Document Type
Report
Department/Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Publication Date
5-29-2008
Series
Marine Resource Report No. 2008-05
Abstract
The black sea bass, Centropristis striata, fishery is in a state of transition. Regulatory changes found in Amendment #9 to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan implemented measures intended to both rebuild the stock and to maintain it at sustainable levels into the future. These measures included commercial quotas, commercial gear requirements, minimum size limits, recreational harvest limits, and permit and reporting requirements. One vital component contributing to the efficacy of these regulatory measures and future sustainability of the fishery are regulations that effectively protect sub-legal fish. The protection of sub-legal fish not only increases yield to the fishery, but also allows individuals to contribute to the reproductive output of the stock. While measures under Amendment #9 are in place to reduce the capture of sub-legal fish mortality of discarded sub-legal fish, this issue remains a cause of concern to managers. Information gathered by the proposed project will address that concern by demonstrating a means by which the survival of sub-legal fish can be increased over currently mandated methods.
Keywords
Habitat pots -- North Atlantic Ocean, Black sea bass fisheries -- Gear selectivity -- North Atlantic Ocean
Recommended Citation
Rudders, D., Fisher, R. A., & Yochum, N. (2008) An Evaluation of Size Selectivity and Relative Efficiency of Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata, Habitat Pots Equipped with Large Mesh Panels. Marine Resource Report No. 2008-05. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2795
