Councilor McBride said that it came to his attention about a month ago that a survey had been conducted of recreational fluke and porgy catches along the East Coast. This survey indicated that recreational catches of these species were estimated to be about double the coastwide 2003 recreational quota and that this might lead to severe restrictions on recreational fluke and scup fishing in 2004, including a possible prohibition on charter and party boat fishing. This survey and its results were discussed at a recent meeting of charter and party boat operators, who are understandably very concerned. He asked Mr. Colvin to give the Council the details and his best guess of what might happen in 2004.

Mr. Colvin reminded the Council that the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistics Survey (MRFSS) is the vehicle by which recreational catches of marine fish are estimated by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the states and it's results are used by the states, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC) to manage recreational catch quotas for fluke, scup, and black sea bass. The preliminary 2003 MRFSS catch estimates for Wave 3 (May and June) and Wave 4 (July and August) are in; the Wave 5 (September and October) estimate is not yet available. Information for Waves 3 & 4 indicate that landings of fluke in New York and New Jersey, and landings of scup coast-wide, are quite a bit higher than were expected. The projection is that New York's recreational fluke landings will be double it's 2003 target; New Jersey will be slightly over its target; and all other states will fall short of their targets.

Mr. Colvin said that the quota study process goes as follows:

• The annual target catch quota is set – this has been done for 2003
• A monitoring committee, a technical group appointed by the MAFMC and ASMFC, meets to review the recreational catch estimates and make recommendations on what should be done
• An industry advisory panel meets, reviews all information and makes its set of recommendations.
• MAFMC and the ASMFC Board meets, reviews the recommendations of the monitoring committee and advisory Board and makes a final recommendation

Mr. Colvin stated that there is something unusual about sample designs for this year's MRFSS intercept and/or telephone survey in New York because the recreational fluke catch estimates do not square with fishermen's observations and experiences, in particular in Wave 3. The MRFSS catch estimates appear to be significantly higher than the experience of those active in the recreational fluke fishery in New York. MRFSS staff is looking into this and preparing a report. But, this report will likely not be available until after a decision needs to be made about how to handle the 2004 recreational limits for fluke and scup.

Councilor McBride stated that, throughout all his Council work, participation on ad-hoc fishing advisory groups, etc. there has never been a positive word said about MRFSS survey or the quality of the recreational catch data it produces. He suggested that the Council make an official recommendation to DEC that any changes for 2004 to recreational fluke and scup measures only be made after thorough review and consideration of the MRFSS staff report mentioned by Mr. Colvin.

Mr. Colvin explained that the MRFSS telephone survey is not designed to get recreational catch information; it is designed to get recreational fishing effort information. The dockside intercept survey gets the catch information. The two data sets are multiplied to get the catch estimate. He emphasized that MRFSS was never designed to monitor catches against regulatory quotas, whether on a coast-wide, regional, or state-by-state basis. However, the MRFSS data is the only data set that exists that compares quotas to catch estimates, so it's what they have to use. Mr. Colvin also noted that the underlying statistical design of the MRFSS survey does not produce valid catch estimates even for the purpose for which the survey was intended. The survey's results are supposed to be statistically valid at an individual state basis, although they are based on regions (East Coast, Gulf Coast, Pacific Coast). NOAA Fisheries Administrator William Hogart has been saying for years that the MRFFS survey data should not be used "as is" for regulatory quota monitoring and management. He feels that it could be developed from MRFSS and adjusted. Mr. Colvin indicated that how this adjustment will be made on the East Coast will surely involved the newly-instituted Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP). He stated that New York State has consistently opposed the use of individual state quotas for recreational fisheries before the MAFMC and ASMFC but, New York has been out-voted on the issue

Chairman Wise said that this issue cannot be resolved without all pertinent information; it will be taken up again at the January Council Meeting.

 

Page last modified Wednesday, February 2, 2005 by George E. Carroll