From FWC Marine Fisheries 101 Workshop April 24 2018
Accountability Measures (AMs) – Management controls implemented to prevent overfishing or annual catch limits (ACLs) from being exceeded, where possible, and to mitigate ACL overages. If ACLs are divided between sectors, separate accountability measures can be established for each sector of the fishery. These measures are intended to increase the likelihood that an overfished stock will continue to rebuild or prevent a stock from going into overfished and/or overfishing status. There are both in-season AMs to prevent the ACLs from being exceeded when monitoring of the fishery allows (e.g., some commercial fisheries) and post-season AMs (e.g., payback of overage, shortened fishing seasons) when fishery monitoring is much more delayed, as in most recreational fisheries.
Allocation – Distribution of the available harvest among user groups (referred to as sectors) or individuals. A user group’s allocation is typically based on historic harvest amounts.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) – The level of a stock or stock complex’s annual catch, which accounts for the scientific uncertainty in the estimate of the overfishing limit (OFL) and a Council’s risk tolerance for overfishing. The ABC cannot exceed the OFL. ABCs are recommended to a council by the council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). The Council cannot set the ABC at a level higher than recommended by the SSC. ABCs are used by the Council to set annual catch limits (ACLs).
Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) – A limit on the total annual catch of a stock or stock complex, which cannot exceed the acceptable biological catch (ABC). The 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson Act requires fishery management plans to establish mechanisms for specifying ACLs at levels to prevent overfishing. The ACL is set by the Council and includes management uncertainty. ACL can equal but not exceed the ABC set by the Council’s science advisors. A Council may, but is not required to, divide an ACL into sector ACLs.
Annual Catch Target (ACT) – The level of annual catch that is the management target of the fishery. Not all fisheries have an ACT. Some stocks are managed to an ACL.
Age Structure – A breakdown of the different age groups or classes of a particular fish species. For fishes, ages are commonly determined by counting annual rings associated with bony hard parts, such as fin spines and otoliths (ear bones).
Biomass – The total weight of a stock or species in a given area.
Bycatch – A species that is caught, but not targeted. Non-targeted species that are kept are called incidental catch and non-targeted species that are released or discarded are known as discards.
Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) / catch-rate – The number of fish or invertebrates caught per unit of effort (e.g., hour or day). Catch-per-unit-effort is often used as a measure of relative abundance for a particular fishery species.
Discard Mortality – Mortality in fish that may occur after a fish is caught and then released. It may be instantaneous or delayed. Fish that cannot be kept because of regulatory constraints (size limits, bag limits, closed seasons, etc.) must be returned to the sea. Some percentage of discarded fish may die and estimates of this mortality are included in fishing mortality estimates.
Effort – The amount of time and fishing power used to harvest fish. Fishing power includes gear type, size or efficiency, boat size, number of crew, and horsepower.
Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) – EFPs are federal permits issued by NOAA Fisheries that allow harvest for certain purposes that otherwise would not be allowed under federal regulations.
Escapement – The number of fish that survive through a certain age, relative to the number of fish that would have survived if there were no fishery.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – All waters seaward of Florida’s territorial sea boundary (3 nautical miles on the Atlantic coast; 9 nautical miles on the Gulf coast) out to 200 nautical miles or the federal waters of another country (such as the Bahamas), whichever is less. NOAA Fisheries manages fisheries within the EEZ through the federal fishery management councils and the Highly Migratory Species Division.
Fecundity – The egg-producing ability of a fish. Fecundity generally increases with age and size of the fish.
Federal Registry – This registry requires everyone in the United States who fishes in federal waters, or fishes for anadromous species in state waters, to be licensed. Florida is currently exempted from this federal registration requirement. This national registry supplies contact information for a very large number of saltwater anglers, resulting in more accurate recreational harvest information for management purposes.
Harvest – The total number or pounds of fish caught and kept from an area or stock over a period of time.
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) – A type of limited entry program or quota management system where a part of the annual catch limit is issued to individual fishers or vessel owners in the form of quota shares.
Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) – A type of individual fishing quota (IFQ) that can be transferred (sold or leased) to others. ITQ is often used synonymously with IFQ.
Interstate Marine Fisheries Commissions – Florida is a member of two interstate marine fisheries commissions that were established to assist in managing and conserving coastal fishery resources. The Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries (or a designee), a member of the state Legislature, and a citizen appointed by the governor represent the state of Florida on both the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC, includes all U.S. states bordering the Gulf of Mexico) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC, includes all U.S. states bordering the Atlantic Ocean). The Commissions are intended to promote and encourage management of fishery resources among states. Their primary objective is to determine priorities for fishery management in coastal state waters and recommend to state and federal governments management measures that will benefit fisheries. The ASMFC has some regulatory authority over management of coastal fisheries.
Landings – The number or pounds of fish unloaded at a dock by commercial fishers or brought to shore by recreational fishers for personal use. Commercial landings are reported at the points at which fish are brought to shore.
