News Archives - Page 2724 of 3607

PEW ENVIRONMENT GROUP: U.S. Senate Panel Advances Agreements to Fight Illegal Fishing

March 11, 2014 — The following was released by The Pew Charitable Trusts:

With the world’s oceans losing up to $23.5 billion worth of fish to illegal fishing every year, the U.S. Senate on March 11 took a critical step to cut off market access for unlawfully caught fish and to drastically lower the potential profits.

The Foreign Relations Committee approved four fisheries agreements, including the Port State Measures Agreement, or PSMA, which would strengthen inspections and controls in ports worldwide. Nations that ratify the agreement pledge to inspect foreign vessels suspected of illegal fishing and to deny port access and services when there is clear evidence of fisheries crimes. In July 2013, the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously passed the PSMA’s implementing legislation, the Pirate Fishing Elimination Act, and now the agreement and implementing legislation are ready for final approval by the full Senate.

“We thank the Senate Foreign Relations Committee members for their leadership in recognizing the threat illegal fishing poses to U.S. economic, environmental, and national security interests,” said Tony Long, who leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ efforts to end illegal fishing. “We now urge senators to immediately ratify the Port State Measures Agreement and pass the implementing legislation to help end illegal fishing and maintain the United States’ leading role as a responsible steward of our oceans.”

The agreements enjoy bipartisan support. At a Foreign Relations Committee hearing Feb. 12, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) noted that since 2000, Alaskan crabbers have lost an estimated $560 million in catch to illegal crabbing, mostly by Russian vessels. She said U.S. ratification of the PSMA would “enhance the effectiveness of U.S. authority to deter [illegal] activities.”

Read the full press release at The Pew Charitable Trusts

Revival for Japan’s tsunami wrecked fishing ports

TONI, Japan — March 14, 2014 — When the tsunami smashed the seafood processing factory where Shoichi Sato was working, he lost his job but eventually found a new life. Three years later, Sato is among the businessmen helping to bring back the fishing industry, long a mainstay livelihood for coastal towns along Japan’s northeastern coast.

Sato’s company, Kamaishi Hikari Foods, employs only 25 people but supports hundreds more who sell their catches of octopus, squid, salmon and mackerel for processing right at the water’s edge. In Toni, whose entire port was wrecked by the tsunami, it’s about the only game in town.

Businesses throughout Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region face a reality TV show’s worth of obstacles to setting up shop, from shortages of financing and construction workers and materials, to lengthy delays in administrative approvals and overburdened transport networks. For Sato, it was the Qatar Fund Foundation and other groups that pitched in with funds to buy equipment and advice on how to best run his new business.

Sitting in his second story office overlooking a wharf still being reconstructed, Sato said he got ‘‘zero’’ financial help from the government, which until recently wouldn’t approve subsidies for new businesses.

Across the region, the government says nearly two-thirds of damaged land has been salvaged and 78 percent of fishery processing restarted. But for the majority, sales are well below pre-disaster levels. Most damaged stores and other businesses are operating from temporary quarters such as shipping containers and prefabricated huts.

The regional economy was in trouble even before the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear disaster that contaminated chunks of the coast with radiation. The 18,520 people dead or missing as a result of the natural disasters were remembered this week as Japan marked the third anniversary of the tsunami.

Read the full story by the Associated Press at The Boston Globe

Help for the Everglades faces $100 million hurdle

March 13, 2014 — Delivering help for the Everglades and relief for polluted coastal waterways requires squeezing $100 million a year of public money out of the Florida Legislature, South Florida officials said Thursday.

Cost concerns remain a huge hurdle for the Central Everglades plan — which could get more Lake Okeechobee water flowing south to the Everglades instead of draining it out to sea and hurting coastal fishing grounds.

Florida officials are trying to persuade Congress to split the nearly $2 billion total cost of the new Everglades project, but must first show how the state would pay for its share.

On Thursday, the South Florida Water Management District — which leads Everglades restoration — disclosed that it anticipates needing $100 million a year for about 20 years from the state's Save Our Everglades Trust Fund to pay for the Central Everglades plan and other ongoing restoration efforts.

But the Everglades Trust Fund isn't as trustworthy a funding source as it sounds, with state lawmakers ultimately deciding how much of that money flows to Florida's famed River of Grass.

The Everglades trust fund money directed to the water management district has been cut back during lean budget years, yo-yoing from $176 million in 2008 to $27 million in 2013. This year it was about $67 million. That raises questions about whether the money for the Central Everglades project will be there when needed.

Next month, the water management district's nine-member board will be asked to support moving the project forward, despite the cost concerns.

