Alexandria, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has approved Amendment 14 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Amendment maintains the current management program for scup, which applies a constant fishing mortality rate of F=0.26 to determine landings and assesses stock status based on available survey indices. This management strategy will be in place until it is demonstrated that the substitution of the research vessel Bigelow for the Albatross would not invalidate use of the long-term scup time series and rebuilding goals established via the Albatross’ survey indices. If, at a later date, the survey indices developed from the two vessels are found to be compatible, the Commission will pursue development of a scup rebuilding plan.
As approved, the Commission’s Amendment 14 is inconsistent with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Amendment 14. Specifically, the Commission’s plan does not establish a stock rebuilding timeline and institutes a less conservative constant fishing mortality rate (F = 0.26 versus 0.10). This may result in differing annual total allowable landing limits for the fishery, as well as conflicting management measures between state and federal waters.
The Council’s version of Amendment 14 establishes a seven-year rebuilding period (January 1, 2008 – January 1, 2015) and uses a constant fishing mortality rate of F = 0.10 (compared to the current F of 0.26) to restore the scup resource. The constant F would be applied every year until the stock is rebuilt.
The Commission’s actions under Amendment 14 are taken exclusively under the states’ management authority and apply only to state waters (zero to three miles from shore). The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board will meet with the Mid-Atlantic Council in August 2008 to set the TAL and commercial management measures for the 2008 scup fishery. Both groups will meet again in December 2008 to set the recreational management measures.
Copies of the Commission Amendment will be available by June 1, 2007 and can be obtained via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Senior Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator for Management, at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.