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Glenn Prickett, incoming Gulf of Maine Research Institute CEO, welcomes industry collaboration

August 9, 2023 — The Portland, Maine, U.S.A.-based Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), an independent marine nonprofit dedicated to studying the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the people who depend on it, recently announced the hiring of Glenn Prickett as its next CEO. Prickett, who was previously president and CEO of the World Environment Center in Washington, D.C., has 35 years of environmental, climate, and business development experience working with NGOs, volunteer organizations, and the private sector. He will start his tenure at GMRI in September. In an interview with SeafoodSource, Prickett discussed his new role and what he hopes to accomplish during his time at the helm of GMRI.

The following was released by SeafoodSource

The harmful practices of trophy fishing

August 9, 2023 — The following was released by the Blue Planet Society:

While much is talked about the impact of commercial fishing on fish populations and the ocean’s health, recreational and trophy fishing also play a role in contributing to marine biodiversity decline. These don’t usually get the same conservation spotlight as people might feel there are more pressing issues when it comes to protecting the oceans. Supertrawlers, illegal fishing, ghost nets… those are urgent matters which need attention and immediate action. However, when we look at fishing as a whole, there’s, unfortunately, more to worry about.

Recreational fishing, also called angling, is one of the most popular outdoor activities around the globe and has been around for centuries. Like hunting, fishing originated as a means to provide food before becoming a pastime. There are references to angling dating from 2000 BCE, as well as in ancient Greek and Roman writings. Techniques and equipment have evolved since then, leading to a new sport category: trophy fishing.

Trophy fishing targets the largest individuals of a species aiming to obtain an award and, in some cases, large sums of money. Since its launch in 1939, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the biggest organisation of its kind worldwide, has been tracking saltwater records. Besides regulating the sport, its purpose was to help conservation efforts. While this still is an IGFA pillar, it’s a flawed one as it fails to understand the risks it poses to biodiversity and to protect vulnerable species.

[…]

Considering all these points, the 2014 research mentioned above recommended that the IGFA stopped awarding world records for species identified as Threatened with Extinction in the IUCN’s Red List. This small but significant change would reduce fishing pressure on those while still allowing trophy fishing for more than 90% of the species in the IGFA records. Another suggestion made by the experts was to develop non-lethal alternatives to the current requirements, including length-based records and high-quality photographs allowing the catch-and-release of threatened species.

The advice wasn’t welcomed by Jason Schratwieser, who was IGFA’s Conservation Director at the time and is currently the organisation’s President. He claimed that the record submissions for threatened species are “rare events”, not considering that even a small number can have a disproportionately high impact on those populations, as previously explained. Also, he failed to recognise the unknown number of near-record-sized fish that might be killed in the process.

Schratwieser also pointed out that “commercial landings for many of these species are an order of magnitude higher than trophy fishing efforts.” The impacts of overfishing on marine biodiversity are well-known and well-documented – and weren’t the focus of this study. Shifting the blame is pointless and counterproductive, especially for an organisation that, in theory, has conservation as one of its values. We can’t reverse the damage that’s been already done; however, we can change current policies and ensure the protection of threatened species for a better present and future.

By failing to protect endangered species, IGFA incentivises competitions to do the same. The White Marlin Open is one of the biggest fishing tournaments, taking place every year in Maryland, US. It prides itself on being the ‘World’s Largest and Richest Billfish Tournament’. By the time this year’s 50th edition finishes in mid-August, it’ll have paid more than $100 million in prizes. Of the eight species fished in the competition, two are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN’s Red List: Blue Marlin and Sailfish. The Bigeye Tuna, targeted in the contest alongside Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna, is also listed as Vulnerable.

Some of the White Marlin Open sponsors are big corporations like Mercedes Benz, Garmin, Under Armour and many others. It’s extremely concerning that companies are willing not only to support but to provide for a competition that incentivises and rewards people to catch endangered wildlife. This is only possible due to the lack of respect and protection warranted for marine animals. As consumers, we make choices based on needs, values, and desires. Would you still choose to support a brand knowing its practices are harmful to biodiversity?

