Report of a National SSC Workshop on ABC Control Rule Implementation and Peer Review ...

102 Pages·2011·7.29 MB·English

Report of a National SSC Workshop on
ABC Control Rule Implementation

and Peer Review Procedures

October 19-21, 2 010

Charleston, SC
This document should be cited as:
Carmichael, J., and K. Fenske (editors). 2011. Third National Meeting of the Regional Fisheries Management
Councils’ Scientific and Statistical Committees. Report of a National SSC Workshop on ABC Control Rule
Implementation and Peer Review Procedures. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Charleston,
October 19-21, 2010.

Printed in the United States of America.
Produced by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council under NOAA Award #NA10NMF4410012
Third National Meeting of the Regional Fishery
Management Councils’ Science and Statistical
Committees

Hosted by the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
October 19-21, 2010

Report of a National SSC workshop on
ABC Control Rule Implementation
and Peer Review Procedures

John Carmichael and Kari Fenske, Editors

Table of Contents 
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 1 
Preface ................................................................................................................................................... 3 
Progress Reports and Updates ........................................................................................................... 5 
Reports on ABC Control Rule Implementation and Application ................................................ 5 
Western Pacific ............................................................................................................................. 5 
North Pacific .................................................................................................................................. 6 
Pacific ........................................................................................................................................... 17 
Gulf of Mexico ............................................................................................................................. 22 
Caribbean .................................................................................................................................... 25 
South Atlantic ............................................................................................................................. 30 
Mid-Atlantic ................................................................................................................................. 32 
New England ............................................................................................................................... 36 
NMFS Reports on National Standards ......................................................................................... 45 
Report of the ad hoc Data Poor Workgroup "ORCS" ................................................................ 49 
Peer Review Process .......................................................................................................................... 54 
Regional Peer Review Program Reports ..................................................................................... 54 
SARC – Stock Assessment Review Committee ...................................................................... 54 
New England SSC role in SARC ................................................................................................ 57 
Mid-Atlantic SSC role in SARC .................................................................................................. 60 
SEDAR – SouthEast Data, Assessment, and Review ............................................................ 62 
Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic SSC roles in SEDAR .................................... 64 
STAR – Stock Assessment Review ........................................................................................... 65 
Pacific SSC role in STAR ............................................................................................................ 68 
WPSAR – Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review ........................................................... 68 
North Pacific Peer Review Process and the role of the SSC ................................................ 69 
General Discussion on Assessments, Peer Review, and Resource Issues ................................. 74 
Benchmark vs. Update Assessments ........................................................................................... 74 
Workload and limited resource issues at NMFS Science Centers............................................ 76 
Stock Assessment Capacity .......................................................................................................... 77 
SSC Peer Review Capacity ............................................................................................................ 78
The role of CIE experts and external reviewers........................................................................ 79 
Developing fishing level recommendations ................................................................................... 82 
Dealing with species groupings ................................................................................................... 82 
Role of the SSC in ACL & AM Development and Social & Economic Issues ......................... 84 
Social and Economic Sciences Discussion .................................................................................. 86 
Recommendations for the 2011 Workshop ................................................................................... 89 
Appendix 1. Meeting Agenda .......................................................................................................... 91 
Appendix 2. National SSC Workshop Participants and Observers ............................................. 93 
Contact Information .......................................................................................................................... 95
Executive Summary

