Saving Seafood

Council Actions

ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Board Sets 2024 Specifications for Delaware Bay-Origin Horseshoe Crabs

October 17, 2023 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board approved harvest specifications for Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crabs. Taking into consideration the output of the Adaptative Resource Management (ARM) Framework Revision, the Board set a harvest limit of 500,000 male and zero female Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crabs for the 2024 season.
“The Board stands behind the ARM Framework Revision as the best available tool to set harvest limits for horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay-origin. As a result of its use, the Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population has been increasing, with abundance of both female and male horseshoe crabs in the Delaware region at an all-time high since 2003. Despite this positive finding, the Board elected to implement zero female horseshoe crab harvest for the 2024 season as a conservative measure, considering continued public concern about the status of the red knot population in the Delaware Bay,” stated Board Chair John Clark of Delaware.
To make up for the lost harvest of larger female crabs, the Board agreed to increase Maryland and Virginia’s male harvest quotas with an offset ratio of 2:1 males to females. Using the allocation methodology established in Addendum VIII, the following quotas were set for New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia:
 
Delaware Bay-Origin Horseshoe Crab Quota (no. of crabs)
Total Quota**
State
Male Only
Male Only
Delaware
173,014
173,014 
New Jersey
173,014
173,014 
Maryland
132,865 
 255,980
Virginia*
21,107
81,331 
*Virginia harvest refers to harvest east of the COLREGS line only
**Total harvest quotas for Maryland and Virginia include crabs which are not of Delaware Bay origin.
As part of its ongoing discussions regarding how best to manage Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crabs and in response to the Stakeholder Survey, the Board will move forward with a Horseshoe Crab Management Objectives Workshop. The Workshop will include a small group of managers, scientists, and stakeholders to explore different management objectives for the Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crab, with a focus on multi-year specification setting and modeling approaches when selecting no female harvest. The intent would be to provide a report to the Board in time for the 2025 specification setting process next fall.
 
For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Coordinator, atcstarks@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.                                                                                                                             

NEFMC Seeks Scientific and Statistical Committee Nominees to Serve for 2024-2026

October 16, 2023 — The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).  The application deadline is December 20, 2023.

  • SSC appointments are for three years with a limit of three consecutive terms. The term under this request for nominations will begin in January 2024 and end December 2026.
  • SSC members receive a daily stipend for meetings and are reimbursed for travel expenses.
  • Nominees must submit:
    • A resume or CV, including the length and type of relevant experience;
    • A brief letter of interest describing reasons for wanting to join the SSC; and
    • A completed Statement of Financial Interest Form.
  • All materials must be received by December 20, 2023 and should be sent via email or mail to Joan O’Leary at:
    • joleary@nefmc.org;
    • New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950

SSC nominees should have expertise in stock assessment methods, population dynamics, statistics, fisheries biology, marine ecology, economics, or other social sciences as they apply to fisheries management. SSC members are expected to provide independent, scientific advice to the Council.

The purpose of the SSC is to assist the Council in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information relevant to the development of fishery management plans. The committee may:

  • Provide guidance to ensure that fishery management plans are based on the best scientific information available.
  • Provide the Council with scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch, overfishing limits, and achieving rebuilding targets, as well as social and economic impacts of management measures.
  • Provide peer reviews of regional scientific work, and methods and analyses prepared by the Council’s Plan Development Teams. Individuals may be appointed to serve on regional peer review panels, including for stock assessments.
  • Advise the Council on the preparation of comments on scientific issues.

More information is available in the Council’s Operations Handbook. If you have questions or need further details, please contact Rachel Feeney: rfeeney@nefmc.org; (978) 465-0492 ext. 110.

ASMFC 81st Annual Meeting Final Supplemental Materials Now Available

October 15, 2023 — Read the full article at Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Tautog Management Board – Public Comment

 

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Public Comment

Shad & River Herring Management Board – Public Comment

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Public Comment

The link to the Shad & River Herring Management Board’s first supplemental is now –http://asmfc.org/files/2023AnnualMeeting/Shad_RiverHerringBoardSupplemental_October2023_1.pdf.

As a reminder, the Commission’s Public Comment Guidelines are:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

Annual Banquet to be held November 3, 2023 in conjunction with the November Council Meeting

October 12, 2023 — The following was released by Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Annual Banquet will be held (in conjunction with the November 1-8, 2023 Council meeting) on Friday, November 3, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, California.

The Banquet honorees are Dave Hanson, Caren Braby, Wayne Heikkila, Brett Wiedoff, and Terrie Klinger.  Please join us in thanking them for their contributions to West Coast fisheries management through their work for the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

See the Council’s website for the banquet RSVP form and additional details. If you plan on attending, please RSVP today!

