Maryland annual report 2011

United States
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
Office of Sustainable Fisheries
Highly Migratory Species Division

Final Report
Grantee:

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Contract Number:

DG133F07CN0229 – (Third year of 5 year agreement)

Project Title:

Survey of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (ABT) and Billfish (White Marlin,
Roundscale Spearfish, Blue Marlin, Swordfish and Sailfish) Recreational
Landings in Maryland.

Period Covered:

January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011

Prepared By:
Carrie Kennedy, Coastal Fisheries Program Manager

Date

Mike Luisi Director, Estuarine & Marine Fisheries

Date

Tom O’Connell Director, Fisheries Service

Date

Approved By:

Approved By:

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2011 Final Report
Survey of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (ABT) and Billfish (White Marlin, Roundscale Spearfish, Blue
Marlin, Swordfish and Sailfish) Recreational Landings in Maryland.
Introduction
Globally, tunas and billfishes (White Marlin (Kajikia albida), Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans),
Roundscale Spearfish (Tetrapturus georgii), Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and Sailfish (Istiophorus
platypterus)), are governed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
(ICCAT). It is the mission of ICCAT to ensure “the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the
Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas.” (ICCAT, 2011). To manage these species, ICCAT assigns catch
quotas to each member country. In the United States (US), tuna and billfish recommendations from
ICCAT are implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) division of Highly
Migratory Species (HMS) under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act and Magnuson Stevens Act. The
Fishery Conservation Amendments of 1990 classified tunas and billfishes to be highly migratory
species. In 1996, the Sustainable Fisheries Act modified the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and
Management Act to create advisory panels that aid in creating fishery management plans to manage
billfishes and HMS. Responsibilities of the panels include lowering bycatch and mortality related to
bycatch, and stopping overfishing (NMFS, 2011).
In the late 1990’s, NMFS required all recreational anglers to report Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
(ABT; Thunnus thynnus) landings via a toll free phone number. In Maryland, that system was
determined to be ineffective for accurately documenting recreational ABT landings. As a result,
NMFS worked with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to implement an ABT
Catch Card and Tagging Program as an alternative method in 1999. A rising concern in 2002
regarding the consideration of endangered species status for the White Marlin spurred an additional
component to the ABT Catch Card and Tagging Program. Billfishes were added to the list of species
required to be reported through MDNR’s Catch Card and Tagging Program in 2002. Since 2002, the
ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program has supplied NMFS with ABT and billfish landings in
the state of Maryland.
Nation-wide, recreational fishing remains a popular pursuit. In 2006, 7.7 million anglers
participated in saltwater fishing. Equipment and trips combined cost them $8.9 billion (U.S. Fish and
Wildlife, 2006). Accurately monitoring the recreational harvest of Bluefin Tuna and billfishes along
the Atlantic coast is vitally important to the cultural, social, and economic impacts that recreational
fishing has on Ocean City, MD. In 2011, anglers in search of HMS species off Maryland and
Delaware, took an estimated 9178 trips (Personal communication from the National Marine Fisheries
Service, Fisheries Statistics Division February 7, 2012). Based on angler participation estimates of outof-state anglers for other migratory species in 2006-2010, approximately 35-43% of angler’s landing in
Maryland are from out of state (Personal communication from the National Marine Fisheries Service,
Fisheries Statistics Division February 7, 2012). One study credited the 2009 White Marlin Open with
pumping $16 million dollars into the regional economy and the creation of 130 jobs. An estimated
5,000 people came from other states during the tournament week (Maryland Department of Business
and Economic Development. Division of Marketing and Communications-Office of Research, 2010).
Monitoring of this important fishery is a priority for Maryland, and a useful tool for NMFS
management.

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Objectives
•

•

Continue a long-term monitoring study of all recreationally landed Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and
billfishes (White Marlin, Blue Marlin, Swordfish, and sailfish) in Maryland and supply those data
to NMFS for use in their coastwide assessment.
Continue development of program awareness among recreational anglers in order to increase
compliance rates.

