The
Northeast Area Monitoring
and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) is a state-federal
program in the Northeast region (Maine through North Carolina)
to coordinate the collection and management of fisheries-independent
data in order to improve its usefulness in the fisheries management
process. The initial focus of NEAMAP is on nearshore trawl surveys,
which provide important information for many Commission stock
assessments. There are currently several states that conduct long-term
trawl surveys in nearshore areas, and the National Marine Fisheries
Service conducts a bottom trawl survey in federal waters. However,
there is a major gap in sampling in the mid-Atlantic region, which
may limit interpretation of stock status for those species residing
in this region (i.e., scup, black sea bass, bluefish). Improvements
in the collection of fisheries-independent data and linkage of
these data to the ACCSP data will provide long-term improvements
in Atlantic coast fisheries management.
|
|
FISHERIES
INDEPENDENT DATA
What
Is It and Why Is It Important?
Fisheries-independent
data are collected through scientific surveys and are a critical
component of fishery stock assessments. This type of data, combined
with fishery dependent data collected through fishermen reports,
provides a more accurate picture of stock status. Since it is
not influenced by specific management measures (i.e., size and
bag limits, season closures, mesh sizes), it presents an unbiased
accounting of stock health. Specific information includes recruitment,
juvenile and adult abundance, habitat characteristics, and environmental
factors. Fisheries independent surveys also provide an excellent
platform for gear studies to aid in bycatch reduction efforts.
|
