Gulf of Mexico Gillnet Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries

Category

II

Estimated Number of Participants

248

Target Species

black drum, sheepshead, weakfish, mullet, spot, croaker, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, Florida pompano, flounder, shark, menhaden, bluefish, blue runner, ladyfish, spotted seatrout, croaker, kingfish, and red drum

Applicable Take Reduction Plans

N/A

Observer Coverage

N/A

Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured

Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal;

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, and estuarine;

Bottlenose dolphin, Mobile Bay, Bonsecour Bay;

Bottlenose dolphin, MS Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay Boudreau;

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX coastal;

Bottlenose dolphin, Western GMX coastal

Original Category (Year added to the LOF)

III (1996)

Original Number of Participants

724

Basis for Original Classification

This fishery was created and listed as Category III by combining 3 Category III fisheries, the "Gulf of Mexico inshore gillnet", "Gulf of Mexico coastal gillnet", and the Gulf of Mexico portion of the "Gulf of Mexico king and Spanish mackerel gillnet." NOAA Fisheries proposed to elevate the fishery to Category II based on analogy with other gillnet fisheries because of a recommendation by the Atlantic SRG and a NOAA memo indicating available stranding data underestimates human-related mortality of multiple GMX stocks of bottlenose dolphins. NOAA Fisheries did not reclassify the fishery for the 2001 LOF because conclusive stock structure information for the GMX stocks of bottlenose dolphins was not available, and the fishery had not yet been observed. Instead, NOAA Fisheries reevaluated existing data, continued monitoring the fishery, and collected additional information for possible reclassification on future LOFs.

Past Names

"Gulf of Mexico inshore gillnet", "Gulf of Mexico coastal gillnet", and the "Gulf of Mexico king and Spanish mackerel gillnet.”

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

N/A

• Added bottlenose dolphin, MS Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay Boudreau.

• Added bottlenose dolphin, Mobile Bay, Bonsecour Bay.

• Added bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal.

2017

• Estimated number of participants updated from 724 to 248.

2006

• Added a superscript “2” after this fishery, indicating that the fishery is categorized by analogy. Although the 2003 LOF showed that two stocks of bottlenose dolphins (Charlotte Harbor and Mississippi Sound) had serious injury and mortality levels that were more than 1% and less than 50% of Potential Biological Removal (PBR), this fishery is considered a Category II by analogy because the PBR levels for these two stocks could no longer be calculated as of the 2005 SARs because the stock abundance information was outdated. Therefore, this fishery remained a Category II fishery by analogy to other Category II gillnet fisheries.

2003

• Elevated to Category II based primarily on available stranding data of bottlenose dolphins with indications of interactions with gillnet gear, and a recommendation from the Atlantic SRG to elevate the fishery, unless there was data to the contrary. Bottlenose dolphin stocks in this area occur in relatively discrete communities, so PBR levels were calculated for each smaller stock when able. From 1997-2000, stranding network members recovered 39 bottlenose dolphins (from the GMX bay, sound, and estuarine stock, which is broken into 33 smaller stocks based on geographic area), with up to 12 showing evidence of gillnet interactions. Of the 12, 5 deaths were clearly attributable to gillnet gear, or 1.25 animals/year. Of the 5 deaths, 1 was from Charlotte Harbor (PBR=1.5), or 17% of PBR; 2 were from the Mississippi Sound (PBR=13), or 4% of PBR; 1 was from the Mississippi River Delta where abundance estimates were unknown; and 1 was from Vermillion Bay where abundance estimates were also unknown. Based on the 3 deaths that could be attributed to a stock, serious injury and mortality was more than 1% and less than 50% PBR.