Transcript Presentation - Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Unmanaged Forage
Omnibus Amendment
NEFSC
Council Meeting
April 12, 2016
Montauk, NY
Objective
 Review
FMAT, AP, and
Committee comments and
recommendations
 Approve
hearings
amendment for public
Public Hearing Document
Contents:

Goal statement

Regulatory authority

Species under consideration

Management alternatives

Appendices
– FMAT list
– Landings data
Goal
The goal of the amendment is to prohibit the
development of new and expansion of existing
directed commercial fisheries on unmanaged forage
species in Mid-Atlantic Federal waters until the Council
has had an adequate opportunity to both assess the
scientific information relating to any new or expanded
directed fisheries and consider potential impacts to
existing fisheries, fishing communities, and the marine
ecosystem. This action is needed to protect the
structure and function of marine ecosystems in the
Mid-Atlantic and to advance an ecosystem approach to
fisheries management in the Mid-Atlantic.
Regulatory Authority
Ecosystem Components
Considered a “discretionary provision” of FMPs
Magnuson-Stevens Act section 303(b)(12):
Council’s may “include management
measures in the [FMP] to conserve target
and non-target species and habitats,
considering the variety of ecological
factors affecting fishery populations”
Ecosystem Components
National Standard 1 Guidelines
ECs Should:
– Be non-target species
– Not be subject to overfishing, not be
overfished or approaching overfished
– Not be likely to become subject to
overfishing or overfished in the absence of
conservation and management measures
– Not generally be retained for sale or
personal use
Ecosystem Components
National Standard 1 Guidelines
ECs may be included in FMPs for:
– Data collection purposes
– Ecosystem considerations related to specifications
of OY for the associated fishery
– As considerations in the development of
conservation and management measures for the
associated fishery
– To address other ecosystem issues
Species Under Consideration
GARFO advice: because action is an FMP
amendment, forage species included need
to be linked to FMP species or FMP
fisheries
 Predator/prey
 Bycatch
List of Species (Council - Feb 2016)









Engraulidae (anchovies)
Clupeidae (herrings,
sardines)
Argentinidae (argentines)
Atherinopsidae (silversides)
Ammodytidae (sand lances)
Sternoptychidae (pearlsides)
Chlorophthalmidae
(greeneyes)
Trichiuridae (cutlassfish)
Scombridae (chub, bullet,
frigate, little tuna)

Scomberesox saurus (Atlantic

saury)
Hemiramphidae (halfbeaks)
Peprilus paru (harvestfish)

Tautogolabrus adspersus




(cunner)
Ophidiiformes (cusk eels)
Pelagic molluscs (squids,
cuttlefish etc.)
Copepods, Krill, Amphipods
and any other species under 1
inch as adults
List of Species
FMAT comments
To date, no link to FMPs identified for:
– Frigate mackerel (Auxis thazard)
– Bullet mackerel (Auxis rochei)
– Little tuna/false albacore (Euthynnus
alletteratus)
– Halfbeaks (family hemiramphidae)
– Cutlassfish (Trichiurus lepturus)
– Some pelagic molluscs (e.g. bathyscaphoid
squids, cuttlefish)
List of Species
FMAT comments
Examples of taxa identified as high priorities by
the FMAT, but not included on Council list:
smallmouth flounder, Gulf Stream flounder,
sea robins, fourbeard rockling, lanternfish,
several invertebrate taxa including several taxa
of shrimp, decapod crabs (e.g. lady crabs, rock
crabs, and hermit crabs), and echinoderms
(e.g. brittle stars, sea cucumbers, urchins, and
sand dollars)
AP Comments






Concern about including taxa with no link to FMPs
Cutlassfish, cunner, frigate mackerel, bullet
mackerel, little tuna – not forage or low trophic
HMS gear regulations minimize catch of
unmanaged scombrids such as little tuna, bonito
Limited potential for increased landings of cunner,
harvestfish, others
Harvestfish mostly caught it state waters
Sharptail shortfin squid difficult to distinguish from
Illex squid
Committee
Recommend to the Council to remove
the following species to a considered
but rejected list: Atlantic cutlassfish,
bullet mackerel, frigate mackerel, little
tunny/false albacore, harvestfish,
cunner, and sharptail shortfin squid
Nolan/Nowalsky (5/3/0) Motion carries
Scombridae
Recommend that the Council write a
letter to NMFS HMS to request that the
HMS office manage the HMS species
on list (little tuna/false albacore, bullet mackerel,
and frigate mackerel) and other unmanaged
scombrid species*
Approved by consensus
*Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda), blackfin tuna, Thunnus
atlanticus
Myctophidae (lanternfish)

