Regulations

February 25, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries today announced that due to an overage in herring management Area 1A in 2011, on March 27, 2013, the 2013 quota in Area 1A will be adjusted.

Read the full notice from NOAA here

 

 

February 22, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries today announced proposed measures to provide increased fishing opportunities for monkfish and groundfish fishermen to target monkfish in coastal waters from Maine to Massachusetts (i.e.,Monkfish Northern Management Area) in fishing year 2013. Monkfish are often landed while fishing for groundfish, particularly in this area.

Potentially landings and revenue would increase as a result of this action. Projected landings in 2013 potentially could be up by nearly 542,000 lb generating about $661,000 more revenue than under existing trip limits. If fishermen catch the entire annual monkfish allocation in 2013, revenue would increase by about $1.9 million. This assumes that recently observed landing rates and average ex-vessel prices continue throughout fishing year 2013.  

Specifically, this emergency action proposes to suspend, for at least 180 days, existing monkfish possession limits for vessels issued a groundfish permit and certain monkfish permits (limited access Category C or D permit) that are fishing under a groundfish or a monkfish day-at-sea in the Northern Fishery Management Area.  This action can be extended for the rest of fishing year 2013, if necessary, or existing limits could be reinstated if monkfish catch exceeds annual quotas.

Nearly 75 percent of vessels participating in groundfish sectors also have limited access monkfish permits. These vessels are limited to landing a smaller incidental amount of monkfish unless the vessel declares into the directed monkfish fishery and fishes under both a monkfish and groundfish day-at-sea on the same trip.  In recent years, the monkfish fishery has failed to fully harvest the total allowable landings for each year, particularly in this management area. 

 

Read the full announcement from NOAA

 

 

February 19, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries Service announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA) has been established in the vicinity of Nantucket Island to protect an aggregation of 8 North Atlantic right whales sighted in this area on February 15, 2013. This DMA is in effect immediately through March 1, 2013.  Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

Nantucket DMA  Coordinates — in effect through March 1, 2013
41 36N
40 53N
070 53W
069 55W

Southern New Jersey DMA — in effect through February 22, 2013
39 38N
38 55N
074 21W
073 27W

For a visual of this area and information on other voluntary and  mandatory seasonal speed restriction areas in effect, please visit our website.

DOWNLOAD THE WHALE ALERT APP FOR iPAD AND iPHONE

UPDATED ELECTRONIC NAVIGATIONAL CHARTS NOW SHOW SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS

DETAILS AND GRAPHICS OF ALL SHIP STRIKE MANAGEMENT ZONES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT

APPROACHING A RIGHT WHALE CLOSER THAN 500 YARDS IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW. PLEASE REPORT ALL RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS TO:
866-755-NOAA (8866)
 
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RIGHT WHALE AERIAL SURVEYS AND HOW TO REPORT RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS

 

 

 

February 15, 2013 – The Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources has announced that there will be no additional closures, reduction of the daily possession limit, or reduction of fishing days for the scallop fishery during the week of February 18.

The Commissioner has closely monitored the fishery since the beginning of the season and used Emergency Rulemaking to make adjustments throughout the season designed to ensure the health of the resource.
 
This decision comes as a result of input Commissioner Patrick Keliher received during a recent Scallop Advisory Council meeting as well as on-going Department monitoring of the fishery.
 
However, the Commissioner’s office also anticipates that an Emergency Rule will be issued Monday, February 25 to close the Whiting and Denny’s Bay Zone 3 Limited Access Area for the season, as that area reached the threshold for closure on January 23, with an estimated 28,890 pounds harvested, which represents 35 percent of the available 83,000 pounds.
 
To ensure that the resource can naturally replace what is removed the Department established a trigger mechanism to close Limited Access Areas when between 30 and 40 percent of the biomass has been harvested.
 
The remaining portion of the Zone 3 Limited Access Area, Lower Cobscook Bay/St. Croix River, will re-open on Sunday, March 3 for the second half of the split season for at least a week.
 
The Commissioner will continue to closely monitor the scallop fishery along the entire coast and issue management decisions as needed. For more information on Maine’s sea scallop fishery, visit here.

 

 

The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Statement on 2013 Groundfish Fishery Quota Carryover from John K. Bullard Northeast Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — February 14, 2013 – Today, as I promised the fishing industry I would do, I am announcing our intent to allow carryover of unused 2012 quota into the 2013 fishing year. Current fishery management regulations allow up to 10 percent of unused quota to be carried forward. This provides fishermen with some flexibility on when they fish — so they can avoid bad weather and take advantage of times of year when fish are available and prices are highest.

