Saving Seafood

NOAA Announces Gulf Red Snapper Harvest to Open June 1

April 29, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries has announced the recreational season for the harvest of red snapper in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will open at 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2016. The bag and possession limit is two fish per person at a 16-inch minimum total length.

Last year, NOAA Fisheries, through the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council), made the decision to split the recreational red snapper quota into two distinct components – private anglers and charter vessels and headboats (for-hire). Each component has its own quota allocations based upon NOAA’s recreational red snapper harvest estimates. Private anglers will have a 9-day federal season running through June 9th closing at 11:59 p.m., and charter vessels / headboats will have a 46-day federal season, closing July 16th at 11:59 p.m.

The “Louisiana-only” season

The season for the recreational harvest of red snapper in Louisiana state waters is currently open, will remain open during the federal season, and will continue to be open after the federal season closes. LDWF monitors real-time red snapper harvest during 2016 through the LA Creel program.

Recreational Offshore Landing Permit

The Department reminds anglers that a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit is required in order to posses certain species, including red snapper. Anglers may obtain or new the permit, free of charge at https://rolp.wlf.la.gov.

The permit is required for any angler possessing tuna, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, snappers, hinds, wahoo, cobia and dolphin, except for anglers under 16 years of age or anglers fishing on a paid-for-hire trip where the captain holds a permit.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

US fisheries continue to rebuild thanks to NOAA’s management process

April 25, 2016 — As a result of the combined efforts of NOAA Fisheries, the regional fishery management councils, and other stakeholders, in 2015 two stocks were rebuilt and the number of stocks listed as subject to overfishing or overfished remains near an all-time low.

“On the 40th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), we recognize that our dynamic, science-based management process is proving to be successful at ending overfishing and rebuilding stocks, helping us realize significant benefits to the economy,” NOAA Fisheries stated in its annual report.

NOAA pointed out that based on the assessments carried out at the end of 2015, the findings are the following:

  • 28 stocks were on the overfishing list, from which some were removed, such as hogfish (Eastern Gulf of Mexico Puerto Rico Scups & Porgies Complex Puerto Rico Wrasses Complex), thorny skate (Gulf of Maine), winter skate (Georges Bank/ Southern New England), windowpane (Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank), greater amberjack (Gulf of Mexico), gray triggerfish (Gulf of Mexico). Others were added, such as hogfish (Southeast Florida), chinook salmon (Columbia River Basin: Upper River Summer), chinook salmon (Washington Coast: Willapa Bay Fall Natural), chinook salmon (Washington Coast: Grays Harbor Fall), coho salmon (Washington Coast: Hoh), swordfish (Eastern Pacific ), summer flounder, yellowtail flounder (Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Winter), flounder (Georges Bank) and bigeye tuna (Atlantic).
  • 38 stocks were on the overfished list, from which blueline tilefish (South Atlantic) and canary rockfish (Pacific Coast) while others were removed as is the case of hogfifish (Southeast Florida), yellowtail flounder (Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Winter) and flounder (Georges Bank).
  • 39 stocks have been rebuilt since 2000, including canary rockfish (Pacific Coast) and petrale sole (Pacific Coast).

Read the full story at FIS

U.S. fisheries continue to rebuild; number of overfished stocks remains near all-time low

April 22, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

Total number of rebuilt U.S. marine fish stocks since 2000 rises to 39

The number of domestic fish stocks listed as overfished or subject to overfishing remain near all-time lows, according to the 2015 Status of U.S. Fisheries report to Congress.

The 2015 report highlights the United States’ continued progress towards managing fish stocks sustainably. This is a result of the combined efforts of NOAA Fisheries, commercial and recreational fishermen, the regional fishery management councils, states, and other partners.

“It’s fitting that this report aligns with the 40th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. “Magnuson-Stevens provided the dynamic, science-based management process that is proving successful year after year at keeping U.S. fisheries among the world’s most sustainable and resilient. This year’s report highlights the act’s continued success.”

In 2015, eight stocks came off the overfishing list:

  • greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico
  • gray triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico;
  • hogfish in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico;
  • thorny skate in the Gulf of Maine;
  • winter skate in Georges Bank/Southern New England;
  • windowpane flounder in the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank;
  • Puerto Rico scups and porgies complex (similar species that occur in the same area)
  • Puerto Rico wrasses complex.

In addition, two stocks are no longer listed as overfished—blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic and canary rockfish along the Pacific Coast.

A stock is on the overfishing list when the annual catch rate is too high. A stock is on the overfished listwhen the population size of a stock is too low, whether because of fishing or other causes, such as environmental changes.

The report also found that two fish stocks—canary rockfish and petrale sole, both on the Pacific Coast—were rebuilt to target levels in 2015. That brings the total number of rebuilt U.S. marine fish stocks to 39 since 2000.

“This rebuilding success demonstrates the importance of the scientific monitoring and responsive management approach Congress built in to the Magnuson-Stevens Act,” said Sobeck. “It also shows that managing fisheries to sustainable levels in an ever-changing environment is an ongoing process of science informing management.”

See the release at NOAA

 

 

NOAA Fisheries Announces New Regulations for Snapper-Grouper and Golden Crab in the South Atlantic, and Dolphin and Wahoo in the Atlantic Region

January 25, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

The final rule for the Generic Accountability Measures and Dolphin Allocation Amendment including: Amendment 34 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Golden Crab of the South Atlantic Region, and Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic published in the Federal Registrar on January 22, 2016 (81 FR 3731). Regulations will be effective on February 22, 2016.

The final rule:

Revises commercial and recreational sector allocations, and annual catch limits for dolphin in the South Atlantic. The commercial sector allocation for dolphin will increase from 7.54% to 10%, and the commercial annual catch limit will increase from 1,157,001 to 1,534,485 pounds whole weight. The recreational sector allocation for dolphin will change from 92.46% to 90%, and the annual catch limit will change from 14,187,845 to 13,810,361 pounds whole weight.

Revises the accountability measures for black grouper, mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, greater amberjack, red porgy, gag, golden tilefish, red grouper, snowy grouper, gray triggerfish, hogfish, scamp, Atlantic spadefish, bar jack, the other snappers complex, the other jacks complex, the other shallow-water grouper complex, the other porgies complex; wreckfish (recreational), and golden crab (commercial).

Accountability measures are ways fishery managers prevent annual catch limits from being exceeded and to correct overages of the catch limits if they do occur. These measures can include in-season closures, and post-season paybacks, such as reducing the length of the next fishing season or reducing the annual catch limit in the next fishing season. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information on accountability measures for the commercial and recreational sectors.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

For more information on the final rule for the Generic Accountability Measures and Dolphin Allocation Amendment, please follow this link to the Frequently Asked Questions.