The misconceptions that natural resources are endless, that fish are less sentient beings than land animals and therefore we can treat them as we please, and that their populations can thrive regardless of human actions, are outdated and have been proved wrong time and time again. This wishful and naïve thinking doesn’t agree with the biodiversity and climate crises we are facing.

While trophy fishing is a controversial activity in its own way, there are no arguments that could justify the lack of protection for endangered species. Even more so when these represent only a small number of the over 1,000 species that are currently fished for world record awards. When an international regulatory body refuses to make a small change to a policy that could help so many species at little to no cost, it’s time to rethink the sport as a whole.

Sign the petition to put pressure on the IGFA to stop awarding weight-based world records for fish species threatened with extinction.

2023 Seafood Expo Asia, taking place 11 to 13 September, slated to be largest ever

August 1, 2023 — The next edition of Seafood Expo Asia, taking place 11 to 13 September at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, is set to be the largest in the event’s history.

Event organizer Diversified Communications announced that as of 1 August, the show is nearly fully booked with an exhibit floor that will be 84 percent larger than last year. This 2023 edition of the expo also marks the second time the event will take place in Singapore after moving from its previous location in Hong Kong. [Editor’s note: Diversified Communications also owns and operates SeafoodSource].

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Science Center for Marine Fisheries Supports Research Opportunities for Students

July 23, 2023 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SECMFIS) was founded to bring together industry and academia to support cutting-edge finfish and shellfish research. A critical element of this mission is to support the careers of students and up-and-coming scientists by actively involving them in Center-funded projects. That is why SCEMFIS member institutions are proud to provide research opportunities as part of the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.

The REU program allows students to participate directly in scientific research at the undergraduate level. This gives them valuable hands-on experience in the lab and in the field, lets them contribute to published studies, and helps lay the foundation for a future career in marine science. Many of our students who have successfully completed projects in the REU program have gone on to further their careers in academia and fisheries science and management.

SCEMFIS REU students have been integral in recent projects funded by the Center, conducting research on a range of topics, including geospatial analysis of cod spawning and how it is affected by climate change; the economic feasibility of Atlantic surfclam hatcheries; how potential offshore wind developments interact with existing ocean geography and nearby ocean species; improving clam dredge designs; the importance of forage fish in marine food webs, and research into the life history and population dynamics of surfclams and ocean quahogs.

The REU program has students at many SCEMFIS member institutions, including the University of Southern Mississippi, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William and Mary, Rutgers University, Nicholls State University, the University of Richmond, Carlton College, Michigan State University and the University of Texas, Austin.

“The future of the sciences depends on getting our students directly involved in research as often as possible, and the REU program has been a great way to accomplish that,” said Dr. Eric Powell of the University of Southern Mississippi. “Our REU students have contributed to some of the most important recent work done by the Center, and the Center has served as a great launching point for many scientific careers.”

Below, SCEMFIS would like to highlight some of our recent REU students, and the work that they have done for the Center:

Samantha Alaimo: Graduate Student at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Samantha (Sam) Alaimo is a PhD student studying oceanography at Rutgers University under Dr. Josh Kohut. Working with Dr. Jeff Burst and his colleagues at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Sam hopes to better assess decadal and seasonal trends of frequently caught species compared to trends in oceanographic features, such as the Mid-Atlantic Cold Pool. Comparing fish abundance and biomass to changes in the cold pool over time would identify key environmental factors that influence fish distributions and allow for a baseline to be established prior to the construction of offshore wind.
 