In 2006, the Magnuson-Stevens Act potential challenges to meeting the
(MSA) was revised to require that requirements of the revised MSA. In
each regional fishery management 2009, the Councils agreed to fund a
council’s Scientific and Statistical second workshop to discuss technical
Committee (SSC) provide its aspects of establishing scientifically-
Council ongoing scientific advice for based annual catch limits. This
fishery management decisions, workshop was hosted by the
including recommendations for Caribbean Fishery Management
acceptable biological catch (ABC), Council (CFMC) and held in St.
and other advice regarding fisheries Thomas, USVI. These workshops
sustainability. The regional fishery provided opportunities for
management Councils recognized representatives from the eight
that these revisions to the Act regional Council SSCs to compare
increased the demands placed on notes and best practices and are
their SSCs and supported a meeting credited with increasing the
of all the national SSCs to discuss exchange of information and ideas
common challenges and help among scientists from around the
develop common solutions. nation.
In 2008, the Western Pacific Fishery The South Atlantic Council hosted
Management Council (WPFMC) this third annual gathering of the
hosted the first National SSC SSCs in Charleston, South Carolina.
workshop in Honolulu, HI. During Representatives reported on progress
the first workshop representatives toward implementing ABC control
from the eight regional fishery rules and providing fishing level
management Councils discussed recommendations to their respective
their operating procedures and Councils. There was also a
discussion of regional stock
assessment peer review
programs and the role of SSCs
in those programs. Reports
from all three workshops are
available on the regional
fishery management councils’
website:
www.fisherycouncils.org.
Key Findings
 The group
acknowledged that all regions
are grappling with limited
assessment resources and
increasing assessment
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National SSC Workshop III    2010
obligations under the OFL-ACL  To address limitations in peer
framework. review capacity, the group
recommends prioritizing stocks,
 Considerable attention has been
considering simpler review
devoted to peer review procedures
approaches for data poor stocks,
for assessments. However,
and streamlining the assessment
evaluations of management
review activities required by SSCs.
alternatives prepared following
assessments, often highly complex  Panel members encouraged
and as critical to management reconsideration of content for the
outcomes as the assessments individual reports provided by peer
themselves, receive little to no peer reviewers appointed through the
review. Councils should consider CIE to ensure that SSC and
increasing the level of peer review Council needs are met and to avoid
for management evaluations. competing technical
documentation.
 The group recommends that best
practices guidelines be prepared,  Given the integral role CIE
either regionally or nationally, to appointees now play in regional
describe the difference in peer review processes, the panel
assessment types and clearly requested that SSC needs be
distinguish what constitutes considered when the next contract
acceptable updates. revision opportunity arises.
 There is a need to continue  Guidelines should be developed to
expanding the expertise available address the use of indicator species
for assessments. This includes and stock complexes for
more training programs in supporting fishing level
universities and expanded use of recommendations and status
contracts and grants to reach out to determinations.
more potential experts. The group
 The panel recommends that
encourages the agency to continue
Advisory Panel Fishery
efforts to exchange scientists
Performance Reports, as proposed
between regions during assessment
by the MAFMC, be considered by
work as a way of sharing
other Councils as an effective way
information and techniques and
to obtain timely information from
providing a source of outside
the fisheries that may be useful to
expertise.
the SSC in providing fishing level
 To address assessment production recommendations.
limitations in the short term, the
 The panel recommended that a 4th
group recommends considering
National SSC Workshop be held in
simplified models for some stocks,
2011. Topics to consider include
increasing the use of non-agency
incorporation of social and
expertise, and devoting assessment
economic issues information into
cycles to unassessed data-poor
the SSC process, ecosystem-based
stocks.
management, species groupings,
and SSC workload management.
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Preface

This, the third national SSC During the second workshop in 2009
workshop, was intended to build members discussed progress on
upon the topics discussed in prior developing ABC control rules and
workshops. The largest of the three responding to other MSA provisions
National SSC meetings to date, the and National Standards revisions.
workshop included representatives This workshop was devoted to issues
from each of the eight regional related to implementation of ABC
Science and Statistical Committees, control rules and to discussing the
Council staff, NMFS Science Center information and approaches used by
and Regional Office staff, and SSCs to provide fishing level
observers from academia and NGOs. recommendations, which include
The workshop, hosted by the South ABC and OFL. Representatives
Atlantic Council, was held in from all the Councils had an
Charleston, SC, October 19-21, opportunity to discuss how the plans
2010. Carolyn Belcher, Chair of the developed over the last several years
South Atlantic Council SSC chaired are performing.
the workshop.
Workshop Goals
During the first workshop in 2008  Continue the exchange of
members focused on reviewing their information and experiences
SSC policies and procedures. between representatives of
Regional Fishery Management
Council SSCs.
 Compare regional assessment
peer review procedures,
including the role of SSCs in
those procedures.
 Discuss progress on ABC
control rule implementation
and development of ABC
recommendations that account
for uncertainties.
The Workshop opened with a
progress report on the NMFS ABC
working group led by Rick Methot.
Next, a representative from each
SSC gave a presentation on the
progress made and challenges faced
in implementation and application of
their ABC Control Rules. Presenters
were asked to focus on 1) current
status, content, and implementation
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National SSC Workshop III    2010
of ABC control rules, 2) issues faced Councils, led by John Carmichael of
in applying control rules and the South Atlantic Council. South
incorporating uncertainty, and 3) Atlantic Council and SEDAR staff
highlighting control rule (Kari Fenske, Mike Collins, Julie
modifications since the last National Neer, Cindy Chaya, and Julie O'
SSC meeting. Dell) provided logistical and
administrative support.
These discussions were followed by
This report is based upon abstracts of
presentations on assessment
presentations provided by workshop
programs and the role of the SSC.
presenters. Subsequent discussions
This segment of the workshop was
of the group were captured by
organized by Region, beginning with
rapporteurs from the regional
a description of assessment
Council staffs, including Mike
development and review programs
Burner, Pat Fiorelli, Chris Kellogg,
and followed by presentations from
Sarah Pautzke, Rich Seagraves, and
SSC representatives summarizing
Dave Witherell. Special thanks are
their roles and responsibilities in
extended to these individuals for
their region’s assessment program.
their efforts, which were crucial to
The workshop concluded with
this report. Kari Fenske and John
general discussions on common
Carmichael edited and formatted the
topics raised earlier, such as dealing
submissions for consistency and
with species groupings, the role of
assembled the final workshop report.
the SSCs in peer review programs,
The report benefitted from review
managing the peer review process,
comments made by Dave Witherell,
and better integration of social and
Rick Methot, and Rich Seagraves.
economic sciences into SSC
Photos are provided courtesy of Kari
deliberations.
Fenske, Lee Anderson, Mark Fina,
The Workshop was organized and and the Alaska Scallop Cooperative.
coordinated by staff from eight

Regional Fishery Management

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