Overview
Title
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery Off the Atlantic States; Amendment 12
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council wants to add two small fish, bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel, to a special list for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery because they are important food for other fish. They are asking people to share their thoughts until March 30, 2021, but they won't make new rules for fishing dolphin and wahoo right now.
Summary AI
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is proposing Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States. This amendment aims to add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component species, recognizing their role as important prey in the ecosystem. Public comments on the proposal are invited until March 30, 2021. If approved, this change would heighten awareness about these species without implementing new management measures for dolphin and wahoo.
Abstract
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin Wahoo FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 12 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP (Amendment 12) would add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP and designate them as ecosystem component (EC) species. The purpose of Amendment 12 is to acknowledge the ecological role of bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as forage fish and to achieve the ecosystem management objectives in the Dolphin Wahoo FMP.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document under review is a proposed amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States, known as Amendment 12. Submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, this proposal aims to add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component species. Such a move is intended to recognize their role as vital forage fish within the ecosystem. The general public is invited to provide comments on this proposal until March 30, 2021. The amendment, if approved, seeks to increase awareness about these species, which are integral to the diet of larger predatory fish such as dolphin, wahoo, blue marlin, and yellowfin tuna. Importantly, no new management measures for the dolphin and wahoo fishery are proposed alongside this amendment.
Significant Issues and Concerns
One issue of note is the document's lack of clarity on what specific "ecosystem management objectives" are being addressed by adding bullet and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component species. Without detailed objectives, stakeholders may find it challenging to discern the amendment’s specific ecological intent.
Furthermore, the document refers to potential indirect benefits such as increased awareness among fishermen and regulatory entities but fails to provide concrete, quantifiable metrics to gauge the impact of these benefits. This vagueness could lead to ambiguity about the practical implications of the amendment.
Additionally, the amendment mentions that no additional management measures will be tied to the ecosystem component designation. This could suggest that the action might be largely symbolic, lacking clear conservation measures to protect these species should their populations be threatened.
Another concern is the absence of a clearly outlined procedure in the event that landings of bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel increase to unsustainable levels. This oversight could result in uncertainty regarding future management actions necessary to protect these fish.
Lastly, the document notes that "extensive positive comments" from the public supported the scoping of Amendment 12, yet it does not specify the volume or nature of these comments, which would help stakeholders better understand public sentiment.
Impact on the Public and Stakeholders
For the general public, the proposal may seem largely administrative, with minimal direct impact due to the lack of new regulations. However, heightened awareness of these species’ ecological importance might foster more informed discussions about marine biodiversity and fisheries management.
Broadly, the amendment could positively impact marine conservation efforts by acknowledging and documenting the role of these mackerel species within the ecosystem without imposing new fishing restrictions. However, the absence of additional conservation measures may leave room for skepticism regarding how effectively these species will be protected in practice.
For commercial and recreational fishermen, this proposal's awareness-raising aspects could lead to increased recognition of sustainable fishing practices' importance. However, it might also introduce concerns about future regulatory changes if direct conservation measures eventually become necessary.
Ultimately, while Amendment 12 aims to fulfill important ecosystem management goals, the document could benefit from clearer objectives and strategies to ensure the effective protection and management of marine resources.
Issues
• The document does not specify the exact nature of the 'ecosystem management objectives' being targeted with the addition of bullet and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component species, which could be considered unclear.
• The potential indirect benefits mentioned, such as increased awareness among stakeholders, are vague and not quantified, which may lead to uncertainty about the actual impact of these benefits.
• The document mentions that no additional management measures will be added as a result of the EC species designation, which might suggest that the action could be largely symbolic without clear conservation measures.
• The procedure for what will happen if the landings of bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel increase to unsustainable levels is not clearly outlined in the document, potentially leading to uncertainty in future management actions.
• It is unclear what constitutes 'extensive positive comments' from the public during scoping of Amendment 12, as no specific details or metrics are provided.