Saving Seafood

ASMFC 2019 Spring Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

April 24, 2019 — The following was published by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spring Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting for the following Boards/Committees (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF – http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2019SpringMeeting/2019SpringMtgMaterialsSupplemental.pdf.

American Lobster Management Board – Progress Report on Draft American Lobster Addendum XXVIII
 
Atlantic Herring Management Board – Advisory Panel Review of Draft Addendum II; Overview of 1A Management Tools
 
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Technical Committee Report on Percent Reduction in Harvest to Achieve Fishing Mortality Threshold and Target in 2020, and Example Recreational Options to Achieve Those Reductions;  Correspondence Regarding Striped Bass Management; Public Comment
 
Law Enforcement Committee – MAFMC Letter on Law Enforcement/For-hire Workshop
 
Executive Committee – Revised Agenda & Draft Work Group Meeting SOPPS
 
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Plan Development Team Report on Black Sea Bass Commercial Management
 
Business Session – Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment Summary
 
Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee Task List; Public Comment; James Cooper Tribute to Board
 
Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board – Revised Draft Agenda and Meeting Overview
 
South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Committee Task List; MD DNR Memo: State-Gathered Public Input on Potential Management Measures for Atlantic Croaker and Spot
 
As a reminder, Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning April 29th at 1 p.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 12:15 p.m.) on Thursday, May 2nd. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Please go to – https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1041506190356646145 – to register.

New England Council Update – April 23, 2019

April 23, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has a busy schedule between now and its June 11-13, 2019 meeting in So. Portland, ME. Here is a list of the key Committee and Advisory Panel (AP) meetings that currently are posted on the Council’s calendar.

GROUNDFISH: Several groundfish-related meetings are in the queue.

  • Groundfish Monitoring Review – A sub-panel of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet in Providence, RI on Wednesday and Thursday, April 24 and April 25 to conduct a review of the groundfish monitoring analyses behind draft Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Meeting materials can be found at SSC Sub-Panel Review.
  • Groundfish Party/Charter Listening Sessions – The Council still has several listening sessions on the calendar to collect public input on whether or not it should pursue limited access in the groundfish party/charter boat fishery. The remaining sessions are scheduled for: April 23 in Narragansett, RI; May 7, 8, and 9 respectively in Chatham, Plymouth, and Gloucester, MA; and May 10 via webinar. The meeting lineup and background information are posted at potential party/charter limited access.
  • Groundfish Committee, Groundfish Advisory Panel, and Plan Development Team – All three of these bodies will meet jointly in So. Portland, ME on Monday and Tuesday, May 20 and May 21 to review the SSC Sub-Panel’s groundfish monitoring review findings and to discuss Amendment 23. Information will be available shortly at joint groundfish meeting.

SKATES: The Skate Committee will meet on Thursday, April 25 in New Bedford to discuss Amendment 5 to the Northeast Skate Complex FMP, which proposes to limit access into the fishery. Documents are available at skate limited access. The Skate Advisory Panel met on April 23 in advance of the Committee.

  • Skate Advisory Panel and Skate Committee – Both the AP and Committee will meet again respectively on Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22 in Providence, RI. Save the dates.

HABITAT: The Habitat Committee will meet on Thursday, May 9 in Foxborough, MA to discuss: (1) research planning efforts for the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area; (2) a fishing effects model; (3) offshore energy issues; and (4) more. Visit habitat meeting for additional information.

SCALLOPS: The Scallop Committee has several meetings in the pipeline.

  • Scallop Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team – The AP and PDT will meet jointly on Tuesday, May 21 in Providence, RI for a Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program “Share Day.”  Information will be posted as it becomes available at Scallop RSA Share Day.
  • Scallop Advisory Panel – The AP will meet again the following day, Wednesday, May 22, in the same location.
  • Scallop Committee – The Committee will meet on Thursday, May 23, wrapping up this three-day sweep of scallop meetings, all of which will take place at the Hilton Providence

ATLANTIC HERRING:  The Herring AP and Herring Committee will meet back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday, May 29 and 30, respectively.  Save the dates.

