DOGFISH FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - SUPPLEMENTAL The purpose of the proposed action is to initiate management of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act of 1976 as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA). For most of the first two decades of extended jurisdiction under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the spiny dogfish was considered to be an "under-utilized" species of relatively minor value to the domestic fisheries of the US East Coast. With the decline of more traditional groundfish resources in recent years, an increase in directed fishing for dogfish has resulted in a nearly ten-fold increase in landings from 1987-1996. The lack of any regulations pertaining to the harvest of spiny dogfish in the US EEZ combined with the recent rapid expansion of the domestic fishery lead the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (Councils) to develop a management plan for the species. In addition, data and analyses in the most recent stock assessment indicate that the spiny dogfish stock in the Northwest Atlantic has declined as a result of the recent increase in exploitation (NEFSC 1998). Recent rapid expansion of the fishery has resulted in a dramatic increase in fishing mortality. Particularly troublesome is the fact that the fishery targets mature females due to their large size. The recent fishery expansion in combination with the removal of a large portion of the adult female stock has resulted in the species being designated as overfished (NEFSC 1998). The SFA requires remedial action by the Councils for stocks designated as overfished. The SFA requires that a management program be developed for this species and that targets and thresholds for stock size and fishing mortality be established. The management unit for this FMP is defined as the entire spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) population along the Atlantic coast of the United States. The overall goal of this FMP is to conserve spiny dogfish in order to achieve optimum yield from this resource. To meet the overall goal, the following objectives are adopted: 1. Reduce fishing mortality to ensure that overfishing does not occur. 2. Promote compatible management regulations between state and Council jurisdictions and the US and Canada. 3. Promote uniform and effective enforcement of regulations. 4. Minimize regulations while achieving the management objectives stated above. 5. Manage the spiny dogfish fishery so as to minimize the impact of the regulations on the prosecution of other fisheries, to the extent practicable. 6. Contribute to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. The fishing year for spiny dogfish is the twelve (12) month period beginning 1 May. Management Program for Spiny Dogfish The Councils adopted the following management program: Management Strategy The SFA, which reauthorized and amended the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, made a number of changes to the existing National Standards. With respect to National Standard 1, the SFA imposed new requirements concerning definitions of overfishing in fishery management plans. To comply with National Standard 1, the SFA requires that each Council FMP define overfishing as a rate or level of fishing mortality that jeopardizes a fishery’s capacity to produce maximum sustainable yield (MSY) on a continuing basis. Each FMP must specify objective and measurable status determination criteria for identifying when stocks or stock complexes covered by the FMP are overfished. To fulfill the requirements of the SFA, status determination criteria for spiny dogfish are comprised of two components: 1) a maximum fishing mortality threshold and 2) a minimum stock size threshold. The maximum F threshold should be specified as FMSY (or a suitable proxy) and the minimum biomass threshold should be specified as ½ BMSY (or a suitable proxy). Overfishing for spiny dogfish is defined to occur when the fishing mortality rate exceeds Frep with a pup-per-recruit ratio of 1.0. This fishing mortality rate is currently estimated to be F=0.11. The spiny dogfish is defined as overfished when the adult female biomass falls below ½ of the SSBmax. This value is currently estimated to be of 220 million pounds (100,000 mt) of adult female biomass. The SFA also requires that a risk averse fishing mortality target be specified as well as a biomass rebuilding target. For spiny dogfish, the Councils chose a target fishing mortality rate of Frep with a pup-per-recruit ratio of 1.5, or the fishing mortality rate which allows for the production of 1.5 female pups per female recruit (estimated to be F=0.08 for current size at first entry to the fishery). The Councils have chosen a target adult female stock biomass of 397 million pounds (180,000 mt) which is 90% of SSBmax. An additional requirement of the SFA is that stocks which are identified as overfished must be rebuilt to the level that will produce maximum sustainable yield. The SFA guidelines advise that, in most cases, the stock rebuilding period may not exceed 10 years. The most recent stock assessment data presented by NEFSC (1998) and the Dogfish Technical Committee indicate that total adult female spiny dogfish stock biomass is currently about 280 million lbs (127,000 mt), well below the stock biomass target of 397 million lbs (180,000 mt) based on a three year moving average of the most recent NEFSC survey data. As a result, the Councils propose to rebuild the adult female spiny dogfish stock to 180,000 mt (90% of SSBmax) over a five year rebuilding period through the implementation of this FMP. The preferred alternative will eliminate overfishing and rebuild the spiny dogfish stock through a two step reduction in fishing mortality rate. The first step allows for a one year exit fishery of 22 million lbs (10,006 mt) to allow a phase out of the directed fishery. This approach was chosen to minimize the impact of the rebuilding program on both the harvest and processing sectors of the industry. For the first year of the rebuilding plan, F will be reduced to 0.2 and then will be reduced to F=0.03 in the remaining four years. This schedule allows for stock rebuilding to the level at or near 90% of the SSBmax level in the year 2003. Proposed and Alternative Management Measures Preferred Management Measures The Councils adopted a number of preferred management measures to meet the objectives of the FMP (a complete description of these management measures is given in section 3.1). These preferred alternatives are as follows: 1. Permit and reporting requirements for commercial vessels, operators and dealers. 2. The establishment of a Spiny Dogfish FMP Monitoring Committee. 3. The implementation of a framework adjustment process. 4. A five year stock rebuilding schedule. 5. A commercial quota. 6. Seasonal (semi-annual) allocation of the quota. 7. Prohibition on finning. Alternatives to the Preferred Management Actions A number of alternatives to the proposed management measures have been identified by the Councils for consideration by the public (a complete description of these management measures is given in section 3.1). These non-preferred alternatives include: 1. Take no action at this time. 2. Alternative rebuilding schedules. 3. A commercial quota with trip limits. 4. A commercial quota with alternative seasonal allocations. 5. A commercial quota with alternative size limits including a slot size limit. 6. Limited entry program for spiny dogfish commercial fishery. 7. A target commercial quota. 8. A limit of 80 nets (50 fathoms each) in the spiny dogfish gillnet fishery.