February 26, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a contractor to investigate potential modifications to the scup Gear Restricted Areas (GRA). This work will build on previous analyses of commercial scup discards and the GRAs, utilizing available fisheries and environmental data. It is anticipated that this project will be funded by Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds. This project will address the IRA funding priority to develop and implement management changes or processes that address climate vulnerability or improve climate resiliency of fisheries.
Proposal Deadline: The proposal deadline is April 12, 2024. Work is expected to be completed by December 31, 2025.
Background: First implemented in November 2000, the Northern and Southern Scup GRA are intended to reduce juvenile scup discards in small mesh fisheries during certain times of the year. GRA regulations and boundaries have been reviewed and modified several times. Recent analyses have shown that the GRAs contributed to the rebuilding of the scup stock and continue to have a positive effect on reducing juvenile scup discards. However, spatial patterns of more recently observed discards suggest there has been a shift in where and when discards occur.
Scope of Work: The contractor will build on previous Council commercial scup discard and GRA analyses and utilize available fisheries and environmental data to investigate potential modifications to the scup GRAs. Modifications could include consideration of alternative measures based on adaptive management strategies. As described in the full request for proposals, this project should analyze bycatch trends for scup over time, identifying changes in spatial patterns and intensity and their connection to shifts in scup distribution. Hotspot, cluster, or alternative time/area closure analyses may be used to pinpoint areas where regulatory changes could mitigate impacts on juvenile scup. The project should examine regulatory and economic factors influencing scup discards and assessment, including evaluation of potential tradeoffs associated with bycatch reduction strategies. In addition, the contractor will plan and facilitate at least two in-person workshops with fishery stakeholders to solicit input on scup discards and GRAs.
The contractor will be expected to develop a report with recommendations on a set of management alternatives that the Council could consider for implementation through a future management action.
Additional Information: Complete details about the project background, scope of work, contractor qualifications, and proposal submission instructions can be found in the request for proposals.