Questions? Please contact Ms. Renee Dorval at 503-820-2420.

Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting Scheduled for October 24-26, 2023

October 12, 2023 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) October 24-26, 2023 in Charleston, SC. The meeting is open to the public and available via webinar as it occurs. Registration is required.

The SSC is responsible for reviewing the scientific basis of Council management plans and actions to develop fishing level recommendations in accordance with national fisheries management guidelines. SSC members also play a key role in developing stock assessments for Council managed resources through participation in the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Program. 

Agenda Topics

During the three day meeting, the SSC will address a broad range of topics relative to federal fisheries. These include:

  • A review of the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Fishing Effort Survey Pilot Study and evaluating measurement error in the MRIP Fishing Effort Survey
  • Black Sea Bass – A presentation on the SEDAR 76 assessment
  • Modeling discards in fisheries and Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) determinations
  • Vermilion Snapper – an interim analysis report
  • BSIA (Best Scientific Information Available) National Standard 2 Regional Framework
  • Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery
  • South Atlantic Deepwater Longline Survey overview and workgroup report
  • Florida Hogfish – SEDAR 94 assessment Terms of Reference and participants
  • Yellowtail Snapper – Overfishing Limits and ABC considerations
  • Climate Change Scenario Planning Review

Additional Information

The briefing book materials, including the meeting agenda, overview, and presentations, are now available from the Council’s website:https://safmc.net/events/oct-2023-ssc-meeting/

An online public comment form for written comments is also available. Register now to attend the meeting via webinar and receive email reminders as the meeting date approaches. Learn more about the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. 

Advisory Panel Meetings

The Council will continue to hold meetings of its advisory panels in Charleston, SC in November. AP meetings are open to the public and also available via webinar. Details for upcoming advisory panel meetings are available at: https://safmc.net/advisory-panel-meetings/. 

Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel

November 1-3, 2023

Charleston Marriott

Webinar registration

Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel

November 6-7, 2023

Town and Country Inn

Webinar registration

Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel

November 7-8, 2023

Town and Country Inn

Webinar registration

Interested in serving on an advisory panel? See the latest announcement for open AP seats and apply now! The Council will consider applicants for various advisory panels during its December 4-8, 2023 meeting in Beaufort, SC. Learn more about the Council’s advisory panels at: https://safmc.net/about/advisory-panels/. 

ASMFC 81st Annual Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

October 11, 2023 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for ASMFC’s 81st Annual Meeting are now available and can be found in the below links or at https://www.asmfc.org/home/2023-annual-meeting.  For ease of access, all the supplemental materials have been combined into one document:http://asmfc.org/files/2023AnnualMeeting/ASMFC2023AnnualMeeting_Supplemental_Combined.pdf.

American Lobster Management Board – Public Comment

Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee – Business Plan

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Advisory Panel Nomination and Public Comment

Shad & River Herring Management Board – Technical Committee Meeting Summary and Draft FMP Review for the 2022 Fishing Year

ACCSP Coordinating Council – MAFMC Funding Letter

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – VIMS Atlantic Menhaden Research Planning; Draft FMP Review for the 2022 Fishing Year; Public Comment

Business Session of the Commission – Draft 2024 Action Plan and Draft 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

Spiny Dogfish Management Board – Draft FMP Review for the 2022/2023 Fishing Year

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – PDT Memo on Draft Addendum II Board Discussion

Sciaenids Management Board – Public Comment

As a reminder, the Commission’s Public Comment Guidelines are:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

  1. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, October 13 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution; please submit via email.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Host Public Webinar on NOAA Fisheries Climate Governance Policy

October 11, 2023 — The following was released by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will host a public webinar on Monday, October 16, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., to collect public comments on NOAA Fisheries’ draft procedural directive titled “Guidance on Council Authority for Preparing Fishery Management Plans for Stocks that May Extend across the Geographic Areas of more than one Council, pursuant to MSA §304(f).” Any comments provided during the webinar or submitted to the Council in writing (see below for instructions) will be compiled and submitted to NOAA Fisheries.

The draft procedural directive, which has also been referred to as the “Climate Governance Policy,” is intended to provide guidance on when and how the Secretary will review and assign, or re-assign, management authority over fisheries found across more than one Council jurisdiction. NOAA Fisheries has stated that additional guidance is needed to address governance issues associated with climate-related shifts in stock distributions. Given the Mid-Atlantic Council’s shared regional boundaries with two other East coast Councils, as well as the number of Mid-Atlantic stocks that extend beyond the Council region boundaries, this policy has the potential to directly impact a number of Mid-Atlantic Council fishery management plans. 

