Saving Seafood

NEFMC Seeks Contractor for Atlantic Herring Offshore Spawning Discussion

March 27, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking the services of an independent contractor to prepare a Discussion Document that summarizes all scientific research and other relevant information about offshore spawning of Atlantic herring, Clupeidae clupea. Letters of interest and supporting materials must be received by April 22, 2019.

WHAT’S INVOLVED: The successful candidate’s role will be to serve as the primary author of the Discussion Document and then present the document to pertinent Council committees. The contractor will work under the supervision of Council staff. More specifically, the contractor will:

  • Summarize the status of Atlantic herring, including historical and updated research about spawning activity;
  • Provide maps showing historical and current spawning locations and herring egg beds to the extent that information is available;
  • Summarize all fishery data – both direct and incidental – that could have relevant information about the location, season, condition, or trends in Atlantic herring spawning activity;
  • Review the draft Discussion Document with the Council’s Herring Plan Development Team and incorporate input during the summer of 2019;
  • Subsequently present the Discussion Document to the Council’s Herring Committee, likely in September 2019; and
  • Finalize the Discussion Document in October 2019 following the full Council’s review in late September.

FOCUS OF REVIEW: At a minimum, the Discussion Document should contain the following updated information:

  • Results from recent stock assessments prepared by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and other indicators of spawning trends and activity;
  • A review of historical and current research collected on spawning of Atlantic herring;
  • A description of potential impacts of fishing on spawning of Atlantic herring, which may include a summary of data from observers and other sources such as portside sampling;
  • A review of measures in place in other fisheries for spawning protection of herring;
  • A summary of other sources of mortality and risks for successful spawning of Atlantic herring; and
  • Recent management actions by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that may have impacts on spawning of Georges Bank Atlantic herring.

TIMELINE: The contractor’s role is a short-term, temporary position that will begin on or about May 1, 2019 and end when the Council reviews the Discussion Document, tentatively in September 2019, followed by completion of a finalized document in October 2019.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING: The Council intends to use this document to support future deliberations about potential management measures that may be considered to minimize impacts on spawning of Atlantic herring on Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals.

APPLICATION DETAILS: Interested professionals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, current resume or curriculum vitae, examples of similar work completed for other organizations or publications, and a budget with expected expenses no later than April 22, 2019.

  • A list of desired experience and demonstrated skills can be found in the solicitation notice.
  • Additional information and application mailing/email addresses are contained in the full solicitation notice, which can be accessed at the link above and here.
  • NOTE: Candidates employed by advocacy organizations or by organizations that are parties in fishery lawsuits will not be considered.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Measures for the Jonah Crab Fishery

March 21, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries seeks comments on proposed measures for the Jonah crab fishery that complement the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah Crab.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recommended these measures for managing Jonah crabs in federal waters. The management plan was initiated after an increase in landings.

Proposed measures include limiting Jonah crab harvest to those who already have a limited-access American lobster permit, a minimum size, protection for egg-bearing females, and incidental catch limits.These proposed regulations do not expand trap fishing effort. They propose to regulate the catch of Jonah crabs that is already occurring in the American lobster fishery.

For more details or to comment on the proposed measures, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register and the draft environmental impact statement on our website.

ASMFC 2019 Spring Meeting Preliminary Agenda and Public Comment Guidelines

March 20, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please find below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2019 Spring Meeting, April 29 – May 2, 2019, in Arlington, VA. The agenda is also available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting. Materials will be available on April 17, 2019 on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting.

A block of rooms is being held at The Westin Crystal City, 1800 S. Eads Street, Arlington, VA  22202. Meeting attendees, please reserve online via Star Group Website at http://www.starwoodhotels.com/ or call The Westin Crystal City at 703.486.1111 as soon as possible and mention the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to obtain the group room rate of $251.00 plus tax single/dbl. Please be aware you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment. Hotel reservations must be made by Monday, April 1, 2019.  Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date.  If you are being reimbursed by ASMFC for your travel, please make your reservation directly with the hotel. Reservations made through travel websites do not apply toward our minimum number of required reservations with the hotel. Please note, cancellations at The Westin must be made by 4:00 p.m. two days prior to arrival to avoid penalty and an early departure fee of $100.00 will apply when checking out prior to the confirmed date. If you have any problems at all regarding accommodations please contact Cindy at 703.842.0740 or at crobertson@asmfc.org.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Spring Meeting

