442
12 Species Case Studies
12.7.4 Fishery and Population Status
Gag is extremely important economically throughout its range both to commercial
and recreational fi sheries. It is the second most common grouper species in commercial catches of the United States (exceeded by red grouper, Epinephelus morio )
and the most important grouper in recreational catches. Gag commercially landed in
the 1980s and early 1990s were often misreported as black grouper ( Mycteroperca
bonaci ). The two species are in large part separated geographically, with gag being
replaced along the west Florida shelf to the south by black grouper, and the misreports are attributed to both true misidentifi cations and to attempts to provide a more
palatable market name for gag. Regardless of the reason, misreporting was less
prevalent in the southeastern US Atlantic coast than in the Gulf of Mexico, where
black grouper was more abundant.
The gag is managed in the United States by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in their
respective areas. Gulf of Mexico gag have been included in the reef fi sh fi shery
management plan since 1984, but were essentially unregulated until 1990 when a
minimum size limit (MSL) of 51 cm TL, and a recreational aggregate daily grouper
bag limit of fi ve fi sh were imposed (Reef Fish Management Plan, Amendment 1).
In 2000, the MSL was increased for both commercial and recreational sectors (to 61
and 56 cm TL, respectively) and a 1 month closure (15 February through 15 March,
peak spawning period for gag) was introduced for the commercial fi shery (although
most of the fi sh are caught by the recreational sector). Two marine reserves
(Madison-Swanson Marine Reserve and the Steamboat Lumps Marine Reserve)
were established in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico to investigate the effi cacy of
using spatial closures as fi shery management tools. The MSL for the recreational
fi shery increased 2.54 cm each year until 2002 when it reached 61 cm TL.
Current management is primarily through a license limitation, quota with size
limits for both commercial and recreational fi sheries, bag limits for recreational
fi sheries, limited gear restrictions (including elimination of traps, restricted areas
for use of long-line gear required use of circle hooks for the hook and line fi shery),
and some area and seasonal closures. The primary area closures include the two
Gulf of Mexico areas indicated above, and the Oculina Banks Marine Reserve along
the US western Atlantic coast. Gag aggregations occur too deep (50–120 m depth)
for any prospect of tourist diving operations, limiting non-consumptive use.
Gag are clearly vulnerable to intense fi shing pressure because of their life-history
traits, their habitat preferences, and their aggregating behaviour (McGovern et al.
1998a ; Coleman et al. 2000 ; Harris and Collins 2000 ; Musick et al. 2000 ) . The fact
that gag associate with reefs means that they are relatively easy to catch year-round,
especially with the advent of sophisticated positioning gear. The fact that they form
spawning aggregations that are consistent in time and space means that they are
easy and routine targets for fi shers (a practice that started in the 1970s). Fish caught
at the depths where larger gag occur suffer signifi cant mortality after release. Indeed,
at times, the mortality from catch-and-release in the recreational fi shery for gag has
12 Species Case Studies
12.7.4 Fishery and Population Status
Gag is extremely important economically throughout its range both to commercial
and recreational fi sheries. It is the second most common grouper species in commercial catches of the United States (exceeded by red grouper, Epinephelus morio )
and the most important grouper in recreational catches. Gag commercially landed in
the 1980s and early 1990s were often misreported as black grouper ( Mycteroperca
bonaci ). The two species are in large part separated geographically, with gag being
replaced along the west Florida shelf to the south by black grouper, and the misreports are attributed to both true misidentifi cations and to attempts to provide a more
palatable market name for gag. Regardless of the reason, misreporting was less
prevalent in the southeastern US Atlantic coast than in the Gulf of Mexico, where
black grouper was more abundant.
The gag is managed in the United States by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in their
respective areas. Gulf of Mexico gag have been included in the reef fi sh fi shery
management plan since 1984, but were essentially unregulated until 1990 when a
minimum size limit (MSL) of 51 cm TL, and a recreational aggregate daily grouper
bag limit of fi ve fi sh were imposed (Reef Fish Management Plan, Amendment 1).
In 2000, the MSL was increased for both commercial and recreational sectors (to 61
and 56 cm TL, respectively) and a 1 month closure (15 February through 15 March,
peak spawning period for gag) was introduced for the commercial fi shery (although
most of the fi sh are caught by the recreational sector). Two marine reserves
(Madison-Swanson Marine Reserve and the Steamboat Lumps Marine Reserve)
were established in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico to investigate the effi cacy of
using spatial closures as fi shery management tools. The MSL for the recreational
fi shery increased 2.54 cm each year until 2002 when it reached 61 cm TL.
Current management is primarily through a license limitation, quota with size
limits for both commercial and recreational fi sheries, bag limits for recreational
fi sheries, limited gear restrictions (including elimination of traps, restricted areas
for use of long-line gear required use of circle hooks for the hook and line fi shery),
and some area and seasonal closures. The primary area closures include the two
Gulf of Mexico areas indicated above, and the Oculina Banks Marine Reserve along
the US western Atlantic coast. Gag aggregations occur too deep (50–120 m depth)
for any prospect of tourist diving operations, limiting non-consumptive use.
Gag are clearly vulnerable to intense fi shing pressure because of their life-history
traits, their habitat preferences, and their aggregating behaviour (McGovern et al.
1998a ; Coleman et al. 2000 ; Harris and Collins 2000 ; Musick et al. 2000 ) . The fact
that gag associate with reefs means that they are relatively easy to catch year-round,
especially with the advent of sophisticated positioning gear. The fact that they form
spawning aggregations that are consistent in time and space means that they are
easy and routine targets for fi shers (a practice that started in the 1970s). Fish caught
at the depths where larger gag occur suffer signifi cant mortality after release. Indeed,
at times, the mortality from catch-and-release in the recreational fi shery for gag has