NOAA Fisheries is accepting public comments on the draft procedural directive until November 17, 2023. The eight regional fishery management councils have submitted a joint comment letter which identifies a number of concerns regarding the draft procedural directive. The Mid-Atlantic Council is currently developing a separate letter which will include additional comments specific to the Mid-Atlantic region. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee has also reviewed and provided comments on the draft procedural directive.

Although NOAA Fisheries is solely responsible for the development and potential revision of this procedural directive, the Council is conducting this supplemental outreach effort to ensure that all interested individuals have an opportunity to provide comment on this important issue.

Webinar Details and Comment Instructions

The webinar will be hosted by the Council on the Webex meeting platform. No pre-registration is required.

  • Date and Time: October 16, 2023, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
  • Webinar Link: Click here to join the webinar (if prompted, enter access code: 2341 187 1059 and password: uDYWF5pvq53). To join by phone only, dial 415-655-0001 and enter access code 2341 187 1059.

Written comments can be submitted to the Council using the Online Comment Form or by email to Mary Sabo at msabo@mafmc.org. Comments must be submitted to the Council by November 10 to be compiled and transmitted to NOAA Fisheries prior to the comment deadline. Comments may also be submitted directly to NOAA Fisheries by email to marian.macpherson@noaa.gov.

Council Receives Atlantic Cod Assessment Report, Framework Updates; Supports 2024 U.S./Canada TACs for Georges Bank

October 10, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received the peer-reviewed results of the 2023 Atlantic Cod Research Track Assessment when it met in late-September in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The results provide a new understanding of cod stock structure, which will guide the Council’s work in the year ahead as it develops an Atlantic Cod Management Transition Plan.

The Council also: (1) approved the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee’s 2024 total allowable catch recommendations for three shared U.S./Canada groundfish resources on Georges Bank; and (2) was The Atlantic Cod Research Track Assessment Working Group and Peer Review Panel determined that cod is comprised of four biological stock units, which cover: the Eastern Gulf of Maine; the Western Gulf of Maine (winter/spring spawners); Georges Bank; and Southern New England. – Working Group graphic presented with updates on two framework adjustments to the groundfish plan that are under development.

Atlantic Cod Stock Structure

The Council currently makes management decisions for Atlantic cod based on two biological stock units – one for Georges Bank and one for the Gulf of Maine

However, a years-long investigation into cod stock structure that led to a series of workshops and recently culminated with the 2023 Atlantic Cod Research Track Stock Assessment concluded that cod is better defined by four biological stock units:

• Eastern Gulf of Maine;

• Western Gulf of Maine (winter/spring spawners);

• Georges Bank; and

• Southern New England.

Going forward, overfished and overfishing determinations will be made separately for each of the four biological stock units. The first official status determination for each stock will be driven by the outcome of the June 2024 Management Track Stock Assessments for Atlantic cod.

Now that the results of the research track assessment are known, the Council’s work will ramp up as it addresses how to manage cod under this new understanding of cod stock structure. The Council is working on an Atlantic Cod Management Transition Plan through which it will develop criteria for future management units and quota allocation issues, among other topics. Here is the tentative timeline:

January through April 2024 – The Council will work on a first draft of the transition plan, which will include a discussion of whether potential management changes should be addressed through a framework adjustment or an amendment to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan (FMP); and Ø

May through August 2024 – The Council will continue to work on the transition plan. At this point, it will discuss whether any management changes should be incorporated into the annual framework action that will be developed over the summer and fall with specifications and other measures for the 2025 groundfish fishing year, which will begin on May 1, 2025.

Tropical Tuna Workshops Lead to Progress in Developing Favorable Management Measure for U.S. Pacific Island Fisheries

October 10, 2023 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Council and the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority convened an informal meeting last week to discuss longline fishery management components of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission conservation and management measure for tropical tunas. Held at the WCPFC headquarters in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, workshop participants included individuals from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), Parties of the Nauru Agreement (PNA), other Pacific Island countries, USA, Taiwan and Korea. 

 The workshop was the third held this year by the Council and MIMRA focusing on longline provisions with the WCPFC’s marquee tropical tuna measure, which expires at the end of the year. The WCPFC is meeting in December 2023 in Rarotonga, Cook Islands to negotiate a new tropical tuna measure, which covers key tuna stocks of skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye. Nearly 60% of global tuna supply is covered under the WCPFC’s tropical tuna measure.

