Andrew Applegate

NEFMC Staff

Whiting PDT Chair

Scientific and

Statistical Committee

August 26, 2014

Specifications Package

ABC/ACL adjustments for 2015-2017

NEFSC prepares update/operational assessment using previously approved methods from benchmark: Jul 2014

GARFO prepares report on ACL accounting and fishery performance: Jul 2014

Whiting PDT prepares Draft SAFE Report and recommends specifications: Aug 2014

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Specifications Package

ABC/ACL adjustments for 2015-2017

SSC review and approval of ABC recommendations

Aug 25-26

Committee and advisors identify management adjustment options’

Sep 2014

Council approval of proposed management adjustments

Sep 30 – Oct 2

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Specifications Package

ABC/ACL adjustments for 2015-2017

Staff and PDT prepares draft specifications document

Council approves final measures and specifications document

Nov 18-20

Council submits final document for NMFS review

Early January 2015

Adjustments become effective

May 1, 2015

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Small-mesh Multispecies

ACL Framework

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Draft SAFE Report Fishery Performance Report

Document Chapters

Summary of recommended ABC specifications

ABC accounting for FY 2012 and 2013

Fishery trends and performance

Stock assessment results

Stock assessment input data and assumptions

FW22 Initiation, Council Meeting 6/24/2010 6

Fishery Performance

Southern Stock Catch Composition

Silver and Red Hake catches are substantially less than the ACLs

Silver and offshore hake: 89% Landings; 11% Discards

2013 catch declined 12%

Small mesh fishery accounts for 79% of discards

Red Hake: 45% Landings; 55% Discards

2013 catch declined 5%

Small mesh fishery accounts for 85% of discards

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Fishery Performance

Southern Stock Catch Composition

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Fishery Performance

Southern Stock Catch Composition

FY 2012

FY 2013

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Pounds Metric tons Percentage of ACL (32,295 mt)

Southern whiting landings 11,113,309 5,041 15.6%

Southern whiting research landings 39,257 18 0.1%

Southern whiting state-permitted only vessel landings 911,212 413 1.3%

Southern whiting estimated discard 2,256,994 1,024 3.2%

Southern whiting recreational landings (MRIP) 0 0 n/a

Southern whiting catch* 14,320,773 6,496 20.1%

* Total catch does not include recreational landings as the Annual Catch Limit does not include recreational landings.

Pounds Metric tons Percentage of ACL (32,295 mt)

Southern whiting landings 11,264,810 5,110 15.8%

Southern whiting state-permitted only vessel landings 30,927 14 0.0%

Southern whiting estimated discard 1,371,754 622 1.9%

Southern whiting recreational landings (MRIP) 650 0 n/a

Southern whiting catch* 12,623,590 5,726 17.7%

* Total catch does not include recreational landings as the Annual Catch Limit does not include recreational landings.

Fishery Performance

Southern Stock Catch Composition

FY 2012

FY 2013

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Pounds Metric tons Percent of ACL (3,096 mt)

Southern red hake landings 1,280,755 581 18.8%

Southern red hake research landings 7,562 3 0.1%

Southern red hake state-permitted only vessel landings 88,211 40 1.3%

Southern red hake estimated discard 1,163,991 528 17.1%

Southern red hake recreational catch (MRIP) 85,779 39 n/a

Southern red hake catch* 2,540,519 1,152 37.2%

* Total catch does not include recreational landings as the Annual Catch Limit does not include recreational landings.

Pounds Metric tons Percent of ACL (3,096 mt)

Southern red hake landings 1,079,335 490 15.8%

Southern red hake state-permitted only vessel landings 4,644 2 0.1%

Southern red hake estimated discard 1,338,767 607 19.6%

Southern red hake recreational catch (MRIP) 163,837 74 n/a

Southern red hake catch* 2,422,746 1,099 35.5%

* Total catch does not include recreational landings as the Annual Catch Limit does not include recreational landings.

