Regulatory Intervention and Stock Management Plan for Weakfish

April 1, 1992 Resolutions

Number: 1992-13

 

WHEREAS, weakfish (Cynoscion regalis), an Atlantic coast migratory marine finfish, whose population is dependent upon the estuaries and bays from Massachusetts to Florida as spawning and nursery grounds, comprises an economically important fishery; and

WHEREAS, long-term declines in total commercial weight landed and average size in the recreational fishery are considered indicative of an overall serious decline in the Atlantic weakfish stock; and

WHEREAS, implementation of a coastwide weakfish management plan adopted in 1991 by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council (ASMFC), is intended to reduce annual weakfish exploitation by 15 to 25 percent; and

WHEREAS, a constant minimum size limit of 12 inches total length would be required by 1994, as well as establishment of creel limits, net mesh restrictions, and season and area closures to reduce catch of weakfish less than one year and across all age classes; and

WHEREAS, the exercise of regulatory prerogatives by only a few mid-Atlantic states has had little effect on the continued decline of the overall stock, and the need for comprehensive measures addressing the management of the fishery, protection and enhancement of habitat and water quality, improvement of industrial cooling systems, as well as a minimization of bycatch in non-directed fisheries, especially the shrimp trawl fishery of the south Atlantic states, is essential;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 19-22, 1992, in Portland, Oregon, urges the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida to:

  1. Actively cooperate in vigorously implementing or exceeding the new 1991 ASMFC coastwide interjurisdictional management plan for weakfish;
  2. Cooperate with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to implement proposed NMFS regulations mandating use of Bycatch Excluder Devices (BEDs) to reduce finfish bycatch, as well as implementing state bycatch reduction programs; and 3. Further measures to elucidate critical life history parameters for the weakfish stock, particularly through consistent catch reporting techniques.