August 19, 2020 — Last year, Maine’s lobster fishery brought in almost $500 million to the state, and even more when you count the economic benefits to dealers, processors and restaurants. Now, with the pandemic hindering the market for lobsters locally and around the world, this signature industry has been impacted severely. We will talk about how the industry is facing challenges, and what efforts are underway to find new ways to market lobsters and connect with consumers.
VIRGINIA NIXES STRIPED BASS “BONUS FISH PROGRAM” IN LIGHT OF CONSERVATION EFFORTS
August 19, 2020 — When Virginia fishery managers virtually eliminated the striped bass trophy season one year ago, the came up with a plan that would still allow anglers to catch that “once in a lifetime” fish.
But in the interest of protecting the rockfish spawning stock, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) has announced it’s cutting the proposed Striped Bass Bonus Fish Program.
Finding that striped bass were being overfished, East Coast fisheries managers required Virginia, Maryland and the rest of the Atlantic states to reduce their rockfish removals by 18 percent. To achieve the reduction, VMRC took actions in August 2019 that included dropping the fall recreational fishing limit to one rockfish per angler per day and creating a maximum size limit of 36 inches for the fall.
Sens. Markey and Warren press NOAA on observer redeployment while stock surveys remain suspended due to COVID-19
August 19, 2020 — The following was released by The Offices of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey (D-MA):
Dear Acting Administrator Jacobs:
We write regarding steps that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has taken during the COVID-19 pandemic to manage fisheries stocks in the Northeast. We appreciate the challenges your agency faces in balancing the safety of NOAA employees, observers, fishermen, and broader communities with regulatory requirements for monitoring, observations, and surveys. However, we question the lack of consistency between the current operational plan for monitoring and observation and that for ecosystem surveys.
The dangers posed to the health of both fishing boat crews and observers led NOAA to temporarily waive at-sea monitor and observer coverage in the Northeast. The size of fishing vessels and the nature of the work makes social distancing a challenge, and the cross-jurisdictional nature of the Northeast fishery—with both observers and fishermen often traveling and working across state lines—provides an additional element of risk and complication. NOAA has provided guidance on how fishermen can seek additional waivers for coverage, but directed that at-sea observers and monitors redeploy starting on August 14, 2020.
Sen. Chuck Schumer Expresses Concern Over At-Sea Monitoring Redeployment, Says Health & Safety Must Come First
August 19, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY):
Dear Secretary Ross:
I write today to convey concerns regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) July 30, 2020 decision to resume the Northeast Fisheries Observers Program (NEFOP) and the At-Sea Monitoring Program (ASM) for the Northeast multispecies fishery amidst the ongoing global pandemic caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and the health risks attributed to COVID-19. While these observer programs play a critical role in collecting the data that guides our fisheries management decisions, the health and safety of our fishermen, their families, and the observers must always come first. That’s why I was pleased when NOAA issued a March 24th, 2020 emergency action waiving observer coverage requirements established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and subsequent waivers to the program through August 14th. NOAA’s initial decision in March and its subsequent waivers were necessary to protect the health of commercial fishermen across the country, while allowing them to continue to do their job as essential food harvesters and producers. While I appreciate the initial steps NOAA has taken to protect our fishing community, the decision to redeploy observers has raised questions about whether observers can be deployed without putting the fishing community, and the observers, at risk. Before the agency moves forward, I request NOAA immediately report to me how NOAA plans to guarantee that federal health guidelines are maintained during the redeployment of observers to ensure the safety of captains, crews and observers.
In response to the pandemic, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) developed guidance to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has also developed guidance on preparing workplaces for COVID-19. Guidance from both agencies include recommendations for daily health checks, face coverings, social distancing practices, improved ventilation, and isolation of employees who show COVID-like symptoms.
While some of these safety measures can be easily implemented on a small vessel, others such as isolating individuals with COVID-like symptoms will be challenging if not impossible on a small vessel. I have heard from a number of New York’s commercial fishermen who do not believe their vessels are large enough to maintain an appropriate level of social distancing from observers based on federal health guidelines. How does NOAA plan to ensure observers, fishermen, and providers are complying with OSHA and CDC recommendations so that the redeployment of observers will not pose a safety risk to the observer and fishing communities?
