Saving Seafood

ASMFC Atlantic Herring Section Approves Public Hearing Document on Draft Amendment 3 for Public Comment

November 3, 2015 — ST. AUGUSTINE, Fl. – The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section approved the Public Hearing Document for Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Herring for public comment. Draft Amendment 3 was initiated to strengthen spawning protections in Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) and address concerns raised by the commercial fishing industry. The Public Hearing Document proposes (1) alternatives to the spawning monitoring program (protocol, default start dates, area boundaries, and length of the closure period); (2) removing the fixed gear set‐aside rollover provision, and (3) requiring a vessel’s fish hold to be emptied before leaving on a fishing trip.

Today’s rebuilt herring population is comprised of a broader range of age classes with older and larger fish compared to the population during overfished conditions. Analysis of more than a decade’s worth of data suggests larger herring spawn first and the timing of the start of spawning varies from year-to-year. Proposed alternatives to the current spawning monitoring program address inter-annual differences and provide additional measures to more adequately protect spawning fish in the areas where they spawn.

At the request of the fishing industry, the Public Hearing Document includes an option to adjust the fixed gear set-aside rollover provision. Currently, the set-aside of 295 mt is available to fixed gear fishermen through November 1, after which the remaining set-aside becomes available to the rest of the Area 1A fishery. The November 1 date was set because, typically, herring have migrated out of the Gulf of Maine by that time. Anecdotal evidence suggests herring are in the Gulf of Maine after November 1, therefore, fixed gear fishermen requested the set-aside be made available to them for the remainder of the calendar year.

Members of industry also suggested a requirement for fish holds to be empty of fish prior to trip departures. This provision would allow for full accountability and encourage less wasteful fishing practices by creating an incentive to catch herring to meet market demands. The New England Fishery Management Council included a complementary provision in its Framework Adjustment 4 to the Federal Atlantic Herring FMP.  

The states will be conducting public hearings on the Public Hearing Document this winter. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Public Hearing Document either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. A subsequent press release will announce the availability of the Public Hearing Document, details of the scheduled hearings, as well as the deadline for the submission of public comment. For more information, please contact, Ashton Harp, FMP Coordinator, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for Nov. 2, 2015

November 2, 2015 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

REMINDER: WEBINAR Q&A SNAPPER GROUPER REGULATORY AMENDMENT 25 TONIGHT!

NOAA REPORT FINDS 2014 COMMERCIAL CATCH OF U.S. SEAFOOD ON PAR WITH 2013

Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and New Bedford, Mass., remain top fishing ports; recreational anglers took 68 million fishing trips in 2014. 

America’s commercial and recreational fisheries show continued stability and make a large contribution to the nation’s economy thanks to sustainable fisheries management policies, according to a new report from NOAA Fisheries.  U.S. fishermen landed 9.5 billion pounds of fish and shellfish, valued at $5.4 billion, in 2014, according to the new edition of NOAA Fisheries’ annual report, Fisheries of the United States 2014, released today. These figures are similar to those from 2013; both the volume and value continue to remain higher than the average for the past five years.Figures for recreational fishing activities remained strong; 10.4 million anglers took 68 million trips and caught nearly 392 million fish in 2014. See the full report here.  

MAFMC COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING 

The council’s Collaborative Research Committee will meet via webinar on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.  to identify research priorities for the council’s upcoming collaborative research funding opportunity.  The council has undertaken a short-term (2015-17) initiative and intends to provide funding for several projects that address specific, council-defined research topics pertaining to mid-Atlantic fisheries.  During this meeting, the committee will identify approximately 4-6 research priorities which will be used to guide the solicitation of proposals and selection of projects to receive funding.  A detailed agenda and background documents will be made available on the council’s website prior to the meeting.  

