2019 New England Recreational Fishing Workshops

About

Workshop Purpose and Goal

Through a collaborative process, we will develop potential management approaches for the recreational groundfish fishery that balance the need to prevent overfishing with enabling profitability in the for-hire fleet and worthwhile fishing opportunities for anglers.

Objectives

Long-term: Think creatively about how the recreational groundfish fishery could be managed to improve alignment with angler and for-hire captain needs, including how to meaningfully use the new Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data.
Short-term: Develop short-term steps for working toward potential long-term management approaches that achieve, but not exceed, recreational catch limits, including Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. See the Recreational Management Measures Toolbox.
Assess and evaluate available research around: methods for avoidance and reduction of bycatch mortality, calculation methods for dead discards, and release methods. We will also identify gaps for future research.
Develop methods to regularly engage with captains and anglers throughout the season to get feedback on catch and trends, and develop ideas on how to enhance coordination between NOAA Fisheries, state partners, scientists, and the recreational fishing community.

After the Workshops

These workshops will provide an opportunity to brainstorm short- and long-term approaches for possible future recreational fisheries management strategies. The findings of these workshops will be summarized and shared with the New England Fishery Management Council, including its Groundfish Committee and Recreational Advisory Panel. Any recommendations would be considered within the current Council process for developing recreational management measures with input from all groundfish stakeholders and the public.

Workshop Summaries

Workshop Presentations

Presentations available upon request.

Contacts

For more information and/or copies of workshop presentations, contact Moira Kelly, Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office or Jessica Joyce, Meeting Planner and Facilitator, Tidal Bay Consulting, LLC.

Schedule

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

AGENDA

New England Recreational Fishing Workshop

October 19, 2019

Plymouth, MA

Hotel 1620, 180 Water St., Plymouth, MA

8:30 Registration (Standish Meeting Room)

9:00 Opening Remarks

Welcome – Moira Kelly (Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, GARFO)
Agenda review – Jessica Joyce (Facilitator, Tidal Bay Consulting)

9:15 Status of the Recreational Fishery

Presentations
- Federal fisheries management primer, Emily Keiley (Fishery Management Specialist, GARFO)
- Marine Recreational Information Program overview, Moira Kelly (GARFO)
- Trends in recreational catch, Scott Steinback (Economist, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NEFSC)
- Update on groundfish stock assessments, Brian Linton, Ph.D.(Population Dynamics Branch, NEFSC)
Question & Answer

10:45 Break

Research

11:00 Recent Fisheries Research

Presentations
- Deriving release survival estimates and best practices for promoting survival in the Gulf of Maine recreational groundfish fishery, Matt Ayer (Recreational Fisheries Biologist, MA Division of Marine Fisheries)
- Gulf of Maine cod bycatch minimization, Matt Ayer (Recreational Fisheries Biologist, MA Division of Marine Fisheries)
- Update on the Atlantic cod stock structure working group, Richard McBride, Ph.D. (Chief, Population Biology Branch, NEFSC)
Group discussion

12:00 Lunch

Management Approaches and Data Utility

12:45 Long-term Management Approaches

Break-out groups – Discussion around specific questions to generate ideas and potential long-term management approaches.

1:45 Long-term Management Approaches (continued)

Group discussion

2:15 Short-term Management Approaches

Presentation – Recreational measures toolbox, Emily Keiley (GARFO)
Break-out groups – Considering long-term approaches as well as existing measures and new ideas, how can we take steps in the short-term to achieve but not exceed quotas?

