Saving Seafood

Council Actions

States Schedule Public Hearings on American Eel Draft Addendum VII Draft Addendum Considers Changes to Commercial Yellow Eel Coastwide Harvest Cap

February 5, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The majority of Atlantic coastal states from New Hampshire through Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum VII to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel. Draft Addendum VII considers management measures to reduce the commercial yellow eel coastwide harvest cap in response to the 2023 benchmark stock assessment, which found the stock remains depleted. The Draft Addendum also considers options to modify monitoring requirements based on recommendations from the stock assessment and Technical Committee. Some hearings will be conducted in-person, and some hearings will be conducted via webinar, or in a hybrid format. If your state does not hold a hearing, or you are unable to participate in your state’s scheduled hearing, you are welcome to participate in any of the virtual or hybrid hearings. The public hearing details follow:


 
Date and Hearing Format
State/Agency
Contact
Tuesday, February 20
Webinar Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection
 
The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.  
Joe Cimino
609.748.2063
 
 
Tuesday, February 27
Webinar Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
New Hampshire Fish and Game Dept.
 
The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.  
Cheri Patterson
603.868.1095
Tuesday, March 5
Webinar Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
 
The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.  
Jesse Hornstein631.444.0714
Thursday, March 7
In-person Hearing
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
 
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
 
Hearing Location:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
380 Fenwick Road, Building 96
Fort Monroe, VA, 23651
Shanna Madsen757.247.2247
Tuesday, March 12
In-person Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
 
Hearing Location:
Tawes State Office Building, C-1
580 Taylor Avenue 
Annapolis, MD 21401
443.758.6547
 
 
 
Wednesday, March 13
In-person Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
 
Hearing Location:
Dover Public Library
35 Loockerman Plaza 
Dover, DE 19901 
John Clark302.739.9108
 
The Board initiated Draft Addendum VII in August 2023 in response to findings of the 2023 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report. The results of the assessment indicate the stock is at or near historically low levels due to a combination of historical overfishing, habitat loss, food web alterations, predation, turbine mortality, environmental changes, and toxins, contaminants, and disease. The assessment and peer review recommend reducing fishing mortality on the yellow eel life stage, while also recognizing that stock status is affected by other factors. The benchmark assessment proposed a new index-based tool for setting the yellow eel coastwide cap, since there is no statistical model for estimating the population size of American eel. This tool, called ITARGET, is an index-based method that needs only catch and abundance data from surveys to provide management advice on coastwide landings.
 
Draft Addendum VII also proposes options to reduce the requirements for biological sampling during young-of-year surveys conducted by the states, based on the stock assessment finding that individual length and pigment stage data are not useful for evaluating population trends. In addition, it considers changing the requirements for the collection of trip-level harvester data on catch per unit effort, and the policy used to determine if a state qualifies for de minimis status and can be exempt from implementing fishery regulations and monitoring requirements.
 
Webinar Instructions
In order to provide comment at any virtual or hybrid hearings, you will need to use your computer (voice over internet protocol) or download the GoToWebinar app for your phone. Those joining by phone only will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. In those cases, you can send your comments to staff via email or US mail at any time during the public comment period. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 562.247.8422 and enter access code 796-096-508. If your state does not hold a hearing, or you are unable to participate in your state’s scheduled hearing, you are welcome to participate in any of the virtual or hybrid hearings.
 
For all virtual or hybrid hearings, please click HERE and select the hearing(s) you plan to attend from the dropdown menu to register for a public hearing webinar. Hearings will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you are new to GoToWebinar, you can download the software by (clicking here) or via the App store under GoToWebinar. We recommend you register for the hearing well in advance of the hearing since GoToWebinar will provide you with a link to test your device’s compatibility with the webinar. If you find your device is not compatible, please contact the Commission at info@asmfc.org (subject line: GoToWebinar help) and we will try to get you connected. We also strongly encourage participants to use the computer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) so you can ask questions and provide input at the hearing. 
 
Hearing Presentation Recording
For those who cannot attend any in-person or virtual hearings, the Commission will also post a recording of the hearing presentation on the Commission’s YouTube page so that stakeholders may watch the presentation and submit comment at any time during the comment process. This recording will be available by mid-February.
Submitting Comments
The Draft Addendum is available athttps://asmfc.org/files/Science/AmEelDraftAddendumVII_YellowEelCap_PublicComment_Feb2024.pdf or via the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. All those interested in the management of American eel are encouraged to provide input either by participating in public hearings, which may be conducted via webinar, or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on March 24, 2024 and should be sent to Caitlin Starks, Senior FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Yellow Eel Harvest Cap Draft Addendum). 

U.S. Department of Commerce allocates over $20.6M in fishery disaster funding

February 3, 2024 — The following was released by the NOAA Fisheries:

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced today the allocation of $20.6 million to address a fishery resource disaster that occurred in the 2023 Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook ocean and inland salmon fisheries. NOAA Fisheries used revenue loss information from the commercial, processor and charter sectors to allocate funding for the disaster.