ASMFC 74TH ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA AND MATERIALS 

REGULATION AND RULE CHANGES:

–Commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper in South Atlantic federal waters will close Oct. 31

DEADLINES:

Nov. 4 – Atlantic HMS SEDAR Pool Nominations

Nov. 9 – NMFS Proposed Rule on ICCAT Bluefin Electronic Documentation Comments

Nov. 16 – SAFMC Proposed Federal Management Measures Comments

Nov. 19 – Derelict Fishing Gear Recovery Project Applications

Dec. 16 – NMFS Draft Ecosystem-based Fishery Management Policy Comments

MEETINGS:

If you are aware of ANY meetings that should be of interest to commercial fishing that is not on this list, please contact us so we can include it here.    

Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. – Question and Answer Webinar for Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 25

Nov. 2-5 – ASMFC Annual Meeting, World Golf Village Renaissance, St. Augustine Resort, 500 Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, Fl

Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.– SAMFC Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 25 Public Hearing

Nov. 9-10 – Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee Meeting, Providence Biltmore, 11 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI

Nov. 12  at 6 p.m. – SAFMC Dolphin Wahoo Regulatory Amendment 1 Public Hearing to address commerical trip limits for dolphin

Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. – MAFMC Collaborative Research Committee Meeting via webinar

Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. – Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel Meeting via webinar

Nov. 18-20 – Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting, Jennette’s Pier, 7223 South Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head

Nov. 18-20 – ASMFC River Herring Data Collection Standardization Workshop, Linthicum, MD

Nov. 30 at 12:30 p.m. – NCFA Board of Directors Meeting, Washington Civic Center, 110 Gladden St., Washington

PROCLAMATIONS: 

SCUP – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN-NORTH OF CAPE HATTERAS

SPINY DOGFISH-COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS

SNAPPER-GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL PURPOSES (YELLOWTAIL SNAPPER)

GILL NETS – ALBEMARLE SOUND AREA- MANAGEMENT UNIT A-OPENING PORTIONS OF ALBEMARLE SOUND AND TRIBUTARIES  

RULE SUSPENSION – GILL NET RESTRICTIONS: INTERNAL COASTAL WATERS – OPENING MANAGEMENT UNITS B AND D1

2015-2016 OYSTER MECHANICAL HARVEST RESTRICTIONS

View a PDF of the Weekly Update here

ASMFC American Lobster Board Initiates Addendum to Jonah Crab FMP

November 2, 2015 — ST. AUGUSTINE, Fl. – The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Lobster Management Board initiated Addendum I to the Jonah Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to consider changes the incidental bycatch limit for non-trap gear. The FMP currently prescribes a 200 crabs per calendar day/500 crabs per trip incidental bycatch limit; however, concerns were expressed over the appropriateness of these limits. Data submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries illustrated while 97-99% of trips from 2010 through 2014 have been within the current limit, there were a number of trips above the limit. Furthermore, current bycatch landings are sufficiently low, accounting for approximately 1% of total landings.

Given a goal of the Jonah Crab FMP is to prevent expansion of the fishery while including all current participants, the Board has initiated an addendum to consider altering the incidental bycatch limit with options to increase the  limit to 1000 crabs per trip or eliminate the bycatch limit for non-trap gear. Draft Addendum I will be presented to the Board in February. If approved, the Board would release the Draft Addendum for public comment and will consider final approval of the addendum at the Commission’s Spring Meeting in May. For more information, please contact Megan Ware, FMP Coordinator, at mware@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Directed Atlantic Herring Fishery Closure for Management Area 1A Effective 1200 Hours-Noon on November 2, 2015

October 30, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC):

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) projected 92% of the total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) for Trimester 3 (October-December) will be harvested by November 2, 2015. The Area 1A directed fishery will close effective 1200 hours-Noon on November 2, 2015 and remain closed until further notice. Vessels that have entered port before 1200 hours-Noon on November 2, 2015, may land and sell, from that trip, more than 2,000 pounds of herring from Area 1A.

Vessels participating in the herring Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program may continue to fish in Area 1A for the remainder of the fishing year, and land, subject to state landing restrictions, greater than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring provided they are on a declared herring RSA trip.

