Full report - Conservation Gateway

Chapter 9 - Large Pelagic Fishimplement it, under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act.All fourteen of the selected species for this chapter are includedin Annex 1 of the UN 1982 Convention of the Lawof the Sea (UNCLOS) as highly migratory species. UnderUNCLOS, the UN held a 1993 Conference on StraddlingFish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. As a resultof this Conference, the Fish Stock Agreement (FSA) wascreated relating to the conservation and management ofstraddling fish stocks and highly migratory stocks. TheFSA entered into force in 2001.Current Conservation EffortsFederalHMS has developed a range of fishery management regulations,ranging from gear restrictions to spatial closures(some are year-round; others are closed for certain periods).Fishing is prohibited for the following four sharkspecies: bigeye thresher, dusky shark, sandbar shark (exceptfisherman participating in research), and sand tiger.For the teleost fishes, see 50 CFR part 635. Commercialfishermen are restricted by quotas, trip limits, and limitedaccess permits; recreational fishermen are restrictedby minimum size as well as bag limits. In 2002, the U.S.banned shark finning in U.S. waters. The United Statesand Australia are the only two shark fishing nations(out of 87) to develop a National Plan of Action for theConservation and Management of Sharks.A summary of recent (2006-2007) NMFS AtlanticHMS Management actions with respect to fisheries isprovided in Table 1.2 of the Stock Assessment and FisheryEvaluation Report for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species(NMFS 2009). The 2006 consolidated HMS FMPsummarizes state management.Within United States waters, HMS has designatedsome temporally closed areas to fishing, including in ourregion: the Northeastern U.S. Closure is closed in June(effective since 1999), and partially, the Mid-Atlanticclosure is closed for 6 months, from Jan. to July(effective since 2005). Outside of the Northwest Atlantic,the Charlestown Bump is closed 3 months, from Feb. toApril (effective since 2001), the Florida East Coast isclosed all year (effective since 2001), and the De SotoCanyon in the Gulf of Mexico is closed all year (effectivesince 2000).Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)Several NGOs are working towards protecting pelagicfish within the Northwest Atlantic, primarily focusingon federal and international fisheries policy (includingmarine protected areas, both year-round and seasonal,depending on the species and efforts to reduce total allowablecatch and bycatch), and market-based approachesto encourage sustainable fisheries. The Natural ResourcesDefense Council has identified North Atlantic swordfishas one of their key fish species to protect. They promotethe continued closure of more than 6,500 square miles ofthe Georges Bank seafloor to fishing and the creation ofa marine reserve within the Gulf of Mexico, a key spawningarea for bluefin tuna. In April 2008, Blue OceanInstitute called for a five-year moratorium on possessionof bluefin tuna throughout the western Atlantic and thecloser of Gulf of Mexico spawning areas to all gear capableof catching bluefin tuna during this fish’s spawningseason. Also, Blue Ocean Institute produces a “Guide toOcean Friendly Seafood” accessible online or throughtheir new “fishphone” system. World Wildlife Fund isworking at a global level, mainly in Europe, to addresspopulation declines in Atlantic bluefin tuna and porbeagle.Environmental Defense Fund works within NewEngland, the tri-state area (NY, NJ and CT) and LongIsland Sound to protect and restore coastal estuaries, bays,wetlands and cod and to reduce nitrogen loading. Theypromote sustainable fisheries by advocating catch sharepolicies in New England that gives fishermen a financialstake in fisheries. IUCN recommends listing for all sharkspecies studied in this assessment under the Conventionon Migratory Species, to provide additional regulatorymechanisms. Currently, only the shortfin mako, porbeagle,whale shark, great white, and basking shark are listed.9-28Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment • Phase 1 Report