1. TEXAS BAY AND BAIT BUYBACK PROGRAM Robin Riechers Wade Griffin Richard Woodward

3. History of Managment Until 1985 Texas Legislature Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission 1989 adopted Texas Shrimp Fishery Management Plan –Texas Shrimp Advisory Committee (shift to co- management) –Shrimp License Management Program for the inshore shrimp fishery

4. Concerned About Effort Increase Figure 2. Days fished in the bays in Texas and FL to LA.

5. Purpose of Buyback Program Remove licenses and fishing effort Voluntary Bay and bait shrimp fishery Through time Without excessive social and economic disruptions within coastal communities

6. How the Buyback Worked Reverse bid process TPWD calculates value of license –how long the license has been in the fishery –length of the vessel Shrimper submits a sale offer (bid) Each offer compared with the calculated value –Accepted if: bid < calculated value –Bids with the greatest difference from calculated value selected first

7. How the Buyback Worked (con’t) Vessel upgrade –One time increase in vessel length 15% with maximum length 60 ft –One time increase in horsepower 15% with maximum horsepower 400 ft 9 member Shrimp License Management Review Board –Elected from shrimp license holders –Reviewed hardship and appeal cases for initial eligibility

8. How the Buyback Worked (con’t) SLMP made changes in enforceability –Created category of flagrant violations

9. Funding of Buyback Surcharge on shrimp handling and harvesting licenses sold $1.4 million was acquired in 1997 as a three-year federal grant Private donations of $132,000 May 2000, $3.00 fee on Saltwater Fishing Stamp: estimated $1.3 mil. (expires August 2005)

10. Table 1. Results of the Texas Bay and Bait License Buyback Program, 1996-2003 (Nominal Dollars). YearRound Number Bought License in Fishery/After Buyback HighLowAverage Total Spent/Round 19961302975$6,000$220$3,394$101,820 19972372938$6,000$800$3,424$126,687 19983592879$6,400$1,500$3,692$217,855 19984532826$6,500$2,500$3,554$188,345 19995752751$7,000$2,500$4,632$347,400 199961182633$8,500$2,000$5,544$654,250 200071052528$8,600$1,500$6,273$658,698 20018772451$8,000$2,500$6,039$465,000 200191422309$8,500$3,000$6,255$888,185 2002101192190$8,950$3,000$6,607$786,285 200211862104$9,500$2,500$6,999$601,896 2003121052000$9,500$2,300$7,202$756,194 Grand Total 1005$5,792,615

11. Funk, et al. (2003) Simulation model 1998 on bay shrimping 289 excess license Only $25 surcharge on shrimp harvesters –15 years to buyback excess license Additional funds of $500,000/year –5 years to buyback excess license Reduction in bay effort caused increase in gulf effort

12. Other Groups Affected Reduction in bycatch of other fish and sea turtles in bays Increase in bycatch of other fish and sea turtles in gulf Cost to society w/government grants Cost to recreational fishery (increase in Salt-water Stamp)

13. Evaluation of Data w/ Changes Annual crop: abundance Prices of shrimp Regulations

14. Effort in Bay Shrimp Fisheries

15. Effort in Gulf Shrimp Fisheries

16. Landings in Bay Shrimp Fisheries

17. Landings in Gulf Shrimp Fisheries

18. CPUE in Bay Shrimp Fisheries

19. CPUE in Gulf Shrimp Fisheries

20. Profit per Day Fished in Bay Shrimp Fisheries

21. Profit per Day Fished in Gulf Shrimp Fisheries

22. Price per Pound in Bay Shrimp Fisheries

23. Price per Pound in Gulf Shrimp Fisheries

24. Strengths and Weakness Purpose: voluntary license buyback program to remove licenses without creating excessive social and economic disruptions within coastal communities Goal: effort reduction will eventually lead to long-term sustainable fishery without economic instability

25. Strengths and Weakness (con’t) Co-management process –Texas Shrimp Advisory Committee –Shrimp License Management Review Board –Allowed communities to take responsibility for the public’s shrimp resource Continued funding: –Shrimp fishery –Society –Recreational fishermen

26. Strengths and Weakness (con’t) Frame work gives opportunity when EEZ go to limited entry Restrictions on license transfer expired on September 1, 1999 –Has not affected price license –Potential buyers not in shrimping fishery –Creates a philanthropic opportunity (10 licenses retired)