April 29 – May 2, 2019

The Westin Crystal City

Arlington, Virginia

Preliminary Agenda

The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

Monday, April 29

1:00 – 5:00 p.m.                        American Lobster Management Board

  • Update on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team Spring Meeting and Recommendations to NOAA Fisheries
  • Consider Draft Addendum XXVIII for Public Comment
  • Report from the Bait Working Group
  • Update from Delaware and New York Regarding Implementation of Jonah Crab Fishery Management Plan Measures

Tuesday, April 30

8:30– 10:00 a.m.                       Atlantic Herring Management Board 

  • Consider Addendum II for Final Approval
  • Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports
  • Update on 2020-2021 Fishery Specifications

10:15 a.m. – Noon                   Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board 

  • Consider Acceptance of 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Reports for Management Use
  • Consider Management Response to the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment
    • Review Technical Committee Report on Reductions Needed to Achieve Fishing Mortality Reference Points
  • Consider Forwarding a Letter to NOAA Fisheries Opposing Proposed Measures to Lift the Ban on Recreational Striped Bass Fishing in the Federal Block Island Sound Transit Zone 

Noon – 1:00 p.m.                     Lunch

12:30 – 5:00 p.m.                      Law Enforcement Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for the LEC Coordinator and Committee members only)

  • Presentation and Discussion on Police-Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative and Use of NARCAN/NALAXONE
  • Review 2019 Action Plan and 2019-2023 ASMFC Strategic Plan
  • Review and Discuss Outcomes from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Enforcement Workshop
  • Federal and State Agency Reports
  • Review and Discuss Progress of the Offshore Enforcement Vessel Working Group
  • Review Ongoing Enforcement Issues (Closed Session)
  • Discuss Usefulness of Criteria/Metrics in Evaluating Enforcement Effectiveness

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.                        Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (continued)

2:45 – 3:15 p.m.                        Coastal Sharks Management Board 

  • Review Highly Migratory Species North Atlantic Shortfin Mako Amendment 11 and Consider a Management Response
  • Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.                        Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Coordinating Council

  • Program/Committee Updates
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2020 Request for Proposals
  • Discuss Committee Restructure

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.                        Annual Awards of Excellence Reception

Wednesday, May 1

8:00 – 10:30 a.m.                      Executive Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners only)

  • Report of the Administrative Oversight Committee
    • Presentation of the FY20 Budget
  • Review Draft Standard Operating Procedures and Policies for Management Board Work Groups
  • Future Annual Meetings Update
  • Executive Director Performance Review (Closed Session)

8:00 a.m. – Noon                      Law Enforcement Committee (continued)

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.          Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

  • Review Plan Development Team Analysis of Black Sea Bass Commercial Management Strategies to Address Fishery Shifts
  • Consider Approval of Advisory Panel Nomination

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.                      Lunch

1:15 – 2:30 p.m.                        Business Session

  • Consider Approval of the Comprehensive Summer Flounder Amendment
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019-2023 Strategic Plan

2:45 – 5:15 p.m.                        Horseshoe Crab Management Board

  • Review and Consider Acceptance of 2019 Horseshoe Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Reports for Management Use
  • Consider Potential Management Response to the 2019 Benchmark Stock Assessment
  • Consider Approval of Advisory Panel Nomination

Thursday, May 2

8:00 – 9:45 a.m.                         Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

  • Executive Committee Report
  • Law Enforcement Committee Report
  • Artificial Reef Committee Report
  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)

9:45 – 10:00 a.m.                      Business Session (continued)

  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.          South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board 

  • Consider Approval of Cobia Draft Amendment 1 for Public Comment
  • Consider Potential Management Action for Spot and Atlantic Croaker

Public Comment Guidelines

With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will use a speaker sign-up list in deciding how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

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In addition, the following timeline has been established for the 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).

1.    Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included in the briefing 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 comment, it will be accepted via mail, fax, and email.

ASMFC expected to set stricter regs for harvesting striped bass

March 18, 2019 — A new status review has found the striped bass population to be in worse shape than previously thought, a result that will almost certainly trigger new catch restrictions for the prized species next year in the Chesapeake Bay and along the East Coast.

A preview of a soon-to-be-released stock assessment presented in February to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission indicates that the striped bass population is overfished and has been for several years.

Members of the commission, a panel of East Coast fishery managers, knew that the migratory species has been in coastwide decline for more than a decade, but the new assessment paints a bleaker picture than many expected, including data that show recreational catches are significantly higher than previously estimated.

“We had all hoped that the results of the assessment would be a little better,” said Mike Luisi, an estuarine and marine fisheries manager with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “It is clear that we need to do something.”