States are reminded that in accordance with Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring, once a closure has been announced by the Greater Atlantic Regional Office Regional Administrator, states must prohibit the landing of herring from a closed area and prohibit directed fishing for Atlantic herring in state waters of a closed area. During a closure, vessels participating in other fisheries may retain and land an incidental catch of herring that does not exceed 2,000 pounds per trip or calendar day. In addition, all vessels traveling through Area 1A must have all fishing gear stowed.

For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Read a PDF version of the release

Supplemental Materials Now Available for the ASMFC’s 74th Annual Meeting

October 27, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 74th Annual Meeting have been posted at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-Annual-Meeting for the following Boards/Sections (click on “Supplemental Material” following each relevant committee header to access information). 

American Lobster Management Board – Report for the Southern New England (SNE) Subcommittee’s October 2nd Meeting; Update on SNE Stock Projections Presented at the Subcommittee Meeting; Relationship Between Fishing Effort and Fishery Exploitation; Incidental Bycatch of Jonah Crab by Non-trap Gear; and Revised Advisory Panel Nominations

Atlantic Herring Section – Issues and Options Under Development and Consideration for Inclusion in Draft Amendment 3; Technical Report on Gonadal-Somatic Index-based Monitoring System for Atlantic Herring Closures; and Advisory Panel Meeting Summary

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Delaware Bay Summer Flounder White Paper; Black Sea Bass Commercial Quotas; and 2015 FMP Reviews for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass

Executive Committee – Executive Committee Recommended Changes to Commission Documents and Additional Issues for Consideration on Commission Guidance Documents

American Eel Management Board – Public Comment

Winter Flounder Management Board – Northeast Fisheries Science Center Stock Assessment Update on 20 Northeast Groundfish Stocks Through 2014 (This report has been modified to include information on winter flounder stocks only).

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Ecological Reference Point Recommendations for Draft Amendment 3 Development; Socioeconomic Study of Menhaden Fisheries – Request for Proposals Update; and Public Comment

Law Enforcement Committee – Revised Agenda

Tautog Management Board – Summary of Submitted Public Comment; Individual/Organization Comments; and Law Enforcement Subcommittee Review on Illegal Tautog Harvest

Spiny Dogfish Management Board – Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Spiny Dogfish Motions and Selected Alternatives

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – 2015 FMP Review 

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – 2015 FMP Reviews for Spotted Seatrout and Spanish Mackerel

As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 8:00 a.m. on November 2nd, continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:45 p.m.) on November 5th.  The webinar will allow registrants to listen to the proceedings of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s management boards/sections during the Commission’s 74th Annual Meeting, November 2-5, 2015. Registrants will also be able to view presentations and motions as they occur. For a detailed agenda and meeting materials, go to http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-Annual-Meeting. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise during the streaming of the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Board/Section summaries, presentations, and audio files will be available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-Annual-Meeting the week of November 9th.

View a PDF of the Supplemental meeting materials here

ASMFC 74th Annual Meeting Final Agenda and Meeting Materials Now Available

October 22, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 74th Annual Meeting can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-Annual-Meeting; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of meetings. Interested parties should anticipate meetings starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

For ease of access, meeting materials for all the Boards/Sections, including the ISFMP Policy Board and Business Session are combined into one PDF (http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2015AnnualMeeting/CombinedFiles.pdf). This PDF does not include materials for any other committees that will be meeting; nor does it include the Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review of Red Drum, which can obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2015AnnualMeeting/RedDrumAssmt.pdf.Some documents may be large, so please be patient downloading. Supplemental materials will be posted to the website next Wednesday, October 28th.

Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 8:00 a.m. on November 2nd, continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:45 p.m.) on November 5th.  The webinar will allow registrants to listen to the proceedings of the Commission’s management boards/sections during the  74th Annual Meeting, November 2-5, 2015. Registrants will also be able to view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise during the streaming of the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. To register for the webinar, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2086181846563838978.

Board/Section summaries, presentations, and audio files will be available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-Annual-Meeting the week of November 9th.

As a reminder, the guidelines for submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action) are as follows: 

1.   Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included with the main meeting materials.