Garrett Bellin: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Garrett Bellin is a rising sophomore at William & Mary studying applied statistics and data science. He is a researcher for the William & Mary Center for Geospatial Analysis, performing GIS analyses for various clients. Currently, he is working with Dr. Roger Mann using GIS mapping to find cod spawning locations and determine how they are affected by ocean warming trends. Using the DOPPIO and GLORYS ocean temperature datasets, ideal temperatures for cod spawning will be ascertained and overlaid with substrate and cod location data. Garrett hopes to be able to create GIS models that can predict future cod spawning grounds as ocean temperatures continue to rise. Policy changes could ultimately be affected which address the location and boundary of the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area near Nantucket.
 

Olivia Cohn: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Olivia (Livvie) Cohn is an undergraduate student veteran studying biology and marine science at William & Mary and is working with Dr. Roger Mann and Alex Marquardt as a Laboratory Technician in the VIMS Molluscan Ecology Lab. She has been assisting Alex in her PhD research by using image analysis to help track early growth and death rates of oyster spat. Livvie hopes to eventually take on individual research, gain more experience engaging with the local community, and fisheries management.

 

Caela Gilsinan: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Caela Gilsinan is an undergraduate at William & Mary and has been working on a wind energy/fisheries economy project with Dr. Andrew Scheld at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She has been able to meet with hatchery managers, researchers, and other experts in hatchery production, collecting information on production methods and costs, and developing a cost model to evaluate the economic viability of large-scale hatchery production for Atlantic surfclam. She developed skills in coding, simulation modeling, and analyzing techno-economic cost models to evaluate fixed, variable, and average production costs and maximum production scales.

Emily Gaudet: Undergraduate student at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Emily Gaudet is a undergraduate student at Nicholls State University majoring in Biology Pre-med. She is currently working with Dr. Whitaker as an REU student on a coastal predatory diet study. Emily is focusing on Speckled Trout Cynoscion nebulosus collected from all five coastal study areas in Louisiana. She is using sequencing to identify prey that in conventional diet studies might be labeled as unidentified with the hope of providing a more complete picture of the Speckled Trout diet.  

 

Becca Horwitz: BS Degree (June 2022), Carlton College, Northfield, Minnesota


Becca has been working with Dr. Daphne Munroe and Dr. Travis Miles at the Rutgers University Department of Marine and Coastal Science for over a year. She has been exploring the overlap between the Mid-Atlantic Bight Cold Pool (a seasonally stratified coastal ocean feature) and proposed offshore wind lease areas in the Mid-Atlantic Bight region using the ocean model DOPPIO. After graduating from Carleton College in June, she joined Dr. Munroe’s lab to further explore the world of biological oceanography, as well as to continue her research. She is working on a paper that will hopefully be finished by spring 2023. Becca plans to apply for her PhD in a year after finishing her time with Dr. Munroe to continue studying the potential effects of offshore wind on the coastal environment. 

 

Nathan Kennedy: Undergraduate Student at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

Nathan Kennedy is a senior civil engineering major at the University of Texas at Austin. He is working with the Ocean Engineering Group at UT as an undergraduate research assistant, using CFD software to model and analyze the performance of a clam dredge. His focus lies in optimizing the design of the manifold by minimizing the energy losses of fluid flow through it, which he achieves by using programs like Fluent and Tecplot 360 to model the velocity and pressure distributions of various manifold designs.

Thais Lobo-Emond:  Undergraduate Student at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

Thais Lobo-Emond is a senior civil engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin. She has been working with the Ocean Engineering Group on Computational Fluid Dynamic modeling, under the supervision of Dr. Spyros Kinnas. In her position as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, Thais has learned to work with software such as Ansys, SolidWorks, and Fluent to model flows and analyze velocity, pressure, force, movements, and other flow characteristics. Thais has been using these software programs to improve the design of clam dredge jets for better overall performance.

Brett Renken: Undergraduate Student, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida

 Brett Renken is from Oak Lawn, Illinois and is currently an undergraduate student at the University of West Florida, majoring in Marine Biology. He is working with Dr. Justine Whitaker as an REU student in the Coastal Genomics Lab at Nicholls State University. Brett’s project is part of a larger diet study and he is focusing on Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus. He is performing dissections to remove gut contents, extracting DNA from the contents, and then sequencing to identify the contents to the lowest taxonomic level. He has also assisted with field work for other graduate students at Nicholls State, ranging from terrapin surveys at Grand Isle, Louisiana, collecting environmental DNA samples for mussel and fish species at sites in the Sabine and Calcasieu basins.

