Conservation & Environment

June 11, 2015 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Sustainable Swordfish LLC (SSLLC) U.S. North Atlantic swordfish longline fishery has attained certification to the global Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard as sustainable and well-managed. Following an independent assessment conducted by Intertek Fisheries Certification (IFC), swordfish (Xiphias gladius) from this fishery is now eligible to carry the blue MSC ecolabel.

About the Sustainable Swordfish LLC (SSLLC) US North Atlantic swordfish fishery

The SSLLC U.S. North Atlantic swordfish longline fishery operates along the U.S. East Coast from Maine to the Atlantic tip of Florida. The fishery is open year-round and pelagic longline gear with hooks are used to target swordfish in the area. Swordfish from this fishery is primarily sold fresh in restaurants and retail markets across the U.S.

As Atlantic swordfish (Xiphias gladius) is highly migratory, the species is managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which conducts stock assessments and sets total allowable catches for swordfish; and by the Highly Migratory Species Management Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which establishes regulations for U. S. vessels.

Demonstrated sustainable principles help to ensure health of oceans

“We are pleased to attain MSC certification as a sustainable and well-managed fishery,” said Bill Struzziery, Resource Manager of North Coast Seafoods Corp. and President of Sustainable Swordfish LLC. “By demonstrating sustainable principles, including spearheading international harvest restrictions and advancing the use of circle hooks and other innovative gear tools and techniques, the SSLLC US North Atlantic swordfish fishery is helping to lead the way in contributing to sustainable seafood for future generations. We welcome MSC certification as validation of the hard work taken by the fishery to continue operating in a responsible and sustainable manner and consumers can now be assured that this fishery is recognized as sustainable and well-managed against the MSC standard.”

Certification to the MSC standard will help to safeguard seafood supplies for the future

“We congratulate the SSLLC U.S. North Atlantic swordfish fishery on the achievement of attaining certification to the global MSC standard,” said Geoff Bolan, MSC’s U.S. Program Director.  “The commitment and demonstrated sustainability of this fishery will help to safeguard seafood supplies and contribute to healthy oceans for the future.”

About the certification

Intertek Fisheries Certification (IFC), an independently accredited conformity assessment body, conducted the third-party assessment against the global MSC standard. To achieve MSC certification, fisheries are assessed against three principles – the status of the fish stock, the impact of the fishery on the marine ecosystem and the fishery’s management system. For additional information about the assessment process, visit MSC Fisheries Standard.

 

June 8, 2015 — WESTPORT, Conn. (AP) – Fish such as black seabass and summer flounder that prefer warm water are appearing more frequently in Long Island Sound because of climate change, according to a report released Monday on the health of the sound.

And fish such as winter flounder, Atlantic herring and red herring that prefer cold water are slowly decreasing, according to the report by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Read the full story from the Associated Press

June 8 , 2015 — Gingerly holding a slithering eel bent on escaping though the net she was holding, Rockport Middle School student Ali Schafer looked haplessly at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Biologist Eric Hutchins and made the universal face for icky.

Hutchins had collected the 11-inch American eel to show students how it compared to the juveniles, called glass eels because of their transparency, he caught earlier at his station on the school’s annual research field trip to Millbrook Pond. The eels’ life is one of mystery, he explained. They migrate from the Sargasso Sea, where they return to spawn and die, approximately 3,241 miles from Rockport.

“Years and millions of dollars of research have never definitively found where the eels spawn in the sea,” Hutchins said.

The sea is sited in the North Atlantic Gyre, a region where four currents — the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, the Canary Current, and the North Atlantic Equatorial Current — come together, carrying in a rich mix of marine plants and debris they pick up along the way.

Read the full story from the Gloucester Daily Times

 

July 5, 2015 — A federal agency has recommended that the rebounding population of humpback whales in the North Atlantic — often visible off Massachusetts’ shores — and in other regions should be removed from the endangered species list.

At a meeting in Plymouth this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration presented its reasoning for upgrading 10 of the 14 populations from endangered species to “fully recovered,” which means less special protections from fisheries and other oceanic activities.

