Saving Seafood

ASMFC Releases 2020 Annual Report

April 16, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is pleased to present you with our 2020 Annual Report, http://www.asmfc.org/files/pub/2020AnnualReport_web.pdf.  In the report, you will find a quick guide to stock status for the 27 species and species groups the Commission manages; a fisheries management section, which focuses on species which had the most significant management or stock assessment activities in 2020; and sections highlighting our major accomplishments in 2020 in the areas of fisheries science, habitat conservation, and fishery-dependent data collection and management. Please visit the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org for additional information on any of our programs or activities.

The report reflects our Commissioners’ commitment to accountability and transparency in all they do to sustainably manage the stocks under their care. We hope that you will find the information contained within this report useful and interesting.

NOAA to reimburse monitoring costs

April 13, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries has set its electronic monitoring reimbursement policy for Northeast groundfish sector vessels in the 2021 fishing season and is urging fishermen to purchase and install the systems now while federal funds are available.

“For fishing year 2021, groundfish sector vessels may use either electronic monitoring or human at-sea monitors to meet the monitoring requirements, provided the sector has a corresponding monitoring program as part of its approved operations plan,” the agency stated. “Vessels that choose to use electronic monitoring will be eligible for reimbursement, while government funding is available.”

The agency said sector vessels employing electronic monitoring should submit receipts for reimbursable costs to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, using the same process they use for human at-sea monitoring reimbursements.

It said costs eligible for reimbursement largely fall within six areas: equipment, technical support, video review, operational costs, training and COVID-19 protocols.

The equipment category covers the purchase and installation of equipment necessary “to outfit a vessel with one fully functioning electronic monitoring system.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Atlantic Herring Area 1A Days Out Meeting Scheduled for April 22, 2021

April 9, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Atlantic Herring Management Board members from the states of Maine, New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will meet via webinar on April 22, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., to discuss days out measures for the 2021 Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) fishing season. Days out measures can include specification of the number of consecutive landings days, weekly landings limits, and restrictions on at-sea transfers. The webinar and call information is included below:

Atlantic Herring Days Out Meeting
April 22, 2021
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

You can join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone at the following link:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/916881365. If you are new to GoToMeeting, you can download the app ahead of time (click here) and be ready before the meeting starts. For audio, the meeting will be using the computer voice over internet (VoIP), but if you are joining the webinar from your phone only, you can dial in at +1 (224) 501-3412 and enter access code 916-881-365 when prompted. The webinar will start at 9:30 a.m., 30 minutes early, to troubleshoot audio as necessary.

Federally-permitted Herring Category A vessels must declare into the Area 1A fishery at least 45 days prior to the start of the fishing season. Small-mesh bottom trawl vessels with a federal Herring Category C or D permit must declare into the Area 1A fishery by June 1, 2021. States will send additional correspondence regarding the notification procedure.

The 2021 Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) is 1,391 metric tons (mt). After adjusting for the 30 mt fixed gear set-aside and the 8% buffer (Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL), the Area 1A sub-ACL is 1,252 mt. There is no research-set-aside for 2021 because the participants in the RSA program will not continue their RSA project in 2021.

In October 2020, the Board established the following seasonal allocations for the 2021 Area 1A sub-ACL: 72.8% available from June 1 – September 30 and 27.2% available from October 1 – December 31. Fishermen are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per day harvested from Area 1A until June 1, 2021.

Please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0716 or efranke@asmfc.org for more information.

A copy of the meeting announcement can be found at: http://www.asmfc.org/files/AtlHerringApr2021DaysOutMeetingNotice.pdf

Final Day for Striped Bass Comments

April 9, 2021 — The following was released by the American Saltwater Guides Association:

By now, you probably know that striped bass are in trouble. The public comment deadline for the Striped Bass Amendment 7 Public Information Document is today at 5 PM and we need your help. For details and suggested talking points, take a look at our Guide to the Public Information Document, or watch the Striped Bass Town Hall that we recorded last week. You can make a difference.

