1. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 1 Lesson #8 What eats fish: Commercial Fishing Vernon Asper USM

2. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 2 Commercial Fishing Fishing has been a major industry for several millennia It has been only recently that we have been able to severely negatively impact global fish stocks Several have become commercially “extinct” –Not enough fish there for viable fishery –Atlantic Cod –Peruvian anchovy –California sardines Will others follow? –Red snapper????

3. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 3 Commercial Fishing We’ll cover: –Types of fishing activities –Managing a fishery –Some global examples: Cod Sardines –Some local examples: Shrimp Oysters Mullet Menhaden Others (if we have time) –Redfish, red snapper, speckled trout, flounder http://www.theaimeeo.com/photos/pages/7-commercial-fishing-43.html

4. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 4 Commercial Fishing Marine finfish can be divided into the pelagic fish which live in the water column and groundfish which live on the sea floor.

5. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 5 Commercial Fishing Most of the ocean is sparsely populated because of low nutrient availability. Area of major fish production are the coastal waters and regions of upwelling. There are lots of ways to catch fish

6. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 6 Commercial Fishing Hook and line Used locally for speckled trout and redfish Not very efficient Requires considerable skill and savvy Necessary for some species

7. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 7 Commercial Fishing Fish are also caught using “longlines” These consist of a long line with floats and baited hooks If you saw “The Perfect Storm” this is what they were doing.

8. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 8 Commercial Fishing This method is used for fish like swordfish which are hard to catch by other means These lines often tangle seabirds, turtles, and non-target fish. –Esp albatross and skua

9. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 9 Commercial Fishing Purse seine This is super efficient A school of fish is located A small boat pulls a net around the school A “purse string” is pulled in, closing the bottom of the net The fish are trapped

10. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 10 Commercial Fishing Purse seines are used for schooling fish all over the world Locally for menhaden. Schools are spotted from the air

11. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 11 Commercial Fishing Trawls are used for some fisheries We used one of these on our field trip Weighted doors hold the net down and keep its mouth open.

12. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 12 Commercial Fishing Gill and drift nets The mesh opening is just large enough for the target fish to poke its head through The gills get caught when it tries to back out They may be set on the bottom or drifting along the surface

13. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 13 Commercial Fishing Drift nets are controversial because they capture everything too large to pass through the mesh of the net and needlessly kill many organisms.

14. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 14 Commercial Fishing The 1989 United Nations’ Convention for the Prohibition of Long Drift Nets prohibited drift nets longer than 2.5 km, but compliance is largely voluntary and impossible to enforce on the open sea. (this is actually a purse seine)

15. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 15 Commercial Fishing Locally, gill nets have been used for red drum, speckled trout, and mullet Many “outlaw” fishermen Abandoned nets when caught fishing illegally Ghost nets keep fishing DMR response was a biodegradable net ordinance –Abandoned nets disintegrate –Difficult to construct Gill netting still takes place, mostly with illegal nets

16. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 16 Commercial Fishing Shellfish include anything with a “shell”: –Lobster –Crab –Oyster –Clam –Shrimp

17. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 17 Commercial Fishing Bivalves: clams, oysters, scallops Locally only oysters Require brackish water

18. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 18 Commercial Fishing In shallow waters, Oyster “tongs” are used Scissor-like poles with tines on the end This is VERY hard work

19. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 19 Commercial Fishing In deeper water, dredges can be used Traditionally, this was done using sail power Two of these schooners have been rebuilt and are available for tourist charters Now done using modern boats

20. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 20 Commercial Fishing Crustaceans (lobsters, shrimp, crabs) are harvested by net or trap In Mississippi, crabs are caught this way –Not well regulated

21. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 21 Living Resources Managing these resources is a balance between biology and harvest –Commercial and recreational users usually at odds –Regulators must make allocation as well as conservation decisions.

22. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 22 Fisheries Management Maximum Sustainable yield The more you fish, the more you catch Up to a point –Then the stocks become depleted Challenge is to find and enforce this limit www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography

23. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 23 Managing a Fishery Layers of management –Fisheries are managed at the Federal, State, and local levels And lots of things in between! –None of this is coordinated –Each layer strives to provide for itself –None considers the big picture State: from the beach to 3 miles Federal: from 3 to 200 miles (EEZ)

24. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 24 Management Strategies TAC (Total Allowable Catch) = quota –IFQ= Individual Quota Bag limits = total fish an individual may catch Size limits= minimum (or maximum or both) size allowed Seasons Gear restrictions http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/photos/the-fishing-boat-santa-cristin

25. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 25 Managing a fishery World ocean fish production appears to have leveled at between 80 and 90 million tons annually.

26. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 26 Living Resources: Shellfish Heavy fishing pressure has diminished the harvest of many species –Cod is almost gone: overfished and never recovered Some countries harvest more than others

27. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 27 Commercial Fishing: Cod Cod are harvested using bottom trawls and gill nets These fish were the basis of much of the New England fishing heritage for 400 years Gulf of Maine and George’s Bank are two prime areas Technology advances allowed harvest to outpace production “Distant Water” fleets had impact Magnuson Stevens act help resolve foreign pressure (1976) http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/history/stories/groundfish/images/nbwharf.jpg http://www.hmapcoml.org/Default.asp?ID=345

28. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 28 Commercial Fishing: Cod Cod stocks have dwindled even after M-S act was passed Consistent “over fishing” has depleted the stocks Good example of negligent management

29. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 29 Local Fisheries Management Shrimp Caught by trawls, just like on the field trip only larger –2 x 25’ Season starts in June –Opens when “count” reaches 68 –Count= number of shrimp per pound –Higher count is smaller shrimp Opening Day is huge

30. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 30 Local Fisheries Management Oysters Only grow where reefs naturally exist or are created Require brackish water After Katrina, swimming pools were full of them

31. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 31 Mississippi Oyster reefs

32. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 32 Local Fisheries Management: Mullet Mullet are small (10- 14 inches) Live in the esturaries School up and run offshore in fall Spawn in deep water Eggs and larvae return to marshes Good to eat if fresh http://web.syr.edu/~adblanda/Mullet%2010-29-02.jpg http://www.floridafishandhunt.com/articles/wildlife-information/fish-identification/saltwater/fishlarge/stripemul.jpg

33. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 33 Local Fisheries Management: Mullet Mullet fishery in Mississippi has focused on roe (eggs) As the fish migrate out of the estuaries, they are intercepted –“traditionally” by gill net –Now by throw nets Roe is removed; fish are discarded http://static.flickr.com/94/263882744_52984a4268.jpg http://www.stpetetimes.com/2005/12/13/Tampabay/Huge_mullet_catch_sei.shtml http://gsh.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2005/3901/make/e5403.htm

34. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 34 Examples Menhaden –Eat Phytoplankton! –“reduction” fishery –“ bony, oily and inedible member of the herring family ” (menhaden.org) –Travel in large schools Spotted by aircraft Harvested using purse seines –Large harvest each year Menhaden.org says 0.2 % of standing stock is harvested each year GSMFC site says 20% And the truth is? www.floridabayseafood.com NOAA.gov

35. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 35 Commercial Fishing: Menhaden Small boats set the net Catch is pumped aboard larger vessel

36. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 36 Menhaden Uses: –Fish oil High in Omega 3 fatty acids Cooking oil, margarine, paint, etc. –Fish meal Pet and other animal food Human consumption overseas? –Fish solubles Animal feed supplement –Bait Recreational fishing Crab traps Nothing is wasted? http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~hbf/menhaden_boats.jpg

37. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 37 Menhaden Spawned in the ocean but live near coast Harvest is exclusively in state waters No Federal regulations Few state regulations –Season –Limited distance from shore (1 mile!) “self regulated” –Menhaden are a critical link in a very short food chain –No consideration for impact on ecosystem or other species http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/mrri/acechar/specgal/image/photos/seatrout.jpg

38. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 38 Menhaden 2004 statistics:

39. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 39 http://www.jeffcurrier.com/jeffartwork/r edfish.jpg Others: Redfish Redfish (red drum) –Prior to 1977, completely unregulated –In 1981, recreational fishing pressure resulted in depletion of large, spawning adults –In 1983 the “blackened redfish craze” resulted in massive purse seining of redfish in Federal waters –1985 surveys showed alarming numbers of adults –1988, Federal ban was placed on commercial redfish harvest Remains in effect –Most states followed suite; MS did not –Most (all?) fisheries scientists agree that recreational fishing pressure caused the problem –Federal Executive Order October 2007: Red Drum is a “gamefish”: no commercial harvest

40. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 40 Others: Redfish Mississippi Regulations Recreational –Size and Bag Limit –3 Fish total limit per day –Not less than 18 inches –Only one can be larger than 30 inches Commercial –Not less than 18 inches; only one larger than 30 inches –Quota: 35,000 pounds, October 1 – September 30

41. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 41 Management: Red Snapper Snapper are “reef fish” –Live near hard substrate Both commercial and recreational harvest NMFS refused to shut down harvest when stocks dwindled CCA sued and won! –Court ruled last year that NMFS must establish a plan Current MS regulations NMFS: National Marine Fisheries Service CCA: Coast Conservation Association

42. ©1996, West Publishing Company (Modified by Asper, 1997; revised by Lohrenz, 2000) Slide 42 Summary Management of fisheries is tricky –Relies on scientific understanding of life history –Predicts a Total Sustainable Yield The cod fishery has been a disaster (like the sardines and others in the past) Lack of solid data/understanding limits managers’ effectiveness Political pressure often prevents managers from making wise decisions In MS, our DMR works with other state and Federal agencies to manage resources