Ellen Rowe: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg Virginia

Ellen Rowe is an undergraduate student studying biology and marine science at William & Mary. She is also involved with William & Mary’s Center for Geospatial Analysis. She has created communication materials for conservation work and scientific research experience using her knowledge of Geographic Information System (GIS). She is currently working with Dr. Roger Mann as an REU student at the Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS). She will be looking at oyster survey data, finding ways to present and share this research effectively. She is excited to combine her interests in marine science, GIS, and science communication during her REU project.  

Brody Phillips: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Brody is a first-generation undergraduate student at William & Mary majoring in biology and minoring in psychology. He is currently working with Dr. Roger Mann as a REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) student in the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Molluscan Ecology Lab to investigate the potential electromagnetic field (EMF) impacts of inter array cables from offshore wind farms on invertebrate species. This project consists of literature review of offshore wind farms, power cable modeling, and previously studied EMF relationships within the marine environment. While previous research in this area is minimal, predominant focus has been on more charismatic (vertebrate) species such as sharks, dolphins, and turtles. Almost no research related to underwater transmission cables and EMF alteration impacts at the neurological level has been done on invertebrate species. Along with literature review, he will be meeting with energy transmission engineers, neurophysiology researchers, and other professionals to determine the significance of these impacts and how they affect neuron communication and function in invertebrates. 

Austin Sanchez: Undergraduate Student at the University of Texas at Austin, TX

Austin Sanchez is a second year Environmental Engineering  student at the University of Texas, Austin. He has been working with the Ocean Engineering Group’s research team since his first year. My role is on the experimental side. He has been working on a project to optimize clam dredge jet speeds. As part of the project, he has helped design the clam dredge manifold and jets using 3D software, and has manufactured them on campus using 3D printers.

 

Rebecca Walsh: Undergraduate Student at the University of Richmond, Richmond, VA

Becca is an undergraduate at the University of Richmond studying biology, environmental studies, and geography. She spent the summer working with Dr. Robert Leaf at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast research lab, researching the caloric content of forage fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Through direct sampling, spatial, temporal, and age based trends of caloric content were investigated. Throughout the summer, she developed skills in sampling, new lab techniques, and coding. During the summer, she was also able to participate in NOAA SEAMAP ground fish survey. Becca is currently working on a paper remotely with Dr. Leaf and as part of her honors thesis that will be finished in spring 2023 when she graduates from Richmond. 

Jasmine Whelan: BS Graduate, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Jasmine received a B.S. in biology with a marine science minor from the College of William & Mary. Previously she worked in an avian lab where she studied the effect of mercury pollution and stress on a songbird’s ability to promote quality feather growth. As an REU recipient at VIMS, Jasmine worked in the Molluscan Ecology Lab assisting PhD student Alex Marquardt in her research on Virginia oyster life history.

Brynne Wisner: Undergraduate, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Brynne Wisner is a senior at Michigan State University and has been working with Dr. Daphne Munroe at the Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Research Lab. She has been researching the age demographics of an Atlantic surfclam population with previously low abundance on the southern end of the Atlantic surfclam range. The results from this study will help determine current population stability and inform future fishing efforts. Brynne will be graduating this semester and hopes to continue to participate in fisheries research after graduation.

What are some of the key strategies to help commercial fishermen address their mental health?

July 17, 2023 — The aura associated with the concept of the Lone Fisherman has been expressed in art and on social media, reinforcing the reputation of commercial fishermen as solitary, strong individuals. That aura is more reality than myth, but the mental cost of it has only recently become better understood. Studies show that in the United States, suicide rates for a group of professionals that includes commercial fishermen are more than double the national average workplace fatalities.

