Draft Amendment 2 FINAL for public comment

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Informations

• Publié par: Jitap
• Nombre de lectures: 19
• Langue: English

Extrait

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission


DRAFT AMENDMENT 2 to the
Interstate Fishery Management Plan
For SHAD AND RIVER HERRING
For Public Comment
(River Herring Management)




ASMFC Vision Statement:
Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful
restoration well in progress by the year 2015.




Approved for Public Comment August 2008

Draft for Public Comment

Draft Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for
Shad and River Herring


Prepared by:

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Shad and River Herring Plan Development Team

Plan Development Team Members:
Erika Robbins (ASFMC, Chair); Michael Armstrong, PhD (Massachusetts Division of Marine
Fisheries); Michael Brown (Maine Department of Marine Resources); Phillip Edwards (Rhode
Island Division of Fish and Wildlife); Andrew Kahnle (New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation); Larry M. Miller (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service); Bill Post (South
Carolina Department of Natural Resources); Kathy Rawls (North Carolina Division of Marine
Fisheries); Ray Rhodes (College of Charleston); and Winnie Ryan (Virginia Institute of Marine
Science).

This Draft Amendment was prepared under the guidance of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission’s Shad and River Herring Management Board. Technical assistance was provided
by the Shad and River Herring Technical Committee, the River Herring Stock Assessment
Subcommittee, and the Shad and River Herring Advisory Panel.

Special assistance was provided by the following people: Robert Beal (ASMFC), Stacey Carlson
(NMFS), Bryan Chikotas (Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission), Matt Cieri (Maine
Department of Marine Resources), Tony Jarzynski (Maryland Department of Natural Resources),
Amanda Johnson (National Marine Fisheries Service), Toni Kerns (ASMFC), Laura Lee
(Virginia Marine Resources Commission), Nichola Meserve (ASMFC), Melissa Paine
(ASMFC), Jessie Thomas (ASMFC), Brian Watson (Virginia Institute of Marine Science), and
Alan Weaver (Virginia Division of Game and Inland Fisheries).

ii Draft for Public Comment

PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS AND PROPOSED TIME LINE

The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding this document during the public
comment period. All comments must be received by ASMFC by 5:00pm. (EST) on January 1,
2009. Regardless of when they were sent, comments received after that time will not be included
in the official record. The Shad and River Herring Management Board will use public comment
on this Draft Amendment to develop the final Amendment 2 to the Shad and River Herring
Fishery Management Plan.

You may submit public comment in one or more of the following ways:

1. Attend public hearings held in your state or jurisdiction

2. Refer comments to your state’s member on the Shad and River Herring Management
Board or Advisory Panel, if applicable

3. Mail, fax, or email written comments to the following address:

Kate Taylor
Fishery Management Plan Coordinator
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
th1444 Eye Street NW, 6 Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail] (subject line: River Herring)

If you have any questions please call Kate Taylor at [phone].
iii Draft for Public Comment

TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR AMENDMENT 2 COMPLETION



Nov/ Mar/

Oct
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Jan Feb May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Dec April
2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009
2007
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008
2007 2008

Approval of Draft PID by
X

Management Board

Public review and comment on PID X X

Board review of public comment;

Board direction on what to include X


in Draft Amendment 2

Preparation of Draft Amendment 2
X X X X
X
Review and approval of Draft

Amendment 2 by Management

X
Board
Public review and comment on
X X X
X X X
Draft Amendment 2

Board review of public comment on

X
Draft Amendment 2



Preparation of Final Amendment 2 X X


Review and approval of the final
Amendment 2 by the Board, Policy
X
Board and Commission
iv Draft for Public Comment

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Draft Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for.......................................... ii
Shad and River Herring................................................................................................................. ii
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS AND PROPOSED TIME LINE ...........................................iii
TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR AMENDMENT 2 COMPLETION ......................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................v
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vi
LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................... vii
1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 1
1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................................. 1
1.1.1 Statement of the Problem..................................................................................... 1
1.1.2 Benefits of Implementation.................................................................................. 2
Social and Economic Benefits .............................................................................................. 2
1.1.2.1 Ecological Benefits 3
1.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE RESOURCE .......................................................... 3
1.2.1 Alewife and Blueback Herring Life Histories ..................................................... 4
1.2.3 River Herring Stock Assessment Summaries ...................................................... 4
1.2.3.1 Stock Assessment of River Herring from Selected Atlantic Coast Rivers –
Crecco and Gibson 1990...................................................................................... 4
1.2.3.2 2005 North Carolina Stock Assessment............................................................... 6
1.3 HABITAT CONSIDERATIONS...................................................................... 7
1.3.1 Alewife Habitat Description ................................................................................ 7
1.3.1.1 Spawning Habitat ................................................................................................. 8
1.3.1.2 Egg and Larval Habitat 15
1.3.1.3 Juvenile Riverine/Estuarine Habitat................................................................... 16
Avoidance.......................................................................................................................... 18
Preferred 18
1.3.1.4 Late Stage Juvenile and Adult Marine Habitat .................................................. 20
1.3.1.5 Significant Environmental, Temporal and Spatial Factors Affecting Distribution
of Alewife .......................................................................................................... 20
1.3.2 Blueback Herring Habitat Description............................................................... 22
1.3.2.1 Spawning Habitat ............................................................................................... 22
1.3.2.2 Egg and Larval Habitat ...................................................................................... 28
1.3.2.3 Juvenile Riverine/Estuarine Habitat................................................................... 29
1.3.2.4 Late Stage Juvenile and Adult Marine Habitat .................................................. 34
1.3.2.5 Significant Environmental, Temporal and Spatial Factors Affecting Distribution
of Blueback Herring........................................................................................... 37
1.3.3 Overlapping Habitat and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern for Alosines..... 37
1.3.3.1 Identification and Distribution of Habitat and Habitat Areas of Particular
Concern for Alosines ......................................................................................... 37
v Draft for Public Comment

1.3.3.2 Present Condition of Riverine Habitats and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern
............................................................................................................................ 38
1.3.4 Threats to Alosine Species................................................................................. 39
1.3.4.1 Identification of Threats..................................................................................... 39
1.3.4.2 Effects of Habitat Degradation on Harvesting/Marketability ............................ 58
1.4 DESCRIPTION O