Once the ASMFC officially accepts the new stock assessment, it will need to implement a plan within a year to end overfishing.

The commission can’t adopt the assessment until its May meeting, though. Its completion was delayed by the partial federal government shutdown, which sidelined biologists with the National Marine Fisheries Service who were working to complete both the final document and the peer review report.

Read the full story at the Bay Journal

Press Releases, Meeting Summary and Motions from the Joint Meeting of the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board & MAFMC Now Available

March 11, 2019 — The Following was published by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Press releases, the meeting summary and motions from the joint meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council last week are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/ASMFC_MAFMCSFlounderScupBSB_march2019(1).pdf.  The document can also be obtained on the Commission website on the Meeting Archives page at http://www.asmfc.org/home/meeting-archive.

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2019 Bluefish Specifications

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today we filed a final rule approving and implementing the 2019 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in cooperation with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

The final 2019 specifications are fundamentally the same as 2018, with only minor adjustments to the final commercial quota and recreational harvest limit to account for most recent full year of recreational catch data (2017), and a 4.0 million lb of quota transferred from the recreational to the commercial sector rather than 3.5 million lb in 2018.

Table 1 (below) provides the commercial fishery state allocations for 2019 based on the final 2019 coast-wide commercial quota, and the allocated percentages defined in the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan. No states exceeded their state-allocated quota in 2018; therefore, no accountability measures need to be implemented for the 2019 fishing year.

Table 1. 2019 Bluefish State Commercial Quota Allocations.

State Percent Share Quota Allocation (lb)
Maine 0.67 51,538
New Hampshire 0.41 31,956
Massachusetts 6.72 517,828
Rhode Island 6.81 524,874
Connecticut 1.27 97,626
New York 10.39 800,645
New Jersey 14.82 1,142,264
Delaware 1.88 144,801
Maryland 3.00 231,426
Virginia 11.88 915,857
North Carolina 32.06 2,471,746
South Carolina 0.04 2,714
Georgia 0.01 732
Florida 10.06 775,558
Total 100 7,709,565

For more details please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register and our permit holder bulletin.

Questions?
Fishermen: Contact Cynthia Ferrio, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9180
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175

ASMFC & MAFMC Set Summer Flounder 2019-2021 Specifications

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) approved revised specifications for the 2019 fishing season and set new specifications for 2020 and 2021. The revised specifications are based on the results of the 2018 benchmark stock assessment, which found the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. The new limits are consistent with the recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters (0‐3 miles from shore). The Council will forward its recommendations for federal waters (3 – 200 miles from shore) to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval. The Council and Commission decided to set commercial quotas and RHLs for all three years, with the intent to maintain regulatory stability. The revised commercial quota was approximately a 49% increase over the previously set 2019 quota.

While the revised RHL represents an approximate 49% increase over the previously set 2019 RHL, the Commission chose to maintain status quo recreational measures, which are projected to achieve a harvest level close to the revised RHL based on the calibrated recreational harvest data from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). As a result, regions established under Addendum XXXII may submit proposals to make minor adjustments to their 2019 recreational measures, such as adjusting the start and end dates of the season, but must hold projected 2019 harvest at 2018 levels. These proposals will require Technical Committee review and Board approval. Additionally, the Commission and Council approved the use of conservation equivalency, allowing state measures to be extended into federal waters, pending acceptance of final state measures by the Regional Administrator.

Based on the findings of the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review, the stock was not overfished nor experiencing overfishing in 2017. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) in 2017 was estimated to be 98 million pounds, approximately 78% of the biomass target of 126 million pounds. The fishing mortality rate was estimated to be 0.334 in 2017, below the fishing mortality threshold of 0.448.

Recruitment in 2017 was estimated at 42 million fish at age 0, below the time series average of 53 million fish at age 0. Recruitment has been below average since 2011.

Data analyzed by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center for the assessment indicate increasing relative abundance of older fish and an expanding age structure. However, the data also indicate a decrease in relative total abundance since the late 2000s, as well as decreasing trends in average lengths and weights at age for both sexes, suggesting slower growth and delayed maturity which impacts the biological reference points. The assessment shows current mortality from all sources is greater than recent recruitment inputs to the stock, which has resulted in a declining stock trend. Additionally, the assessment found the spatial distribution of the resource is continuing to shift northward and eastward.

