2023 Spring IAB Meeting
Please join us April 26-27, 2023 as the Industry Advisory Board of the Science Center for Marine Fisheries discusses current ongoing fisheries management projects and considers new projects for the coming year. Registration is free but required for all attendees. A full agenda will be sent to all registrants in April.
Hot Off the Press
Summer Flounder Economic Impact Report
Of all fishery species managed by MAFMC the summer flounder is one of the most contentious. Stock status has recently improved from overfished – to less or even not so – with the inclusion of recent MRIP data on recreational fishery landings. A substantial increase in biomass estimates is reported in the most recent assessment, and there are expectations of continued debate over division of quota among commercial and recreational fisheries.
Wind Energy Development Team Supporting Fisheries
As offshore wind farms continue to expand, they will increasingly interact with critical fish species and ocean habitats. Understanding these interactions and assessing their impacts is essential to future coexistence between offshore wind and fisheries. The project, by Dr. Eric Powell (University of Southern Mississippi), assembled a wind energy team with diverse areas of expertise to advise SCEMFIS members on potential environmental impacts for offshore development.
Review of Atlantic Menhaden Ecological Reference Points
According to the SEDAR69 Ecological Reference Points report, the multi-species tradeoff analysis suggests that the single-species management target for menhaden performs relatively well for meeting menhaden and striped bass management objectives, and there is little apparent benefit to striped bass or other predators from fishing menhaden at a lower target fishing mortality. (Click photo for link to report.)
Partnerships Improve the 2020 Atlantic Surfclam Stock Assessment
From the research survey conducted aboard a commercial clam vessel, to the new assessment model built with academic colleagues, partnerships make the surfclam assessment richer. Atlantic surfclams live at depths between 20 and 35 meters, with an optimal temperature range of 16 to 22 degrees C. They are managed as one stock, with two biologically distinct areas. Surfclams in the northern area on Georges Bank are faster growing than southern surfclams, and the populations don’t mix.