Saving Seafood

Council Actions

NEFMC Roundup – Herring, EBFM, Skates, Red Hake, January 2020 Meeting

February 5, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

Here are several timely management actions that directly relate to the work of the New England Fishery Management Council.

ATLANTIC HERRING SPECIFICATIONS:  The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS/NOAA Fisheries) is collecting public comment through February 12, 2020 on Framework Adjustment 6 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP).  This framework was developed by the Council to set specifications and catch limits for the 2020 and 2021 fishing years and update the overfished and overfishing definitions for Atlantic herring.  Visit the Council’s Framework 6 webpage.  Stakeholders also may want to keep tabs on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s progress on Draft Addendum III to the Interstate Atlantic Herring FMP, which may impact how the Area 1A quota is allocated.
 
ATLANTIC HERRING ASSESSMENT:  Atlantic herring is one of several stocks undergoing a management track assessment in 2020.  An Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) meeting is scheduled for February 25, 2020 in Woods Hole, MA.  The agenda and webinar registration information can be found on the meeting webpage.  Discussions related to Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, and longfin inshore squid are scheduled for the afternoon.  Surfclams, ocean quahogs, and butterfish are on deck in the morning.  The assessment peer review meeting for Atlantic herring and the other stocks mentioned above is scheduled for June 22-26, 2020.
 
EBFM CONTRACTOR:  The Council is seeking a contractor to prepare Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management-related public outreach materials.  Letters of interest and supporting documents must be received by February 14, 2020.  Details are available at EBFM Outreach.  Here’s a link to the announcement.
 
SKATES:  NOAA Fisheries is collecting public comment through March 6, 2020 on Framework Adjustment 8 to the Northeast Skate Complex FMP.  The framework was developed by the Council to set skate wing and skate bait specifications for the 2020-2021 fishing years.  Visit the Council’s Skate Framework Adjustment 8 webpage for more information.
 
RED HAKE:  On February 3, NOAA Fisheries reduced the commercial possession limit for southern red hake from 5,000 pounds to the incidental limit of 400 pounds per trip for the remainder of the fishing year, which ends April 30.  The agency took this action after projecting that 90% of the total allowable landings limit would be reached on or around February 2.  Details are available in the Federal Register notice.  The Council is working on an action to rebuild southern red hake.  Visit the Council’s whiting webpageand take a look at materials from the last Joint Whiting Committee and Advisory Panel meeting and January 2020 Council meeting.  The Council will be sending out additional information about this action in the near future.
 
NEFMC JANUARY 2020 MEETING:  The full New England Council met January 28-30, 2020 in Portsmouth, NH.  Visit the meeting webpage to access the audio and all meeting materials.  Among the many topics covered, the Council discussed how it uses sociocultural information in its process.  Take a look at the presentation and report.  Also, here’s a list of news releases from the meeting.
SAVE THE DATE:  The Council’s next meeting will be held April 14-16, 2020 in Mystic, CT.

NEFMC Votes to Send Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 out for Comment with Preferred Alternatives

February 5, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council voted on January 29 to send Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 out for public comment. The amendment contains numerous proposals, and the Council selected several “preferred alternatives” to help guide the public in supplying feedback. The hearings will take place this spring, likely in late March and April. The Council then will review all oral and written comments and take final action during its June 23-25 meeting in Freeport, ME.

The Council developed the amendment “to improve the reliability and accountability of catch reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery to ensure there is precise and accurate representation of catch.” Catch is defined as both landings and discards.

Read the full release here

ASMFC Atlantic Herring Board Approves Draft Addendum III for Public Comment

February 4, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board approved Draft Addendum III to Amendment 3 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes options to better manage the Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) sub-annual catch limit (ACL) under low quota scenarios. This action responds to the challenges encountered in managing the reduced sub-ACL based on the 2018 benchmark stock assessment, which highlighted declining trends in recruitment and spawning stock biomass.