For all allocated groundfish stocks, except Gulf of Maine cod, where the stock remains in poor condition and there is a high risk of exceeding overfishing limits, we intend to continue to allow fishermen to carryover up to their full 10 percent unused quota in 2013. For Gulf of Maine cod we intend to allow just under 2 percent carryover in 2013 to avoid a risk of exceeding the overfishing limit. 

Carryover has become an issue due to the expected precipitous drop in catch limits in 2013. As a result, we want to renew our commitment, as part of a national effort to review the relationship between carryover and annual catch limits. We plan to work with the New England Fishery Management Council to develop measures to factor in carryover explicitly when setting future catch limits.

By allowing carryover we further promote safety at sea and help to mitigate some of the economic impact on the fishing industry of anticipated significant catch limit cuts while still continuing to protect fish stocks. Even with the carryover added to the 2013 quota, we still have sufficient buffers in place to ensure that catches stay below overfishing limits.

We hope that this news makes it clear that NOAA Fisheries remains committed to protecting fish, fishermen and the support businesses that have been integral to many of our coastal communities for centuries.

In collaboration with the council, we will continue to look for flexibility in federal laws, employ innovative technologies and fishing methods and adopt new management measures to fully harvest available healthy groundfish and other fish stocks.  Here are some of the other things we are working on to help fishermen in 2013:

    • Analyzing what percentage of next year’s monitoring costs could be paid for with available federal funds.

    • Considering allowing groundfish fishermen to use smaller mesh trawl gear to more effectively target healthy redfish stocks.

    • Proposing an emergency action to suspend temporarily monkfish trip limits in the Northern management area.      

    • Exploring options to allow sectors access to portions of groundfish closed areas that were closed to address fishing mortality while maintaining closed areas for habitat protection, protecting vulnerable groundfish stocks, spawning stocks and protected species.

    • Establishing an exempted fishery for sectors so they don't have to use a groundfish day-at-sea to direct on spiny dogfish in some areas because they only catch a small amount of groundfish.

    • Considering measures recommended by the council (Framework 48) that would help mitigate low quotas in 2013 (elimination of dockside monitoring, reduced minimum fish sizes in order to convert discards to landings, and reduced at-sea monitoring on large mesh Southern New England monkfish gillnet trips).

    • Continuing, with fishermen’s help, to improve fisheries and marine ecosystem science and the way we communicate that science.  For instance, we hope to begin this year, if funds are available, a new flatfish survey using fishing vessels.

NOTIFICATION TO SECTOR MANAGERS

The following was sent to sector managers by Mark Grant, Sector Policy Analyst, National Marine Fisheries Service  

    Each sector will be allowed to carryover up to 10 percent of its fishing year (FY) 2012 ACE for each allocated stock to FY 2013, except Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod. Each sector will be allowed to carry over up to 1.85 percent of its FY 2012 GOM cod allocation to FY 2013. The reasons for the reduced carryover of GOM cod are that the stock remains in poor condition and the need to avoid exceeding the overfishing limit. By allowing carryover we further promote safety at sea and help to mitigate some of the economic impact of anticipated cuts in catch limits while still continuing to protect fish stocks. Catch limits in 2013, even with the carryover, will be well below overfishing limits.

    In 2012 we applied a limited exception in the law that allowed us to reduce, rather than immediately end, overfishing.  However, we were very clear that it was not possible to exercise that same flexibility in FY 2013. If 10 percent of the FY 2012 quota, which was higher than it would have been if overfishing was stopped, is carried over, the resulting 2013 catch could exceed the overfishing limit for GOM cod. We have calculated that allowing sectors to carry over up to 1.85 percent of their FY 2012 GOM cod allocation to FY 2013 will not result in FY 2013 catch exceeding the overfishing limit.

    We are committed, as part of a national effort, to review the relationship between carryover and annual catch limits. We plan to work with the New England Fishery Management Council to develop measures to factor in carryover explicitly when setting future catch limits.

 

 

 

 

February 13, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries has approved four companies to provide at-sea monitoring services and three companies to provide dockside monitoring services in the 2013 Fishing Year, which begins on May 1.  According to the release "Sectors are responsible for the costs of all monitoring in fishing year (FY) 2013, to the extent not funded by NOAA Fisheries." 

View the official announcement here

Saving Seafood coverage of the controversy over at-sea monitoring costs:

13 Senators and Members of Congress Write Commerce Department on At-Sea Monitoring, Carryover and Stock Assessments

Maine lawmakers urge help for fishermen

 

 

 

February 11, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries today announced that effective immediately trip limits for Gulf of Maine cod, Georges Bank cod and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder are increased for common pool vessels fishing under a Northeast multispecies day-at-sea.