Materials and Methods
Anglers were responsible for completing a catch card when they returned to port for each ABT
or billfish on board their vessel (Figure 1). A tag (Figure 2) was awarded for each completed catch
card and the angler was required to place this tag around the tail of the fish before removing it from the
vessel. Trailered boats could not be pulled from the water until the tag was in place.
Nine marinas signed a cooperative participation agreement (Figure 3), qualifying them as a
Recreational ABT/Billfish Reporting Station (Table 1). The contract required marinas to distribute and
collect catch cards, issue tags, and return leftover supplies to MDNR at the conclusion of the fishing
season. Based on the 2010 reporting rate of each marina, an appropriate amount of catch cards and
tags were delivered to each reporting station. MDNR biologists visited marina participants twice a
week, from June 6 through September 30, to maintain adequate supplies and collect completed catch
cards. Leftover tags were inventoried at the end of the season by MDNR.
In addition to the marinas, an after hours kiosk was available at the MDNR field office in 2011
(Figure 4). Marinas were asked to inform anglers about the kiosk and it was also included in the letter
sent to HMS permit holders in the spring. Anglers were expected to complete the catch card and the
attached receipt, which would replace the tag. The catch card was to be deposited into a locked box
that was fastened directly to the kiosk. Anglers retained the receipt, which recorded the same data as
the card.
As of October 17, 2007, anglers who recreationally landed swordfish and billfish outside of
tournaments could report their catches to the NMFS using the HMS non-tournament Reporting
website. The fish had to be reported within one day of being landed. However, if these fish are landed
in either Maryland or North Carolina, it must still be reported using a catch card.
In an attempt to improve data quality and compliance, staff attended two large fishing
tournaments: the White Marlin Open (August 8-12, 2011), and the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 (August 2226, 2011). The second tournament was shortened by one day due to Hurricane Irene’s approach.
Signs informing anglers that ABT and billfishes must be tagged prior to being removed from the vessel
were given to each marina. The signs reminded anglers to tag their fish or to visit the kiosk if they
were returning after hours. Additionally, a sign describing the program was posted at the boat ramp in
West Ocean City by the Natural Resources Police. Recreational catch card landings were entered into
a Microsoft Access database for management. Status reports based on data collected from catch cards
were periodically sent to NMFS. Microsoft Excel was utilized for generating graphs, averages, modes
and data cleaning.
Results
Bluefin Tuna
For the 2011 season, HMS private, recreational vessels were allowed one ABT measuring 27
inches to less than 59 inches per vessel/day/trip. Boats fishing under a Charter/Headboat category
permit (while fishing recreationally) were allowed one large school and one school-sized fish. The
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southern area “trophy” ABT fishery was closed down for the entire season. Weekly ABT landings
from May through July are shown in Figure 6 as no bluefin were reported after that month. No
completed catch cards were found in the Bluefin Tuna and Billfish After Hours Reporting Station
(kiosk) for 2011.
For 2011, a total of 430 ABT were reported through MDNRs ABT/Billfish Catch Card and
Tagging Program (Table 2). Three hundred seventy-four fish (86.98%) were classified as schools (27
to <47 in.). The large school class (47 to <59 in.) was represented by 40 fish (9.30%) followed by the
small medium class (59 to < 73 in.) with two fish (0.47%). Both of the small medium class fish were
reported at 59 inches. The curved fork length (CFL) for fourteen fish was unknown (3.26%). For
comparison, in 2010 a total of 423 fish were reported. The school class made up the majority (69.03%)
of reported landings followed by the large school class (29.08%). The small medium size class
comprised 0.47% of the catch.
In 2011, the Maryland average CFL was 39.2 inches; mode was 32 inches. For 2010 and 2009,
the average CFL was 42.4 and 51.1 inches, respectively. The modes for 2010 and 2009 were 42 and
63 inches, respectively. Larger modes and averages may have resulted from different seasonal catch
limits. The catch limits for 2010 were the same as those for 2011, aside from the “trophy” fishery (>
73 in.) season which closed on June 12, 2010 and no trophy fish came in.
Total yearly reported landings for 2011, 430 fish, were evaluated and compared to data from the
preceding 4 seasons (Figure 8). This season’s total was the second lowest. Charter boats landed
40.9% (176 ABT) of the recreational catch during the 2011 season. Private vessels comprised 55.6%
of the landings (239 ABT). Seven bluefin were reported from headboats (1.6%); the trip type for eight
excursions (1.9%) is not known (Figure 9).
Billfish (White Marlin, Blue Marlin, Swordfish, and Sailfish)
Billfish regulations are in Table 3. A total of 40 billfish were reported in 2011 through
MDNRs ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program (Table 4).
White Marlin and Roundscale Spearfish were not previously distinguished from each other,
however, since 2007 there has been an effort to separate the two species at competitions. The two
species are reported separately in Figure 10. The 2011 average Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) for
White Marlin is 70.4 inches. Roundscales returned an average of 68.9 inches. The average weight for
White Marlin was 71.80 pounds in 2011 while the Roundscale Spearfish averaged 64.2 pounds. One
Swordfish was reported with an LJFL of 50 inches this past season
Six Blue Marlins were reported in 2011 (Table 4). The mean LJFL of the Blue Marlin landed
in 2011 was 107.3 inches and the average weight was 484.3 pounds.
Recommendations:
1. Continue monitoring the recreational ABT, billfishes, swordfish, and sailfish landings in Ocean
City, MD.
2. Continue working to improve compliance by:
a. Attending major tournaments;
b. Posting species identification signs;
c. Reminding captains of trailered vessels that they are required to obtain catch cards and
tag any HMS species before removing their boats from the water;
d. Increase awareness about the after hours kiosk to the fishing community;
e. Giving cards and tags to responsible fish-cleaners.