ECOSYSTEM-BASED FISHERY MANAGEMENT (EBFM):  The EBFM Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 28 in Quincy, MA and likely will meet again on Monday, June 10.  Save the dates.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  The Council’s Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 29.  More information will become available as the date draws near.

MEETINGS BY OUR PARTNERS:  The following are additional meetings that may be of interest to New England stakeholders.

  • MAFMC STRATEGIC PLAN MEETING:  The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, April 24 in Narragansett, RI to gather feedback on the development of its 2020-2024 Strategic Plan.  Additional meetings are scheduled for New Jersey, Virginia, and via webinar.  Details are available at MAFMC Strategic Plan.
  • ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION (ASMFC):  ASMFC will meet April 29-May 2 in Arlington, VA.  Visit the commission’s 2019 Spring Meeting webpage.
  • DOLPHIN WAHOO:  The South Atlantic Council has scheduled two webinars on May 7 and May 9 to gather public comments on whether it should add bullet and frigate mackerel as ecosystem components to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP.  This plan extends along the entire East Coast and includes federal waters off New England.  Learn more at Dolphin Wahoo.
  • COUNCIL COORDINATATION COMMITTEE (CCC):  The CCC, comprised of the leadership teams from all eight of the nation’s regional fishery management councils, will meet May 14-16 in Charleston, SC.  The agenda and webinar links are posted at May 2019 CCC Meeting.
  • NORTHEAST REGION COORDINATING COUNCIL (NRCC):  The NRCC will meet May 16-17 in Charleston, SC.  More information will become available at NRCC.
  • MID-ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL:  The Mid-Atlantic Council will meet June 4-6, 2019 in New York City.  Visit MAFMC for more information

MAINE: Elver landings reflect still chilly waters

April 19, 2019 — Spring is here and, at least in some sheltered spots, the daffodils are starting to bloom. But the water is still cold and Maine streams are just beginning to see their first big runs of the tiny moneymakers known as elvers.

The fishing season opened on March 22 and, as of Sunday evening, dealer reports to the Department of Marine Resources suggested that the juvenile eels that were the source of Maine’s second most valuable fishery last year were just beginning to show up in numbers.

The shortage of elvers has apparently failed to drive up the price that dealers were paying fishermen to the $2,800-per-pound level seen last year, but the price is rising.

From about $1,790 per pound a week ago, DMR reported an average price of $1,914 per pound as of 6 p.m. Sunday April 14.

Maine elver harvesters fish under a statewide quota of 9,688 pounds imposed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Of that, just over 7,566 pounds are allocated to harvesters licensed by DMR. The balance is allocated among Maine’s four federally recognized Indian tribes: the Aroostook Band of Micmac; the Houlton Band of Maliseet; the Passamaquoddy Tribe; and the Penobscot Nation.

All harvesters, whether licensed by DMR or by one of the tribal governments, are required to sell their landings to state-licensed dealers and those dealers are required to report their purchases electronically to DMR on a daily basis.

As of 6 p.m. Sunday, dealers reported buying a total of 2,532.6 pounds with a reported value of $4.84 million so far this season.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

ASMFC 2019 Spring Meeting Final Agenda and Materials Now Available

April 17, 2019 — The following was published by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2019 Spring Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. For ease of access, all Board documents have been combined into one document Main Meeting Materials. Not included in this document are materials for the Executive Committee and Law Enforcement Committee. Links to individual board/committee materials can be found on the 2019 Spring Meeting page. Supplemental materials will be available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting by April 24th.

 Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning April 29th at 1 p.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 12:15 p.m.) on Thursday, May 2nd. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Please go to – https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1041506190356646145 – to register.  
 
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 the Tuesday immediately preceding the scheduled ASMFC Meeting (in this case, the Tuesday deadline will be April 23, 2019) 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, April 23, 2019 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 comments, it will be accepted via mail, fax, and email.