Committee
– Move to add lanternfish – approved by
consensus

AP comments:
– Important forage (FMAT)
– Fisheries have been explored in other parts
of world
– Mostly deep water, vessels largely
prevented from catching because of coral
areas
List of Species (AP/Comm. – Mar 2016)









Engraulidae (anchovies)
Clupeidae (herrings,
sardines)
Argentinidae (argentines)
Atherinopsidae (silversides)
Ammodytidae (sand lances)
Sternoptychidae (pearlsides)
Chlorophthalmidae
(greeneyes)
Trichiuridae (cutlassfish)
Scombridae (chub, bullet,
frigate, little tuna)

Scomberesox saurus (Atlantic

saury)
Hemiramphidae (halfbeaks)
Peprilus paru (harvestfish)

Tautogolabrus adspersus





(cunner)
Ophidiiformes (cusk eels)
Pelagic molluscs (squids,
cuttlefish etc.)
Copepods, Krill, Amphipods
and any other species under 1
inch as adults
Myctophidae (lanternfish)
List of Species
Public comments (since February meeting)
Include in amendment:
Number of
requests
False albacore/little tuna
98
Bonito
84
Frigate mackerel
57

+1 phone call – false albacore
Bullet mackerel
56
2014
2012
Frigate mackerel
2010
2008
2006
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
Dealer-reported landings
(thousands of pounds)
350
Bonito
False albacore
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Management Measures

Landings data

AP and Committee recommendations
John McMurray
Landings Data



Commercial fishermen required to
report everything they catch, dealers
required to report everything they
purchase
Every species has a code, but not all
codes activated
A simple process to activate codes
Landings Data
No dealer-reported landings in northeast,
1996-2015: round herring, striped
anchovy, dusky anchovy, silver anchovy,
scaled sardine, Spanish sardine, rough
silverside, inland silverside, pearlsides,
greeneyes, bullet mackerel, halfbeaks,
Atlantic saury, cusk eels, unmanaged
squids, cuttlefish, pteropods, copepods,
krill, amphipods
Management Alternatives
1: No Action
Feb 2016 (Council)
2: Alternatives to regulate harvest
2A: Prohibit all possession
2B: Allow an incidental possession limit
2C: Prohibit possession once a catch limit (e.g. a directed fishery
possession limit or an annual landings limit) is met
2D: Allow an incidental possession limit once an annual catch limit
is met
3: Administrative alternatives
3A: Modify list of approved fisheries and gear types
3B: Frameworkable items
•List
of Ecosystem Component species
•Spatial and seasonal closures
•Gear regulations
•Possession limits
•Recreational fishing regulations
Management Alternatives
Mar 2016 (AP/Committee)
1: No Action
2: Alternatives for forage species besides chub mackerel
2A: Prohibit possession
2B: Allow an incidental possession limit
3: Alternatives for chub mackerel
3A: Prohibit possession
3B: Prohibit possession once an annual landings limit is met
3C: Allow an incidental possession limit once an annual landings limit
is met
4: Process for new fisheries
4A: Require EFPs
4B: Consideration of stocks in fishery
5: Administrative alternatives
5A: Modify list of approved fisheries and gear types
5B: Frameworkable items
5C: Permitting
5D: Monitoring/reporting
5E: Geographic scope of amendment
Management Alternatives
Key differences between Feb 2016 and
Committee recommendations:
 Landings limits instead of catch limits
 Chub mackerel separated from other


species
Alternative for process for new
fisheries
Additional administrative alternatives
AP/Committee

Prohibit possession
– Argentines; anchovies; silversides; sand
lance; pearlsides; greeneyes; cusk eels;
copepods, krill, amphipods, and others <1
in.; lanternfish

