WASHINGTON – October 22, 2010 – In response to Secretary Gary Locke's recent reply to requests from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Steve Cadrin, Kevin Stokesbury, Dan Georgianna, Emily Keiley, and Cate O'Keefe of the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology, together with and David Pierce of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries have drafted a report entitled "Scientific Information Available to Support Increases in Annual Catch Limits for New England Groundfish". Brian Rothschild provided valuable input to the report.
The report was presented today at a meeting of New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang's Oceans and Fisheries Council in the Wattles Family Gallery at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
The report provides information that can be considered to support Governor Patrick's and Representative Frank's conclusion that increased ACLs can be scientifically justified.
The report argues that scientific information is available to support increased Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) for New England groundfish that do not undermine conservation mandates of the Magnuson Act. A review of scientific analyses used to derive ACLs finds that several decisions favored relatively low ACLs, and scientifically valid alternatives may be available for: 1) direct estimates of FMSY, 2) alternative stock assessment models, 3) smaller uncertainty buffers, and 4) revised rebuilding objectives. Alternative scientific decisions would support increases in ACLs for all New England groundfish stocks, with substantial increases for 'choke stocks' such as Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod, Gulf of Maine winter flounder, and southern New England winter flounder. Increased ACLs for 'choke stocks' are expected to allow the fleet to achieve more of their allocation of other stocks, thereby substantially increasing mixed-stock economic yield.