Send your comments to comments@asmfc.org. Just like with the last addendum, we are running a raffle through The Saltwater Edge. This time, the grand prize is a striped bass trip with a Costa Pro. Click the link for prize details. It doesn’t matter what position you take. We just want to know that you commented. To enter, just cc stripercomments@gmail.com when you submit your comments to ASMFC. We will pick random winners after the deadline on April 9.

Read the full release here

MAFMC and ASMFC Postpone Final Action on Potential Changes to Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Allocations

April 8, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

During a joint webinar meeting on Tuesday, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (Commission) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board) voted to postpone a final decision on potential changes to the commercial and recreational allocations of summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. This delay is intended to allow for further development of the Recreational Reform Initiative before any allocation decisions are made. The Council and Board are now scheduled to take final action on the commercial/recreational allocation amendment at a joint meeting in December 2021.

Summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass are highly sought by both commercial and recreational fishermen throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England. The commercial/recreational allocations for all three species are currently based on historical proportions of catch or landings. Recent changes in how recreational catch is estimated have resulted in a discrepancy between the current levels of estimated recreational harvest and the allocations to the recreational sector. In response to the revised data, the Council and Board initiated the amendment in 2019 to consider possible changes to the commercial and recreational allocations. This action also aligns with the Council’s policy of reviewing fishery allocations at least every 10 years.

The Council and Commission received 334 public comments from both commercial and recreational fishery participants and organizations during five virtual public hearings and a written comment period earlier this year. In general, comments from the commercial sector favored maintaining status quo allocations, and comments from the recreational sector tended to support the alternatives that would increase allocations to the recreational sector. A more detailed summary of the public comments is available here.

Much of the discussion during this week’s meeting focused on the possibility of postponing an allocation decision to allow for further development of the Recreational Reform Initiative — an approach that has been recommended by stakeholders from both sectors, as well as representatives from the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO). The Recreational Reform Initiative focuses on management changes to more appropriately account for uncertainty and variability in the Marine Recreational Information Program data and provide stability in the recreational bag, size, and season limits. Proponents of delaying final action have argued that a better sense of potential management changes through the Recreational Reform Initiative may inform the allocation decisions that the Council and Board are considering through this action.

After several hours of discussion, the Council and Board voted to postpone final action until December. This delay is not expected to affect the timing of any allocation changes, as GARFO has advised that implementation of the amendment would be very unlikely to occur until January 1, 2023, regardless of whether approval occurred at this meeting or in December. In the months ahead, staff may incorporate a small number of new alternatives proposed by Council and Board members that fall within the range of alternatives already analyzed within the amendment. The Council and Board are expected to discuss the need for any additional alternatives at their joint meeting in August.

Additional information and updates on this amendment are available at: http://www.mafmc.org/actions/sfsbsb-allocation-amendment.

The press release can also be found at http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/606f338cpr21-08_SFSBSB-Allocation-Final-Action-Postponed.pdf

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed 2021 Recreational Rules for Summer Flounder

April 6, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is seeking comments on proposed 2021 summer flounder recreational fishery management measures.

We propose to continue the conservation equivalency approach for the summer flounder recreational fishery, in which states or regions develop minimum sizes, possession limits, and fishing seasons that will achieve the necessary level of conservation. Both the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recommended continuing conservation equivalency in 2021.

The proposed rule contains additional details on conservation equivalency, including what measures would be put in place if the Commission does not ultimately recommend conservation equivalency.

More Information

Read the proposed rule  as published in the Federal Register today. The comment period is open through April 21, 2021. Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Emily Keiley, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9116
Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

ASMFC 2021 Spring Meeting Webinar Preliminary Agenda

April 5, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon during the webinar. 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.

Public Comment Guidelines

To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board  approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings. Please note these guidelines have been modified to adapt to meetings via webinar:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide 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.

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 the webinar (April 19) will be included in the briefing materials.
  2. Comments received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 27 will be included in the supplemental materials.
  3. Comments received by 10:00 AM on Friday, April 30 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

Comments should be submitted via email at comments@asmfc.org. All comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.