Currently, the Board can allocate the sub-ACL throughout the fishing season using bi-monthly, trimester, or seasonal quota periods to meet the needs of the fishery. For the 2019 fishing season, the Board implemented a bimonthly quota period approach to maximize use of the reduced sub-ACL when demand for bait is high. Due to the low quota, the 2019 fishery experienced frequent closures to avoid an overage. The 2020 sub-ACL (3,344 mt) is lower than in 2019, creating further challenges in distributing the quota throughout the fishing season. The Draft Addendum considers additional tools to provide the Board more flexibility in specifying the allocation under low quota scenarios and meet the needs of the herring fishery moving forward. 
 
Additionally, the Draft Addendum considers expanding landing provisions across different permit categories within the days out program. The Board utilizes days out of the fishery and weekly landing limits to adjust the rate of Area 1A catch. The Draft Addendum includes options that apply weekly landing limits to all vessel categories landing herring in Area 1A throughout the entire fishing season.
 
Interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum will be available on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Public Input by February 12, 2020. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on March 25, 2020 and should be forward to Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; 703.842.0741 (fax) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Atlantic Herring Draft Addendum III). It is anticipated some states will conduct public hearings on the Draft Addendum; the details of which will be released via a press release once they are finalized.
 
For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

NEFMC Recommends 2020 Recreational Measures for Gulf of Maine Cod/Haddock

February 4, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is supporting 2020 recreational fishing measures for Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock that provide an additional springtime window of fishing opportunity for cod and greater access to the abundant haddock resource. The Council took this position during its late January 2020 meeting in Portsmouth, NH based on advice from both its Recreational Advisory Panel and Groundfish Committee.

The measures are recommendations only that are being submitted to the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) of NOAA Fisheries for consideration. NOAA Fisheries will make the final decision and anticipates implementing recreational measures by May 1, the start of the new fishing year.

Read the full release here

Reminder: Public Scoping Hearings to Begin Next Week

February 3, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Scoping hearings will begin next week for two amendments that will consider potential changes to the management of summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Scoping is the first and best opportunity to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered in these amendments. You are encouraged to submit comments on which options may or may not be useful or practical for meeting the goals of these amendments, as well as any other relevant issues that should be considered.

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment

This amendment will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Members of the public are encouraged to attend a scoping hearing or submit written comments on potential changes to the commercial/recreational allocations for these three species.

Please note that this amendment will not address recreational bag, size, or season limits for any species.

Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment

This amendment is being developed in order to (1) update the goals and objectives of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan; (2) perform a comprehensive review of the bluefish sector allocations, commercial allocations to the states, and transfer processes; and (3) initiate a bluefish rebuilding plan. Members of the public are encouraged to attend a scoping hearing or submit written comments on any of these issues.

Please note that this amendment will not address recreational bluefish management measures, including the 3-fish private/shore bag limit and 5-fish for-hire bag limit recommended for 2020. 

2020 Public Scoping on Hawaiʻi Pelagic Small-Boat Fisheries

January 31, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will hold public scoping meetings on Hawai‘i’s pelagic small-boat fisheries from Feb. 4 to 13 throughout the Hawaiian Islands. If you fish more than 3 miles offshore (i.e., beyond state waters) for open-water species (e.g., not bottomfish) and use any gear/method besides longlines, these meetings should be of interest to you.

Public scoping meetings provide fishermen and other interested members of the public an opportunity to bring to the Council’s attention those issues important to the management of their fisheries. The Council is currently assessing the effectiveness of the monitoring for the Hawai‘i pelagic small-boat fisheries. Data collected is used to develop annual reports on the performance of the fisheries and the status of the fish stocks that they catch. The Council uses these reports to determine management measures, research needs and fishery development projects to support. The meetings will provide more in-depth details on the process and provide an opportunity for you to give oral or written comments on your thoughts about issues regarding Hawai’i’s pelagic small-boat fisheries and management of them.

A summary report of the meetings will be provided to the Council at its 181st meeting on March 9-12, 2020, in Honolulu, where the Council may make recommendations for management as needed.

For the public scoping meeting schedule, see below or click here for the flyer. Additional information will be posted on the Council’s website at www.wpcouncil.org/hawaiismallboatfishery, so please check there for scoping materials. If you have questions, contact the Council at (808) 522-8220 or email info@wpcouncil.org.

Come be a part of the decision-making process for your fisheries!