 The latest 2023 Pacific Community (SPC) stock assessment for bigeye tuna showed that under recent catch levels, as well as greater levels of exploitation, the bigeye tuna stock is projected to increase. At the workshop, SPC staff discussed projections that forecast stock biomass depletion levels and associated risks of breaching biomass sustainability limits under varying longline catch and purse seine effort scenarios. The bottomline is that there is room to increase longline catches and allow some decreases in purse seine fish aggregating device (FAD) closures while still meeting WCPFC conservation objectives.

 Supported by scientific evidence, for the past several years the United States has proposed at the WCPFC’s annual meeting to increase its bigeye tuna longline limit without success. The existing United States’ bigeye longline limit is caught in its entirety by the Hawaii-based longline fishery and is reached every year by October and often earlier. The U.S. longline limit is based on a single year (2004) as its baseline and has never been commensurate with the the Hawaii longline limited-entry permitted fishery’s capacity. The federally managed Hawaii-based longline fleet is the State’s largest food producer and an increased U.S. longline bigeye limit supports Hawaii’s food self sufficiency and resiliency objectives. The Hawaii based-longline fishery lands premium ice-chilled seafood principally for Hawaii and domestic markets and is subject to unmatched monitoring and protected species mitigation measures. At a minimum, the WCPFC at its meeting in December should consider increased longline bigeye limits for highly monitored and comprehensively managed fishing fleets such as the Hawaii longline fishery.

 

WCPFC Member Nations Consider Limiting High Seas Fishing Effort

While the United States considers closing additional federal waters in the Pacific to fishing through domestic development of a National Marine Sanctuary, existing international arrangements limit fishing on the high seas. The WCPFC, at its September 29-30 workshop, discussed further limiting high seas fishing for purse seine vessels, which is the gear responsible for nearly 70% of global tuna catch. Pacific Island countries support high seas fishing restrictions as a means to drive fishing effort into their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) to collect access fees for their local island economies. In addition, the high seas could potentially be limited through the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), which was adopted earlier this year.

 With the high seas subject to futher potential restrictions, prohibiting all commercial fishing within the proposed Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Sanctuary would unnecessarily harm U.S. tuna fleets and negatively impact American Samoa’s tuna dependent economy.

 

 America Samoa Seeks Privileges for SIDS and Participating Territories

Council member Taotasi Archie Soliai from American Samoa made an impassioned plea to WCPFC members at the workshop, particularly fellow Pacific Islanders, to recognize fishing vessels that are integral to the territory’s economy to be granted privileges given to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Participating Territories. 

 American Samoa is seeking to have U.S.-flagged purse seine vessels that supply the cannery in Pago Pago be exempt from high seas limits and seasonal FAD closures. Other Pacific Island nations have utilized this exemption to optimize their fishery production. 

 Addressing the Commission, Soliai said, “The highest priority for American Samoa is to gain full recognition of the disproportionate burden we have borne as a SIDS / Participating Territory, and to maintain a reliable supply of tuna for processing in our one remaining cannery.”

 The WCPFC is an international commission responsible for managing highly migratory species fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The WCPFC is comprised of 26 member countries and seven Particiating Territories, including the United States and American Samoa, CNMI and Guam.

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Wednesday, October 11, 2023 – Gulf of Maine Haddock, Scallop, and Skate Issues

October 4, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet to discuss issues related to Atlantic sea scallops, Gulf of Maine haddock, and the Northeast skate complex.  The public is invited to listen live.  Here are the details.

 
 
WHERE:  DoubleTree by Hilton in Portland, Maine.  This is an in-person meeting, coupled with a webinar option.  Please do not attend this meeting in person if you do not feel well.
 
START TIME:  9:30 a.m.
 
WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to join the meeting through this webinar.  The Remote Participation Guide is postedhere.
 
CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen-only by telephone, dial +1 (631) 992-3221.  The access code is 434-460-639.  Your regular phone charges will apply.
 
AGENDA:  The SSC will meet to:
 
  • Review information provided by the Council’s Scallop, Groundfish, and Skate Plan Development Teams, as well as stock assessment information where appropriate, and recommend overfishing limits (OFLs) and acceptable biological catches (ABCs) for:
 
    • Gulf of Maine haddock for fishing years 2024 and 2025;
 
    • Atlantic sea scallops for fishing year 2024 and the default OFL and ABC for fishing year 2025; and
 
    • The Northeast skate complex for fishing years 2024 and 2025; and
 
  • Discuss other business as necessary.
 
COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 9, 2023.  Address comments to Council Chair Eric Reid or Executive Director Cate O’Keefe and email them to comments@nefmc.org.
 
MATERIALS:  All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC October 11, 2023 meeting webpage.
 
QUESTIONS:  Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492, ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.