Saving Seafood

ASMFC Atlantic Herring Section Approves Draft Addendum I for Public Comment

February 1, 2017 —  Alexandria, VA — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Section approved Draft Addendum I to Amendment 3 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring for public comment. Draft Addendum I includes management options to ensure the seasonal quota is distributed throughout Trimester 2, are applied consistently by the states adjacent to Area 1A, and address excessive capacity.

The Draft Addendum was initiated in response to the accelerated rate of Area 1A Trimester 2 (June through September) landings in recent years and the increasingly dynamic nature of days out measures to control effort that have varied across states. The Section utilizes days out of the fishery to slow the rate of Area 1A catch by restricting the number of available landing days. Landing reports indicate vessels are harvesting herring on days out of the fishery and transferring fish at‐sea to carrier or larger vessels until landing is permitted. The practice of fishing outside of landing days has limited the effectiveness of the days out program in controlling the rate of harvest.

The Draft Addendum presents six management options to improve the performance of the Area 1A fishery, ranging from restricting a vessel from landing fish caught on days out of the fishery to limiting transfers at sea as well as the amount a vessel can land per week. The document also seeks input on a tiered weekly landing limit for future management consideration.

The Draft Addendum will be available on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org (under Public Input) by February 10, 2017. It is anticipated Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New Jersey will be conducting public hearings in March/April. The details of those hearings will be released in a subsequent press release. The Section will review submitted public comment and consider final approval of Addendum I at the Commission’s Spring Meeting in May 2017.

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

DAVID F. LIPTON: Christie should advocate for N.J. fishing industry

January 31, 2017 — President Donald Trump is going to reverse (“undo”) job-killing, industry-destroying regulations in dozens of huge federal administrative agencies like the EPA, the FCC and the National Labor Relations Board.

Trump campaigned on the promise to help us all take our country back by eliminating these business-stifling rules put in place by Barack Obama and his minions.

We need help in New Jersey right now since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the managed fisheries, is getting ready to cripple the New Jersey fishing industry when it receives a recommendation from the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council that will vote Thursday to reduce the flounder quotas in New Jersey, crippling the fishing business on “bad facts” presented to the agency.

Read more at the Asbury Park Press

New restrictions on lobster fishing could be picked by May

January 31, 2017 — PORTLAND, MAINE — Interstate fishing regulators could select new restrictions for the declining southern New England lobster fishery by May.

Lobster fishing is experiencing a boom, and prices have also been high. But the species has dwindled in the waters off southern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, where it was once plentiful.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering a host of options to try to rejuvenate the lobster stock. An arm of the commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to send the options out for public comment.

Controversial flounder plan could get final approval Thursday

January 31, 2017 — A proposal to drastically reduce this year’s summer flounder catch could get final approval at a federal regulatory meeting Thursday morning in Virginia.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Committee is scheduled consider strategies that would reduce the summer flounder harvest by up to 41 percent coast-wide and implement tighter restrictions on bag and size limits for recreational fishermen. 

It’s a proposal that has been met with widespread criticism in New Jersey—from recreational fishermen, both U.S. Senators, multiple other politicians and even the head of the state Department of Environmental Protection. 

Read the full story at The Press of Atlantic City

NEW JERSEY: DEP Commissioner Martin, Rep. Pallone to lead fish rally at Fishermen’s Supply

January 26, 2017 — A rally against the proposed cuts to the summer flounder harvest is planned for this Friday morning in the parking lot of Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach.

Along with members of the fishing community, the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection Bob Martin and U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) will lead the rally and speak in opposition to the harvest reduction.

Both Martin and Pallone have been critical of the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management for their proposed drastic cuts to the summer flounder harvest.

Pallone has been outspoken against the science used to count fish landings and stock biomass that has led those management bodies to conclude that anglers overfished their quota last year and the biomass of summer flounder is shrinking.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

ASMFC 2017 Winter Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

January 25, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2017 Winter Meeting have been posted at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2017-winter-meeting for the following Boards/Sections (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have combined into one PDF – http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2017WinterMeeting/CombinedSupplemental_red.pdf.

Atlantic Herring Section – Draft Addendum I to Amendment 3; Public Comment

Tautog Management Board – Tautog Harvest Reduction and Spawning Stock Biomass Projection Analysis; Plan Development Team/Regional Work Groups Guidance on Draft Amendment 1 and Review of Technical Committee Harvest Reduction Analysis

American Lobster Management Board – Plan Development Team Report on Trap Reductions in Draft Addendum XXV; Technical Committee Analysis on Potential Fishery Impacts as a Result of the NEFMC Coral Amendment; Public Comment

Executive Committee – Revised Agenda; White Paper on Use of Management Boards and Sections

Shad & River Herring Management Board – Technical Committee Report on Sustainable Fishery Management Plans and Habitat Plan

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Advisory Panel Comments on Amendment 3 Public Information Document; Revised Advisory Panel Membership List; Public Comment

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse/ASMFC Correspondence; Summer Flounder Draft Addendum XXVIII; Public Hearing Summaries; Written Public Comment Summary and Submitted Comments

South Atlantic State/federal Fisheries Management Board –  Submitted Public Comment on Cobia Public Information Document; Advisory Panel Meeting Summary

As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 8:00 a.m. on January 31st and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 3:00 p.m.) on Thursday February 2nd. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section 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/2958062690378327044 to register.

