B. Maintain healthy and productive essential fish habitat
1. Establish EFH for all harvested species and their prey
2. Identify threats to EFH
3. Protect EFH for all harvested species and their prey
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EXISTING PROGRAMS: 1. Outreach · Adopt a stream ·
Citizen Watershed
groups · Habitat Suitability Indexes · HR Storm · HR Clean ·
Oyster Reef
Restoration- CBF · Oyster Reef Restoration- VMRC · Sea Grant · Sport Fishing Restoration- Dingell-Johnson VMRC/DGIF · VIMS matrix on harvested shellfish data ·
Virginia Marine Science Museum 2. Regulation ·
VMRC ·
Marine Protected
Areas ·
Fisheries Regulations
·
VMRC Enforcement ·
DGIF ·
Fisheries
Regulations N/A 3. Monitoring ·
4. Planning/coordination · Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Plans · Bay Program Ecosystem Managment · Blue Crab Management Advisory Committee (VMRC) · Clam Management Advisory Committee (VMRC) · CBC Blue Crab Management · CBP Environmental Endpoints · Commercial Fishing Advisory Board · Finfish Management Advisory Committee (VMRC) · Oyster Restoration Plan · Recreational Fishing Advisory Board (VMRC) · Shellfish Management Advisory Committee (VMRC) 5. Research ·
N/A |
MISSING ELEMENTS: 1. Outreach ·
Develop certification program to encourage public to
eat sustainably harvested seafood (e.g. “dolphin safe”) · Promote development of fisheries for under-utilized species (e.g. croaker) 2. Regulation ·
3. Authority ·
Restructure state
regulatory authority (VMRC) to reduce socio-economic impacts on harvest quota
decisions 4. Monitoring · Inventory bottom type and essential habitats · Map and monitor restoration efforts ·
5. Planning/coordination ·
6. Research · Expand knowledge of habitat requirements and causes of habitat degradation 7. Definition of management targets ·
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