2.   Comments received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.

3.   Following the Tuesday, October 27, 2015 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail, fax, and email.

MAINE: Lobstermen Cry ‘Foul’ Over Proposed Searsport Harbor Dredging

October 15, 2015 — The state of Maine has long been synonymous with deep forested tracts of wilderness stretching from its western boundary with the Connecticut lakes in far northern New Hampshire, up to its northern border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. The state has long been associated with pristine springs, rivers and lakes, the habitat of its signature majestic large antlered moose – and all the while conjuring up images of the ubiquitous Poland Spring water bottle.

The southern and “downeastern” end of Maine is composed of miles of sandy beaches that gradually give way to rocky crags, jutting coastline, and hundreds of small rock outcrops and islands dotted with salty old lighthouses. This rocky coastline is the perfect breeding ground for the one sea creature that Maine is famous for, and makes up the heart of the state’s predominant seafood export – that delectable crustacean, the Maine lobster.

It also appears the “typical Maine rocky coastline” is the prime location where these tasty crustaceans are caught and eventually get exported far and wide to consumers’ tables. This is according to the most recent Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report, released last month. Of note, an interesting statistic gleaned from this NOAA study is: “… More than 98 percent of the total GOM (Gulf of Maine) catch has come from inshore NMFS statistical areas.”

This statistic is of great importance as it puts one such lobster breeding-ground right in the crosshairs of an ambitious U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and Maine DOT proposed project to dredge and deepen the channel in Searsport – to the tune of approximately $13 million – to allow two Canadian oil companies, Sprague Energy and Irving Oil, to off-load their crude oil at a local terminal at Mack Point.

At issue for these two oil companies is that they would prefer not to wait for a high tide to off-load their cargo at the terminal, and thus save – by their account – approximately $845,000 per year. To accommodate these oil companies, the COE would risk jeopardizing prime lobster breeding-grounds in western Penobscot Bay, by dumping approximately 1 million cubic yards of dredge spoils from the Searsport channel in areas of Penobscot Bay containing numerous pockmarks created by methane venting.

Read the full story at Triple Pundit

 

River Herring Data Collection Standardization Workshop Scheduled for November 18-20, 2015 in Linthicum, MD

ARLINGTON, VA – October 15, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will conduct a River Herring Data Collection Standardization Workshop on November 18-20, 2015 in Linthicum, MD. The Workshop will bring together researchers from state and federal marine fishery agencies, Tribal Nations, and Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans to evaluate current fishery-independent surveys for river herring and develop recommendations to standardize survey methodologies as well as data collected by these surveys for use in future stock assessments. Workshop participants will also consider some fishery-dependent sampling that collect river herring along the Atlantic coast.

Standardization of river herring data collection methods and datasets was identified as a priority for future stock assessments by the 2012 river herring benchmark stock assessment and peer review, the Commission’s River Herring Technical Committee, and NOAA Fisheries’ River Herring Technical Expert Working Group.  The Workshop, which is being supported with funding by NOAA Fisheries, will begin at 1 PM on November 18th and end at 3 PM on the 20th, and will be held at the Sheraton BWI, 1100 Old Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090. The Workshop is open to the public, with the exception of discussions of confidential data, when the public will be asked to leave the room.  Opportunities for public comment will be provided.

For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, AESA Agree: American Eel Population Stable, Not Threatened

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — October 14, 2015 — The following was released by the American Eel Sustainability Association:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has rejected a petition from the Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability (CESAR) to list American eels as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), confirming that the species is “stable” and not in need of Federal protection. The announcement also affirms and reiterates the American Eel Sustainability Association’s (AESA) repeated public statements attesting to the fishery’s sustainable operations, thanks in large part to the sacrifices made by eel fishermen to ensure proactive, responsible resource management.

According to the FWS, “the eel’s single population is overall stable and not in danger of extinction (endangered) or likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future (threatened).” This determination was reached after an extensive review of the most recent scientific data from several federal agencies and independent sources, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

The Service specifically cited “harvest quotas and mechanisms restoring eel passage around dams and other obstructions” as some of the proactive measures being taken to conserve the species, as well as one of the primary reasons the American eel is not under threat. The FWS also mentioned the species’ wide geographic range, as well as “flexibility and adaptability” in its lifecycle and habitat as reasons for the decision.