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References
ICCAT. “International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic
Tunas.” 28 Nov. 2011. .
United States. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2006 National Survey of Fishing,
Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. National Overview. The
Service, 2007.
NMFS. 2011. “Introduction to the Highly Migratory Species” Management
Division.” 28 Nov. 2011.
.
State of Maryland. Department of Business and Economic Development.
Division of Marketing and Communitcations-Office of Research. The
Economic Impact of the White Marlin Open. 2010

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List of Tables
Table 1. List of 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program reporting stations.
Table 2. Summary of the 2011 recreationally landed Atlantic bluefin tunas reported through the
Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.
Table 3. 2011 summary of federal management measures for billfishes.

Table 4. 2011 summary of recreational landings, average Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL), and length
and weight ranges, for billfishes from Ocean City, MD, n=40. Data were reported through
the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.
List of Figures
Figure 1. Examples of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program landing
cards. Cards measured 5x7 inches.
Figure 2. Examples of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program tags.
Figure 3. Example of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program contract
between MDNR and marinas to act as a recreational reporting station.
Figure 4. Photograph of the 2011 Maryland recreational after-hours kiosk located at the MDNR field
office.
Figure 5. Photograph of the Maryland ABT/Billfish catch Card and Tagging
Program Promotional Sign posted at the west Ocean City Boat Ramp by
MD Natural Resources
Police.
Figure 6. May through October weekly seasonal landings of recreationally landed Atlantic bluefin
tuna for Maryland in 2011, n = 430. Data were reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish
Catch Card and Tagging Program.
Figure 7. 2007-2011 size class frequency comparison of recreationally landed Atlantic bluefin tuna
from Maryland. Data were reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and
Tagging Program (n= 4,326).
Figure 8. Cumulative recreational bluefin tuna landings by month and week from Ocean City,
Maryland, from 2007 to 2011, n = 4,311. Data were reported through the Maryland
ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.
Figure 9. 2011 Maryland recreational Atlantic bluefin tuna landings by boat type (n= 430). Data were
reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.
Figure10. Comparison of the frequency of recreationally caught billfishes with
roundscale spearfish sorted out in Maryland from 2007-2011, n = 200.
Data were reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card
and Tagging Program.
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Table 1. List of 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program reporting
stations.
Station ID
Reporting Station
City /State
Phone Number
1
Ake Marine
Ocean City, MD
(410) 213-0421
2
Bahia Marina
Ocean City, MD
(410) 289-7438
3
Fisherman’s Marina
Ocean City, MD
(410) 213-2478
4
Ocean Pines Marina
Ocean Pines, MD
(410) 641-7447
5
O.C. Fishing Center
Ocean City, MD
(410) 213-1121
6
Talbot Street Pier & Marina
Ocean City, MD
(410) 289-9125
7
White Marlin Marina
Ocean City, MD
(410) 289-6470
8
Sunset Marina
Ocean City, MD
(410) 213-9600
9
Pines Point Provisions and Seafood
Ocean Pines, MD
(410) 641-2248

Table 2. Summary of the 2011 recreationally landed Atlantic bluefin tunas reported through the
Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program
Size class category
# Landed
Percent of Total
School (27-<47 in.)
374
86.98
Large School (47-<59 in.)
40
9.30
Small Medium (59-<73 in.)
2
0.47
Unknown
14
3.26
Total
430
100

Table 3. 2011 Summary of federal management measures for billfishes.
Dates
Jan.1-Dec.31

Jan.1 – Dec. 31

Species
Blue Marlin
White Marlin
Sailfish

Category
A/C/H
A/C/H
A/C/H

Swordfish
A
Swordfish
C
Swordfish
H
A – Angler (A), Charter (C), and Headboat (H).

Creel/trip
No Limits

1 / Person; 4 / Vessel
1 / Paying Person; 6 / Vessel
1 / Paying Person; 15 / Vessel

Min Size
LJFL (in.)
99
66
63
47
47
47

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Table 4. 2011 summary of recreational landings, average Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL), and length
and weight ranges, for billfishes from Ocean City, MD, n = 40. Data were reported through the
Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.
Catch Card
Landings

Average LJFL

LJFL Range
(Inches)

White Marlin

26

70.4

63.0-81.0

Blue Marlin

6

107.3

101.0-120.0

258.0-699.5

Roundscale
Spearfish

7

68.9

67.5-71.0

58.0-69.0

Swordfish

1

50

N/A

Species

Weight Range
(Pounds)
55.0112.0

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Figure 1. Examples of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program
landing cards. Cards measured 5x7 inches.

