cross-Caucus Scenario Runs Weak Rope Equivalency Range 1700 lb rope sleeves % Risk % Risk Reduction Package Scenario applies Reduction (Range) to from: Scenario description to this area Time to Universe Universe Comments Enviro 1700lb or sleeves Sleeves at 40’ Academic (equivalent) (A) All Year-round 25% 43% intervals. Enviro and Academic 50% VL reduction (B) LMA3 Year-round 4% Within 1 yr LMA1- ME and NH Enviro and waters to LMA 1 Academic 50% VL reduction (C) border Year-round 28% Within 1 yr Enviro and LMA1 - MA to LMA Academic 25% VL reduction (D) border Year-round 5% Within 1 yr Combined model of Enviro and above gear changes (A-D Combined Academic above) Areas in A-D Year-round 53% 64% measures Extend Mass Bay Enviro and Restricted area/closure North to Cape Ann through May Academic (time and distance) (using a shape file) 15 4% Enviro and Mount Desert Rock Mount Desert Rock Academic closure - WITHDRAWN (shape file) Aug-Oct withdrawn Enviro and Jeffreys Ledge Academic Jeffreys Ledge closure (shape file) Sept-Nov 1%
E.g. 4/24 Caucus and Cross-Caucus Scenario Runs Weak Rope Equivalency Range 1700 lb rope sleeves % Risk % Risk Reduction Scenario applies to this Reduction to (Range) to Package from: Scenario description area Time Universe Universe Comments Enviro and Area 537 (LMA2 Area 537-LMA2 Portion- Academic portion) closure (shape file) Dec- April 0.4% Industry/State Caucus (NH- 1700lb or sleeves Likely an overestimate south)/Kraus (equivalent) All areas <100m Year-round 12% 26% related to resolution at Industry/State 1700lb or sleeves which the model was run Caucus (NH- S) (equivalent) All areas >100m Year-round 19% 27% (later rerun). 30% VL reduction + Industry/State 1700lb or sleeves Caucus (NH--S) (equivalent) NH state waters Year-round 0.04% 30 trap trawl up + 1700 Industry/State lb or sleeves Trawling up from 20 trap Caucus (NH-S) (equivalent) LMA 2/3 overlap zone Year-round 0.08% trawls Industry/State Trap reductions (6% through cons tax and draw Caucus (NH-S) draw down) LMA3 Year-round 0.40% down- calc 6% Industry/State Caucus (NH- Trap reductions (18% through cons tax and draw So) draw down) LMA2 Year-round 2% down- calc 18% LMA 1- ME waters ME CAUCUS 50% VL reduction including exempted area Year-round 29% ME exemption area 1700 LMA1-ME exemption area Kraus Caucus lb or sleeves (equiv.) only Year-round 0% 2.6% Kraus Caucus 50% VL reduction All areas Year-round 50% Kraus Caucus 1700lbs or sleeves LMA3 Year-round 6% 7.8%5 years to reach goal
Near- Consensus Agreement Buoy line reduction and weak rope State/Jurisdiction Vertical Line Reduction Gear Modification Est. % Risk Reduction Maine permitted 50% vertical line reduction through LMA 1 - Weak rope outside of 3 miles 61.6% vessels through LMA1 (50% risk reduction) on ¾ length of buoy line (toppers) LMA1 (11.6% risk reduction) NH LMA1 30% vertical line reduction 1700lb breaking strength or sleeves 58.5% (30% risk reduction) (28.5 % risk reduction) Massachusetts Mass Bay Restricted Area Closure Sleeves or 1700lb breaking strength 60% LMA1 and Outer (24% risk reduction) or equivalent Cape (11% risk reduction) 30% vertical line reduction, not including MBRA fishermen (-5%) (25% risk reduction) LMA 2 - 18% (2018 - 2020) vertical line 1700 lb or equivalent 60% Massachusetts reduction (18% risk reduction) (42% risk reduction) and Rhode Island LMA 2 / 3 Overlap Trawling up to 30 traps (from 20) – Massachusetts, (30% risk reduction for that area) Rhode Island LMA 3 Accelerate planned line reduction Rapid research on alternatives to 18% + TBD 18% by 2020 introduce weak rope or weak link Commitment to elements in to offshore line 60%
T eam’s Agreement encompasses Lobster Management Areas ● 1 ● 2 ● Overlap Area 2 and 3 ● Area 3 north of 40 o
Considerations • “Dwight Carver safety exemption” for skiffs and students. • Revisit need for weak links in trap/pot gear • Model Improvements: • To severity estimates. Recommend poll re-do (and/or use actual data where available) • Update whale habitat density model (currently through 2016) • Take Reduction Plan monitoring, including: • Whale surveys - numbers and distribution • Lines, • Evolution of implementation including • Gear innovations • Socioeconomic impacts
What’s Next • Bilateral with Canada – high bar set for effectiveness comparability finding by January 2022 • Coordinating closely with State managers and, as needed, ASMFC • Planning summer New England scoping meetings to get input on TRT weak rope and line reduction measures and to develop DEIS alternatives suites • Anticipate draft state approach late summer • Fall proposed rule and DEIS drafting • Late 2019 proposed rule • Early 2020 public comments U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10
Images collected under MMPA Research permit number 17355 Michael.Asaro@NOAA.gov Photo Credit: NOAA/NEFSC/Christin Khan Questions? 978-282-8469 Colleen.Coogan@NOAA.gov 978-281-9181 Images collected under MMPA Research permit number 17355 Photo Credit: NOAA/NEFSC/Christin Khan U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11
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