Allow an incidental possession limit
– Unmanaged herrings, sardines, halfbeaks,
Atlantic saury, pelagic molluscs (except
sharptail shortfin squid)
AP Recommendation


Unmanaged herrings, sardines, halfbeaks, Atlantic
saury, pelagic molluscs (except sharptail shortfin
squid)
1,500 pounds of any species per trip
– Would effectively prevent large-scale targeting
– Unlikely that 1,500 pounds of more than one species
would be caught per trip

1,700 pounds of all species combined per trip
– 99th percentile of trip-level landings of bay anchovy,
argentine, sand eel, harvestfish, octopus, and Atlantic
silverside, 1996-2015
Committee
Move to move forward with AP
recommended incidental possession limit
options
McMurray/Luisi (8/0/0) motion carries
Bay anchovy (VIMS)
Committee Motion
ALTERNATIVE 2: Alternatives to regulate harvest
A. Prohibit possession of all EC species
B. Prohibit possession of all EC species, but
allow an incidental possession with trip
limits of:
I. 1,500 pounds per trip for each EC species
II. 1,700 pounds/trip – 99th percentile of triplevel landings for all the species with
documented catch for 1996-2015
Continued…
Committee Motion, cont.
C. Prohibit possession of all EC species but allow incidental possession of
some EC species EC species with a per trip possession limit.
I. Prohibit possession of:
a. Families: Engraulidae (anchovies), Argentinidae (argentines), Atherinopsidae
(silversides), Ammodytidae (sand lances), Sternoptychidae (pearlsides, marine
hatchetfishes), Chlorophtalmidae (greeneyes), and Myctophidae (lanternfish)
b. Orders: Ophidiiformes (cusk eels).
c. Groups: Copepods, krill, amphipods, and other species under 1 inch as adults:
including the families of Calanidae (copepods) and Euphausiidae (euphausid krill),
the orders: Amphipoda (amphipods) and ispoda (isopods), and the class
Ostracoda (ostracods).
II. Limited possession of all remaining EC species (round herring, scaled
sardine, thread herring, Spanish sardine, halbeaks, Atlantic saury, pelagic
molluscs except sharptail shortfin squid) with a per trip possession limit of:
a. 1,500 pounds per trip for each EC species
b. 1,700 pounds/trip – 99th percentile of trip-level landings for all the species
with documented catch for 1996-2015
Alt.
Sub-Alternative
2Ai: Prohibit possession of all EC species
(besides chub mackerel)
2Aii: Prohibit possession of some EC
2A:
species (specifically, Engraulidae,
Prohibit
Argentinidae, Atherinopsidae, Ammodytidae,
possession
Sternoptychidae, Chlorophtalmidae,
Myctophidae, Ophidiiformes, copepods, krill,
amphipods, & other species <1 in. as adults)
Possession
limits alts.
--
--
•1,500 lb of any
species per trip
2Bi: Incidental possession limit for all EC •1,700 lb of all
species
species (besides chub mackerel)
2B:
combined per
Incidental
trip
•1,500 lb of any
possession
2Bii: Incidental possession limit for some species per trip
limit
EC species (specifically, Clupeidae,
•1,700 lb of all
species
Argentinidae, Atlantic saury, Hemiramphidae,
combined per
and pelagic molluscs)
trip
3: Chub Mackerel Alternatives
Committee:
Move to create chub mackerel
alternatives, separate from
alternatives for other species in the
amendment
McMurray/deFur (8/0/0) motion carries
FMAT Recommendation



Manage as EC through amendment, but
consider adding to Squid, Mackerel,
Butterfish FMP in the future
Existing directed fishery
Mostly landed on trips which also
landed Illex squid, longfin squid,
and/or butterfish (but not Atlantic
mackerel)
AP Comments


Agreement: chub mackerel should be a stock
in the fishery (either in its own FMP or in SMB
FMP), not an EC
Fishery characteristics
– Switch between Illex and chub mackerel on the
same trip
– Chub can be a “bailout” species when Illex aren’t
available
– Only ~4 vessels have ability to effectively pursue
Stocks in the Fishery
Magnuson Act – required provisions of FMPs






