May 17, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The presentations and audio files from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2017 Spring Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2017-spring-meeting; go to the relevant board header and click on either “Presentations” or “Audio.” Some Boards may have two audio links given the length of the meetings.
May 12, 2017 — Fishing regulators are pulling away from a plan to liberalize the regulation of the commercial and recreational striped bass fishery.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission was considering sending new rules for the fishery out to public comment, but chose not to this week. The commission will instead wait until the results of a new assessment of the striped bass stock.
Striped bass have been fished commercially from Maine to North Carolina over the years. The fishery was worth more than $18 million in 2015. Striped bass are also a very popular recreational sport fish.
The commission had been considering allowing more catch of the fish. Members were concerned that changing the management of the fishery could result in over-harvest.
May 12, 2017 — It appears that a compromise may be close on this year’s summer flounder regulations.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the state are close to agreeing on a recreational season of three summer flounder at 18 inches. The season would be shortened to 104 days from May 25 to September 5.
The commission had voted on Option 5, which was a 19-inch size limit, a three-fish bag limit and a 128 day season. New Jersey then appealed it, and has still not approved the summer flounder regulations for this year.
The compromise will need to be reviewed by the commission’s Technical Committee and then voted on by the ASMFC, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said.
“We look forward to the ASFMC’s Technical Committee’s review next week and, hopefully, a final positive commission decision. We still have some steps to go through, but we’re hopeful that New Jersey’s economically vital recreational fishing industry will be saved this summer,” said Bob Martin, Commissioner of the NJDEP.
The compromise would allow New Jersey to keep a three-fish at 17-inch fish limit in place in Delaware bay west of the COLREGS line, the water boundary line between the state and Delaware.
May 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section (Section) releases Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Northern Shrimp for public consideration and input. The states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Draft Amendment. The details of those hearings follow.
Maine Department of Marine Resources
Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 6 PM
Maine Department of Marine Resources
Conference Room #118
32 Blossom Lane
Augusta, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
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Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 6 PM
Ellsworth City Hall Conference Room
1 City Hall Plaza
Ellsworth, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
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New Hampshire Fish and Game
Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 7 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095
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Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries
Monday, June 5, 2017 at 6 PM
MA DMF Annisquam River Station
30 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Contact: Kelly Whitmore at 978.282.0308
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The Section initiated Draft Amendment 3 with the intention of considering a limited entry program to address overcapacity in the fishery. In the 2010 and 2011 fishing seasons, increased fishing effort and untimely reporting resulted in early season closures and an overharvest of the total allowable catch (TAC). The 2012 fishing season was further restricted, resulting in a 21-day trawl season and a 17-day trap season. In the 2013 fishing season, despite the fact that only 55% of the TAC was harvested, the fishing mortality rate (0.53) was estimated above the target (0.38). In December 2013, the Section established a moratorium for the 2014 fishing season due to recruitment failure and a collapsed stock. The moratorium was maintained each year, through 2017, in response to the continued depleted condition of the stock.
Due to the uncertainty about if and when the resource would rebuild and the fishery reopen, the Section shifted the focus of Draft Amendment 3 to consider measures to improve management of the northern shrimp fishery and resource. Proposed options in the Draft Amendment include state-by-state allocations and accountability measures to better manage effort in the fishery. The Draft Amendment also explores the mandatory use of size sorting grate systems to minimize harvest of small (presumably male) shrimp, as well as reporting measures to ensure all harvested shrimp are being reported.
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Amendment either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. The Draft Amendment can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/NShrimpDraftAmd3_PublicComment.pdf or via the Commission’s website,www.asmfc.org, under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on June 21, 2017 and should be forwarded to Max Appelman, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mappelman@asmfc.org (Subject line: Northern Shrimp). For more information, please contact Max Appelman at mappelman@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
May 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXIX to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. The Addendum shortens the length of the commercial scup summer period and extends the length of the winter II period (Table 1).
Table 1. New Quota Periods approved in Addendum XXIX
| Winter I | January 1-April 30 (120 days) |
| Summer | May 1- September 30 (153 days) |
| Winter II | October 1-December 31 (92 days) |
This action seeks to allow for the better utilization of the commercial quota, which has been under-harvested since 2011. Specifically, the change in quota period length allows for higher possession limits for a longer period of time each year, thus increasing the likelihood the commercial fishery will fully harvest the quota. The quota allocation for each period remains unchanged. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) also took the same action through Framework 10. The Council will forward its recommendation to NOAA Fisheries for final approval.The Board and Council’s action will not affect the 2017 quota period start and end dates; these changes will likely be implemented for 2018 commercial quota. The Addendum will be finalized and available on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org (on the Scup webpage), within the next few weeks.
