Putting it to Work: REEF participates in Hogfish fisheries assessment workshop

Last month, longtime REEF scientific advisor and Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Dr. Brice Semmens, participated in an important fisheries science meeting in Florida to help shape how Hogfish populations are assessed and managed in the Southeast U.S. This meeting was part of the SEDAR (Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review) process, a formal scientific review used by government agencies to assess the health of fish populations and determine sustainable catch limits. These assessments have real world impacts by influencing fishing regulations, quotas, and conservation strategies that directly affect the future of species like Hogfish.

Hogfish are known for being difficult to monitor with traditional fishery-dependent methods, and REEF data can provide valuable information to help inform decision making. While at the meeting, Semmens worked with regional assessment scientists to translate citizen science data from the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP) into indices of Hogfish abundance. The VFSP has collected one of the longest and most comprehensive fisheries-independent time series available for fishes in Florida and throughout the Atlantic Ocean, providing a unique and essential dataset for understanding species population trends.

This is a major step forward in recognizing the power of community-based science and the unique value of divers' firsthand observations, and we’re proud to represent the voices of ocean stewards in this critical decision making process. Semmens’ participation in the workshop is part of REEF's broad efforts to link citizen science data with formal fisheries stock assessments, an important part of sustainable fisheries management. The SMILE (Size Matters: Innovative Length Estimates) project, developed with support from the Southeast Fisheries Management Council, aims to collect fish length information for species of management importance. Together, REEF’s fish abundance and size data will support the inclusion of citizen science data into fisheries management models.