Advisory Panel Call March 2018

Advisory panel conference call Spring 2018 (03/01/2018)

 

Attendees:
James Tolan, Steve Brandt, Melissa Baustian, Dave Hilmer, Skyler Sagarese, Dave Lindquist, Alan Lewitus, Steve Ashby, Shannon Martin, Mandy Karnauskas, Matt Campbell, Kim de Mutsert, Alex Van Plantinga

 

Call agenda:
5 minutes roll call/intro/getting started

 

5 minutes GRP model update

  • Models developed for Red Snapper, Atlantic Croaker, Gulf Menhaden, and Brown Shrimp
  • Gulf Butterfish under development, but insufficient data have stalled the process, any available data welcome
  • Code for developed bio-energetics model finished and available
  • Results of model runs of phytoplankton, zooplankton, Gulf menhaden and bay Anchovy under scenarios 100%, 80% and 60% nitrogen and phosphorus loads were presented and discussed (see graphics below)
    • Reduced biomass in the graphs is a result of reduced foraging

 

5 minutes Ecospace model update

– Synergistic project started in fall 2017 for which the same model is used. Project goal: Integrate information on ecosystem stressors & pred-prey interactions into the fisheries assessment and management process of the GOM.

– Adjustments to the model are made to make the model useful for both projects, creates a model more realistic to the benefit of both projects.

– Make the model more comparable with stock assessments such as including same life stage of menhaden as stock assessment, and using biomass estimates and time series based on stock assessment rather than SEAMAP whenever available

– Split up fleets based on gear

– Model is rebalanced and calibrated, but more tweaking will occur (followed by rebalancing and recalibrating)

 

5 minutes project timeline updates

  • Dedicated CERF meeting session successfully held as planned Nov 5-9, 2017, entitled: “Ecological and Fisheries Impacts of Hypoxia on Coastal Systems”.
    • Moderated by Kim de Mutsert and Steve Brandt
    • 12 presentations were given in our session
  • NGOMEX meeting with advisory panel webinar was planned for Jan 25-26 during the NOAA Fisheries Monitoring Workgroup meeting, but was cancelled due to government shut-down
  • That meeting is rescheduled for May 15-17
  • The planned convening of NGOMEX PI’s during the January meeting is also scheduled to take place during the May meeting
  • As planned in the project timeline, Steve Brandt and Kim de Mutsert have submitted a symposium to the AFS meeting from August 19-23, which was accepted.
  • The AFS fish habitat section has contacted us with an interest to become a sponsor of our symposium which we accepted.

 

10 minutes questions

Melissa Baustian: Would red snapper diet data be useful to parameterize red snapper model with caloric density? – Mostly literature is used for red snapper diet information.

Melissa Baustian: Are you considering grouping pelagic and benthic feeders in Ecospace model? – We are looking at responses of fish by DO tolerance, which can be different for fishes with the same diet, so we are keeping the species separate in the model set-up. We can aggregate the results later into such groupings when desirable.

Mandy Karnauskas- working on Southeast fisheries management roadmap. Requested project description and link to this project that has all project related information. – Kim de Mutsert will update the project website to make it a one-stop shop for all project related information (proposal, reports, products etc.)

Matt Campbell: upcoming benchmark could provide opportunity to include new data. Skyler Sagarese: – feasibility concerns of including new data based on structure of the work.

Menhadenvolume_comp