Saving Seafood

Blacknose Shark Commercial Possession Limit South of 34˚00’ N. Latitude

February 7, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has adopted a commercial possession limit of 8 blacknose sharks per trip for harvesters in state waters south of 34˚00’ N. latitude. Southern states are required to implement this management measure prior to February 28, 2017. This action was taken to complement federal management measures that were implemented on January 13, 2017 for Atlantic shark limited access permit holders. Keeping with current regulations, a person operating a vessel north of 34˚00’ N. latitude may not possess, land or sell any blacknose sharks.

The blacknose and non-blacknose small coastal shark (SCS) fisheries south of 34˚00’ N. latitude are quota-linked under current regulations, meaning if landings of either fishery are projected to exceed 80% of the available commercial quota then the both fisheries will close. In May 2016, both fisheries closed because blacknose shark landings exceeded the 80% threshold, however, less than 20% of the non-blacknose SCS quota had been harvested at that time. A blacknose shark possession limit is expected to increase the utilization of available SCS quota and aid in rebuilding and end overfishing of Atlantic blacknose sharks.

The notice is attached and available at the following link – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file//589a1220BlacknoseCommercialRetentionLimit_Feb2017.pdf.

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

Could New Jersey defy summer flounder cuts?

February 6, 2017 — It didn’t take long after the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to slash summer flounder harvest quotas for the rumblings of anglers calling for New Jersey to defy the regulations to pick up.

The ASMFC ordered the harvest cut by 40-percent based on science that indicates the fish is declining in abundance and survey data that reports anglers overreached their quotas last year.

The science and angling surveys are at the center of the issue. Many lawmakers in New Jersey and its environmental chief have expressed concern about its accuracy because it relies on random sampling.

“We understand the long-term impacts of overfishing a species. But we also know for a fact that fluke are abundant and the population is stable off New Jersey,” said Bob Martin, the Commissioner of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

South Jersey remains united against new flounder regulations

February 3, 2017 — That Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission winter meeting this week was surely a bummer for summer flounder fans.

The delegates went through hours of sometimes confusing debate and somehow authorized an unpopular reduction in daily possession limit and an increase in size minimum for a keeper to help achieve a 28 percent to 32 percent cut in in the flounder quota along the Atlantic Coast.

The New Jersey presence was strong at the flounder, sea bass and scup board meeting Tuesday morning at The Westin in Alexandria, Virginia.

Adam Nowalsky headed a three-man delegation that voted in opposition to the measure — Option 5 if anybody is counting — that passed by a 7-3 vote. He also spoke in favor of delaying adoption of any restrictive measures.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

Atlantic fishing commission ignores New Jersey criticism and adopts cuts to flounder quota

February 2, 2017 — A proposal that likely will force New Jersey to make changes to its fishing regulations for summer flounder was advanced by a coastal fisheries management board Thursday despite strong opposition from state officials.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a regional agency that helps set fishing quotas for the 15 East Coast states, voted 10-2 to adopt the controversial new flounder rule, called Addendum XXVIII, which would drastically reduce New Jersey and other coastal states’ flounder catch limits.

The vote followed nearly three hours of debate among the coastal states’ representatives and fishery managers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is responsible for federal fisheries management.

New Jersey and Rhode Island were the only states to vote “no” on the proposal, which likely would force New Jersey to adopt its most stringent fishing regulations ever for anglers, such as a 19-inch minimum size limit, as well as a shortened season and reduced daily catch limit.

Read the full story at the Burlington County Times

Atlantic States MFC to Consider Summer Flounder Reduction Today

February 2, 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.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

Quota for elver catch could change in 2018

February 2, 2017 — Interstate regulators say the fishing quota for Maine’s expensive baby eels could change in 2018.

Fishermen are allowed to catch about 9,700 pounds of the eels, which are also called elvers, every year. The elvers are shipped to Asian aquaculture companies to be raised to maturity and used as food.

The fishing season comes in the spring and is closely monitored by state authorities.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will re-evaluate the quota before the 2018 fishing season. An arm of the commission will review the stock later this year before any decisions are made.

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

Fishing managers seek to avoid another herring shortage

February 1, 2017 — Interstate fishing regulators are considering new rules to help the herring fishery run more smoothly in the future.

The Atlantic herring is an important bait fish that’s caught off of several East Coast states, especially Massachusetts and Maine. The fishery suffered from supply issues last summer, which caused a bait shortage in the lobster fishery.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is looking at new ways to manage the fishery. Options include limiting the amount of herring a vessel can land per week.

Read the full story at the New Jersey Herald

Lobster fishermen question new fishing restrictions

February 1, 2017 — New fishing restrictions aimed at restoring the declining lobster population of the Southern New England fishery could begin to be applied in May.

However, fishermen remain skeptical about the success of a plan designed to revive the crustacean population. They argue that it might not make sense to restrict fishing when it is actually the environment that is harming the lobster population.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) is considering a variety of options to rejuvenate the region’s lobster stock, which scientists have said is falling victim to rising ocean temperatures, Associated Press informed.

The measures that would come into force to comply with the recommendations of the Commission members include changing the legal harvesting size limit for lobsters, reducing the number of traps in the water and enforcing seasonal closures.

Read the full story at Fish Information & Services 

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.

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