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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 35 Number 5
January 2008
Butterfish rebuilding to be done through squid restrictions
DOVER, DE – There are some potentially big changes coming to butterfish management that will affect the Loligo and Illex squid fisheries.
Back in October, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved for public hearing purposes Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
The purpose of the amendment is to put in place a rebuilding program that will allow the butterfish stock to be rebuilt to levels required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).
The council is proposing a five-year rebuilding timeframe as a balance between the MSA requirement that stocks be rebuilt as quickly as possible and the needs of fishing communities.
The amendment is further intended to permanently protect the long-term health and stability of the rebuilt butterfish stock and to minimize both bycatch and fishing mortality of unavoidable bycatch.
According to the council, the Loligo fishery accounts for the majority of butterfish mortality due to discards. So, to achieve its goals, the council is proposing to:
• Develop a butterfish mortality cap program for the Loligo fishery;
• Adjust the minimum codend mesh size in the Loligo fishery to reduce discards of butterfish and other nontargeted species;
• Eliminate some exemptions for Illex vessels from the Loligo minimum codend mesh requirements to reduce discards; and
• Establish seasonal gear restricted areas to reduce butterfish discards.
Public hearings were tentatively scheduled to be held in January. For more information, call the council at (877) 446-2362. /cfn/
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