Also effective immediately, the trip limits for white hake and pollock are decreased for common pool vessels.

Proportional trip limit adjustments also have been made for the Handgear B permit for Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank cod, as required by the regulations. 

These measures remain in effect through the end of the current fishing year, which ends on April 30, 2013.

 

Read the full notice here

 

 

February 8, 2013 — In response to continuing low catch rates and to improve flexibility and safety, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section has added two additional days per week to the shrimp trawl fishery. Starting immediately shrimp trawlers will be allowed to fish on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, until further notice.

The Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources has also amended the hours for the trawl fishery to allow fishing from 7 AM to 5:30 PM only. Prior to the change, trawl fishing had been allowed around the clock. The change in hours for trawlers follows the recommendations of Maine Marine Patrol to decrease the potential for gear conflict between trawl nets and trap lines set by lobstermen and shrimp trappers, more likely to occur at night.
 
Trappers are allowed to haul traps around the clock Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and may land a maximum of 500 pounds per day.
 
“These decisions provide ample opportunity for trawlers and trappers to land their seasonal quota but reflect our commitment to balancing the financial needs and the safety of fishermen,” said Commissioner Keliher.
 
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Northern Shrimp Section, which establishes regulatory standards for member states Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, set the 2013 quota for the shrimp season at 625 metric tons. The ASMFC management program allocates 87 percent of the total quota to trawlers and 13 percent to trappers.
 
Landings will continue to be monitored closely by the Department of Marine Resources to prevent quota overages. Each fishery will close when 85 percent of its total allowable catch is projected to be reached.
 
For more information visit www.maine.gov/dmr or contact Chris Vonderweidt at 624-6558.

 

 

February 7, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries Service announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA) has been established in the vicinity of Southern New Jersey to protect an aggregation of 5 right whales sighted in this area on February 7, 2013. This DMA is in effect immediately through February 22, 2013.  Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

VOLUNTARY DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREAS (DMAs)
Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the following areas where persistent aggregations of right whales have been sighted. Please visit the NMFS website for a graphic depicting this area.

Southern New Jersey DMA — in effect through February 22, 2013
39 38N
38 55N
074 21W
073 27W

ACTIVE SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS (SMAs)
Mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less (50 CFR 224.105) are in effect in the following areas:

Cape Cod Bay SMA — in effect through May 15, 2013

Mid-Atlantic SMAs — in effect through April 30, 2013

Southeast SMA — in effect through April 15, 2013

DOWNLOAD THE WHALE ALERT APP FOR iPAD AND iPHONE:
stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whalealert.html

UPDATED ELECTRONIC NAVIGATIONAL CHARTS NOW SHOW SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS:
www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/index.htm

FOR AN AUTOMATIC RETURN EMAIL LISTING ALL CURRENT U.S. DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREAS AND SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS, PLEASE SEND A BLANK MESSAGE TO:
ne.rw.sightings@noaa.gov
 
DETAILS AND GRAPHICS OF ALL SHIP STRIKE MANAGEMENT ZONES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT:
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike
 
ACOUSTIC DETECTIONS IN CAPE COD BAY AND THE BOSTON TSS:
www.listenforwhales.org

NOAA Fisheries announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA) has been established in the vicinity of Southern New Jersey to protect an aggregation of 5 right whales sighted in this area on February 7, 2013. This DMA is in effect immediately through February 22, 2013.  Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

Southern New Jersey DMA — in effect through February 22, 2013
39 38N
38 55N
074 21W
073 27W

 
APPROACHING A RIGHT WHALE CLOSER THAN 500 YARDS IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW. PLEASE REPORT ALL RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS TO:
866-755-NOAA (8866)
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RIGHT WHALE AERIAL SURVEYS AND HOW TO REPORT RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS, VISIT:
www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys/SASInteractive2.html

 

 

 

 

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — February 1, 2013 — Maine Marine Commissioner Patrick Keliher has lifted time-of-day restrictions on trawlers fishing for shrimp, allowing them to fish around-the-clock for two days a week. He’s also lowered the daily catch limit for shrimp trappers when they begin fishing Tuesday.

The shrimp season got under way on Jan. 23 with a big quota reduction that lowered the limit to 1.4 million pounds from 5.3 million pounds last year.

Tweaking the system on Friday, Keliher eliminated the sunrise-to-3 p.m. restriction for trawlers for the first two weeks of the fishery, allowing them to fish around-the-clock on each Monday and Wednesday.

 

Read the full story by the Associated Press in the Boston Globe