Specifically in Massachusetts, workers in the forestry, hunting, and agriculture industries (which includes commercial fishing) are more likely than the average worker to be prescribed opioids to manage work-related pain and injuries and about five times more likely to die of opioid-related causes. The commercial fishing industry across the country echoes the struggle of opioid addiction and the connection to mental health issues, and with a younger generation of fishermen entering the workforce, this is something industry professionals must not ignore.

Stress has always been a factor in the commercial fishing industry, with fishermen facing unique stressors that are not always present in other industries. These stressors can include finances, finding a competent crew, weather, boat problems, lack of sleep, chronic pain, or trauma. A 2019 article mentioned that commercial fishing is the most dangerous civilian job in the U.S., with 100 deaths per 100,000 workers. It is an isolating, dangerous occupation full of uncertainty and expenses.

How are fishermen dealing with all these issues on a day-to-day basis? What does it mean to identify these distinct stressors, to acknowledge a traumatic event, or to recognize the signs of a crisis on your boat?

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Noted mariner, innovator Erling Skaar goes out singing

July 16, 2023 — Erling Skaar, a noted vessel master and technical innovator in North Pacific fisheries and marine operations, and a man known for his strong principles on safety, efficiency, and resource conservation, passed away July 1 at age 80.

Skaar suffered a pair of strokes and died in Salem, Ore. after giving a robust performance at Sangerfest 2023, where he participated as a long-time member of the Norwegian Male Chorus of Seattle.

Skaar grew up in a family of mariners in Stavanger, Norway. Trained as a marine engineer, he worked a few years as a teenager aboard Norwegian freighters and herring vessels, and then emigrated to the United States at age 20 in 1962.

In the U.S., Skaar signed onto a Shell Oil exploration vessel out of Oregon, starting as mess man and rising to chief engineer aboard the 5,000-hp Cal Tide by 1965. At a dance in Seattle, he met Liv Jorgensen, another new immigrant who grew up near Farsund, in the south of Norway. The couple married in 1964. That summer, Skaar tried his hand at fishing salmon in Alaska’s Bristol Bay.

The lure of Alaska fishing took hold. Skaar left Shell in 1967 to fish for king crab aboard the F/V Foremost, then worked aboard a succession of vessels before acquiring his own. Naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1968, Skaar settled in Seattle and joined Ballard’s Norwegian community, an engine of the nation’s rising offshore fishing industry in the North Pacific.

He fished salmon and served as a port engineer at False Pass and Port Moller, then crabbed out of Adak on the Kevleen K. Skaar trawled off Oregon and Washington aboard the Windjammer, and in 1970 he signed on with the Mar-Gun, working under the tutelage of skipper-owner Gunnar Ildhuso.

Spotting greater opportunities ahead, Skaar studied navigation at the Kildall School in Seattle. Upon graduation he signed on as captain of the Silver Dolphin, fishing king crab, tanner crab and blue king crab near Adak and the Pribilofs. Ready to run his own boat, in 1974 Skaar partnered with Ildhuso and New England Fish Company to commission a new Marco crabber, the North American. The 108-footer launched in 1975 with capabilities that were rarely seen at that time.

Skaar raised eyebrows on the waterfront by outfitting the North American with a Caterpillar 399, a 16-cylinder beast generating 1,100 hp, hundreds more than most crabbers of that era. That choice laid the foundation for some of his later innovations to improve the efficiency, safety and reliability of working vessels.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Lund’s Fisheries Sustainability Director Appointed to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

July 11, 2023 — The Garden State Seafood Association announced that the Senate confirmed Jeff Kaelin, Director of Sustainability and Government Relations for Lund’s Fisheries, as Governor Phil Murphy’s proxy to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

This appointment is a historic feat for the commercial fishing industry in New Jersey as it marks the first time in almost 20 years that commercial fishermen in the state have had a representative on the ASMFC.

