Atlantic Mixed Species Trap/Pot Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries

Category

II

Estimated Number of Participants

3,493

Target Species

hagfish, shrimp, conch/whelk, red crab, rock crab, black sea bass, scup, tautog, cod, haddock, Pollock, redfish (ocean perch) white hake, spot, skate, catfish, stone crab, and cunner

Applicable Take Reduction Plans

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP)

Observer Coverage

This fishery is observed under the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program.

Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured

Fin whale, WNA

Humpback whale, Gulf of Maine

Original Category (Year added to the LOF)

II (2003)

Original Number of Participants

Unknown

Basis for Original Classification

Listed as Category II based on analogy with the Category I “Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery” and the Category II “Atlantic blue crab trap/pot fishery.” This fishery was created by pairing the "Mid-Atlantic Mixed Species Trap/Pot" (Category III), the "U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. Atlantic Black Seabass Trap/Pot" (Category III), and the "Northeast Trap/Pot" (Category II), and any other trap/pot gear not identified on the LOF at that time. The gear used in other trap/pot fisheries is similar to that used in lobster pot fisheries, and while entanglement events cannot be attributed to a specific trap/pot fishery, it is likely that entanglements occur in fisheries other than lobster and crab trap/pots. NOAA Fisheries did not believe that incidental serious injury and mortality in non-lobster trap/pot fisheries warrants Category I classification because there are far fewer participants in these fixed gear fisheries.

Past Names

Effort in this fishery was included in the “Gulf of Maine, U.S. Mid-Atlantic mixed species trap/pot" (Category III) until 2001. In 2001, the fishery was split into the "Northeast Trap/Pot fishery" (Category II based on analogy) and the "Mid-Atlantic trap/pot fishery" (Category III). In 2003, these two fisheries were combined with the “U.S. Mid-Atlantic & Southeast U.S. Atlantic black sea bass trap/pot fishery" and other trap/pot gear not included in other fisheries listed on the LOF to form this fishery, the "Atlantic Mixed Species Trap/Pot" (Category II).

Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list)

harbor porpoise (Gulf of ME/Bay of Fundy);

minke whale (Canadian East coast)

• Fishery description revised to remove Jonah crab as a target species.

• Estimated number of participants updated from 3,332 to 3,493.

• Estimated number of participants updated from 3,436 to 3,332.

2017

• Estimated number of participants updated from 3,284 to 3,436.

2016

• Estimated number of participants updated from 3,467 to 3,284.

2013

• Estimated number of participants updated from 3,526 to 3,467.

2012

• Estimated number of participants updated from 1,912 to 3,526.

2011

• Updated the fishery’s description to remove American eel from the list of target species.
• Estimated number of participants updated from unknown to 1,912. This estimation may be an inflation of actual effort; however, it represents the potential effort for the fishery, given the multiple gear types several state permits may allow for.

2008

• Added the following text to the fishery description for this fishery to describe the areas fished and excluded fisheries: "The Atlantic mixed species trap/pot fishery (Category II) includes all trap/pot operations for species from the Maine/Canada border down through the waters east of the fishery management demarcation line between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico (50 CFR 600.105) -- but not including waters where trap/pot fisheries are currently listed as Category I, II and III. This currently refers to the following fisheries: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot; Atlantic blue crab trap/pot; Florida spiny lobster trap/pot; Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico stone crab trap/pot; U.S. Mid-Atlantic eel trap/pot fisheries; and the Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico golden crab fishery.”
• Cunner added to the list of target species.
• Updated the fishery description of this fishery to reflect that it is now subject to ALWTRP implementing regulations under an October 5, 2007, rulemaking (72 FR 57104, October 5, 2007).

2007

• Expanded the list of target species to include hagfish, shrimp, conch/whelk, red crab, Jonah crab, rock crab, black sea bass, scup, tautog, cod, haddock, Pollock, redfish (ocean perch) white hake, spot, skate, catfish, American eel, and stone crab.

2006

• Added a superscript “2” after this fishery, indicating that the fishery is categorized by analogy.

2005

• Removed minke whale (Canadian east coast) and harbor porpoise (Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy) from the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery because interactions had not been documented in recent years.