The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is the entity tasked by the federal government with fishery management in the Gulf of Mexico. The following is an update of actions being taken.
Recreational Red Snapper: The council took a first look at an action that considers adjusting individual state private recreational red snapper catch limits.
NOAA Fisheries has been using the federal Marine Recreational Information Program in concert with landings and effort data collected from Gulf state data collection programs to monitor private recreational red snapper seasons.
An extensive and recently conducted study called the Great Red Snapper Count has indicated red snapper numbers might be up to three times higher than shown by data currently used to inform management. The Gulf Council discussed incorporation of the Great Red Snapper Count into an interim analysis for red snapper that might be available by spring. Red snapper catch limits are expected to increase; however, increasing the catch limits doesn’t address the differences in data reported by each state survey.
Adjustments to the state-specific catch limits are also being considered.
Red Grouper: The Gulf Council is considering modification to red grouper commercial and recreational allocations and catch limits based on the results of the latest stock assessment.
The assessment showed the red grouper stock size is smaller than it has ever been. Additionally, the assessment used the new Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey landings and effort estimates, which has increased the estimates of recreational harvest.
The council expressed concern with differences between landings used in the stock assessment and landings used for annual catch limit monitoring. The council asked its Scientific and Statistical Committed to explore those differences.
Gray Triggerfish: The council was presented a summary of an interim analysis of the gray triggerfish stock that uses video surveys to estimate abundance. The analysis shows the gray triggerfish stock has been increasing, especially in the eastern Gulf, and that catch limits can be increased.
There is a recommendation to increase the gray triggerfish catch limit to 456,900 pounds whole weight. The current annual catch limit is 305,300 pounds whole weight; thus, the council initiated work on an action to increase the gray triggerfish catch limit and will also consider removing the January and February recreational season closure.
King Mackerel: The council was presented with results of an update stock assessment for king mackerel. King mackerel is not overfished nor is it experiencing overfishing.
The king mackerel stock size is above the minimum stock size threshold but below the stock size necessary to produce maximum sustainable yield. The council also heard a summary of public input on the health of the stock received through its Something’s Fishy with King Mackerel tool. Those comments indicated a negative trend in stock abundance, especially in the northern Gulf.
The recommendation is to increase acceptable biological catch limits for 2021-2023. The Council decided to initiate development of a plan amendment to adjust current king mackerel catch limits and consider modifying sector allocations.