Bottomfish Habitat and Restricted Fishing Area Analysis

Robert O’Conner, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Chris Kelley, Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory, University of Hawaii

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Definition

Congress defined EFH as "those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity" (16 U.S.C. 1802(10)). The EFH guidelines under 50 CFR 600.10 further interpret the EFH definition as follows:

Waters include aquatic areas and their associated physical, chemical, and biological properties that are used by fish and may include aquatic areas historically used by fish where appropriate; substrate includes sediment, hard bottom, structures underlying the waters, and associated biological communities; necessary means the habitat required to support a sustainable fishery and the managed species' contribution to a healthy ecosystem; and "spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity" covers a species' full life cycle.

Current EFH Depth Range: shoreline to 400 meters within EEZ •Adults•Juveniles•Larvae

Research Based EFH Boundaries

Species Recommended EFHEhu 100-400Onaga 100-400Gindai 100-350YT Kale 50-350Kale 50-350Paka 30-300Hapu 30-300Lehi 50-250Buta 50-250

Creation of New Reserve Assumptions and Implications

Geographic Assumptions• There is connectivity between MHI and NWHI (complete larval transport or stepping

stone larval transport).• There is connectivity between banks of MHI and adult movement is primarily

restricted to individual banks.Therefore reserves should exist throughout the MHI and there should be at least

one per bank.

Species Priority Assumptions• Onaga and Ehu are most vulnerable to overfishing (form dense schools, Ehu caught

day or night, Onaga are slow to reproduce)• Hapu and Paka are next most vulnerable (Hapu are endemic and protogynous while

Paka form dense schools and have generally shallower habitats)Reserves should serve the needs of Onaga, then Ehu, Hapu, and Paka. Reserves

should cover entire EFH depth range (50 - 400 meters).

Creation of New Reserve Assumptions and Implications

Habitat Assumptions• Bottomfish species prefer hard/rocky substrate. • Onaga and Ehus aggregate on top of rocky features and feed in the water column

while Hapus and Pakas remain closer to the substrate.Pinnacles, Drowned Reefs/Shorelines, Ridges/Promontories, and Canyons should

be candidates for reserves both at deep and shallow depths within the EFH.

Connectivity and Enhancement Assumptions• Reserve size and location should be such that it benefits surrounding fishing areas.

– Adult habitats function as natural hatcheries and are a source for eggs and larvae.• Reserve design should take into account benefit to other reserves.

– Connectivity exists via larval transport which patterns are largely unknown.Reserves should encompass both pinnacles and portions of slopes

Creation of Bottomfish ReservesEnforcement

Assumptions

1) The smaller the number of reserves, the more enforceable2) The larger the size of the reserves, the more enforceable3) Reserves closer to land are more enforceable4) Reserves near population centers or lookouts are more enforceable5) Violators should be detectable from land6) Relying on fishermen to report their own is in-effective

Implications

1) Reserves should be the smallest number, the largest size, theclosest to land, and the closest to population centers/lookouts as possible

Canyons Promontories & Ridges

Pinnacles Outside EFH RangePinnacles Inside EFH Range

Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) Examples Based on Geologic Features

Onaga (Etelis coruscans) Essential Fish Habitat Depth Range

High Slopes

Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Area (BFRA) Overview

Main Hawaiian Island Bottomfish Habitat AnalysisProposed RFA Within Federal Waters EFH vs Total Federal Waters EFH

Main Hawaiian Island Bottomfish Habitat AnalysisProposed RFA Within Federal Waters EFH vs Total Federal Waters EFH

units = km2 Maui Middle Oahu Niihau Kaula Kauai Big Island Totals

total efh 2950.3 85.1 643.9 158.2 28.9 227.5 1646.3 5740.3

fed efh 1699.4 85.1 312.2 20.2 15.5 47.1 710.3 2889.7

state efh 1250.9 0.0 331.7 138.1 13.4 180.5 936.1 2850.6

fed percentage 57.6% 100.0% 48.5% 12.8% 53.7% 20.7% 43.1% 50.3%

state percentage 42.4% 0.0% 51.5% 87.2% 46.3% 79.3% 56.9% 49.7%

Commercial Bottomfish Catch Data

Example Current Patterns

Needs

• With shallower EFH ranges (to ~ 30 Meters) more bathymetry is needed that is increasingly difficult and therefore expensive togather.

• In order for reserves to be effective there must be adequate enforcement and the state lacks additional enforcement resources.

• Reserve effectiveness could be increased with appropriate penalties for fishing within Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas.

Acknowledgements

• Chris Kelley, Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL), University of Hawaii

• State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) & Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)

• Ocean Currents: http://www7320.nrlssc.navy.mil/global_ncom/haw.html