MSY
OY
EFH
Status determination criteria
ACLs
AMs
Not required for ECs
0
2015
2014
2013
2012
2004-…
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
Landings (millions of pounds)
Chub Mackerel Landings
6
5
4
3
2
1
Chub Mackerel
Annual landings, 1996-2015
50th %ile
75th %ile 90th %ile 95th %ile 99th %ile
(median)
17,649
181,118 1,493,789 2,579,539 4,715,657
Mean
532,301
Total
Landings
9,581,508
Chub Mackerel
Trip-level landings, 1996-2015
50th %ile
(median)
16 lb
(485 trips)
75th %ile
90th %ile
95th
%ile
114 lb
(242 trips)
7,815 lb
(97 trips)
C
Mean
Total
Landings
Total
Trips
9,919 lb
(93 trips)
9,581,508
966
99th
%ile
C
AP Comments




Relationship between temperature and
abundance? Impacts on future availability?
Reliability of landings data from 1990s –
accurate reporting?
Annual limit of 10 million pounds
Trip limit of 600,000 lb (about limit of what
largest vessels can hold)
Public Comment
SeaFreeze letter
 World-wide chub mackerel fisheries
 Fisheries in the U.S.
 Data from other parts of the world –
fisheries, biology, population trends
 NMFS SK grant for development of chub
fishery (under-utilized species)
 Should be stock in fishery, not EC
Committee Motion
ALTERNATIVE 3: (Chub option 1) Limit harvest of chub
mackerel as EC species
A. (Previous 2c) Classify chub mackerel as an EC species and
limit the annual harvest of chub mackerel using one of the
following methodologies for a maximum of three (3) years
while a stock assessment and analyses of predator,
ecosystem, and socioeconomic impacts are completed to add
chub mackerel as a stock in the fishery (SIF):
i. 3 year catch average (2.86 million pounds)
ii. 5 year catch average (1.75 million pounds)
iii. 10 year catch average (900,127 pounds)
iv. Highest catch in the past 10 years (5.25 million pounds)
Continued…
Committee Motion, cont.
B. (Previous 2d) Classify chub mackerel as EC species and
limit the annual harvest of chub mackerel using one of the
following methodologies with an incidental possession limit of
10,000 pounds after the annual limit/cap is met, for a
maximum of three (3) years while a stock assessment and
analyses of predator, ecosystem, and socioeconomic impacts
are completed to add chub mackerel as a stock in the fishery
(SIF):
i. 3 year catch average (2.86 million pounds)
ii. 5 year catch average (1.75 million pounds)
iii. 10 year catch average (900,127 pounds)
iv. Highest catch in the past 10 years (5.25 million pounds)
C. 2B with 40,000 incidental limit
Committee Motion, cont.
D. Immediately add chub mackerel as a stock in the
fishery to either the MSB FMP or its own FMP using
proxy status determination criteria while a stock
assessment and analyses of predator, ecosystem, and
socioeconomic impacts are completed. Set one of the
following as a temporary landings cap for a maximum
of three years:
i. 3 year catch average (2.86 million pounds)
ii. 5 year catch average (1.75 million pounds)
iii. 10 year catch average (900,127 pounds)
iv. Highest catch in the past 10 years (5.25 million pounds)
Committee Motion
ALTERNATIVE 3: (Chub option 2) Limit the catch of
chub mackerel as NON-EC species
A. (Previous 2c) Limit the annual harvest of chub
mackerel using one of the following methodologies for a
maximum of three (3) years while a stock assessment
and analyses of predator, ecosystem, and
socioeconomic impacts are completed to add chub
mackerel as a stock in the fishery (SIF):
i. 3 year catch average (2.86 million pounds)
ii. 5 year catch average (1.75 million pounds)
iii. 10 year catch average (900,127 pounds)
iv. Highest catch in the past 10 years (5.25 million pounds)
Continued…
Committee Motion, cont.
B. (Previous 2d) Limit the annual harvest of chub
mackerel through a catch cap using one of the
following methodologies for a maximum of three (3)
years with an incidental possession limit of 10,000
while a stock assessment and analyses of predator,
ecosystem, and socioeconomic impacts are completed
to add chub mackerel as a stock in the fishery (SIF):
i. 3 year catch average (2.86 million pounds)
ii. 5 year catch average (1.75 million pounds)
iii. 10 year catch average (900,127 pounds)
iv. Highest catch in the past 10 years (5.25 million
pounds)
Alt.
3A: Manage chub mackerel
as an EC species
3B: Manage chub mackerel
as a stock in the fishery
3C: Manage chub mackerel
through the Council’s
discretionary authority
under MSA 303(b)(12) and
National Standard 9
Sub-Alternative
3Ai: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Aii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
3Bi: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Bii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
3Ci: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Cii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
Alt.
3A: Manage chub mackerel
as an EC species
3B: Manage chub mackerel
as a stock in the fishery
3C: Manage chub mackerel
through the Council’s
discretionary authority
under 1853(b)(12) and
National Standard 9
Sub-Alternative
3Ai: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Aii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
3Bi: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Bii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
3Ci: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Cii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
Annual Landings Limit Alts.
 2.86
million pounds/year
 1.75 million pounds/year
 900,127 pounds/year
 5.25 million pounds/year
Alt.
3A: Manage chub mackerel
as an EC species
3B: Manage chub mackerel
as a stock in the fishery
3C: Manage chub mackerel
through the Council’s
discretionary authority
under 1853(b)(12) and
National Standard 9
Sub-Alternative
3Ai: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Aii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
3Bi: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Bii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
3Ci: Prohibit possession once an annual
fishery-wide landings limit is met
3Cii: Allow an incidental possession limit
once an annual fishery-wide landings limit is
met
Incidental Limit Alts.
0
pounds (no incidental limit)
 10,000 pounds
– Roughly the mean trip-level landings,
1996-2015
 40,000
pounds
– Committee recommendation
Committee Recommendation


