October 17, 2024 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The supplemental materials for the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board have been revised and can be found at http://asmfc.org/files/
Cooke waterborne feed trial among 67 projects awarded USD 18 million by Marine Fund Scotland
October 17, 2024 — Cooke Scotland is one of 67 different projects sharing GBP 14 million (USD 18 million, EUR 16 million) in grants from the Scottish government geared toward marine industries and coastal and island communities.
Marine Fund Scotland supports eligible individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities by funding projects that help support Scotland’s “Blue Economy” policy, which was revealed in 2022. Scotland First Minister John Swinney announced the latest round of funding during an event in Shetland, unveiling how the fund will provide assistance for everything from the needs of individual fishermen to widespread marketing efforts for Scottish seafood.
Microplastic pollution is everywhere, even in the exhaled breath of dolphins – new research
October 17, 2024 — Bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay in Florida and Barataria Bay in Louisiana are exhaling microplastic fibers, according to our new research published in the journal PLOS One.
Tiny plastic pieces have spread all over the planet – on land, in the air and even in clouds. An estimated 170 trillion bits of microplastic are estimated to be in the oceans alone. Across the globe, research has found people and wildlife are exposed to microplastics mainly through eating and drinking, but also through breathing.
Our study found the microplastic particles exhaled by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are similar in chemical composition to those identified in human lungs. Whether dolphins are exposed to more of these pollutants than people are is not yet known.
Why it matters
In humans, inhaled microplastics can cause lung inflammation, which can lead to problems including tissue damage, excess mucus, pneumonia, bronchitis, scarring and possibly cancer. Since dolphins and humans inhale similar plastic particles, dolphins may be at risk for the same lung problems.
ALASKA: NOAA Snapshot Charts Alaska Seafood Industry Losses, Points to Reasons
October 17, 2024 — The health of Alaska’s seafood industry is not, at this moment, particularly good. A new economic snapshot reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries agency (NOAA Fisheries) details a downturn over the past two years. It estimates the Alaska seafood industry suffered a $1.8 billion loss between 2022 and 2023, and the industry saw a 50 percent decline in profitability between 2021 and 2023.
“The Alaska seafood industry is a major contributor to the US seafood sector,” says Robert Foy, director of NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. “The social and economic ramifications of Alaska’s losses have reverberated down the West Coast and across the country.”
Higher Costs, Changing Habits, Greater Competition, and Climate Change
Industry changes have resulted in more than 38,000 job losses nationwide and a $4.3 billion loss in total US output, representing the total dollar value of all goods and services produced. The most affected states—Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California—saw a combined loss of $191 million in state and local tax revenues.
Seafood is the top private sector employer in Alaska. For many Alaska coastal communities, fisheries are the primary contributor to their local economy, helping to shape their social structures and cultural identities.
ALASKA: Alaska’s “Imploding” Fishing Industry Has Shed 38,000 Jobs
October 16, 2024 — Falling revenue and rising costs have hit Alaska’s fishing industry hard, according to a new study by NOAA Fisheries. In an economic review requested by fishermen and processors, NOAA found that profitability dropped by half from 2021-23, and wholesale prices dropped by a quarter in 2022-23. This left the Alaskan seafood industry with a total direct loss of $1.8 billion in 2022-3 and the loss of about 38,000 jobs.
“For many Alaskans the decline of their seafood industry affects their pocketbooks, presents food security concerns, and impacts their way of life, sense of place, community, and identity,” NOAA noted. “In the face of evolving climate-driven impacts to ecosystems and fisheries in the region, these recent market disruptions undermine the capacity of all segments of the seafood industry and associated fishing communities to be resilient and survive in fisheries.”
ALASKA: Bering Sea snow crab fishing to resume, but at an ultra-low level to encourage repopulation
October 16, 2024 — After a two-year hiatus forced by low stocks, the Bering Sea snow crab harvest is back on.
The decision to reopen the harvest, announced on Oct. 4 by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, is based on signs of recovery in the crab populations. The official harvest opening was Tuesday.
Signs of recovery are modest, and so is the allowable catch. The harvest is limited to 4.72 million pounds, a level that is a far cry from the 45-million-pound quota used in the 2020-21 season and similarly large quotas in earlier years.
This season’s total allowable catch is the smallest in the history of the fishery, said Mark Stichert, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Kodiak-based management coordinator for groundfish and shellfish harvests.
The department sets catch limits based on information gleaned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service.
