Florida West Coast Sardine Purse Seine Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries

U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.

Current Classification on the List of Fisheries

^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data.  The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible.  If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used.  NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.

*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).

¹ Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.

Basis for Current Classification

Listed as Category III based on no commercial fishery permit. No observer, logbook, or stranding data are available.

Distribution

Occurs on the west coast of Florida year round. Operates further than three miles off Florida’s gulf coast.

Gear Description

This fishery uses purse seine gear.  A purse seine is a floated and weighted encircling net that is closed by means of a drawstring threaded through rings attached to the bottom of the net. Purse seines vary in size according to the size of the vessel and the depth to be fished.

Management

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Sardine Purse Seine Fishery (non­-FMP).

Historical Information

Timeline of Changes