Manage chub mackerel as EC with annual
landings limit/incidental possession limit “for a
maximum of 3 years while a stock assessment
and analyses of predator, ecosystem, and
socioeconomic impacts are completed to add
chub mackerel as a stock in the fishery.”
Emergency action for interim management
while analyses for stock in fishery are
completed – not recommended by Committee
Process for New Fisheries
Committee Recommendation:
 EFP as first step towards a new fishery
 Council review of EFP applications
 Council operating procedure or
guidelines for review of EFPs
 Coordination with GARFO for expedited
GARFO review if first reviewed by
Council
Exempted Fishing Permits
Council cannot prohibit individuals from
submitting EFP applications directly to
GARFO
 Can encourage submitting to Council
first for Council approval

Sand Lance (Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
Exempted Fishing Permits
AP comments
 Could initial Council review expedite
GARFO review of EFP applications?
 Establish a time limit for review
 Council review would make the process
more transparent
Committee Motion
ALTERNATIVE 4: Pathway to a fishery for EC species with prohibited or limited
harvest.
A. No action
B. No new or expanded fishing on EC forage species.
C. Persons or companies seeking directed fishing on a prohibited EC forage
species must first seek endorsement of an exempted fishing permit (EFP)
through the MAFMC EFP review process in Council Policy for Review of EFPs
for fishing EC species (EC/EFP Policy – Appendix XX), and then through the
NOAA/GARFO EFP application process. The MAFMC EC/EFP Policy was created
specifically to implement an MAFMC and SSC review process for EFP
applications to collect data for a future fishery on a species prohibited from
harvest in this amendment prior to EFP application submission to
NMFS/GARFO.
D. Persons or companies seeking directed fishing on a prohibited EC forage
species must petition the Council and NMFS to add that species as a “stock in
the fishery.”
Alternative
4A: Require EFP prior to
development of new or
expansion of existing
fisheries for ECs
4B: Consideration of stock in
the fishery designation prior
to new fisheries/expansion
of existing fisheries for ECs
Sub-Alternative
4Ai: Status quo EFP process
4Aii: Develop policy for
Council review of EFP
applications relating to ECs
--
Administrative Alternatives
ALTERNATIVE 5: This amendment applies to all midAtlantic federal waters (exclusive economic zone EEZ). The boundaries of that jurisdiction are as
follows:
A. The northern boundary is the state line separating
New York and Connecticut. The southern boundary is
the state line separating Virginia and North Carolina.
B. The northern boundary is the state line separating
New York and Connecticut. The southern boundary
extends from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Administrative Alternatives


