SMAST Bycatch Avoidance Program
SMAST Bycatch Avoidance Program Cate O’Keefe, Greg DeCelles and Steve Cadrin www.umassd.edu/smast/bycatch Scallop PDT/AP Meeting 13 May 2014 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST)
Program Update • Expansions and Funding Species
Areas
Vessels
2010
YT
NLCA
122
MFI Funds
2011
YT
CAI, CAII
211
MFI Funds
2012
YT
NLCA, CAI, CAII; General Category
243
$94,829
2013
YT
NLCA, CAI, CAII, Open Georges
253
$147,096
253
$152,765
253
$160,738
2014 YT, WP 2015 YT, WP
NLCA, CAII, Open Georges, S. New England Open Georges, S. New England, S. Channel; Program Review
RSA
• Windowpane flounder update
Industry
Status
Completed Report Final Report $45,000 5/29/15 End Date $64,000 2/28/16 End Date 2/28/16 $51,000
2014 Program Reporting Areas
May, Jun
Jan, Mar
Feb
Nov, Dec
Windowpane D:K Ratio
0.05 – 0.15 0.16 – 0.25 0.26 – 0.4
Bycatch Avoidance 2015 • Expansion to Great South Channel • Creation of new reporting grid • Include windowpane for all reporting areas • Same protocols as previous years
2015 Program Reporting Areas
2015 Southern Windowpane
Month March April May
Tows 627 998 11
2015 Northern Windowpane
Month March April May
Tows 333 1366 1008
Windowpane Analysis • Development of sub-ACL for northern windowpane 2016 – Spatial and temporal distribution of bycatch – Analysis of observer data to determine if patterns persist annually – Compare bycatch rates and locations between scallop and groundfish fisheries
• Continue windowpane bycatch advisories
• Comparison of 2015 observer data to previous years to determine if gear modifications reduce D:K ratio
Bycatch Avoidance Review • Programmatic review – Cooperative agreement with NEFSC – comparisons of SMAST and NEFOP data – Assess effectiveness of real-time communication as a bycatch reduction tool in the scallop fishery • • • •
Examine changes in fishing behavior in response to advisories Analyze reporting rates and indicators of reporting rates Examine differences in reporting and fishing by area Examine spatially and temporally-specific bycatch rates and fishing effort
– Comparison of avoidance program to other bycatch reduction efforts in scallop fishery (communications, gear, area closures)
Program Update • Expansions and Funding Species
Areas
Vessels
2010
YT
NLCA
122
MFI Funds
2011
YT
CAI, CAII
211
MFI Funds
2012
YT
NLCA, CAI, CAII; General Category
243
$94,829
2013
YT
NLCA, CAI, CAII, Open Georges
253
$147,096
253
$152,765
253
$160,738
2014 YT, WP 2015 YT, WP
NLCA, CAII, Open Georges, S. New England Open Georges, S. New England, S. Channel; Program Review
RSA
• Windowpane flounder update
Industry
Status
Completed Report Final Report $45,000 5/29/15 End Date $64,000 2/28/16 End Date 2/28/16 $51,000
2014 Program Reporting Areas
May, Jun
Jan, Mar
Feb
Nov, Dec
Windowpane D:K Ratio
0.05 – 0.15 0.16 – 0.25 0.26 – 0.4
Bycatch Avoidance 2015 • Expansion to Great South Channel • Creation of new reporting grid • Include windowpane for all reporting areas • Same protocols as previous years
2015 Program Reporting Areas
2015 Southern Windowpane
Month March April May
Tows 627 998 11
2015 Northern Windowpane
Month March April May
Tows 333 1366 1008
Windowpane Analysis • Development of sub-ACL for northern windowpane 2016 – Spatial and temporal distribution of bycatch – Analysis of observer data to determine if patterns persist annually – Compare bycatch rates and locations between scallop and groundfish fisheries
• Continue windowpane bycatch advisories
• Comparison of 2015 observer data to previous years to determine if gear modifications reduce D:K ratio
Bycatch Avoidance Review • Programmatic review – Cooperative agreement with NEFSC – comparisons of SMAST and NEFOP data – Assess effectiveness of real-time communication as a bycatch reduction tool in the scallop fishery • • • •
Examine changes in fishing behavior in response to advisories Analyze reporting rates and indicators of reporting rates Examine differences in reporting and fishing by area Examine spatially and temporally-specific bycatch rates and fishing effort
– Comparison of avoidance program to other bycatch reduction efforts in scallop fishery (communications, gear, area closures)
