January 16, 2009

NOAA’s final guidance on Annual Catch Limits to end overfishing

NOAANOAA has been hard at work making sure fisheries are in compliance with the Fishery Conservation and Management Act requiring we end overfishing by 2010.

As a result, 7 fish stocks were removed from the overfishing list in 2007. Approximately 40 stocks are still experiencing overfishing according to NOAA, but the NOAA Fisheries Service and the fishery management councils are in the process of ending overfishing for all of these as well.

NOAA’s action provides guidance on how to comply with new annual catch limit (ACL) and accountability measure (AM) requirements for ending overfishing of those fisheries managed by Federal fishery management plans. Changes to the Act are effective February 17, 2009.

Meanwhile, here’s a one-minute video on overfishing:

“The commercial seafood industry and recreational saltwater fishing provide our nation food, jobs and other incredible benefits…” – Jim Balsiger, acting A.A. for NOAA Fisheries Service.

Finally, here are some common acronyms used in the fishery business:

ABC Allowable Biological Catch
ACCSP Atlantic Coast Cooperative Statistics Program
ACL Annual Catch Limit
AM Accountability Measure
ACT Annual Catch Target
AP Advisory Panel
ASMFC Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
BRD Bycatch Reduction Device
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
EFH Essential Fish Habitat
EFH/HAPC Essential Fish Habitat / Habitat Area of Particular Concern
FMP Fishery Management Plan
HMS Highly Migratory Species
ITQ Individual Transferable Quota
LAPP Limited Access Privilege Program
MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield
MRFSS Marine Recreational Fishing Statistics Survey
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
OY Optimum Yield
SEDAR Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (stock assessment process)
SSC Scientific & Statistical Committee
SFA Sustainable Fisheries Act
TAC Total Allowable Catch
VMS Vessel Monitoring System
Courtesy: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

btw: I couldn’t find which 7 species were removed from the overfishing list for the life of me! If you find out, please let me know. TIA! :-)



    





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