Industry must innovate to capture new consumers, High Liner’s Craig Murray says
August 19, 2020 — This moment is a timely opportunity for the seafood industry as a whole, and the wild Alaskan pollock sector in particular, to increase market share and popularity, according to Senior Vice President of Marketing, Innovation, and Quality at High Liner Foods Craig Murray.
Speaking as part of the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers’ summer webinar series, Murray said the coronavirus pandemic has led a whole new crop of consumers to try new seafood products for the first time.
Ocean Panel identifies organized crime as major threat to marine sustainability
August 19, 2020 — The High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a consortium of ocean-dependent countries founded in 2018 to initiate action to improve global marine sustainability efforts, has issued a report detailing the threat that organized crime poses to the fisheries sector.
Also known as the Ocean Panel, the consortium consists of Norway, Palau, Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Palau, and Portugal, and is supported by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean.
WPRFMC: Upcoming Virtual Fishers Forum on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020
August 19, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:
Do you fish from a boat? Do you catch tunas, mahimahi, ono, or uku? Then we want to talk to YOU!
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is hosting a virtual public meeting to get comments on options for mandatory permitting and reporting as well as the effectiveness of the longline prohibited area around Hawaii. Come to the meetings, talk story with us and let us know how YOUR fisheries should be managed!
Hawaii Small Boat Fishery Fact Sheet
Hawaii Fisheries Fact Sheet
Can’t make it to the public scoping meetings but want to provide comments? Fill-out a comment form online at: https://forms.gle/AoFMcMTP4axUvrKF6
Public comments will be accepted until September 7, 2020, C.O.B.
For more information, questions, etc. please contact Council staff Joshua DeMello at (808) 522-7493 or Joshua.DeMello@wpcouncil.org.
Update to West Coast Groundfish and Highly Migratory Species Fleets on Observer and Catch Monitor Coverage during COVID-19
August 19, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
On July 30, 2020, NOAA Fisheries announced national-level criteria for vessels to be waived (released) from at-sea observer or shore-based catch monitor coverage requirements. Observer or monitor coverage may be waived, for both full and partial-coverage fisheries, on a trip-specific basis if one of the following two criteria are met:
- Observers or at-sea monitors are not available for deployment; or
- The observer providers cannot meet the safety protocols imposed by a state on commercial fishing crew or by the vessel or vessel company on its crew.
We remain committed to the public health and safety of fishermen, observers, and their communities, while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life. Since late March 2020, NOAA Fisheries has been working with West Coast observer and catch monitor providers to implement safety protocols that meet state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Within our limited authority, our efforts are intended to ensure observers and monitors are following the same safety protocols that fishermen are following.
These measures include the following:
- One-to-one observer-to-vessel and plant placement. Observers are assigned to one vessel, and catch monitors are assigned to one plant. If an observer or catch monitor must be reassigned, then the observer or catch monitor must self-isolate for 14 days prior to the new deployment. Alternate arrangements may be made if agreed to by the vessel/plant, observer provider, and the observer/catch monitor.
- Self-isolation for observers and catch monitors. Observers and catch monitors are self-isolating for 14 days prior to first deployment with their assigned vessel or plant and in between trips or offloads. Self-isolation means they are staying home with limited travel for essential trips and only being allowed limited, pre-approved leave.
- Pre-trip screening. Observers and catch monitors complete a pre-trip screening questionnaire before each trip that is designed to ensure that observers are following the provider’s protocols and to screen for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Observers and catch monitors that fail the screening are not deployed until they receive a negative COVID-19 test or can complete an additional 14-day self-isolation period.
- Testing. Observers and catch monitors are required to receive a viral COVID-19 test according to CDC guidelines in the following scenarios.
-
-
- The observer/catch monitor answers “yes” to any of the pre-trip screening questions.
