Research & Statistics

The Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) is a state-federal program in the Southeast region (North Carolina to Florida) to coordinate the collection and management of fisheries-independent data in order to improve its usefulness in the fisheries management process. SEAMAP has been collecting fisheries-independent data since 1983. Specific program activities include the following:

A shallow-water trawl survey to provide abundance information on priority marine species
Collection of length, age and other biological information on priority marine species
Coordination of activities involving shellfish and crustaceans, including shrimp and blue crabs
Development of protocols and habitat maps for compilation of bottom habitat information in the Southeast region

SEAMAP Trawl. Photo courtesy of Geoff White, ASMFC.

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.


Contacts Melissa Paine, Scientific Committee Coordinator SEAMAP Committee Chair, Roger Pugliese SEAMAP Bottom Mapping Work Group Chair, Roger Pugliese SEAMAP Crustacean Work Group Chair, Larry Delancey SEAMAP Data Management Work Group Chair, Mark McDuff SEAMAP Deepwater Subcommittee Chair, Steve Ross Shallow Water Trawl Work Group Chair, Jeanne Boylan		Documents 2006 - 2010 Management Plan SEAMAP-SA 10-Year Trawl Report: Results of Trawling Efforts in the Coastal Habitat of the South Atlantic Bight, FY 1990-1999 (December 2000) Proceedings of the 2002 SEERS Symposium (pending) Blue Crab Workshop Proceedings (October 2004)

Trawl Reports 2005 Spring 2004 Annual Fall Summer Spring 2003 Annual Fall Summer Spring 2002 Annual Fall Summer Spring 2001 Annual Fall Summer Spring 2000 Annual Fall Summer Spring 1999 Annual Fall Summer 1998 Fall Summer Spring 1997 Fall Summer Spring		Bottom Mapping Reports SEAMAP Deepwater (200 - 2,000 meters) Bottom Mapping Protocols (February 2004) Summary of Seafloor Mapping and Benthic Sampling in 200-2000m from North Carolina through Florida (April 2003) (large document will take time to download) Distribution of Bottom Habitats on the Continental Shelf from North Carolina through the Florida Keys (April 2001) (summary document, complete report available on CD-ROM and can be obtained by contacting info@asmfc.org.)

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