2009-2010 Annual Report - Alabama Department of Conservation ...

Gulf-wide effort to generate more specific information for each
commercial fishery by collecting landings and effort data from
each fishing trip. Trip tickets are printed in triplicate form and
supplied to Alabama seafood dealers. Seafood dealers are required
to complete the trip ticket for each transaction. An alternative form
of submission is through an electronic entry program which allows
seafood dealers to enter landings and trip information and submit
it via the internet on a monthly basis. Data from the completed trip
tickets are scanned into a computer, verified and edited. Monthly
data is submitted to the GSMFC and will ultimately be supplied to
NOAA Fisheries.
Emergency Disaster Recovery Program: In recent years, MRD worked
with legislators, the Commissioner of the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, and neighboring state
agencies to secure through two grants totaling roughly $44 million
in NOAA fishery recovery funds. The monies are being used to
clean up and restore oyster and shrimp grounds affected by recent
hurricanes and to monitor the recovery of associated fisheries.
During March of 2010, MRD, working with local seafood
organizations and hundreds of oystermen, was able to move over
6 million pounds from upper Mobile Bay to the Relay Reef on the
western shore in the middle of Mobile Bay. Approximately, $1.65
million was spent on the project with a projected initial harvest
estimated at over a half million dollars. The project itself provided
temporary employment while oyster resources continue to recover.
n Monthly inshore assessment and monitoring work will continue in order
to provide a more comprehensive depiction of Alabama’s marine waters
and resources.
n Continuation of the MRFSS in Alabama to include creels of anglers on
charter boats, private boats, and shorelines and to continue the For-Hire
Telephone Survey to better define effort within the charter fishery.
n MRD will initiate a discard survey to more accurately depict species and
size ranges that are thrown back. This information is essential for improved
assessments of offshore species.
n Collection of Alabama commercial seafood landings data via Alabama’s
Trip Ticket Program and the collection of commercial biological fishery
dependent data will continue.
n Rehabilitation of Alabama’s oyster reefs, decimated by predation and
recent drought and storm events, will continue. As part of the rebuilding
process, MRD will implement its oyster management plan with assistance
from Alabama’s oyster community. MRD will purchase a barge to relay and
plant oysters/cultch. Additionally, the barge will be used for assessment
and a possible management station. This process is anticipated to achieve
significant results.
n MRD will play a significant role in the damage assessment and recovery
process of Alabama’s marine resources in response to the DWH oil spill.
MRD will continue to participate in NRDA activities and will implement a
seafood testing and marketing program.
Future Plans
n The Fisheries Section will continue to collect appropriate data and work
with recreational and commercial fishermen and other resource user
groups to provide Division administrators with recommendations for
strategies and regulations for management.
n Development of mariculture procedures for commercially and
recreationally important marine organisms will continue. Cooperative
research projects will continue with Auburn University, the Dauphin Island
Sea Lab, and the University of South Alabama. This effort will be enhanced
by the construction of a new mariculture facility at CPMC.
n Cooperative projects will continue with Auburn University, the Dauphin
Island Sea Lab, and the University of South Alabama to investigate
artificial reef benefits and red snapper production enhancement. MRD will
continue to construct inshore and offshore artificial reefs as materials and
funding allow. Cooperative efforts with groups such as the Saltwater Series
Tournament and the Mobile County Wildlife Association will maximize
available resources.
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ALDCNR 09-10 Annual Report