ASMFC 2017 Winter Meeting Final Agenda and Meeting Materials Now Available

January 19, 2017 — The following was released by the ASMFC:

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2017 Winter Meeting can be obtained http://www.asmfc.org/home/2017-winter-meeting; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee.  Please note there are two links for the Atlantic Menhaden Board meeting – the first link is for the main materials and the second link is for public comment submitted on the PID. For ease of access, all Board/Section meeting documents, with the exception of the Shad & River Herring Board materials and the submitted public comment portion of the Atlantic Menhaden Board materials, have been combined into two documents – Main Meeting Materials 1 and Main Meeting Materials 2. Main Meeting Materials 1 includes all boards/sections meeting on January 31 and Main Meeting Materials 2 are materials for the remainder of the week.

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.

Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 8:00 a.m. on January 31st and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 3:00 p.m.) on Thursday February 2nd. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section 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/2958062690378327044 to register.

As a reminder, the guidelines for submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOTestablished 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 January 24, 2017) 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, January 24, 2017 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.

Read the full release at the ASMFC

MAFMC February 2017 Council Meeting Agenda​

January 17, 2017 — The following is a schedule for the February meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Managment Council (MAFMC). It was released by the MAFMC:

Tuesday, February 14th

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. River Herring/Shad Committee Meeting

  • Discuss criteria to assess progress in river herring/shad conservation

2:30 p.m. Council Convenes

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Meeting as a Committee of the Whole

  • Review and approve public hearing document for Squid Amendment

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Law Enforcement Report

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Presentation on National Marine Sanctuary Nomination Process, Paul Ticco –  NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Wednesday, February 15th

9:00 a.m. Meeting with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Boards

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 62nd Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (62nd SAW), Jim Weinberg, NMFS, NEFSC

  • Overview of black sea bass benchmark stock assessment findings and peer review panelist findings

10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Black Sea Bass 2017-2019 Specifications

  • Overview and staff recommendation
  • SSC recommendation
  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations
  • Adopt recommendations for 2017-2019

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Black Sea Bass Research Update, Brad Stevens – UMES

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. LUNCH

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Black Sea Bass Recreational Specifications

  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations
  • Adopt recommendations for 2017 management measures
  • Review Recreational Working Group recommendations and regional/state proposals (possible Board action)

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Black Sea Bass Commercial AM Framework

  • Review background, issues, and draft alternatives

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Summer Flounder Amendment

  • Update on progress and timeline

Thursday, February 16th

9:00 a.m. Council Convenes

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Business Session

  • Organization Reports
    • NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office
    • NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center
    • NOAA Office of General Counsel
    • Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
  • Liaison Reports
    • New England Council
    • South Atlantic Council
    • Regional Planning Body
  • Executive Director’s Report, Chris Moore
  • Science Report, Rich Seagraves
  • Committee Reports
  • Continuing and New Business

See the full schedule at the MAFMC

New rules for New England shrimp fishing might go to public

January 17, 2017 — The public might soon have a chance to comment on potential new fishing rules that could help bring New England’s shrimp back into markets.

Northern shrimp were once a popular seafood, but the commercial fishing industry for them has been shut down since the stock collapsed in 2013.

Interstate regulators are working on new rules about how to manage the fishery if it does eventually reopen.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission says options include state-by-state allocations and the mandatory use of certain kinds of gear to prevent harvest of young shrimp.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

MONTY DEIHL: What The Virginian-Pilot gets wrong about menhaden

January 13, 2017 — THE PILOT gets one thing absolutely right in its Dec. 28 editorial on menhaden management (“Let scientists manage menhaden approach”): Menhaden is important to the Chesapeake Bay, and the species and the fishery that depend on it deserve proper management.

Unfortunately, the editorial’s proposals are based on a flawed and incomplete understanding of menhaden science and management.

The Pilot urges fisheries managers at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt ecosystem-based reference points as it considers Amendment 3 to the Menhaden Fishery Management Plan.

While almost everyone supports ecosystem-based management in the long run, no such system is ready to be implemented. The ASMFC’s best fisheries scientists are currently developing new ecological reference points specifically for menhaden, which are expected to be completed in the next few years.

In the meantime, fisheries managers should not reach for unproven, improper management practices when they lack the necessary science to guide the process.

In supporting new reference points, the editorial offers an ill-informed indictment of the current management approach, calling it a “tragedy of the commons.” But the ASMFC’s latest stock assessment found that menhaden fishing mortality is at its lowest level on record — hardly the “tragedy of the commons” that The Pilot suggests.

Read the full opinion piece at the Virginian-Pilot