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Figure 2. Examples of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program tags.

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2011 Cooperative Agreement to Act as a
Recreational Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and Billfish/Swordfish Reporting Station
Between

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources
&

__________________________________________________
The signatory operates this facility as a place of business open to the public with regular posted operating hours
and will act as a reporting station for recreationally harvested Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and billfish (White Marlin, Blue
Marlin, Sailfish) and Swordfish landed in the State of Maryland in accordance with the following conditions. *
On a Daily Basis:
1. From Bluefin tuna anglers, collect COMPLETED Maryland Bluefin Tuna Landing Cards and
issue a uniquely numbered Bluefin Tuna tag to the angler. Tags issued only upon receipt of the
COMPLETED landing card. Bluefin Tuna cannot be removed from a vessel before the angler attaches the
tag to the appropriate tuna.
2. From billfish/swordfish anglers, collect COMPLETED Maryland Billfish Landing Cards and issue a unique
numbered Billfish/Swordfish tag to the angler. Tags are issued only upon receipt of the COMPLETED
landing card. The Billfish/Swordfish cannot be removed from a vessel before the angler attaches the tag to
the appropriate billfish/swordfish.
3. The signatory, representing the reporting station, must account for all tags.
4. The reporting station will allow personnel from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to collect
completed landing cards and inventory remaining Tuna and Billfish/Swordfish tags. All tags must be kept
in a secure location.
Physical location address: ________________________________________________________
Business mailing address: ________________________________________________________
Telephone number: _____________________________________________________________
Hours of operation: _____________________________________________________________
Owner/Manager name: __________________________________________________________
Contact person: ________________________________________________________________
Person(s) responsible for checking catch cards & issuing tags: __________________________________________
* The Department reserves the right to terminate reporting station status for any reason including but not
limited to failure to maintain inventory of Bluefin tuna or billfish/swordfish tags and collect completed catch cards
and/or failure to cooperate with Department personnel in retrieval of said items.
Authorized signature:________________________________ Date: _____________________
Title:______________________________________________

Figure 3. Example of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program contract
between MDNR and marinas to act as a recreational reporting station.

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Figure 4. Photograph of the 2011 Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program afterhours kiosk located at the MDNR field office in West Ocean City.

Figure 5. Photograph of the Maryland ABT/Billfish catch Card and Tagging Program Promotional
Sign posted at the west Ocean City Boat Ramp by MD Natural Resources Police.

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Number of Tuna Landed

120
100
80
60
40
20
0

2011

5
May

19
May

02
Jun

16
Jun

30
Jun

14
Jul

24
Jul

Dates by Week

Figure 6. May through July weekly seasonal landings of recreationally landed Atlantic bluefin tuna for
Maryland in 2011, n = 430. No more tuna were reported following July. Data were reported through
the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.
900

2007

Numbers of Tuna Landed

800

2008

700

2009
600

2010
500

2011
400
300

One
fish for
2007

One in 2004
and 2008

200
100
0
Yo ung S c ho o l
(<27")

S c ho o l
(27"-<47")

La rge S c ho o l
(47"-<59")

S m a ll M e dium
(59"-<73")

La rge M e dium
(73"-<81)

Gia nt (81" o r >)

Una va ila ble

Size Class Categories (Curved Fork Lengths in Inches)

Figure 7. 2007 to 2011 size class frequency comparison of recreationally landed Atlantic bluefin tuna
from Maryland. Data were reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging
Program (n= 4,326). One (young school <27”) was landed in 2007 and one (giant >81”) was landed in
2008.

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Numbers of Tuna Landed

1800
1600

2007

1400

2008
2009

1200

2010
1000

2011

800
600
400
200
0
2

9

16 23 30
June

7

14 21 28
July

4

11 18 25
Aug

1

8

15 22 29
Sept

6

13 20 27
Oct

3

10 17 24
Nov

Figure 8. Cumulative recreational bluefin tuna landings by month and week from Ocean City,
Maryland, from 2007 to 2011, n = 4,311. Data were reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish
Catch Card and Tagging Program.
Unknown
2%
Headboat
2%

Charter
41%

Private
55%

Figure 9. 2011 Maryland recreational Atlantic bluefin tuna landings by boat type (n= 430). Data were
reported through the Maryland ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program

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40
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011

Numbers of Billfish landed

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
White Marlin

Blue Marlin

Roundscale

Sw ordfish

Figure 10. Comparison of the frequency of recreationally caught billfishes with roundscale spearfish
sorted out in Maryland from 2007-2011, n = 200. Data were reported through the Maryland
ABT/Billfish Catch Card and Tagging Program.

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