On Oct. 22, 2022, a group of fishermen, fisheries management representatives and Sea Grant marine fisheries specialists gathered in San Antonio, Texas, for the first of several annual Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP) meetings to discuss the most pressing issues facing southeastern U.S. reef fish fisheries.
Funded by the National Sea Grant College Program and led by Dr. Marcus Drymon, marine fisheries specialist with the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, the Reef Fish Extension Team is composed of Sea Grant fisheries extension specialists, university scientists and fisheries managers spanning the U.S. Gulf, South Atlantic and Caribbean. Together, we are working to bridge the growing disconnect between reef fishery stakeholders and the management of those fisheries.
In recent years, stock assessment results for important reef fish species (such as red snapper and greater amberjack) haven’t aligned with the observations of fishery stakeholders, who together share a deep understanding of local ecosystems gained from extensive experience on the water. This disconnect results in diminished trust in fisheries management among stakeholders and missed opportunities for fisheries managers to incorporate stakeholder knowledge into management decisions.
This inaugural AP meeting, held in conjunction with the semiannual Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting, served as an important step to initiate dialogue between commercial and recreational fishermen, state fisheries management representatives and members of the project team to refine perceptions, beliefs and attitudes surrounding current reef fish populations and management.
Survey results and stakeholder input
Results from longitudinal (i.e., annual) surveys conducted earlier this year were compared with stakeholder input, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the current and most pressing research needs in the southeastern U.S. reef fish fishery.
For example, survey results revealed that few respondents were knowledgeable about the management processes for setting regulations for reef fish fisheries or the scientific processes involved in assessing reef fish populations. Further in-depth discussion at the AP meeting revealed that distrust between stakeholders and management stemmed partly from this confusion.
Additionally, because fisheries management is a multi-step process that involves numerous researchers, reviewers and agencies, it often takes years after a stock assessment has been completed to observe any changes in fishing regulations.
While resources exist for explaining the scientific process behind fisheries management efforts, these resources are often complex and difficult to understand. Survey results showed that many stakeholders are turning to social media platforms and word of mouth to stay informed about current fisheries issues.
Further discussion at the AP meeting revealed differences between sector and age with respect to platforms that are most important; older fishermen may rely more on pamphlets and in-person discussions, while younger fishermen may rely more heavily on social media and websites.
While longitudinal surveys are a robust and efficient way to sample a large and geographically varied group of stakeholders, the AP meeting revealed smaller-scale differences in the levels of fisheries management satisfaction by region, fishing sector and even the target fishing species. Identifying and exploring these differences will allow our Reef Fish Extension Team to design educational materials and training programs that effectively address the needs of reef fishery stakeholders.
Pressing research needs
As an added benefit of the AP meeting, we were also able to identify and prioritize future survey topics. The AP meeting attendees identified a changing environment, habitat loss and improved infrastructure to recover from catastrophic events (such as hurricanes, COVID-19 and widespread food shortages) as pressing fisheries research needs, and expressed that these needs vary in importance by region. Future surveys will employ a broader distribution strategy to reach fishing associations in each southeastern U.S. state, including the Caribbean region and stakeholders in the charter-for-hire and commercial sectors.
Our AP meeting represents a crucial first step to bring together stakeholders, scientists and fisheries management. Dialogue between these groups fosters a more comprehensive understanding of issues impacting the reef fish fishery and how we can begin to solve them. We look forward to future meetings with our Reef Fish AP and working with commercial and recreational fishermen to learn more about, and begin to develop effective solutions to, the emerging issues in the Gulf reef fish fishery.
Meet the author
Ana Wheeler
Extension Associate, Mississippi State University
Ana Wheeler conducts bottom longline surveys off Alabama and Mississippi waters, manages the data collection and analysis from the surveys and contributes to peer-reviewed journals and... Read more
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