Amberjack are an important species for recreational fishing.
Credit: Greg McFall, NOAA
Why is it a concern?
According to NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, as of December 2014, key species integral to the fish communities of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (red snapper, gag, red grouper and black sea bass) are overfished in the southeastern US. Other species of interest: gray triggerfish, sheepshead and greater amberjack are not currently considered overfished although they are targeted by fishers in the region. Experts believe that historical overfishing has affected ecosystem conditions throughout the region, including at Gray’s Reef.
Based on socioeconomic studies from Georgia coastal counties and sanctuary surveys of visitor use, recreational fishing activities have increased significantly at Gray’s Reef in the past 20 years. Recreational fishers are limited to rod and reel as spearfishing has been prohibited since 2009. Sanctuary use is expected to rise as population increases along the Georgia coast and the popularity of recreational fishing and diving grows. Increases in use, coupled with declines in fish populations and degradation of coastal habitats could result in adverse impacts on fish populations and sanctuary resources. The structurally complex ledges provide essential fish habitat and are often targeted by fishermen, making the fish that are concentrated there as well as the habitat itself particularly vulnerable to fishing activities.
Due to progressive management, one-third of the sanctuary was designated as a Research Area closed to fishing and diving in 2011. The Research Area, coupled with proximity to commercial and recreational fishing areas make GRNMS a prominent location to investigate fishing impacts to marine resources. There are multiple projects investigating fishing impacts in GRNMS, some of which take advantage of the Research Area. The sanctuary is also further evaluating the impact the RA has on fish populations throughout the sanctuary. Detections from animals tagged outside the sanctuary (by researchers from other agencies and institutions) is helping to understand the movement of certain species within and outside sanctuary boundaries. Other technologies used to assess fish movement and densities are fishery acoustics and underwater gliders. All of this work is completed through partnerships with academic institutions, state agencies, and NOAA scientists.
Ehler, R. and V.R. Leeworthy. May 2002. A Socioeconomic Overview of Georgia’s Marine
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Report 2008. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Silver Spring, MD. 42 pp.
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Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Silver Spring, MD, Accessed: 7/21/2014
National Marine Fisheries Service. 2008. Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries-2007. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, Natl., Mar. Fish. Serv., Silver Spring, MD. 23 pp.