Fishery Performance

Southern Stock Sources of Discards

FY 2013 discards

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Whiting Red hake

Discards, mt Ave D/Kall Discards, mt Ave D/Kall

Otter Trawl 572 3.3% 540 2.9%

lg 78 0.8% 21 0.2%

sm 494 2.5% 519 2.7%

Scallop Dredge 23 0.1% 43 0.2%

na 23 0.1% 43 0.2%

Shrimp Trawl 23 2.5% 25 2.7%

na 23 2.5% 25 2.7%

Sink, Anchor, Drift Gillnet 2 0.1% 0 0.0%

lg 2 0.1% 0 0.0%

xlg 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Scallop Trawl 1 0.4% 0 0.1%

na 1 0.4% 0 0.1%

Otter Trawl, Haddock Separator 0 0.4% 0 0.0%

lg 0 0.4% 0 0.0%

Mid-water Trawl, Paired and Single 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

na 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 621 6.9% 608 5.9%

Fishery Performance

Northern Stock Catch Composition

Silver hake

Catches are substantially less than ACL

2013 catch declined 21%

84% Landings; 16% Discards

Small mesh fishery accounts for 17% of discards

Red hake

Catches are higher than the ACL and ABC.

Danger of overfishing

Narrow buffer for scientific uncertainty

2013 catch declined 6%

32% Landings; 68% Discards

Small mesh fishery accounts for 65% of discards

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Fishery Performance

Northern Stock Catch Composition

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Fishery Performance

Northern Stock Catch Composition

FY 2012

FY 2013

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Pounds Metric tons Percentage of ACL (12,518 mt)

Northern silver hake commercial landings 4,200,989 1,906 15.2%

Northern silver hake research landings 1 0 0.0%

Northern silver hake state-permitted only vessel landings 31,547 14 0.1%

Northern silver hake estimated discard 615,554 279 2.2%

Northern silver hake recreational landings (MRIP) 15,774 7 n/a

Northern silver hake catch* 4,848,091 2,199 17.6%

Pounds Metric tons Percentage of ACL (12,518 mt)

Northern silver hake commercial landings 3,160,615 1,434 11.5%

Northern silver hake state-permitted only vessel landings 63,863 29 0.2%

Northern silver hake estimated discard 599,370 272 2.2%

Northern silver hake recreational landings (MRIP) 99,099 45 n/a

Northern silver hake catch* 3,823,848 1,734 13.9%

Fishery Performance

Northern Stock Catch Composition

FY 2012

FY 2013

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Pounds Metric tons Percent of ACL (266 mt)

Northern red hake commercial landings 229,771 104 39.2%

Northern red hake research landings - - 0%

Northern red hake state-permitted only vessel landings 275 0 0%

Northern red hake estimated discard 621,592 282 106.0%

Northern red hake recreational catch (MRIP) 718 0.3 n/a

Northern red hake catch* 851,638 386 145.2%

Pounds Metric tons Percent of ACL (266 mt)

Northern red hake commercial landings 253,309 115 43.2%

Northern red hake state-permitted only vessel landings - - 0%

Northern red hake estimated discard 543,388 246 92.7%

Northern red hake recreational catch (MRIP) 5,477 2.5 n/a

Northern red hake catch* 796,697 361 135.9%

Fishery Performance

Northern Stock Sources of Discards

FY 2013 discards

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Whiting Red hake

Discards, mt Ave D/Kall Discards, mt Ave D/Kall

Otter Trawl 252 6.4% 222 10.1%

lg 205 2.0% 60 0.6%

sm 47 4.4% 162 9.5%

Scallop Dredge 8 0.2% 14 0.3%

na 8 0.2% 14 0.3%

Shrimp Trawl 2 2.5% 9 9.1%

na 2 2.5% 9 9.1%

Sink, Anchor, Drift Gillnet 5 0.3% 1 0.0%

lg 5 0.3% 1 0.0%

xlg 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Otter Trawl, Haddock Separator 3 0.9% 1 0.4%

lg 3 0.9% 1 0.4%

Mid-water Trawl, Paired and Single 2 0.0% 0 0.0%

na 2 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 272 10.3% 247 19.9%

Operational assessment Update existing model with new data

Northern and Southern silver hake

Survey data through Fall 2013

Catches through CY 2013

Not overfished; overfishing not occurring

Southern red hake

Survey data through Spring 2013

Catches through CY 2013

Not overfished; overfishing not occurring

Northern red hake

Survey data through Spring 2014

Catches through CY 2013

Not overfished; overfishing IS occurring

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Operational assessment

Issues addressed

Stock status in 2013

Estimate OFL

Estimate scientific uncertainty profile

Estimate ABCs at various levels of estimated scientific uncertainty and probabilities of overfishing

Silver hake: 25th percentile

Southern silver hake ABC adjusted to account for mixed catch of offshore hake

Red hake: 40th percentile

Red hake stock structure

Potential survey bias for red hake due to fixed gear in the Gulf of Maine.

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