Remove gear regulations from list of frameworkable
items – by consensus
Move to add three alternatives the administrative
range of alternatives:
– Any vessel that will retain or incidentally possess any EC
species protected in this amendment in federal waters
must obtain a GARFO permit.
– Develop and implement an annual process that provides
the MAFMC with data related to annual catch of EC species
in its jurisdiction.
– Update species reporting requirements by adding EC
species to SAFIS, VTRs, CDFRs, and other required
reporting mechanisms
Alternative
5A: List of fisheries and
gear types (50 CFR
600.725)
5B: Require GARFO
permit for possession of
EC species
5C: Monitoring
/reporting
5D: Geographic scope of
amendment
Sub-Alternative
--
-5Ci: Develop a process that provides
the Council with data on annual catch
of EC species in its jurisdiction.
5Cii: Add EC species to SAFIS, VTRs,
CDFRs, and other required reporting
mechanisms.
5Di: Federal waters, bounded by
seaward lines extending from CT/NY
boundary and VA/NC boundary
5Dii: Federal waters, bounded by
seaward lines extending from CT/NY
boundary and Cape Hatteras, NC
Alternative
5E: Frameworkable
items
Sub-Alternative
5Ei: List of EC species
5Eii: Possession limits and
landings limits
5Eiii: Spatial and seasonal
closures
5Eiv: Recreational fishing
regulations
Next Steps
Public hearings
 Mid – late May 2016?
 Present results at June Council
meeting?
 Staff will develop public hearing
document based on today’s
recommendations
Decision Points
 Goal
statement
 List of species under consideration
 Management alternatives
 Approve for public hearings
Questions?
Forage definition




Small to moderate in size throughout
lifespan
Subject to extensive predation
throughout lifespan
Comprises considerable portion of diet
of predators throughout lifespan
Consumptive removals are a major
element of mortality
Forage definition





A lower to mid-trophic level species
High number of trophic linkages as predator
and prey –important conduit of energy/biomass
Often form schools
Often have high inter-annual variability in
recruitment
Relative to primary production and primary
producers, has a ratio of production and
biomass, respectively, to those producers not
smaller than on the order of 10-3 to 10-4
List of Forage Species
>5% relative mean stomach weight
NEFSC
Mackerels
Comb jellies
NEAMAP
Copepods
Mysids
Nematodes Striped anchovy
Rock crabs
Bay anchovy
Flounders
Octopods
Rock crab
Polychaetes
Sand shrimp
Bloodworms
50 CFR 600.725
Fishery
Authorized gear type
16. Coastal Gillnet
Fishery (Non-FMP)
Gillnet
17. Recreational
Fishery (Non-FMP)
Rod and reel, handline, spear, hook
and line, hand harvest, bandit gear,
powerhead, gillnet, cast net.
27. Commercial
Fishery (Non-FMP)
Trawl, pot, trap, gillnet, pound net,
dredge, seine, handline, longline,
hook and line, rod and reel, spear.
Cutlassfish vs. Ribbonfish
Atlantic Cutlassfish, Trichiurus lepturus
Nicholls.edu
Polka-dot Ribbonfish, Desmodema polystictum
Fishbase.org
Photo by M.M. Kahn
Atlantic Saury vs. Halfbeak Family
Atlantic saury, Scomberesox saurus
Family Scomberesocidae (sauries)
Jerry Prezioso
Family Hemiramphidae
(halfbeaks)
Ballyhoo, Hemiramphus brasiliensis
Balao, Hemiramphus balao
R. Freitas
False silverstripe/American/Meek’s
halfbeak, Hyporhamphus meeki
D. Stewart
NMFS
Decapod crabs
Cancer irroratus
Ovalipes ocellatus
Not Galatheid crabs
What is known
• Both species occur in the MAFMC waters
• Both are reported as prey for all MAFMC
managed finfish
• Both reported as by-catch
• Rock crab landed
• Both edible, Rock crab has had limited fishery
in the past
• Recommended by FMAT
• Not include all 300 decapods of the area, nor
red or Jonah crabs
Polychaetes
• Also bristle worms, blood worms, sand worms
• In the diet of every managed MAFMC finfish
• Major prey for most benthic finfish especially
of smaller size
• Occur throughout the region to all depths