3:30 Break

3:45 Short-term Management Approaches (continued)

Group discussion

Next Steps

4:45 Next Steps

Council and regulatory process – Moira Kelly (GARFO)
Workshop report – Jessica Joyce (Tidal Bay Consulting)

5:00 Adjourn

AGENDA

New England Recreational Fishing Workshop

October 22, 2019

Portsmouth, NH

Hilton Garden Inn, 100 High St., Portsmouth, NH

8:30 Registration (Penhallow Meeting Room)

9:00 Opening Remarks

Welcome – Moira Kelly (Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, GARFO)
Agenda review – Jessica Joyce (Facilitator, Tidal Bay Consulting)

9:15 Status of the Recreational Fishery

Presentations
- Federal fisheries management primer, Emily Keiley (Fishery Management Specialist, GARFO)
- Marine Recreational Information Program overview, Moira Kelly (GARFO)
- Trends in recreational catch, Scott Steinback (Economist, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NEFSC)
- Update on groundfish stock assessments, Charles Perretti (Population Dynamics Branch, NEFSC)
Question & Answer

10:45 Break

Research

11:00 Recent Fisheries Research

Presentations
- Deriving release survival estimates and best practices for promoting survival in the Gulf of Maine recreational groundfish fishery, Connor Capizzano (PhD Candidate, University of Massachusetts Boston & New England Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center)
- Gulf of Maine cod bycatch minimization, Matt Ayer (Recreational Fisheries Biologist, MA Division of Marine Fisheries)
Group discussion

12:00 Lunch

Management Approaches and Data Utility

12:45 Long-term Management Approaches

Break-out groups – Discussion around specific questions to generate ideas and potential long-term management approaches.

1:45 Long-term Management Approaches (continued)

Group discussion

2:15 Short-term Management Approaches

Presentation – Recreational measures toolbox, Emily Keiley (GARFO)
Break-out groups – Considering long-term approaches as well as existing measures and new ideas, how can we take steps in the short-term to achieve but not exceed quotas?

3:30 Break

3:45 Short-term Management Approaches (continued)

Group discussion

Next Steps

4:45 Next Steps

Council and regulatory process – Moira Kelly (GARFO)
Workshop report – Jessica Joyce (Tidal Bay Consulting)

5:00 Adjourn

AGENDA

New England Recreational Fishing Workshop

October 24, 2019

University of Rhode Island, Coastal Institute Building

Narragansett Bay Campus, 215 South Ferry Rd., Narragansett, RI

8:30 Registration (Hazard A & B Meeting Rooms)

9:00 Opening Remarks

Welcome – Moira Kelly (Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, GARFO)
Agenda review – Jessica Joyce (Facilitator, Tidal Bay Consulting)

9:15 Status of the Recreational Fishery

Presentations
- Federal fisheries management primer, Emily Keiley (Fishery Management Specialist, GARFO)
- Marine Recreational Information Program overview, Moira Kelly (GARFO)
- Trends in recreational catch, Scott Steinback (Economist, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NEFSC)
- Update on groundfish stock assessments, Russel Brown, Ph.D. (Chief, Population Dynamics Branch, NEFSC)
Question & Answer

10:45 Break

Research

11:00 Status of Recreational Fisheries Research

Presentations
- Atlantic cod in southern New England: are they climate deniers? Joseph Langan (PhD Candidate, University of Rhode Island)
- A hook and line reconnaissance survey assessing the relative prevalence of Atlantic cod spawning aggregations at and near the South Fork Wind Farm, Brian Gervelis (Project Scientist, Inspire Environmental)
Group Discussion

12:00 Lunch

Management Approaches and Data Utility

12:45 Long-term Management Approaches

Break-out groups – Discussion around specific questions to generate ideas and potential long-term management approaches.

1:45 Long-term Management Approaches (continued)

Group discussion

2:15 Short-term Management Approaches

Presentation – Recreational measures toolbox, Emily Keiley (GARFO)
Break-out groups – Considering long-term approaches as well as existing measures and new ideas, how can we take steps in the short-term to achieve but not exceed quotas?

3:30 Break

3:45 Short-term Management Approaches (continued)

Group discussion

Next Steps

4:45 Next Steps

Council and regulatory process – Moira Kelly (GARFO)
Workshop report – Jessica Joyce (Tidal Bay Consulting)

5:00 Adjourn

Last updated by Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office on 03/13/2020