Regulations likely to stiffen after stock assessment determines striped bass are overfished

April 10, 2019 –Many angling old timers remember the days 30 years ago when keeping striped bass was off limits because of a moratorium on the species.

Even more will remember the benefits that later came from shutting down the fishery.

Striped bass action was spectacular for years.

Lately it’s been been anything but. Catches have been on the decline the last few years and blame can be dished out to anyone and everyone involved with the catching of striper.

So guess what? Change is coming and likely sooner rather than later.

The fisheries management staff at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission has recommended an emergency shut down of the spring trophy seasons that start in May. The VMRC will meet April 23 to discuss the possibility.

The move is being looked at as a way to proactively get ahead of reductions planned by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for next year. In its 2018 stock assessment, the ASMFC determined that striped bass are overfished.

Read the full story at the Virginian-Pilot

 

ASMFC: Area 1A 2019 Effort Controls

April 9, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts set effort control measures for the 2019 Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) fishery for Period 1 (June), Period 2 (July and August), and the September portion of Period 3.

The Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) is 3,850 metric tons (mt) after adjusting for the research set-aside, the 39 mt fixed gear set-aside, and the 8% buffer (Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL). Additionally, in October 2018, the Atlantic Herring Management Board implemented quota periods for the 2019 fishery, with the Area 1A sub-ACL allocated between the Periods as follows: Period 1 – June (16.1%); Period 2 – July-August (40.1%); Period 3 – September-October (34.0%); and Period 4 – November-December (9.5%).

Days Out of the Fishery

Period 1 (June)

  • There will be zero landing days in Period 1.
  • Quota from Period 1 will be rolled over into Period 2. This results in a new Period 2 quota of 2,175 mt

Period 2 (July and August); and Period 3 (September only)

  • The fishery will start on July 14 in Maine and July 15 in New Hampshire and Massachusetts
  • Vessels with an Atlantic herring Limited Access Category A permit that have declared into the Area 1A fishery may land herring four (4) consecutive days a week. One landing per 24 hour period. Vessels are prohibited from landing or possessing herring caught from Area 1A during a day out of the fishery.
    • Landing days in New Hampshire and Massachusetts begin on Monday of each week at 12:01 a.m., starting July 15.
    • Landings days in Maine begin on Sunday of each week at 6:00 p.m., starting July 14
  • Small mesh bottom trawl vessels with an Atlantic herring Limited Access Category C or Open Access D permit that have declared into the fishery may land herring five (5) consecutive days a week.

Weekly Landing Limit

Period 2 (July and August); and Period 3 (September only)

  • Vessels with a herring Category A permit may harvest up to 160,000 lbs (4 trucks) per harvester vessel, per week.

At-Sea Transfer and Carrier Restrictions

Period 2 (July and August); and Period 3 (September only)

The following applies to harvester vessels with an Atlantic herring Category A permit and carrier vessels landing herring caught in Area 1A to a Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts port.

  • A harvester vessel can transfer herring at-sea to another harvester vessel.
  • A harvester vessel may not make an at-sea transfers to a carrier vessel.
  • Carrier vessels may not receive at-sea transfers from a harvester vessel.
  • Carrier vessel is defined as a vessel with no gear on board capable of catching or processing fish, while a harvester vessel is defined as a vessel that is required to report the catch it has aboard as the harvesting vessel on the federal Vessel Trip Report.

Fishermen are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A until July 14 or 15, 2019, depending on the state. Landings will be closely monitored and the fishery will be adjusted to zero landing days when the period quota is projected to be reached.

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

A PDF of the announcement and meeting motions can be found here –http://www.asmfc.org/files/AtlHerring/M19_25AtlHerringDaysOutMeasures_April2019.pdf

NEW JERSEY: Whales in the bay? It’s rare, but happening thanks to a surge in these fish off Cape May

April 9, 2019 — Jeff Stewart clearly remembers one of the last times humpback whales descended on the Delaware Bay.