“Fishery disasters have wide-ranging impacts and can affect commercial and recreational fishermen, subsistence users, charter businesses, shore-side infrastructure and the marine environment,” said Secretary Raimondo. “These funds will help affected California communities recover and improve sustainability.”

Congress provided fishery resource disaster assistance funding in the 2022 and 2023 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Acts. A positive determination makes these fisheries eligible to receive a funding allocation from those appropriations. These funds will improve the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the impacted fisheries. Funds can be used to assist the impacted fishing communities including commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, charter businesses and subsistence users.

“At NOAA Fisheries we can appreciate how this fishery disaster is of great concern for the fishing industry and the people that depend on these fisheries to support their communities,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “We hope this allocation can aid in recovery efforts as quickly as possible.”

Activities that can be considered for funding include fishery-related infrastructure projects, habitat restoration, state-run vessel and fishing permit buybacks, job retraining and more. Some fishery-related businesses affected by the fishery disaster may also be eligible for assistance from the Small Business Administration.

On December 29, 2022, Congress passed the Fishery Resource Disasters Improvement Act, which amended the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Since the disaster request for these fisheries was received after this date, it was evaluated under the amended statute.

In the coming months, NOAA Fisheries will work with the state of California to administer the disaster relief funds. Fishing communities and individuals affected by the disaster should work with their state or other agencies as identified by the state, as appropriate.

See a summary of fishery disaster determinations, including this announcement, and learn more about fishery disaster assistance.

BOEM Seeks Input on Draft Environmental Analysis for Additional Site Assessment Activities on Proposed Wind Energy Project Offshore Massachusetts

February 3, 2024 — The following was released by BOEM:

On Feb. 2, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will publish in the Federal Register the “Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for Additional Site Assessment Activities on Beacon Wind, LLC’s Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0520,” opening a 30-day public comment period that ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Mar. 4, 2024. BOEM invites public comment on the Draft EA for additional site assessment plan (SAP) activities in the Beacon Wind lease area offshore Massachusetts.

The Draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of proposed site assessment activities which consist of 35 deployments and removals of a single suction bucket foundation at 26 locations within the lease area to gather information to support the engineering design of wind turbine and offshore substation foundations that would potentially be installed within the lease area for a future Beacon Wind project.

On Nov. 7, 2023, BOEM published a “Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Additional Site Assessment Activities on Beacon Wind, LLC’s Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0520.” The amended SAP and Draft EA can be found on BOEM’s webpage.

Virtual Public Meetings 

Two virtual public meetings are proposed during the 30-day comment period for the Draft EA. All times are Eastern:

  • Friday, February 23, 2024; 1 p.m.
  • Wednesday, February 28, 2024; 5 p.m.

How to Submit Comments 

  • Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2024-0006 to submit public comments and view supporting and related materials available for this notice.  Click on the “Comment” button below the document link.  Enter your information and comment, then click “Submit Comment”; or
  • By U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service: Send your comments and information to the following address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, Mail Stop VAM-OREP, Sterling, VA 20166.

BOEM seeks comments on important resources and issues, impact-producing factors, and potential mitigating measures analyzed in the Draft EA. The public comments will help inform BOEM’s decision on whether to approve the site assessment plan amendment. Following the comment period, BOEM will review the comments received to include information for consideration in the Beacon Wind Final EA.

More information, including registration for the virtual public meetings, can be found on BOEM’s website.

Alaska salmon 2024: Markets still flooded as next harvest forecasts come in

February 3, 2024 — Even though the forecast for this year’s salmon production in Alaska is down from last year the harvest, especially sockeye coming out of Bristol Bay, will be headed for markets still flooded with last year’s product.

Overall, values for all species of Alaska salmon are down. The 2023 statewide commercial harvest tallied up to 230.2 million fish, for a 43 percent increase in production over the 167 million fish of 2022. But revenues for 2023 ($398.6 million) came in at roughly half of the $720 million that was generated in 2022.

That inversion of volume over value promises to perplex the industry going into this year’s season.

“I’m hearing that these are some of the worst market conditions in 20 years, 30 years, or even more,” says Greg Smith, communications director with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, in Juneau. “It’s not just one species; it’s many species, and it’s not just Alaska seafood. It’s domestic seafood, and seafood globally.”

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game prediction for Bristol Bay’s 2024 total sockeye run has been set at 39 million. Given the confidence levels in the modeling, the industry can expect a range of 24 million on the low side of the prediction – and more than 53 million fish in the most optimistic scenario.

Historical records since 2001 show that on the average the department has underestimated runs by 15 percent. Subtract the escapement to the bay’s nine major river systems, and fishermen can expect to harvest in the neighborhood of 25 million sockeyes.

Among the major production districts, run projections for the Naknek-Kvichak have been pegged at 15 million, with the fabled Nushagak set at around 12 million sockeyes and potential harvests at Egegik and Ugashik districts estimated at around 5 million each.