“New Jersey has been the only state on the commission that lacks a commercial representative and we are excited that the Governor and NJDEP agree that both commercial and recreational fishermen should have representation,” the Garden State Seafood Association said in a press release.

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com

Interns Dive into Chesapeake Science, Policy, Programs

July 5, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries: 

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office is once again hosting students from around the country for 12-week summer internships. Our interns gain knowledge and experience, and we benefit from having additional talented staff members for the summer.

Each intern focuses on a needed project that might not otherwise happen due to time and resource constraints. So every intern’s project contributes to the health of the Chesapeake! And every intern works closely with mentors who provide guidance for their Chesapeake Bay-focused projects and collaborates with our experts.

We partner with the Chesapeake Research Consortium to make these internships possible, including collaborating with them on the Chesapeake Student Recruitment, Early Advisement, and Mentoring program. This program supports students who are underrepresented in their field of study.

What Does Habitat Mean to You?

Because of our strong interest in healthy habitat, we asked each of our interns to share what they think of when they think of “habitat”:

Claire

I think about habitat not only as a physical environment, but the conditions and relationships that make flourishing possible. To me, habitat means home.

Catherine

This has always been a difficult question for me since, throughout my life, habitat has had many different definitions. However, out of all the definitions, the one I connected with the most was a location providing an organism with all the necessary conditions for survival.

Emma C.

I would say a place that something calls home. My habitat is probably a coffee shop with lots of books, or a library.

Emily

To me, “habitat” means an environment where an organism can thrive—where its physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are being met. This way it can grow and reach its full potential as an organism!

Emma V.

I grew up in New York City on the twelfth floor of a Manhattan apartment building. There is a nesting pair of peregrine falcons in the church across the street and we have some fearless rats in the subways. I used to think that only pristine mountains and beaches were habitats, but now I realize that my home city is also a habitat that supports all sorts of wacky and unique ecosystems. It has also been an important shift to realize that humans are part of ecosystems and therefore the spaces that support human life are habitats too.

Let’s learn more about this year’s talented class of interns!

Bullard’s Public Life in New Bedford Highlighted in Memoir

July 3, 2023 — Former New Bedford Mayor John Bullard said he wrote his memoir Hometown for two reasons: to recognize all of the people who helped with his public life successes, that their stories be told. Bullard also wanted to encourage young people trying to figure out how to make an impact to consider doing what he did, which is try to fix up their hometown.

Bullard sat down with us this week Townsquare Sunday to discuss the new book and his career in public life.

There were a few memories that will never fade. As an agent for the Waterfront Historic Area League, Bullard and others worked to convince Mayor John Markey to invest in what is now the Waterfront Historic District.

“The district at that time was full of empty buildings, run-down streets. It met every definition of blight there was,” Bullard said.

Both men kept talking, however, and Markey made what Bullard called “a courageous decision,” investing $1.3 million into historic preservation.

Read the full article at WBSM

Fishing Family Point of View: regulations and policies across the coasts

July 3, 2023 — Growing up in a fishing family showed me much more than a strong work ethic. It showed me fishermen feel the most at home on sea than on land. Fishing has been in my family for generations, and I have always seen firsthand the stewards that make up this industrious community. My great, great-grandfather was the first in our family to fish, and the tradition persisted on to my brother and me.

Though I grew up engulfed by the same fishing traditions as my brother, I fell in love with the ability to be an advocate for fishermen and their families. Both of us were inspired by the different aspects of what our father chose for his occupation. He has always fished predominantly for lobsters and would occasionally labor in other fisheries. Most of our dad’s onshore hours were spent advocating and fighting regulatory issues as a board member for the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

Once graduating college and moving back to the coast of Maine, I was motivated to take a position that would allow me to learn more about the policy and further aspects of the fishing industry with the ability to share my experience growing up in this community. After taking the position with National Fisherman and being able to connect with other fishing families, I have become inspired to unify this way of life among all the coasts.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman