The Atlantic menhaden stock is currently managed on a coastwide basis under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) 1992 ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Fishery Management Plan (FMP). In April 2001, an amendment was adopted to improve management. The amendment contains a new overfishing definition for the Atlantic stock using a fishing target and threshold and a stock size target and threshold. The amendment also restructured the management board and technical committee to reflect the structure of other species management boards and technical committees. Before the amendment, the management board was composed of state, federal and industry representatives. The new board no longer allows industry representatives. (Link to ASMFC page for a copy of the amendment).
The status of the menhaden stock is important to the Chesapeake Bay because of its ecological role in the food web and its filter-feeding capacity. Although the ASMFC amendment recognizes the important role menhaden plays in the ecosystem, specific management actions to address ecosystem concerns have not been developed. Currently, there are several research modeling efforts to help define how multispecies interactions affect population dynamics. These studies should provide the basis for developing appropriate management recommendations. The Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions under the auspices of the Chesapeake Bay Program will be developing a Chesapeake Bay fishery management plan for menhaden with the completion of a draft plan by 2002.
Historically, shad and River herring supported some of the most valuable commercial fisheries in Chesapeake Bay. Today, shad and River herring are at low abundance. The 1989 Alosid Management Plan was developed to protect, restore and enhance baywide shad and herring stocks. Strategies include a moratorium on American shad and hickory shad fishing in Chesapeake Bay. Stock assessment surveys and tagging programs will be continued . Because the loss of spawning habitat has contributed to population declines, Chesapeake Bay partners are working to remove blockages on streams and rivers that prevent fish from migrating to spawning grounds. Other habitat factors, such as dissolved oxygen and physical habitat are addressed.
American eels are a catadromous species, meaning they spend most of their lives in freshwater rivers and lakes, then migrate to the ocean to spawn. Historically, commercial and recreational fishing for eels was extensive. Currently, the reported eel harvest in the Bay has been variable and the amount of eels harvested for crab bait can only be estimated. The goal of the 1991 American Eel Fishery Management Plan is to manage the stock so that harvest does not exceed the natural capacity of the population to maintain itself. Management recommendations promote protecting small eels; implement monitoring programs; and provide fair allocation of harvest, that are consistent with traditional uses.
Atlantic croaker and spot are part of an important inshore bottom fishery along the Atlantic coast. Chesapeake Bay supports both recreational and commercial fisheries for croaker and spot. Commercial landings for croaker from Chesapeake Bay have dramatically declined during the 1950's and 1960's. Spot are a favorite recreational species in both Maryland and Virginia. The 1991 Atlantic Croaker and Spot Management Plan aims to protect these species, while providing the greatest long-term ecological, economic, and social benefits. The plan directs Bay partners promote increases in fish size, improve research and monitoring; promote the use of trawl efficiency devices and bycatch reduction devices; and identify habitat requirements for spot and croaker.
Black drum support a directed spring commercial fishery and recreational fishery off the Delmarva peninsula. Although black drum stocks do not appear to be overharvested, many unknowns surround the stock and its exploitation. The 1993 Black Drum Management Plan strives to protect the stock in Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic coast, while allowing commercial and recreational harvest. Strategies include stabilizing the commercial harvest, decreasing the harvest of small fish, monitoring and research; resolution of gear conflicts between users; the establishment of water quality goals and habitat protection.
In the mid-Atlantic region, black sea bass are overfished and populations are currently at low abundance. This new fishery management plan (FMP) for the Chesapeake's black sea bass (BSB) populations will reduce fishing rates and improve protection of the spawning stock in the Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. The new BSB FMP contains an enhanced habitat section, including recommendations to protect important nursery habitat in Chesapeake Bay. Other management actions include coordinating management actions with coastal recommendations, a minimum size limit; gear restrictions; and promotion of better black sea bass research.
The blue crab is a dominant bottom-dwelling predator in Chesapeake Bay. It is economically important to the Bay, consistently outranking harvests of other shellfish and finfish species in the Bay by both weight and dollar value. The 1989 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan recognized the importance of the blue crab resource, identified areas of concern, and recommended strategies to stabilize fishing effort. The 1997 Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan has the same overall goal of managing blue crabs to conserve the baywide stock, protect its ecological value, and optimize long-term use of the resource. In addition to recommendations to maintain regulations enacted by the states, limit access to the fishery, prevent exploitation, and improve research and monitoring, the 1997 Blue Crab FMP incorporates an enhanced habitat section recommending protection and restoration of Bay grasses and water quality.
Bluefish are one of the top recreational fish caught along the Atlantic coast. Bluefish are also an important recreational species in Chesapeake Bay. The 1990 Bluefish Management Plan commits Bay partners to protection and monitoring of the bluefish stocks in Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, and state coastal waters. The plan recommends cooperation with regional coastal fish management commissions to solve interjurisdictional problems with managing this highly migratory species. Bay strategies include monitoring the status of the stock; implementing additional restrictions if necessary; reduction of wasteful harvest practices; improved catch and effort data collection; population biology studies; and identification of habitat requirements for bluefish.
Horseshoe crabs play an important role in Chesapeake Bay's foodweb, especially for migrating shorebirds and juvenile Atlantic loggerhead turtles. Horseshoe crabs are commercially harvested in both Maryland and Virginia. The 1994 Horseshoe Crab Management Plan aims to protect the ecological role horseshoe crabs by protecting spawning areas and monitoring harvest. Recommendations include limiting harvest during the spawning season, encouraging research, mandatory reporting for the commercial fishery, and consideration of a special permit, implementing a Maryland spawning survey, and working with the Bay Program to improve water quality and habitat.
Oysters have been one of the most important commercial resources in Chesapeake Bay, but in recent years Baywide oyster harvest have dramatically decline. The oyster population has fallen prey to diseases, pollution, harvesting techniques, and habitat destruction. The 1989 Oyster Management Plan was revised in 1994. It recommended the development of to initiate short and long-term management actions to help stabilize harvest to maintain spawning stock; promote conservation goals; develop young oyster seed sources; further research; and increase the market for Chesapeake Bay oysters. Overharvesting, low levels of reproduction, the oyster diseases MSX and Dermo and market issues are address in this plan.
There is a modest red drum recreational fishery along the Atlantic coast and in the Bay region, but the species is not an important commercial species in Chesapeake Bay. However, Chesapeake Bay provides habitat for juvenile red drum. The 1993 Red Drum Management Plan protects red drum stock in Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast, while allowing long-term commercial and recreational harvest. Strategies for stock protection include size limits and gear modifications; management coordination among the costal states, support for biological and fishery data; and commitments to water quality improvements in Chesapeake Bay.
King and Spanish mackerel support important commercial and recreational fisheries along the Atlantic coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Recent stock assessments indicate that management measures in the South Atlantic have been successful at rebuilding the stock. However, they are still in need of protection. The 1994 King and Spanish Mackerel Management Plan recommends size and catch limits; measures to prevent waste due to bycatch and catch and release mortality; and continued commitment to water quality improvements in Chesapeake Bay.
Striped bass are a fish management success story on Chesapeake Bay. This fishery was recently reopened in Maryland after a Bay-wide five-year moratorium. The Bay supported a popular striped bass commercial and recreational fishery, until 1970s and early 1980s, when heavy fishing pressure drastically reduced catches. This fishing pressure eliminated many of the larger reproductive fish. The goal of the 1989 Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Management Plan was to enhance and perpetuate the striped bass stock in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and throughout the Atlantic Coast range. Management measures are considered to generate optimum long-term ecological, social and economic benefits. Management recommendations include size limits, gear restrictions, and establishment of fishing seasons and creel limits. Stock assessment through biological studies and monitoring are also recommended. Bay jurisdictions are encouraged to take measures to meet habitat requirements for striped bass, including the reduction of nutrients and toxics in the Bay. As a result of cooperative management actions by the coastal states from Maine to North Carolina, the striped bass stock has been restored to historic levels. As the specifics of the Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Management Plan changed with improvements in the stock, the Plan has been updated through progress reports (1991, 1992, 1993, 19994). A draft amendment to the Plan is being developed to replace the 1989 management recommendations.
Summer flounder supports valuable commercial and recreational fisheries in Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. Commercially, the flounder fishery generates a higher dollar value than any other finfish. They are a prized recreational catch and their distribution makes them available to a wide variety of fishing methods. Stock assessments indicated that summer flounder stocks are severely overfished. The 1991 Chesapeake Bay Summer Flounder Management Plan recommends size and gear limits; participation in coastal management deliberations, improved collection of biological and fisheries data; identification of flounder habitat requirements; and continued commitment by Bay program signatories to water quality improvements. The 1991 Chesapeake Bay Summer Flounder FMP has been updated to reflect the current status of the stock and the current problems associated with managing a coastwide quota system. This Minor Amendment #1 was adopted in 1997 and addresses overfishing of summer flounder with recommendations to implement quotas, recreational seasons, creel limits, minimum size limits, and a special landings permit.
Weakfish and spotted seatrout are highly sought after by commercial and recreational fishermen from the mid-Atlantic to the south Atlantic. Both species are very popular in Chesapeake Bay, especially its Virginia waters. The lower Bay, including Virginia seaside estuaries are important nursery sites for larval and juvenile weakfish. Spotted seatrout are seasonal migrants to Chesapeake Bay, with seatrout spawning in the Bay during the summer. Historically, the commercial harvest of weakfish has ranked in the top five species, but has declined in recent years. Recreational surveys suggest weakfish and currently spotted seatrout sport catch are significant and often exceed commercial catch. The 1990 Weakfish and Spotted Seatrout Management Plan addresses overfishing by implementing minimum size limits to reduce the harvest of small fish, participating in coastwide management deliberations, continued stock assessments and catch/effort analyses, plus monitoring of bycatch. The plan also recommends identification of habitat requirements for both species and continued support for the Chesapeake Bay Program's water quality commitments.
In the mid-Atlantic region, black sea bass are overfished and populations are currently at low abundance. This new fishery management plan (FMP) for the Chesapeake's black sea bass (BSB) populations, recently adopted by the Chesapeake Executive Council, will reduce fishing rates and improve protection of the spawning stock in the Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. The new BSB FMP contains an enhanced habitat section, including recommendations to protect important nursery habitat in Chesapeake Bay. Other management actions include a minimum size limit; gear restrictions; and promotion of better black sea bass research.