SEDAR Update Policies and Procedures, Assessment Classifications, & SEDAR 26 Activities Prepared for the June 2011 Caribbean Council Meeting Julie A Neer

SouthEast Data, Assessment, and Review Cooperative Stock Assessment Development and Review Program of:  NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center  NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office  South Atlantic Fishery Management Council  Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council  Caribbean Fishery Management Council  Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission  Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission  NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division SEDAR Policies and Procedures Revised May 2011 June 2011 CFMC mtg

Administration and Oversight (including SEDAR Staff Responsibilities and Cooperator Obligations) SEDAR Panel Participant and Appointment Process Public Participation SEDAR Approach: - Workshop Process - Workshop Documentation and Dissemination - Science Based Decision Making SEDAR Assessment Classifications SEDAR Workshop Details Role of the SSCs Relation to State Agencies NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division SEDAR Policies and Procedures Revised May 2011

 Provide robust and transparent assessments  Provide stakeholder involvement in the assessment process  Provide reliable and scientifically rigorous assessments  Provide independent peer review of assessment products  Provide timely assessment products  Provide thorough documentation of methods and data  Provide appropriate consistency in documentation, assessment approaches, and treatment of uncertainties SEDAR Program Goals June 2011 CFMC mtg

SEDAR Assessment Classifications Benchmark Assessment Standard Assessment Update Assessment Required for the first assessment of a species; may be repeated for significant issue Involve a three-part workshop process: data, assessment, and review Reviewed by an independent review panel Basic benchmark framework is utilized for the update Restricted, for the most part, to incorporation of additional years of observations to those datasets incorporated in the prior assessment Assessment conducted by analytic team “in-house” – e.g. no workshops Reviewed by SSC Update prior assessments with recent information and address issues supported by new data or other advancements as feasible within the approved benchmark model approach New model classifications may not be developed One workshop, with webinars and conference calls as needed Reviewed by SSC

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR Assessment Classifications All assessment categories utilize Terms of Reference to guide the process Councils and SSCs are involved in discussion of assigning assessment type and developing Terms of Reference Standard and Update assessment categories require an approved Benchmark assessment to build on

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR 26: Silk Snapper, Queen Snapper & Redtail Parrotfish Benchmark Assessment Data Workshop (May 2011 – St. Croix) Assessment Workshop (July 2011 – St. Thomas) Review Workshop (October 2011 – Puerto Rico) During benchmark assessments all datasets and decisions are evaluated. Multiple models are evaluated, with the goal of working down to one model ‘package’ that will be applied to develop management advice and determine stock status.

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR 26 DATA WORKSHOP May 16-20, 2011 Carambola Resort, St. Croix 22 Participants Industry Representatives Territorial agencies SEFSC Analysts NMFS Regional Office Council representation

June 2011 CFMC mtg Data workshop panelists shall assemble and critique all available fishery data, monitoring programs, and life history information. Data Workshop Tasks & Goals Data workshops may be structured around working groups devoted to primary data areas Working groups review data, working papers, reference documents, and other information Develop recommendations, for consideration by the workshop panel, on analyses, assumptions, and data for inclusion in the assessment

June 2011 CFMC mtg All decisions of the data workshop are made during the plenary sessions by consensus of the entire membership. Data Workshop Tasks & Goals

June 2011 CFMC mtg Data Workshop Wrap-up Data Workshop Report Data Panel/Assessment Panel Webinar 1 July 2011 Report Due for completion: Mid July Overall very productive meeting Data continues to be main hurdle to assessments but is improving

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR 26 Assessment Workshop Scheduled for July 26 – 29, 2011 Wyndham Sugar Bay – St. Thomas The assessment process is conducted through both a workshop and webinars Assessment process panelists shall develop assessment models to estimate population parameters and management benchmarks, and evaluate uncertainties Assessment workshop is chaired by SEDAR Coordinator

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR 26 Assessment Workshop Scheduled for July 26 – 29, 2011 Wyndham Sugar Bay – St. Thomas The assessment panel is a technical body, consisting of the analytical team and other scientists appointed by the Council Panelists include scientists from: SEFSC, territorial agencies, Universities, and SSC members The Council also appointed observers to provide guidance on industry practices Appointed observers are not members of the workshop panel and are not involved in the consensus decisions of the panel

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR 26 Review Workshop Scheduled for October 17 – 21, 2011 El Convento – Old San Juan The intent of the review is to provide an independent peer review and ensure that the assessment and results presented are scientifically sound and that decision makers are provided adequate advice that reflects uncertainties in the data and methods. The review panel shall not provide specific management advice. Review panel recommendations are advisory in nature.

June 2011 CFMC mtg SEDAR 26 Review Workshop Scheduled for October 17 – 21, 2011 El Convento – Old San Juan Review workshop panels shall be composed of: 3 reviewers appointed by the CIE (Center for Independent Experts), 2 reviewers from the SSC Optionally, 1 additional scientific reviewer appointed by the Council Review workshops are typically chaired by a member of the Council’s SSC Chairs are facilitators, not reviewers

June 2011 CFMC mtg What’s Next? 2012 Benchmark assessment for White Grunt, Blue Tang, and Queen Triggerfish

June 2011 CFMC mtg Alternate Approach to Obtaining Fisherman Input Often difficult to obtain information from fishers Participation at Data Workshops is very useful when fishers attend Unfortunately, even with travel support some still choose not to attend Fisheries may be platform specific, even for same species

June 2011 CFMC mtg Alternate Approach to Obtaining Fisherman Input Proposed plan is to spend ~one day on each island Island Hopping for Fisher Input Meetings announced in Federal Register and SEDAR works with Council Staff to get the word out Small group of key SEFSC scientists and a SEDAR Coordinator travel between Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Croix holding public meetings

June 2011 CFMC mtg Alternate Approach to Obtaining Fisherman Input Analysts and fishers discuss topics such as fishery characteristics, changes to fishery over time, biological information (length data), etc. Island Hopping for Fisher Input Scientific staff use information gathered to prepare working papers incorporating fisher input prior to assessment workshop Individual island meetings will largely replace data workshop

June 2011 CFMC mtg Alternate Approach to Obtaining Fisherman Input Island Hopping for Fisher Input  Limited data availability means not much input is needed from fishers  Believe we can get what we need from the concentrated meetings  Hopefully ensures participation from each platform  Cost and time effective Will this work?

June 2011 CFMC mtg 2012 Timing? ??? Tentative schedule: Data Island hopping – Summer 2012 Data Island hopping – Summer 2012 DW/AW workshop – Fall 2012 DW/AW workshop – Fall 2012 Review – Early 2013 Review – Early 2013

June 2011 CFMC mtg Questions? Julie A. Neer (843)