As Stichert describes it, the department’s decision to allow a “small, conservative fishery” for snow crab was the product of a careful balancing act.
Read the full article at the Alaska Beacon
VIRGNIA: A look into revival of bay scallops along Virginia’s Eastern Shore
October 16, 2024 — Bay scallops along Virginia’s Eastern Shore are no longer extinct thanks to a decades-long seagrass restoration project, known to be one of the largest and most successful in the world.
The recent annual population survey shows the density of bay scallops in southern coastal bays has climbed by nearly 0.07 scallops per square meter. But when did the decline of the popular saltwater native actually begin?
Dr. Richard Snyder, Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory Director and Marine Science Professor, said wild bay scallops disappeared from Virginia in 1932, also marking the last commercial harvest for the scallops in the Commonwealth. The extinction of the population was attributed to a chronic wasting disease that wiped out their critical seagrass habitat.
MASSACHUSETTS: MLA Annual Weekend & Trade Show returns to Cape Cod
October 16, 2024 — The Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) will hold its Annual Weekend & Trade Show 2025 at the newly renovated Margaritaville Cape Cod Resort in Hyannis, MA, from January 30th to February 2nd, 2025 (the 30th is the set-up day). The show hours are Friday and Saturday, 9:00 AM—4:00 PM, and Sunday, 8:00 AM—10:00 AM.
The Annual Weekend & Trade Show is to provide an opportunity for commercial lobster-men, commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and equipment suppliers to get together and talk about ALL things fishing related, educational seminars and, to have some fun too.
The MLA provides annual educational grants to college bound children of our members and has given out over nine thousand dollars per year for the last many years.
Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA announce $2 million for partnerships to support red snapper recovery
October 16, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration and NOAA announced they will award approximately $2 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds to collect data and improve modeling through partnerships with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami. These partnerships are critical to NOAA Fisheries’ work to improve scientific data and management decisions for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.
Collecting more fisheries data will enable NOAA Fisheries and state partners to better understand and adapt to the impacts of climate change, increase data reliability and adjust management decisions that will support red snapper populations.
“This $2 million investment, made possible thanks to President Biden’s historic Inflation Reduction Act, will boost NOAA’s ability to support red snapper populations by expanding scientific partnerships that improve data collection and help us understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on fisheries in coastal regions nationwide,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
Approximately $1 million of this funding will go to the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to expand the for-hire at-sea program into the western Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Fisheries and the Commission will deploy at-sea samplers in the Louisiana and Texas for-hire fishery, extending the coverage of at-sea data collection programs. This effort will enhance recreational discard data, a key priority for NOAA Fisheries, and for the first time in history all five Gulf states will have active at-sea data collection programs for for-hire fisheries in federal waters.
Additionally, approximately $1 million will be distributed to NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami to develop next-generation surveys using acoustic technology to improve red snapper detection. This research will focus on leveraging advanced technology and artificial intelligence to enhance red snapper surveys and abundance estimates in the Gulf of Mexico. Harnessing the power of advanced technology and artificial intelligence is pivotal to improving the clarity and credibility of fisheries data.
“NOAA Fisheries’ collaborations with state and academic organizations are a critical part of strengthening scientific rigor and improving data collection for recreational fisheries, leading to more timely and accurate information for managing red snapper and other reef fish,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Greater data certainty will enable NOAA Fisheries and state partners to better address the effects of climate change on fisheries and fishing communities.”
This funding is part of NOAA Fisheries’ red snapper recovery efforts first announced in October 2023. These investments are part of the historic $3.3 billion in Inflation Reduction Act investments first announced in June 2023, which are focused on ensuring America’s communities and economies are ready for and resilient to climate change.
Visit the Inflation Reduction Act website to learn about current and future funding opportunities.
ALASKA: What determines total allowable catch? Fish and Game breaks the equation down
October 16, 2024 — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game hosted its annual Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Crab Industry Meeting on Friday.
Topics included Fish and Game’s formula for determining the total allowable catch (TAC) for certain crab seasons this year.
The meeting specifically focused on what those in the industry call the big three: Bering Sea crab stocks (which included Bering Sea snow crab), Tanner snow crab, and Bristol Bay red king crab.
“The public might not agree with some of the decisions that our group makes,” ADF&G researcher Ben Daly said. “Our aim for these meetings is at least to provide that level of transparency so they understand the thought process that the department goes through.”
Read the full article at Alaska News Source
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