Limited Access Privilege Program (LAPP) – A limited access system where federal permits are issued to harvest of a specified quantity or portion of a fishery’s annual catch limit (ACL) and may be received or held for exclusive use by a person. IFQs are a type of LAPP.
Limited Access System – A system that limits participation in a fishery to those satisfying certain eligibility criteria or requirements contained in a fishery management plan or associated regulations.
Limited Entry – A management control used to reduce fishing pressure and effort by reducing the number of vessels or fishermen in a fishery.
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act or MSA) – A federal law that directs NOAA Fisheries to manage and conserve fisheries in federal waters. The Magnuson Act created eight regional fishery councils to advise NOAA Fisheries on fishery management issues. This Act was reauthorized in 1996 and in 2006. MSA was eligible for reauthorization in 2013, but has yet to be reauthorized.
Marine Fisheries Information System/Trip Ticket Program – Commercial fishers in Florida are required to sell their catch only to wholesale fish dealers. Saltwater products sold to wholesale dealers must be reported on trip tickets via the Marine Fisheries Information System. A trip ticket is a form provided by the FWC to wholesale dealers. The form requires wholesale dealers report the purchase and sale of saltwater products. Data from trip tickets allows managers to identify trends in landings and catch rates from year-to-year and from various regions of the state.
Marine Protected Area (MPA) – Any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by Federal, State, territorial, tribal, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection for part or all of the natural and cultural resources therein. MPAs have varying levels of restriction and can be established for varying lengths of time. (See also Sanctuary Protection Areas)
Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS) – A national survey that formerly collected data about recreational fisheries using angler interviews and a telephone survey. This data collection system was redesigned and renamed the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). During angler interviews, data was collected on the species of fish caught, how many fish are caught, angler demographics, and other trip characteristics. The telephone survey provided an estimate of recreational fishing trips by coast (East or West Florida coast), year, two-month time period, fishing mode (shore, private/rental boat, charterboat), and location (bays, nearshore, offshore). These data have been used to assess the status and trends of Florida’s recreational fish catches.
Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) – This program is coordinated among federal and state agencies to collect data about recreational fisheries using angler interviews and a mail survey. It is used to provide estimates of recreational harvest. Recently this program transitioned from a telephone survey to a mail survey to increase response rates. MRIP replaced MRFSS. It was mandated by Congress and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006.
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) –The largest average catch that can be harvested continuously (sustained) from a stock during average environmental conditions that will not jeopardize a stock’s ability to replenish itself through reproduction.
Mortality – Total mortality includes fishing mortality and natural mortality.
Natural mortality – The rate at which fish die from natural causes, such as predation, age, or disease.
Fishing mortality – The rate at which fish are removed from the population due to fishing. Fishing mortality includes directed harvest (catch), bycatch, and discard mortality.
Optimum Yield (OY) – The harvest level of a species that achieves the greatest overall benefit in terms of food production and recreational opportunities, while also taking into account economic, social, and biological considerations. Maximum sustainable yield only considers biological and economic benefits.
Overfished – A fish population that is harvested above levels that would enable the stock to replenish itself through reproduction. It is a measure of when a fish population has reached a critically low abundance level. FWC standards for an overfished stock vary by species.
Overfishing – When harvest exceeds the rate at which fish can replenish themselves through reproduction. A population may be overfished, but not undergoing overfishing and vice versa.
Quota – An established amount of fish or invertebrates that can be landed in a time period or specific area.
Recruitment – The number of fish or invertebrates of a single age group entering a stock during a given period. Recruitment can also refer to the number of fish entering the harvestable phase of a fish stock during a given period.
(SEDAR) Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review – A federal cooperative process initiated in 2002 to improve the quality and reliability of fishery stock assessments in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean. SEDAR is managed by the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic Regional Fishery Management Councils in coordination with NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions.
Sector – A distinct user group to which separate management strategies and separate catch quotas apply. Examples of sectors include the commercial sector, recreational sector, or various gear groups within a fishery.
Spawning-potential-ratio (SPR) – The ratio of the total weight of mature fish in a fished population to the total weight that would exist if the population was not fished. For example, the FWC’s management goal for snook is a SPR goal of 40%.
Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) – The total weight of the fish in a stock that are sexually mature and able to spawn.
Stock – A managed unit of fish or invertebrates. A stock is based on genetic relationships, geographic distributions, and movement patterns. For instance, the FWC manages snook as two separate stocks. These stocks are genetically different, and are geographically separated.
Stock Assessment – A comprehensive report that summarizes the biological condition of a fish or invertebrate population. Stock assessments are often referenced or considered in management decisions.
Territorial Seas – State waters; all waters from shore out to 3 nautical miles on Florida’s east coast and 9 nautical miles on Florida’s west coast.
Yield – The production of a fishery in terms of numbers or weight.