- The observer/catch monitor is exhibiting signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
- The observer/catch monitor has recent known or suspected exposure to COVID-19.
- When requested by a licensed physician.
- In conjunction with vessel protocols ahead of deployments.
-
Vessel owners/operators should notify the Observer Program if their vessel or vessel company are following stricter safety protocols than those listed above that they would like the federally-contracted observer to follow. Contact NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center Observer Program at (866) 780-8064 for groundfish fisheries or West Coast Region Observer Program at (562) 980-4033 for highly migratory species fisheries.
Please give the Observer Program at least two weeks’ notice of the vessel’s specific protocols, and longer if the provider would need additional time to comply with the protocols before deployment. Vessel owners/operators and processors in the West Coast Groundfish trawl fishery should contact their individually-contracted observer/catch monitor providers to discuss specific protocols.
Additionally, NOAA Fisheries is seeking vessels and first receivers that are interested in testing electronic monitoring in lieu of human observers or catch monitors to develop exempted fishing permit applications in all west coast groundfish fisheries.
To discuss applying for an electronic monitoring exempted fishing permit, contact NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Permits Branch at (206) 526-4353.
NOAA Awards $3.1 Million to 21 Small Businesses to Develop New Technology
August 18, 2020 — NOAA has awarded $3.1 million in grants to 21 small businesses from 14 states to support the development of innovative technology for aquaculture, commercial and recreational fisheries, weather prediction, earth and ocean observations and modeling.
“Small businesses across our nation are catalysts for technology innovation, which can produce products and services that support NOAA’s mission while directly benefiting the public and growing the American economy,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
In December 2019, NOAA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program issued a call for applications for Phase I funding in topic areas including aquaculture; recreational and commercial fisheries, weather service improvement and evolution; next generation NOAA observing platforms; and next generation observation and modelling systems.
“As NOAA continues to strengthen its commitment to protecting life and property, we are increasingly reliant on the expertise and agility of the private sector,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., acting NOAA administrator. “Through collaboration with these small businesses, Americans will benefit with increased forecast accuracy and better management of our natural resources.”
The muddy waters of US ocean protection
August 18, 2020 — At the beginning of June, President Trump issued an executive order to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument to commercial fishing, chipping away at one of former President Obama’s last acts in office: the closure, in supposed perpetuity, of 5,000 square miles of ocean off the coast of Massachusetts.
The monument, straddling the edge of the continental shelf, is the only marine reserve on the Eastern Seaboard. The canyons and seamounts shelter 54 species of deep-sea corals and provide habitat to lobster, tuna, deep-diving beaked whales, and the now-critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
“This would be the only place along the entire Eastern Seaboard that has no vertical lines for entangling marine mammals,” said Auster.
The Antiquities Act affords the president unilateral power to protect the ocean. Unlike conservation through restrictive management or multi-use sanctuaries, a national monument protects everything it encompasses.
It does not require a process of approval by stakeholders, which for sanctuaries can drag out for many years—time that is precious for ecosystems on the brink of collapse. That’s precisely why the Councils, while they haven’t taken a stance against the use of the Antiquities Act in the ocean, have lobbied to remove fishing restrictions from the marine national monuments, which together constitute more than 99 percent of all the highly protected marine habitat in the U.S. If there are going to be national monuments in the ocean, they argue, the fisheries within them should be managed with the same multi-stakeholder consensus that applies throughout the rest of federal waters.
“The ban on commercial fishing within Marine National Monument waters is a regulatory burden on domestic fisheries, requiring many of the affected American fishermen to travel outside U.S. waters with increased operational expenses and higher safety-at-sea risks,” wrote Regional Fishery Management Council representatives in a May letter to the Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur L. Ross Jr.
Though few boats fish in the northeast canyons, and none fish on the seamounts, control over the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts is a matter of principle, and precedent, for the New England Fishery Management Council. Shortly after Trump’s executive order in June, the Council created a deep-sea coral amendment that imposed fishery closures and gear restrictions on a substantial portion of the monument.