Alexandria, VA. — AUGUST 16, 201 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board has approved Addendum IV to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Spiny Dogfish. The Addendum updates the definition of overfishing consistent with that of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and provides the Board the flexibility to update or modify the management program’s overfishing definition through Board action based on the recommendations of its Technical Committee.
The prior overfishing definition, adopted in 2002, was based on the number of pups per female that recruit to the stock. The updated definition will now be based on maximum sustainable yield or a reasonable proxy, consistent with the best available science. Although there are no immediate impacts in regulations, the change allows the Commission and Council to work from the same starting point when determining annual specifications.
The Board considered modifying the management program's 5% rollover provision to either preclude rollovers entirely without specific Board approval or to allow rollovers beyond the current 5% maximum with Board approval. The Board voted to maintain the 5% maximum rollover. Any rollover is predicated on a rebuilt stock.
These changes do not require any modifications to current regulations and become effective immediately. The updated overfishing definition will be used when determining the 2013/2014 spiny dogfish quota; Board action is scheduled to occur at the Commission's Annual Meeting in October.
The Addendum can be obtained on the ASMFC website. For more information, please contact Danielle Chesky, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at dchesky@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.