| MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM: ONGOING STUDIES | ||||||
| MMS OCS Region: | Headquarters | |||||
| Title: | Environmental Investigation of the Use of Shoals Offshore Maryland by Mobile Benthos and Finfish Species (NT-02-02) | |||||
| Total Cost: | $424K | Period of Performance: | FY 2002-2004 | |||
| Conducting Organization: | Versar, Inc. | |||||
| MMS Contact: | Colleen Finnegan | |||||
| Description: | ||||||
| Background | ||||||
| MMS has for several years worked cooperatively with coastal States through their respective geological surveys to locate potential sand borrow areas in Federal waters offshore their respective coasts. This has resulted in the identification of many submerged shoals which are composed of compatible sand for coastal and beach restoration purposes. Numerous species of fish and other mobile organisms are known to inhabit these shoal areas, many of which have been identified as potential sources of sand for nearby beach nourishment projects. The potential for long-term adverse impacts to resident fish populations does exist if a dredging operation were to result in a significantly altered physiography/topography. | ||||||
| Objectives | ||||||
| The objectives of the study are to determine if
the shoals offshore the east coast states:
1) serve as orientation features for finfish and mobile epi-benthos to orient to during migrations or other population movements; 2) serve as a staging ground for various species of finfish and mobile epi-benthos during migrations or other population movements; 3) provide needed physical habitat structure for a variety of marine species, this structure would otherwise be lacking on the largely flat seafloor; and 4) serve to maintain physical habitat diversity by contributing to maintenance of adjacent lows and seafloor flats. |
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| Methods | ||||||
| Versar is investigating how various fish species use different areas of the shoals offshore Maryland and Delaware through a combination of video sled transects, bio-acoustic surveys, and the use of several types of trawling gear. | ||||||
| Importance to MMS | ||||||
| MMS, in its role of regulator and environmental steward, must ensure that no adverse effects occur to the fish populations which inhabit the shoal areas which have been identified as potential sources of beach-compatible sand. The 1996 amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Act strengthened the ability of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Fishery Management Councils to protect and conserve the habitat of marine, estuarine, and anadromous finfish, mollusks, and crustaceans. This habitat is termed "essential fish habitat" (EFH) and is broadly defined to include "those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity”. The Act requires the Councils to describe and identify the essential habitat for the managed species, minimize to the extent practicable adverse effects on EFH caused by fishing, and identify other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of EFH. NMFS must coordinate with other federal agencies to conserve and enhance EFH, and federal agencies must consult with NMFS on all actions or proposed actions authorized, funded, or undertaken by the agency that may adversely affect EFH. NMFS must provide recommendations to federal and state agencies on such activities to conserve EFH. MMS has actively worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NMFS during project/negotiated lease development and the EFH consultation process using whatever information is currently available to avoid impacts to various fish species in shoal areas proposed as sand borrow sites. Little information is available, however, relative to the use of these offshore shoal areas by fish and various mobile species. | ||||||
| Current Status: | The draft report has been reviewed and comments submitted. There were numerous comments on the draft and this has lead to a major revision for the final report. The final report will be delivered by the end of February 2006. | |||||
| Final Report Due: | February 2006 | |||||
| Publications: | ||||||
| Affiliated WWW Sites: | ||||||
| Revised date: | February 2006 | |||||
| ESPIS |
ESPIS - All completed
ESP Studies: |
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