Read the full release here

Webinar Instructions for the April 6-8 MAFMC Meeting

March 30, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet by webinar next week, Tuesday, April 6 – Thursday, April 8, 2021. A portion of the meeting will be conducted jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board. A detailed agenda and briefing documents are available on the April 2021 Council Meeting Page.

Webinar Connection Instructions

The Council has changed webinar platforms and will conduct this meeting via Webex. Please review the information below carefully. If you have not used Webex before, you are encouraged to connect during one of two test sessions we will hold Wednesday, March 31 (tomorrow) at 10:00 a.m. and Monday, April 5 at 1:00 p.m. (scroll down to TEST SESSIONS for details). All are welcome to connect during these test sessions.

JOIN THE APRIL 2021 COUNCIL MEETING:

Before connecting to the webinar, we recommend that you review the Council Meeting Webex Participant Guide for detailed step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. each day. We will have the webinar up and running by 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. We recommend connecting a few minutes early.

  1. Click Here to Join the Webinar (if prompted, enter meeting number: 129 017 5026; Meeting password: mafmc)
  2. If this is your first time using Webex you will be prompted to download and install the application (recommended), or you can choose to join the meeting in your browser. If you are joining from a mobile device you will need the Cisco Webex Meetings app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
  3. Sign In: On the sign in screen you will be asked to enter your full name.
  4. Connect your audio: On the meeting preview screen you can choose how you want to connect your audio. You will have the option to use your computer mic/speakers or phones for audio. See the Webex Participant Guide for details on selecting and changing your audio settings. If you have an unstable internet connection, we recommend using phone. To use your phone for audio, first sign into the Webex link above, then look for the “call in” option (if you don’t see this, look for the “use computer for audio” button which you can click to bring up the “call in” option). That will give you a prompt with the phone number, access code, and Attendee ID#. Please make sure to use the Attendee ID# on your screen, as that will allow us to identify you on our end.
  5. A note about video: Participant video will be disabled for this meeting. However, depending on your webcam settings you may still see your video on the meeting preview screen before you enter the webinar. This will not be displayed to other participants. You can disable the preview by clicking the “Stop Video” button.
  6. Telephone-only access: For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, dial 1-844-621-3956 (meeting number: 129 017 5026#). Please only use this option if you are not connecting to the webinar. If you are connected by phone only you will need to enter *6 on your keypad to unmute/mute yourself and *3 to raise/lower your hand.

April 2021 Webinar Details

Meeting Link: https://midatlanticfisheriesmc.webex.com/midatlanticfisheriesmc/j.php?MTID=ma078a78c34dafc6403e350a30eeeeac4

Meeting Number (access code): 129 017 5026

Meeting password: mafmc

Join by phone:

TEST SESSIONS

We will hold two test sessions for participants to make sure they are set up to join the meeting next week. Drop in at any time to test your audio and get familiar with the Webex interface. Please note that there are unique links for each test session (these are not the same as the April meeting link in the previous section). Connection instructions for each session are provided at the following links:

  1. Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
  2. Monday, April 5, 2021, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

As an alternative, you can use the Webex Test Meeting tool to join a test meeting at any time.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you are having trouble connecting to the webinar, please check the Webex Participant Guide and these troubleshooting steps to see if your question is addressed there. This page provides step-by-step instructions for joining a meeting from Windows and Mac computers, IOS and Android devices, and internet browsers.

NEED HELP?

If you need technical assistance prior to the meeting, contact Stephen Pearson at spearson@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5256. Check the April meeting page for staff contact info if you need help during the meeting.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo, Communication and Outreach Coordinator, msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

MAINE: As elver season opens, fishermen hope prices will rebound

March 26, 2021 — The commercial elver fishery opened for the 2021 season on March 22 for Maine fishermen who hold a license for the lucrative commercial market. 

And while 2020 may have been an elver season unlike any other, the 2021 season will be conducted with the same COVID-19 protocols in place. For a second consecutive year, harvesters may fish for and sell the quota of another licensed harvester provided they follow the necessary COVID-19 protocols. 