The Board also reviewed the final 2016 black sea bass recreational harvest estimates and considered changes to current measures to meet the 2017 RHL. Based on the performance of the 2016 fishery, which indicated a reduction is needed to stay within the 2017 RHL, the Board set the possession limit for wave 6 (November/December 2017) at five fish in state waters from Rhode Island through New Jersey. All other state measures remain unchanged from 2016.
May 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board has accepted a request by the State of New Jersey to consider a proposal for conservationally-equivalent management measures for the 2017 recreational summer flounder fishery. The action responds to New Jersey’s concern about the lack of availability of large fish (19” or greater) in state waters.
In February 2017, the Board approved Addendum XXVIII to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, maintaining regional management for the 2017 recreational summer flounder fishery and requiring all states (with the exception of North Carolina) to implement a one-inch increase in size limit and a reduced possession limit. These measures are required in order to stay within the 2017 recreational harvest limit. New Jersey has contended a one-inch increase in size will have significant economic impacts to its recreational and for-hire industries, since 19” fish have reduced availability in its waters.
The next step in the process is for the Technical Committee to review New Jersey’s proposal, which is anticipated to occur next week. The Board will then meet via conference call to receive the Technical Committee’s review and consider action on the proposal. If the proposal is accepted by the Board, New Jersey will have until May 21st to implement the approved measures. If conservationally-equivalent measures are not approved, New Jersey will need to implement the following measures by May 21st or the Commission will move forward with a non-compliance finding regarding New Jersey’s failure to implement Addendum XXVIII’s required management measures.
May 11, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Lobster Management Board approved moving forward with the goal of increasing egg production for the Southern New England (SNE) stock of American lobster by 5%. This increase in egg production can be achieved through a suite of management tools including gauge size changes, trap reductions, and seasonal closures. The recreational fishery is only subject to changes in the gauge size should any be proposed. In making its decision, the Board took into consideration the extensive public comment, which overwhelmingly supported status quo, and the fact that stock declines are largely a result of climatic changes, including increasing water temperatures over the last 15 years.
The next step in the process will be for the Lobster Conservation Management Teams (LCMTs) in Areas 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to develop area-specific proposals on how to achieve the 5% increase in egg production. As established through Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, LCMTs are composed of lobster industry members who are charged with recommending area-specific measures for Board consideration and approval. The LCMT proposals will be submitted for Technical Committee review in June and Board consideration in August. Once area-specific measures have been approved, the Board will consider final approval of Addendum XXV.
In its deliberation on the SNE lobster stock, the Board discussed the need to consider changes to the current management goals and reference points, noting changes in the marine environment may limit the ability to rebuild the stock to levels seen in the 1990s. The Board will continue to discuss these issues, particularly as the Commission’s Climate Change Work Group develops recommendations regarding the management of stocks impacted by changing climate conditions.
May 11, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board chose to not advance Draft Addendum V to Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass forward for public comment. Instead, it decided to wait until the release of the results of the 2018 benchmark stock assessment before it considered making changes to the management program.
The Draft Addendum was initiated to consider liberalization of commercial and recreational regulations to bring fishing mortality to the target based on the findings of the 2016 assessment update. The Draft Addendum proposed alternative measures aimed to increase total removals (commercial and recreational) by approximately 10% relative to 2015 to achieve the fishing mortality target in 2017. However, 2016 harvest estimates increased without changing regulations. Additionally, fish from the 2011 year class, which was the largest recruitment event since 2004, will become increasingly available to ocean fisheries in the coming years, possibly resulting in further increases to harvest along the coast. The Board also expressed concern that changing the management program could result in fishing mortality exceeding the target.
In preparation for the 2018 stock assessment, the Board approved the Terms of Reference for the assessment, which will explore new biological reference points for management use.
May 11, 2017 — PORTLAND, Maine — New restrictions are coming to southern New England’s lobster fishery in an attempt to save the area’s population of the crustaceans, which has dwindled as waters have warmed.
An arm of the interstate Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted on Tuesday to pursue new management measures to try to slow the decline of lobsters in the area. Management tools will include changes to legal harvesting size, reductions to the number of traps and seasonal closures to fishing areas.
The board’s move was “a recognition that climate change and warming water temperatures play an increasingly role in lobster stocks, especially in southern New England,” said Tina Berger, a spokeswoman for the commission.
The board’s goal, approved on Tuesday, is to increase egg production in the area by five percent. Decreasing the amount of fishing pressure will give the lobsters a better chance to reproduce, scientists working for the commission have said.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Sentinel & Enterprise
May 10, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission presented Mr. Robert Glenn, Dr. Amy Schueller and Lieutenant Conservation Officer Zane Batten with its Annual Awards of Excellence for their outstanding contributions to science and law enforcement along the Atlantic coast.