A key attribute of the assessment is the incorporation of revised recreational catch data. In July 2018, MRIP revised the previous recreational catch estimates with a calibrated 1982-2017 time series that corresponds to the new MRIP survey methods. For comparison with the previous estimates, the revised estimates of 2017 recreational landings and discards are over three times the previous estimates. The revised recreational catch estimates increased the 1982-2017 total annual catch by an average of 29 percent, ranging from 11 percent increase in 1989 to 43 percent increase in 2017. The increase in estimated removals resulted in an increased population estimate compared to previous assessments.

For more information about please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior FMP Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org.

A PDF of the press release can be found here – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5c868122pr11FlukeSpecs2019-2021andAssessment.pdf

Mid-Atlantic Council Takes Final Action on Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) met jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board) to select preferred alternatives for the Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment. The Council and Board first considered final action in December 2018 but postponed their decisions until their March 2019 meeting.

At the meeting, the Council and Board approved a commercial allocation alternative which establishes a commercial quota trigger of 9.55 million pounds. This alternative specifies that a coastwide quota of up to 9.55 million pounds in any given year will be distributed according to the current (status quo) allocations. In years when the coastwide quota exceeds 9.55 million pounds, the additional quota beyond this trigger would be distributed based on equal shares to all states except Maine, Delaware, and New Hampshire, which would split 1% of the additional quota. The revised commercial allocations are expected to become effective January 1, 2020 at the earliest with a possible delay until January 1, 2021.

The Council and Board also approved revised Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives for summer flounder, which focus on ensuring biological sustainability of the summer flounder resource, supporting and enhancing development of the effective management measures, and optimizing social and economic benefits from the resource.

No changes were made to the federal permit qualification criteria, and the Council did not add landings flexibility policies to the list of frameworkable items in the FMP.

Additional information about this action is available at: http://www.mafmc.org/actions/summer-flounder-amendment. The Council will forward its recommendations to the National Marine Fisheries Service for approval. The full Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will consider final approval of the amendment, based on the Board’s recommendations, at their 2019 Spring Meeting.

Questions? Contact Kiley Dancy, Fishery Management Specialist, kdancy@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5257.

ASMFC & MAFMC Recommend Approval of Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended approval of the Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment. The Amendment revises the management program’s goals and objectives specific to summer flounder and implements new state-specific commercial allocations.

The Amendment was initiated in December 2013, with joint work on the Amendment by the Board and Council beginning in 2014. Initially, the Amendment was to consider changes to both commercial and recreational summer flounder fisheries, but over time was refocused to address commercial issues and Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives.

The revised management program’s goals and objectives focus on ensuring biological sustainability of the summer flounder resource, supporting and enhancing development of effective management measures, and optimizing social and economic benefits from the resource. These revisions were made to reflect current priorities in sustainably managing the resource.

The new state commercial allocations are based upon a 9.55 million pound trigger point. When the annual coastwide commercial quota is at or below 9.55 million pounds, the formula for allocating the quota to the states will remain status quo, i.e., the same state-specific percentages that have been in effect since 1993. When the annual coastwide quota exceeds 9.55 million pounds, additional quota above 9.55 million pounds will be distributed as follows: 0.333% to the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Delaware and 12.375% to the remaining states (see table below). As a result, state allocations will vary over time based on overall stock status and the resulting coastwide commercial quotas. For 2019-2021, the Board and Council approved an annual coastwide commercial quota of 11.53 million pounds. Depending on the timing of final rule-making by NOAA Fisheries, the new state allocation strategy could go into effect as early as January 2020.

Read the full release here

MSC Certification Recommended for Atlantic Menhaden Fishery

March 8, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — SAI Global, an independent certification body, has officially recommended that the Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery be certified sustainable against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) fisheries standard.

In order to receive MSC certification, fisheries are evaluated against 28 performance indicators in three categories: suitability of the stock, minimizing environmental impacts and effective fisheries management. The Atlantic menhaden fishery cored 82.5, 86.0, and 92.2, respectively, in the three categories.

“We’re very pleased with today’s recommendation, which takes us right up to the fish line of the MSC certification process,” said Bret Scholtes, President and CEO of Omega Protein. “As we complete this process, we will continue working collaboratively with independent certifiers and our management partners to ensure a healthy and sustainable fishery.”

As part of the certification process, in addition to their commitment to menhaden’s long-term sustainability, Omega Protein has agreed to work with management partners at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) on the three sustainability objectives. Omega is supporting the ASMFC’s development of harvest strategy, as well as new rules that take into consideration the ecological role of Atlantic menhaden. They are also working with NMFS to improve the frequency of observer coverage, making sure bycatch and interactions with marine mammals and endangered, threatened and protected species remain at minimal levels.

This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

Read the full report from SAI Global here