Year: 2017
Project(s):
Relevance
The red snapper is the most economically important finfish in the Gulf of Mexico and a popular target of the sport fishing and commercial fishing industries throughout the Gulf. Historical overharvesting resulted in an overfished red snapper population. Under current federal and state management measures, the population is rapidly recovering, with full recovery expected by 2032. There is some disagreement among resource managers, fishermen and environmental groups surrounding the 2014 and earlier stock assessments for red snapper. Much of the disagreement centers on the accuracy of estimating the red snapper population around oil and gas platforms, artificial reefs and other structures considered to be difficult to sample using traditional sampling methods.
Response
To reduce the uncertainty among different fishing sectors and resource managers, a two-phase competitive research grants program is underway. Phase I led to a valid and reliable experimental design to use in a large-scale study using tagging and advanced technologies, such as remotely operated vehicles and camera arrays to survey large expanses of the Gulf. Six projects were funded to develop the experimental design.
Results
An expert review panel worked to refine the best aspects of these designs into a single request for proposals. A final team of the world’s top red snapper researchers was selected to use the experimental design developed in Phase I to conduct a one-time estimate of absolute abundance of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. This design will use the best scientific methods available, including advanced technology and traditional mark-recapture methods. The $12.5 million red snapper research program is unprecedented in scale and level of engagement with university scientists, resource managers and the fishing industry. The red snapper abundance estimate will be considered an independent Gulf-wide estimate and will be compared with NOAA Fisheries' red snapper stock assessment.
Recap
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium led the development of a red snapper experimental design to estimate reef fish abundance in a large marine ecosystem. (2017)