This is the second time that the Service has determined that American eel does not require protections under the ESA, first ruling in 2007 that eels were not “endangered.” These repeated findings support AESA’s position that the species is being sustainably harvested, and that current management by the ASMFC is ensuring the health and future viability of the eel stock. Through their adherence to strict quotas and support of responsible management, American eel fishermen have played a key role in maintaining today’s healthy populations.

AESA commends the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its thorough review of American eel, as well as the ASMFC for its proactive management and conservation of the species. AESA will continue to advocate for strong and responsible eel management to safeguard the sustainability for the future.

The American Eel Sustainability Association (AESA) is a leading industry organization focused on the science and management of American eel. For more information about AESA and the American eel fishery, please visit www.americaneel.org.

View a PDF of the release here

American Eel Population Remains Stable, Does not Need ESA Protection: Conservation efforts should continue for long-term species health

October 7, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

“The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is encouraged by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to not list American eel under the Endangered Species Act,” states Commission Chair Dr. Louis B. Daniel, III.  “The Commission, its member states, and federal partners have invested significant resources over the past several years to conduct the first coastwide benchmark stock assessment for American eel. The assessment findings, which were fully endorsed by an independent panel of fisheries scientists, have formed the basis of our current management for American eel. This management program seeks to reduce mortality and increase conservation of American eel stocks across all life stages.  However, given the current depleted status of the resource, there is still considerable work to be done to rebuild American eel. The Commission will continue to closely monitor American eel fisheries and the status of the resource, and make adjustments to the management program as necessary, to ensure stock rebuilding.”

See below for more information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s finding.  

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the American eel is stable and does not need protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Nonetheless, for the species’ long-term stability, the agency recommends continuing efforts to maintain healthy habitats, monitor harvest levels, and improve river passage for migrating eels.

The life of the American eel begins and ends in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. Millions of adult American eels leave waters from as far north as Greenland and south to Venezuela to reproduce in the Sargasso Sea. Hundreds of millions of American eel larvae return from the sea to freshwater, estuarine and marine waters. Their random mating behavior makes eels panmictic, meaning the species is composed of one population worldwide. They are a culturally and biologically important part of the aquatic ecosystems in the Western Hemisphere. American eels have been harvested for thousands of years by Native American cultures, and were an important part of the diet of early colonial settlers.

Today’s decision, also known as a 12-month finding, follows an in-depth status review on a 2010 petition to list the eel as threatened under the ESA. The review was largely based on a biological species report peer-reviewed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Fisheries, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Eel Technical Committee and academia. After examining the best scientific and commercial information available regarding past, present and future stressors facing the species, the Service determined the eel’s single population is overall stable and not in danger of extinction (endangered) or likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future (threatened).

While American eels still face local mortality from harvest and hydroelectric facilities, this is not threatening the overall species. Harvest quotas and mechanisms restoring eel passage around dams and other obstructions have also reduced these effects. Dam removals, culvert replacements, night-time hydroelectric facility shutdowns, and updated passage structures have restored habitat access in many areas. The Service is working with partners across the range on conservation efforts to ensure long-term stability for the American eel and other migratory fish species. The agency’s Northeast fisheries program alone has removed or improved more than 200 barriers to fish passage since 2009, opening more than 1,200 miles and 12,000 acres of rivers for aquatic wildlife including the American eel. The Service has also secured $10.4 million in Hurricane Sandy resilience funding to restore fish passage through removal of 13 dams in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

American eels remain widely distributed throughout much of their historical range, despite habitat loss and reduced numbers over the past century. New information reiterates their flexibility and adaptability by indicating that some eels complete their life cycle in estuarine and marine waters, contrary to former research that suggested eels required freshwater for growing to adulthood.

This is the second time the Service has evaluated the American eel for listing under the ESA and found listing not warranted. The first decision came in 2007 after an extensive status review. This 12-month finding will be published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2015. The finding and supporting documents can be found at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/americaneel/.

More information is available on the American eel website.