Under this rule, first introduced for the 2020 season, a license holder may fish and sell elvers for several license holders but may not “take, possess or sell” more pounds of elvers than the aggregate quota of all the license holders for whom they are fishing. 

A new rule for 2021 requires fishermen to check their nets every 16 hours so as to limit bycatch and elver mortality rates. 

“New fishermen all the time are getting into the industry and sometimes don’t check nets for three or four days,” Maine Elver Association President Darrell Young said. “When they come back, there could be 1 pound of live eels and 1 pound of dead ones.” 

And what fishermen wants to find dead elvers in their nets when prices may double from the 2020 harvester price that averaged $506 a pound? 

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander

REMINDER: Public Hearings for Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment Begin This Week

March 22, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The first two public hearing webinars for the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment will be held this week, on Wednesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 25. Additional hearings will be held on March 30, April 1, and April 8. All hearings begin at 6:00 p.m. Written comments will be accepted through April 23, 2021.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission are developing this joint amendment to address a wide range of issues related to management of the Atlantic Bluefish fishery. The amendment contains alternatives to:

  • Revise the fishery management plan (FMP) goals and objectives;
  • Modify the bluefish allocations between the commercial and recreational sectors;
  • Modify the commercial allocations to the states;
  • Initiate a rebuilding plan;
  • Revise the quota transfer processes;
  • Revise how the FMP accounts for management uncertainty; and
  • Revise the de minimis provisions in the Commission’s FMP.

Learn More

Complete details about the management alternatives being considered in this amendment are available in the Council’s Public Hearing Document (an abbreviated version of the amendment which summarizes proposed management options and impacts) and the Commission’s Draft Amendment (a more comprehensive management document that will resemble the Commission’s final amendment once approved). We have also developed a Alternatives Quick Reference Guide which provides an overview of the alternatives under consideration in the amendment.

A recording of the Public Hearing Presentation is now available on YouTube. If you are not planning to attend a public hearing, we encourage you to watch this video before submitting written comments.

Virtual Hearing Schedule

You are encouraged to provide oral comments at any of the following public hearings. While we encourage you to attend the hearing that is targeted toward your state or regional grouping, anyone is welcome to participate in any hearing. See the hearing announcement for a list of hearing contacts.

  • Wednesday, March 24, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida
  • Thursday, March 25, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Delaware, Maryland, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, and Virginia
  • Tuesday, March 30, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Connecticut and New York
  • Thursday, April 1, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
  • Thursday, April 8, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: New Jersey

Webinar Connection Instructions

To register for a public hearing please click here: Public Hearing Registration and select the hearing(s) you plan to attend from the dropdown menu. Hearings will be held via GoToWebinar, which can be accessed using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. When connecting to audio, we strongly encourage participants to use computer voice over internet (VoIP) so you can ask questions and provide input. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 1-866-901-6455 and enter access code 140-544-592. Those joining by phone only will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. For technical assistance setting up and logging into GoToWebinar, contact Dustin Colson Leaning at 703-842-0714.

Please note that if you are connected only by phone in listen only mode, you will not show up as a webinar attendee. In the event that there are no webinar attendees, the public hearing will be cancelled unless state staff request that the hearing content is presented. 

Written Comments

Written comments may be submitted through April 23, 2021 by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE: https://www.mafmc.org/comments/bluefish-allocation-rebuilding-amendment

2. EMAIL: mseeley@mafmc.org

3. MAIL: Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

800 North State Street, Suite 201

Dover, DE 19901

4. FAX: 302-674-5399

Please include “Bluefish Amendment” in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments.

Tips for Providing Public Comment

We value your input. To be most effective, we request that your comment include specific details as to why you support or oppose a particular alternative. Specifically, please address the following:

  • Which proposed alternative(s) do you support, and which do you oppose?
  • Why do you support or oppose the alternative(s)?
  • Is there any additional information you think should be considered?

Contacts

If you have any questions, please contact:

  • Matthew Seeley, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, mseeley@mafmc.org, 302-526-5262
  • Dustin Colson Leaning, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, dleaning@asmfc.org, 703-842-0714