Pensacola Fishing Forum - View Single Post

Tom Hilton · 07-31-2010, 12:07 AM

LBHuntley,
Who do you work for - Environmental Defense or the NMFS? You never answered.

The paper you referenced is almost 10 years old and headed by James Cowan of LSU, not Shipp.

Here is the latest paper by Shipp (2009) - it's too long to post up but here's the title and conclusion, which states; "...it will be necessary to maintain, or even increase the amount of artificial habitat in the northern Gulf of Mexico to keep pace with fishing pressure. Programs such as the “rigs to reefs” efforts off Louisiana and Texas would have to be continued, as would the reef construction off Alabama."

A Perspective on the Importance of Artificial Habitat on the Management of Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico

Robert L. Shipp

Department of Marine Sciences

University of South Alabama

Mobile, AL 36688, USA

and

Stephen A. Bortone, Ph.D.

Minnesota Sea Grant College Program

2305 East Fifth Street

Duluth, Minnesota 55812 USA

Conclusions

The massive additions of artificial reef habitat preferred by red snapper during the last fifty years in the northcentral and northwestern Gulf of Mexico has corresponded with major shifts in harvest locations and areas of red snapper concentrations. This suggests that habitat was a factor that limited population abundance during the first one hundred years of the fishery. Current model projections of MSY at levels higher than have ever been achieved also suggest that increases in habitat have increased harvest potential. However, because current models are premised on a stock of red snapper that is recruitment limited, these stocks are considered “overfished and overfishing is occurring”. Consideration of increased habitat would lead to a different conclusion (i.e., the stocks have an unrealized harvest potential).
In addition, if the habitat limitation hypothesis is correct, it will be necessary to maintain, or even increase the amount of artificial habitat in the northern Gulf of Mexico to keep pace with fishing pressure. Programs such as the “rigs to reefs” efforts off Louisiana and Texas would have to be continued, as would the reef construction off Alabama.

07-31-2010, 12:07 AM	#25
Tom Hilton Senior Member Mingo Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 154	Shipp-Bortone LBHuntley, Who do you work for - Environmental Defense or the NMFS? You never answered. The paper you referenced is almost 10 years old and headed by James Cowan of LSU, not Shipp. Here is the latest paper by Shipp (2009) - it's too long to post up but here's the title and conclusion, which states; "...it will be necessary to maintain, or even increase the amount of artificial habitat in the northern Gulf of Mexico to keep pace with fishing pressure. Programs such as the “rigs to reefs” efforts off Louisiana and Texas would have to be continued, as would the reef construction off Alabama." A Perspective on the Importance of Artificial Habitat on the Management of Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico Robert L. Shipp Department of Marine Sciences University of South Alabama Mobile, AL 36688, USA and Stephen A. Bortone, Ph.D. Minnesota Sea Grant College Program 2305 East Fifth Street Duluth, Minnesota 55812 USA Conclusions The massive additions of artificial reef habitat preferred by red snapper during the last fifty years in the northcentral and northwestern Gulf of Mexico has corresponded with major shifts in harvest locations and areas of red snapper concentrations. This suggests that habitat was a factor that limited population abundance during the first one hundred years of the fishery. Current model projections of MSY at levels higher than have ever been achieved also suggest that increases in habitat have increased harvest potential. However, because current models are premised on a stock of red snapper that is recruitment limited, these stocks are considered “overfished and overfishing is occurring”. Consideration of increased habitat would lead to a different conclusion (i.e., the stocks have an unrealized harvest potential). In addition, if the habitat limitation hypothesis is correct, it will be necessary to maintain, or even increase the amount of artificial habitat in the northern Gulf of Mexico to keep pace with fishing pressure. Programs such as the “rigs to reefs” efforts off Louisiana and Texas would have to be continued, as would the reef construction off Alabama.