It was 1990 and there was an abundance of bunker in the waters, a type of forage fish that whales eat that are also called menhaden, said Stewart, captain of the Cape May Whale Watcher.

Those same conditions are bringing the cetaceans to the bays from Town Bank to Cape May Point yet again, he said.

Marine biologists say a combination of warming waters and an increasing bunker population in the south is bringing more of the fish to New Jersey’s coast — and in turn luring whales to bay habitats they normally don’t swim in.

“There’s a ton of (bunker) right now. I’d definitely say it’s above average, to see it this early and in these quantities,” Stewart said.

Typically, the whales are found 20 miles offshore in the ocean, Stewart said, but last week, one of his captains spotted a humpback whale in the bay about 1½ miles off Cape May’s coast. Another was found in the bay Sunday morning about 100 yards out.

The tour agency, founded in 1993, started taking people out to sea again for the season last month. Stewart said more bottlenose dolphins are also in the waters as a result of increased bunker.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

MAINE: Early elver landings reports reflect still chilly water temperatures

April 2, 2019 — With the onset of spring, many a young man’s fancy may turn to love, but in Maine it’s elvers that get the juices flowing.

With ice still in many ponds and rivers, though, Maine has yet to see its first big run of the tiny moneymakers.

The fishing season opened on March 22 and, by Saturday evening, dealer reports to the Department of Marine Resources suggested that the juvenile eels that were the source of Maine’s second most valuable fishery last year were still scarce. The shortage of elvers has apparently failed to drive up the price that dealers were paying fishermen to the $2,800-per-pound level seen last year, at least not yet.

Maine elver harvesters fish under a statewide quota of 9,688 pounds imposed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Of that, just over 7,566 pounds are allocated to harvesters licensed by DMR. The balance is allocated among Maine’s four federally recognized Indian tribes: the Aroostook Band of Micmac; the Houlton Band of Maliseet; the Passamaquoddy Tribe; and the Penobscot Nation.

All harvesters, whether licensed by DMR or by one of the tribal governments, are required to sell their landings to state-licensed dealers and those dealers are required to report their purchases electronically to DMR on a daily basis.

As of 6 p.m. Saturday, dealers reported buying a total of just over 230 pounds with a reported value of $369,321 — an average price of $1,606 per pound.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed 2019-2021 Spiny Dogfish Specifications

March 29, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are proposing 2019-2021 quota specifications for the spiny dogfish fishery, based on a 2018 stock assessment update, and consistent with the recommendations of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee, the Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee, the New England Fishery Management Council, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

The proposed specifications for the 2019 spiny dogfish fishery are a 46-percent reduction from fishing year 2018 to ensure overfishing does not occur. However, these quotas are proposed to increase in 2020 and 2021 as the spiny dogfish biomass is expected to increase and the risk of overfishing declines. Table 1 (below) provides a summary of the proposed specifications. All other fishery management measures, including the 6,000-lb federal trip limit, will remain unchanged for fishing years 2019-2021.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. You may also submit comments through regular mail to:

Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930

The comment period is open through 4/15/2019.

NOAA Fisheries Announces At-Sea Monitoring 2019 Coverage Levels and Reimbursement for Groundfish Sector Fishery

March 28, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces that for fishing year 2019 the total target at-sea monitoring coverage level is 31 percent of all groundfish sector trips. Additionally, for fishing year 2019, NOAA Fisheries will continue to reimburse 100 percent of industry’s at-sea monitoring costs.

In 2018 and 2019, we received Congressional appropriations that have been and will continue to be used to reimburse sectors for 100 percent of their ASM costs. This reimbursement will continue at 100 percent for the 2019 fishing year. As in past years, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will administer the reimbursement.

For more information, please read the Summary of Analysis Conducted to Determine At-Sea Monitoring Requirements for Multispecies Sectors FY2019 available on our website.

Read the full release here