Fishing the EFP's in the FEC

[Ron.38 Special]

OK,
So fishing has started in the closed zone with the two permited PLL's. According to NMFS, the fishing started last weekend.
Of course with all the expertise and contacts on this forum, we will probably get up to date reports etc of the catch and possible the bycatch, but I thought it might be interesting to look at what NMFS expects to catch this month.

According to the Final EA on this project, During the proposed 11,000 hooks to be soaked over the next 30 days, NMFS expects the two boats to catch the following

Swordfish Kept: 94.5
Swordfish released alive: 188.9
Swordfish released dead: 157.2
Bluefin: 0
Yellowfin Kept: 9.8
Yellowfin disc alive: 1.6
Yellowfin Disc dead: 0
Bigeye Kept: 0.5
Bigeye disc alive: 0
Bigeye disc dead .8

White Marlin Disc alive: 1.1
White marlin disc dead: 0
Blue Marlin Disc alive: 0.5
Blue Marlin Disc dead .8

Sailfish 0

Loggerhead Trutles: 0.8
Leatherback Turtles: 1.6

The above expected catch is based on historical data including circle hook data from 2004, 2005.

OK, now for opinions to follow:

1. Is it really acceptable for an industry to have a 3.5 to 1 ratio of undersized juvenile fish to each legal fish? (288.9 + 157.2 divided by 94.5)

2. Is it acceptable to have a 1.6 to 1 ratio of dead undersized fish to each legal fish? This assumes a release mortality of 0 which also may be unreasonable. (157.2 divided by 94.5)

I think you can guess what my answer to those two question is.
Remeber that scienteific data suggests that over 50% of juvenile swordfish hooked on circle hooks die after two hour soak time. (Barbara Block research Gulf of Mexico 2004)

Footnote:
For my critics, the data comes from the final environmental assesment of the proposed alternative 3 (the selected alternative) for the Expmt Fisheries Permits to fish the FEC and Charleston Bump. Table 4.26 and 4.31.

These numbers are the expected catch for the month of March only.

[CaptKen]

Oh Boy here we go !

[Ocean Outlaw 420]

Quit whining and go fishing!

[miamiangler1]

question .. if white marlin are caught , and are dead will the pll`s quit fishing as it was proposed in the IGFA meeting last year ????

[quack quack]

Those numbers are quite funny to me.On one hand they are set up to make it easy for NMFS to declare this experiment a success.With such low keeper sword numbers and such high discard numbers I think they will have no problem doing better then that on both accounts.So that would lead to the conclusion that it was a great thing and would open the doors for other PLL boats.

On the other hand those Marlin numbers are lower then I would think and if they go over those numbers then that would be bad for the possibility of PLL being allowed in.So I am not sure about these numbers?

[Ron.38 Special]

There are no "triggers" to stop fishing. Triggers were proposed when it was 13 vessels fishing with no scientific overview.

Probably the only thing that could stop this fishing is if they had significant turtle interaction, much higher than anticipated. Only then would changes be made in the research.

OK Outlaw, I'm going fishing, but if I start catching 3 to 1 undersized fish, I'm going home!,

And QQ, remember these are only March's numbers. Marlin catch estmates go up in later months, but stll look low.

The estimate comes from a direct analysis of the PLL logbooks, and Observer Program. It actually is very real based solely on the data in hand. What it doesn't have is any change in numbers based on any estimate of increased catched due to relative abundance and lack of fishing pressure since 2001.

[Broadbill-Pro]

Originally Posted by Ron.38 Special

What it doesn't have is any change in numbers based on any estimate of increased catched due to relative abundance and lack of fishing pressure since 2001.

Is there a way to "estimate" what the actual numbers should be, since there has not been any fishing in the research area? Just curious how you would come up with those figures and what would it be based on?

[tunaman81]

Originally Posted by Ron.38 Special

Remeber that scienteific data suggests that over 50% of juvenile swordfish hooked on circle hooks die after two hour soak time. (Barbara Block research Gulf of Mexico 2004)

Can you provide a link to this study? I have not found/heard of it.