That’s a lot of fish, and though the onslaught of the run lies months away, questions loom of whether there will be a fleet to catch them and enough processing capacity to put them up.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Contentious Pike Place Fish Market trademark infringement case set for trial

February 3, 2024 — A U.S. federal judge set a trial date of 24 March 2024 for the contentious trademark infringement lawsuit brought against Pike Place Fish Market (PPFM) – the iconic fresh seafood market inside Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. – by the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA).

In a lawsuit filed in September 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, PDA, which manages the market, alleged PPFM breached its lease agreement by illegally using the market’s name to market smoked salmon products across the country.

Read the full article SeafoodSource

NOAA Fisheries Finalizes a Habitat Area of Particular Concern Offshore of Southern New England

February 3, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is designating a Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) in and around offshore wind lease areas in southern New England, including Cox Ledge. The New England Fishery Management Council recommended the HAPC designation due to concerns about the potential adverse impact on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) from the development of offshore wind energy projects. The designation focuses on important cod spawning grounds and areas of complex habitat that are known to serve important habitat functions to federally managed species within and adjacent to offshore wind development areas. Complex benthic habitat provides shelter for certain species during their early life history, refuge from predators, and feeding opportunities. The HAPC provides additional conservation focus when NOAA Fisheries reviews and comments on federal and/or state actions that could impact Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) and HAPCs, as part of the EFH consultation process. EFH consultations provide non-binding conservation recommendations to the implementing (action) agency to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the impacts of federal actions on EFH. 

For more information, read the final rule (https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2024-02239/fisheries-of-the-northeastern-united-states-framework-adjustments-to-northeast-multispecies-atlantic) as filed in the Federal Register.

Dominion gets Virginia offshore wind approval

February 1, 2024 — Dominion Energy announced Jan. 30 received the last two major federal approvals it need to start construction of the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, with completion anticipated in late 2026.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s final approval of CVOW’s Construction and Operations Plan clears the way for starting work on what would be the largest offshore wind project in U.S. waters with 176 turbines across 113,000 acres of leased bottom. It comes after many months of  inflation, supply chain issues and other challenges forced other wind developers to withdraw from or re-bid project commitments  with other East Coast states.

“Virginia is leading the way for offshore wind as we near the start of offshore construction for Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind,” Bob Blue, Dominion Energy’s chair, president, and chief executive officer said in announcing the permit. “These regulatory approvals keep CVOW on time and on budget as we focus on our mission of providing customers with reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy.”

Read the full article at Workboat

Major seafood buyers support US proposal to address IUU fishing, human rights violations in South Pacific

February 1, 2024 — More than 30 major seafood companies, industry associations, and pre-competitive collaborations have signed onto a letter to the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization calling for action on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and human rights during its ongoing annual meeting.

The SPRFMO is hosting its 12th annual meeting from 29 January to 2 February in Manta, Ecuador.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

New wind strategy advanced to protect right whales

February 1, 2024 — The federal government announced a new strategy aimed at protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale while the development of offshore wind ramps up.

The 78-page strategy from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and NOAA Fisheries, released Thursday, Jan. 25, lays out ways to continue evaluating and mitigating the potential effects on the whales and their habitat.

North Atlantic right whales are an endangered species, with an estimated 360 individuals remaining, a population that has been reported to be on the decline. That decline has been felt locally, as a juvenile right whale was found dead in Edgartown on Monday.

While NOAA reports that entanglement in fishing gear and ship strikes are the leading cause of death for the whales, the agency says that ocean noise is also a threat to the species, and sources can include energy exploration and development.

Read the full article at MV Times

ALASKA: Southeast Alaska yelloweye rockfish fishery remains shuttered in 2024

February 1, 2024 — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced this month that fishing for yelloweye rockfish is again prohibited in Southeast Alaska this year. Yelloweye are a popular species of rockfish but their populations declined significantly in recent decades, which has Fish and Game biologists concerned.

There are seven species of demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) lurking in the depths of Southeast Alaska – quillback, China, rosethorn, copper, canary, tiger rockfish, and yelloweye. According to Fish & Game, all of them have experienced population decline in recent years but yelloweye are the most populous and perhaps the most popular.

The Fish & Game announcement earlier this month isn’t a change – the commercial fishery in southern Southeast Alaska for demersal shelf rockfish closed in 2020. The fishery in the northern part of the region shuttered in 1995. In the intervening years, the Board of Fish has added restrictions to sport and recreational fishers as well.

All DSR species are still fair game for Southeast subsistence fishers. Nonresidents fishing in any capacity are banned from retaining any demersal shelf rockfish.

New harvest regulations are looser than in previous years. In 2021, retaining any DSR was illegal for a recreational fisherman. This year, Ketchikan residents can take home up to three rockfish, as long as none are yelloweyes.

“We support regulations,” said Chris Baldwin, who has run a charter fishing boat for over a decade. “If Fish & Game thinks that they’re declining, then they need to be protected. That’s kind of my take on the closure.”

Read the full article at KRBD