Read the full story at the South Florida Sun Sentinel

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Approves State & Regional Management Proposals for 2014 Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Recreational Fisheries

ARLINGTON, Va — March 14, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Comission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved a combination of state and regional proposals for the 2014 summer flounder recreational fishery (see Table 1) and state proposals for the 2014 black sea bass recreational fishery in accordance with Addendum XXV to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan.

*States are undergoing their administrative processes to adopt regulations. Once regulations are finalized, they will be available on state and Commission websites.

For the summer flounder fishery, the Board approved regional management measures for two regions (1) Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, including the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, and (2) Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. Adopted regulations for the first region (DE-VA) include a 16-inch minimum size limit, 4 fish bag limit, and a year-round season, while the second region’s (CT-NJ) regulations include an 18-inch minimum size, 5 fish bag limit, and 128 day open season with not more than 45 days open from May 1 – June 30. Further, states have the option to develop a program that allows

for a 16-inch minimum size limit at state designated sites offering only shore-based fishing access. For North Carolina, the Board approved the state’s maintenance of 2013 regulations for the 2014 fishery. The overall intent of the regional management measures for the summer flounder recreational fishery is to provide more equity in recreational harvest opportunities along the coast.

The Board also approved a request from Massachusetts and Rhode Island to split its region into individual state regions to account for the significantly different recreational fisheries of the two states. Both states will maintain their 2013 regulations for the 2014 fishery so that the effect of these measures, when combined with the other regions’ measures, will constrain the coastwide harvest to the recreational harvest limit of 7.01 million pounds.

For black sea bass, the Board approved the methodologies used by the states of Massachusetts through New Jersey to establish their minimum size, bag limits, and season lengths to achieve a 7% reduction in the 2014 recreational harvest levels from the 2013 harvest level. The 7% reduction is in response to harvest overages that occurred in 2013. States will be finalizing their regulations over the next couple of weeks. The Board also agreed to a send letter to NOAA Fisheries requesting a review of the 2013 final Marine Recreational Information Program black sea bass harvest numbers when determining the final rule for 2014 measures.

Motions from the Board meeting can be found on the Commission website under Meeting Archives (http://www.asmfc.org/home/meeting-archive) or here. For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

New Jersey says NOAA fisheries relief falls short

March 13, 2014 — Despite a pool of more than $75 million in federal appropriations for fisheries disaster relief from Hurricane Sandy and other storm damage, New Jersey, at $1.5 million, has received a pittance compared with other regions, according to state legislators and anglers associations.

Marine industry losses in both commercial and recreational fishing because of Sandy have been estimated at $121 million in New Jersey and $77 million in New York, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The two states have been told to split $3 million allocated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service for the recovery, officials told the Inquirer. NOAA has not indicated how funding disbursements were determined.

But one of the six places NOAA is distributing money for declared disasters in 2012 and 2013, Alaska — removed by 4,600 miles from where Sandy made landfall in Brigantine, N.J., on Oct. 29, 2012 — will receive $21 million of the funds for issues with its salmon fisheries. States in New England directly affected by Sandy — Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island — will receive the largest share, $33 million, for depleted fish stocks.

Read the full story here

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford area chefs to create signature seafood dishes for ‘Taste of the Port’ event

NEW BEDFORD, Mass., — March 13, 2014 — The following was released by the Working Waterfront Festival:

An upcoming event will showcase the talents of area chefs and the bounty of local seafood in an effort to raise funds to support the restoration of the Mariner’s Home and Seamen’s Bethel which will ultimately house a “fisherman’s museum”. “Taste of the Port” takes place from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, March 29th in the Jacob’s Gallery of the New Bedford Whaling Museum which is a major sponsor of the event. Retired Congressman Barney Frank will be the keynote speaker. Guests will enjoy an open bar and jazz provided by the Peter Arteaga Ensemble. Tickets are limited and may be purchased by calling 508-997-1776. The ticket price is $100 with all proceeds benefiting the project.

A number of area restaurants have generously donated food for the event with chefs to creating signature seafood appetizers featuring local seafood. Participating restaurants/chefs are Greg Morton of Morton’s Fork Catering (New Bedford Waterfront Jambalaya), Mike Melo of M&C Café (Monkfish Basque Style), Chris Bentley of Fathoms (Raw Bar), Chris Chaput of How on Earth (Mussel, Chorizo and Tomato Crepes), Henry Bousquet a culinary arts instructor at New Bedford Voc (Fish Tacos featuring Pollock provided by Bergie’s Seafood), Turks Sushi Bar Restaurant and Seafood Market (Sushi), and Freestones (Fish Chowder). For those who would like to sample the area’s Portuguese cuisine, Tia Maria’s European Café is providing Kale Soup. Guests will also enjoy a chocolate fountain courtesy of Dorothy Cox Chocolates.