PFMC: March 3-9, 2020 PFMC Meeting Notice and Agenda Now Available

January 31, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC or Council) and its advisory bodies will meet March 3-9, 2020 in Rohnert Park, California, to address issues related to groundfish, salmon, Pacific halibut, highly migratory species, ecosystem, habitat, and administrative matters. The meeting of the Council and its advisory entities will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Sonoma Wine Country, One Doubletree Drive, Rohnert Park, CA 94928: telephone, 707-584-5466.

Please see the March 3-9, 2020 Council meeting notice on the Council’s website for meeting detail, schedule of advisory body meetings, our new E-Portal for submitting public comments, and public comment deadlines.

Key agenda items for the meeting include Council considerations to:

  • Adopt Public Review Alternatives for 2020 Ocean Salmon Fisheries
  • Adopt Final Forecasting Methods for Willapa Bay Coho Salmon
  • Consider Range of Alternatives for Transitioning Management of Non-Indian Directed Commercial Halibut Fishery from
  • International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) to PFMC/National Marine Fisheries Service
  • Adopt Public Review Options for Pacific Halibut Retention in 2020Salmon Troll Fishery
  • Adopt Final Pacific Halibut Retention Limits for 2020 Fixed Gear Sablefish Fishery
  • Annual Report on California Current Ecosystem
  • Adopt Final Updates to Fishery Ecosystem Plan Chapters 1 and 2, Including a Vision Statement, and a Revised Set of Goals and Objectives; Review Proposed Changes to Remaining Chapters
  • Update on 2021-2022 Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures
  • Consider Exempted Fishing Permits for 2021-2022 Groundfish Fisheries, Including Electronic Monitoring
  • Adopt Final Groundfish Inseason Adjustments for 2020, Including Shorebased Carryover
  • Review the Final Rule, Revisit Previous Council Recommendations, and Provide Guidance on Future Council Considerations for Drift Gillnet Swordfish Fishery Hardcaps

For further information:
Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff at 503-820-2280; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

North Pacific Council to Hear From Alaska Charter Operators on Halibut Catch Limits

January 30, 2020 — This week the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) will hear from eminent scientists about prioritized research in Alaska that is underfunded, ways to change data reporting that maintains “best science available” standards, how to best fund the all-important observer program in areas not yet 100% covered, how to balance bycatch with directed halibut fishing, and what will done about the sablefish overage from last year, among other agenda items.

The solidly-packed agenda is not unusual, but among those weighty issues, the one that has illicited the most comments from industry — 62 compared to 5 for the next most commented-on topic — was the halibut catch limit for Gulf of Alaska (Area 3A) charter operators.

Read the full story at Seafood News

NEFMC Views Scallop Video, Honors Dr. Weinberg, Receives Updates on Data Portal, Market Development

January 30, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received a number of updates and reports on the first day of its January 28-30, 2020 meeting in Portsmouth, NH. Here’s a quick rundown of the day’s highlights.

The Council received a presentation on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal, which contains over 5,000 maps showing a variety of ocean uses, including fishing activity, and provides a wide range of information related to marine life, habitat, offshore wind, aquaculture, and more.

During the presentation, representatives from the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) informed the Council that they, along with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), are working collaboratively to update commercial fisheries data on the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portals and engage industry through focus groups and other outreach efforts in the development of data products. The groups have federal funding for 2020 to advance regional data sharing to help in management decision making.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Reviews Great South Channel HMA Research Proposal; Receives Wind Updates

January 30, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council discussed several offshore wind and habitat-related issues during its late January meeting in Portsmouth, NH, including a proposed exempted fishing permit (EFP) for the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area (HMA) that would allow surfclam and mussel dredging within a defined portion of Rose & Crown – one of the HMA’s research-only areas.

The HMA was created through the Council’s Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2, which was implemented April 9, 2018. Surfclam dredge vessels were granted a one-year exemption to continue fishing in the area. The exemption expired April 9, 2019.

The Council developed a Clam Dredge Framework as a trailing action to the amendment to consider allowing the use of clam dredge gear and, subsequently, mussel dredge gear within the HMA if the gear could be used without harming sensitive habitat.

Read the full release here