“We’re confident the recovery will be sustained,” Angela Somma, NOAA’s chief endangered species expert, said by phone Thursday. “We view this as a success story.”

Read the full story at The Boston Globe

June 5, 2015 — As the climate warms, fish may flee the Equator for cooler waters with more oxygen, according to a new study in the journal Science.

“The oceans are warming up, and the amount of oxygen in the ocean is going down and will continue to go down,” said Curtis Deutsch, an oceanographer at the University of Washington and one of the study’s authors. “When you put those two things together, it will limit the habitat space an animal has.”

In warmer waters, the metabolic rate of fish also rises, and they require more food and oxygen, he said.

Read the full story at the New York Times

 

June 5, 2015 — NEW JERSEY — In a strongly worded letter to Dr. France A. Cordova, director of the National Science Foundation, NJ DEP Commissioner Bob Martin condemned, in no uncertain terms, the seismic study that was set to begin this week off the coast.

The DEP has been stymied so far in its efforts to get the climate-related study halted.

The study involves blasting 250 decibel sound waves every 30 seconds for 30 days in an area 18 to 45 miles southeast of Barnegat Inlet.

Environmentalists, fisherman and marine mammal experts are anxious to stop the study for the harm it may cause to fish, whales and other marine mammals that live in or pass through the area.

While he is not in favor of any seismic testing, Commissioner Martin also takes exception to the timing of the study.

“This study is taking place at the worst possible time of the year due to the foreseeable effects it will have on New Jersey’s coastal resources,” he wrote.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

 

May 26, 2015 — Two Michigan lawmakers they and other members of Congress are sponsoring bipartisan legislation to protect the Great Lakes from the damaging effects of plastic microbeads found in some soaps and personal care products.

May 22, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Contacts: Jennifer Goebel, NOAA Fisheries 978-281-9373  or 617-335-4301 (cell)Monica Pepe, Whale and Dolphin Conservation 508-746-2522 Whale Watches with Whale SENSE: Leading the Industry in a Responsible Direction Voluntary Whale SENSE program in the Northeast and Alaska delivers great whale watching experiences while keeping whales safe  Whale watch season is off to a great start here in the Northeast, with dozens of humpbacks, minke, and fin whales feeding, resting, and socializing in the area. Through Whale SENSE, a voluntary responsible whale watching program sponsored by NOAA and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, whale watchers can be assured that their exhilarating experiences with the whales are not interfering with the whales’ natural behaviors.The Whale SENSE program, which started seven years ago in collaboration with Atlantic Coast whale watching companies, now spans two coasts. A total of 13 whale watch companies in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey will participate in the 2015 program, and, as of this spring, seven new participants have joined in Juneau, Alaska. “The growth of the Whale SENSE program offers passengers a means of choosing a company that will provide them with the most up-to-date information on whales, while ensuring that the trip is safe for not only the passengers, but also the whales,” says Monica Pepe of Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Whale SENSE participants follow viewing guidelines by reducing speeds, keeping a safe distance, and communicating with other vessels. They also pledge to advertise responsibly by captioning pictures to inform their passengers of how whales are protected. In addition, Whale SENSE participants receive annual training on whale protection laws, and participate in environmental conservation projects, such as beach clean-ups or internship programs. In the event that they see a marine animal is in distress, they also stand by the animal until authorized rescuers arrive. “Whale SENSE reminds us to think about the needs of the animals along with the needs of the industry. The expansion of Whale SENSE to Alaskan waters unites the industry in our mission to watch whales and other marine wildlife in a responsible way,” said Stanley Tavares, owner of Plymouth and Provincetown Whale Watching. All whales in U.S. waters are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it illegal to injure, kill, or harass whales. “We feel that affording whales the right to exist in relative peace by following Whale SENSE protocols for responsible whale watching is important for the long-term well-being of all whales,” said Blair Perkins, owner and captain of Shearwater Excursions. Having served more than 1 million passengers, Whale SENSE companies continue to be the SENSE-ible whale watching choice. To find out if a whale watch company participates in the program, check for the new Whale SENSE logo that is displayed on all participating vessels. Get a list of  Whale SENSE participants in your area, and keep up with Whale SENSE on Facebook.