Aimed at restoring and preserving two of the city’s most iconic buildings, the New Bedford Port Society, Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE, and Working Waterfront Festival have joined forces to collaborate on the Port Society Complex. The project’s comprehensive scope envisions a complete restoration of the historic 1832 Seamen’s Bethel and the adjacent 1787 Mariners’ Home. Both buildings grace Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s nationally recognized historic district. When the restoration project is complete, both buildings will be fully handicapped accessible and connected with an enclosed walkway. Plans are to open the Mariners’ Home as a Fishermen’s Museum to tell the story ofNew Bedford’s development as the number one fishing port in the country.

View a PDF of the press release here

NOAA Fisheries & ASMFC Schedule First Meeting of the River Herring Technical Working Group for March 27, 2014

March 13, 2014 — The following was released by the Atalnatic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will be convening the River Herring Technical Expert Working Group on March 27th from 1 – 4 PM to discuss the working group structure and river herring conservation planning. This meeting will be open to the public, and there will be an opportunity for the public to provide input at a specified time on the agenda. The webinar and call-in information for this meeting can be found below. The draft agenda and additional information for this meeting, as well as future meetings, can be found at: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/protected/riverherring/tewg/index.html. Please contact Marin Hawk or Diane Borggaard with any questions.

Call-In Number: 1-888-394-8197
Passcode: 815277
Webinar: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/join/

ALASKA: “Sockeye Market Analysis” Report Released

March 12, 2014 — A new report shows that Bristol Bay produced 31-percent of the world’s commercially caught sockeye salmon last year. That’s down significantly from previous years. The new “Sockeye Market Analysis” report was prepared by the McDowell Group for the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association.

The report shows that global sockeye production declined 17-percent last year down to 290-million pounds. Bristol Bay made up 31-percent of that total, which is down from the 45-percent from 2010 to 2012. The McDowell group notes that prior to 2013, Alaska typically accounted for 70-percent or more of the global sockeye production. Last year Bristol Bay produced 92-million pounds of sockeye. The new report shows that sockeye accounted for just 5-percent of the global salmon production last year. That includes wild and farmed salmon.

The McDowell Group acknowledges that it’s very difficult to discern exactly where Bristol Bay sockeye are sold but they believe that the U.S. domestic market remains the largest market for sockeye products from Alaska. Back in 2012, 44-percent of Alaska’s sockeye went into the domestic market. The 2012 data shows that Japan and the United Kingdom were the 2nd and 3rd largest markets for Alaska’s sockeye products. The market analysis shows that Seattle and Portland had the most sockeye sales per capita. Other cities in the top 10 include Denver, Kansas City, and the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area. Back in 2012, 49-percent of the first wholesale value of Bristol Bay’s sockeye was in the H&G and fillet product forms. Canned salmon accounted for 42-percent of the value. Roe accounted for 6-percent of the value, followed by fresh and smoked products, which each made up 1-percent of the value.

Read the full story and listen to the audio at NPR affiliate KDLG

New Hampshire man pleads guilty in stolen lobster trap case

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — March 12, 2014 — A Bedford, N.H., man charged with possessing 49 stolen lobster traps, including some owned by a fisherman who died last summer, has pleaded guilty to several crimes and more than 100 violations.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department says Kyle Basoukas pleaded guilty Monday to receiving stolen property and disturbing lobster gear, as well as 133 violations regarding his own equipment. He was given a suspended sentence of 90 days, fined more than $11,000 and had his lobster license revoked for five years.

Read the full story by the Associated Press at The Boston Globe

Amended Fishery Rules Defeat Oceana Challenge

March 12, 2014 — The government need not face claims that its amended guidelines for mid-Atlantic fisheries do not protect vulnerable species from overfishing, a federal judge ruled.

While overfishing limits estimate the catch level above which overfishing is occurring, regulators account for scientific uncertainty in such estimates by reducing levels in computing a stock's acceptable biological catch, or ABC.

In 2007, Congress required all fishery management plans to establish annual catch limits, at or below the ABC, and accountability measures to ensure compliance. Bycatch, fish that are caught but not sold or kept, remains a source of management uncertainty.

The Mid-Atlantic Council included annual catch targets in an October 2011 omnibus amendment to six of its fishery management plans: the Atlantic Mackerel, Squids, and Butterfish Fishery; the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; the Spiny Dogfish Fishery; the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery; the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; and the Tilefish Fishery.

Oceana challenged the rule in a federal complaint against Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, arguing, among other things, that overfishing could still occur since the service did not consider bycatch of non-target stocks. These fish caught while fishing for other species would, for example, include river herring caught in the Atlantic Mackeral fishery.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington granted the government summary judgment Monday, despite doubting its claim that the new regulations did not require it to consider including additional stocks in the fisheries.

Read the full story at Courthouse News Service

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