“Every year a great many people contribute to the success of fisheries management along the Atlantic coast. The Commission’s Annual Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding efforts by professionals who have made a difference in the way we manage and conserve our fisheries,” said ASMFC Chair Douglas Grout of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. “This evening, we honor several exceptional individuals for their contributions to the management and conservation of Atlantic coast fisheries.”
Scientific & Technical Contributions
Mr. Robert Glenn, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Mr. Robert Glenn has dedicated his career to furthering our understanding of American lobster – its biology, environmental drivers and limitations, and how best to model and predict its stock condition. For more than two decades, Mr. Glenn has provided leadership on the Commission’s American Lobster Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee. Over this 20-year span, he contributed to a total of four lobster benchmark stock assessments and served as the lead scientist on two of those assessments. His considerable investment in our stock assessment process has helped to develop new and improved ways to analyze data and model population dynamics, as well as assess the effects of climate change on the lobster population. Mr. Glenn’s analysis of spatial shifts in fishing effort in the Massachusetts fishery south of Cape Cod was among the earliest indicators of movement by female lobsters into cooler, deeper water. He found that movement of egg bearing female lobsters into more offshore waters could be expected to cause drastic changes in lobster larval recruitment patterns and collapse of the Buzzards Bay fishery. His leadership, knowledge and insight on the Southern New England lobster resources were instrumental in bringing together all of the other information pertinent to fully document the region’s lobster recruitment failure.
Underlying these accomplishments are Mr. Glenn’s calm and supportive leadership which fostered harmonious and productive working relationships between Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee members, even as stock conditions in Southern New England deteriorated and controversies arose. He was also instrumental in enhancing relationships between the Commission, state agencies, National Marine Fisheries Service, Canadian and academic scientists and industry groups. Mr. Glenn has consistently performed in an exemplary manner, gracefully dealing with a contentious, complex and confounding species management program. Throughout it all, he has maintained a balanced view and approach to lobster management. His efforts and leadership have advanced our understanding of the American lobster resource and provided us with a solid scientific foundation to manage American lobster for years to come.
Dr. Amy Schueller, NOAA Fisheries Beaufort Laboratory
In only a short period of time, Dr. Amy Schueller with NOAA Fisheries Beaufort Laboratory has made notable contributions to Atlantic menhaden science and management. As the lead assessment scientist for the 2015 Atlantic menhaden benchmark stock assessment, Dr. Schueller took on the formidable task of assessing the high profile and controversial forage species. Through consideration of new and existing datasets and exploration of alternative model configurations, the 2015 assessment ushered in a new period of unprecedented support for menhaden science from industry, NGOs and the public. In addition to her participation on the Atlantic Menhaden Technical Committee, Stock Assessment Subcommittee and Biological Ecological Reference Points Workgroup, Dr. Schueller actively pursues research relevant to menhaden science and management. Some recent pursuits and publications include securing grant money in support of recovering old menhaden tagging data; dedicating time and effort in support of the Beaufort Lab’s menhaden data collection program; conducting research on age-structured movement and mortality of Atlantic menhaden as well as trends in relative abundance and early life survival.
In just five years Dr. Schueller has greatly improved our understanding of Atlantic menhaden. Imagine how much more she will achieve and how much more the fisheries science and management process has to gain from her accomplishments.
Law Enforcement Contributions
Lieutenant Conservation Officer Zane Batten with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of law Enforcement
Lieutenant Conservation Officer Zane Batten has been with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Law Enforcement for nearly 25 years. First as a volunteer Deputy Conservation Officer, next as a Lt. C.O. for the Special Investigations Unit, where he served for five years and lastly as District supervisor. Lt. Batten is being recognized for his efforts on behalf of the Special Investigation Unit, where he worked on several cases of magnitude that resulted in both domestic and international charges. Two cases in particular exemplify Lt. Batten’s perseverance, self-sacrifice and dedication to resource conservation.
In the first case, Lt. Batten was instrumental in identifying fishermen involved in the illegal commercialization of elvers. As he worked to document the activities of the fishermen, Lt. Batten was also able to gain the trust of a number of large buyers who were knowingly purchasing illegally harvested eels for export overseas. Spanning three years, the investigation uncovered a multi-million dollar black market in elvers and exposed the identities of numerous fishermen and buyers, from Florida to Maine, that were involved in the black market. The charging and prosecution of those involved is still pending.
During another case, Lt. Batten coordinated a joint investigation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission involving the illegal commercialization of striped bass from Delaware Bay. The investigation, which spanned two years, identified an organized ring of 8 commercial fishermen illegally selling striped bass to a seafood store. Both criminal and civil charges were filed, with the maximum fine for all charges filed in excess of $3.4 million.
Named New Jersey’s Conservation Officer of the Year in 2014, Lt. Batten is widely respected by his fellow officers and colleagues. His commitment to ensuring our fisheries management regulations are being upheld is notable and worth recognition.