Saving Seafood

MFC Members Won’t Seek Menhaden Quota Increase Out of Respect for Work on Ecological Reference Points

August 5, 2019 — The following was released by the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition:

It is the long-standing view of the members of the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition (MFC) that the quota for Atlantic menhaden should have been raised substantially in 2017 due to the documented strength of the stock in the last assessment. However, contrary to the claims of some activists from special interest groups, MFC members will not be pursuing a quota increase at this week’s meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) out of respect for the Commission’s ongoing work on ecological reference points (ERPs).

“Our long-standing commitment to the sustainability of Atlantic menhaden has repeatedly been confirmed by the best available science,” said Jeff Kaelin, government relations coordinator at Lund’s Fisheries, an MFC member based in New Jersey. “While that science supports a substantial increase in the quota right now, we look forward to the Commission’s conclusions on ERPs, which will help guide management moving forward.”

The findings of the ASMFC’s 2017 update stock assessment and the 2014 benchmark stock assessment clearly indicate that Atlantic menhaden is thriving up and down the Atlantic Coast. The 2017 assessment again indicated that the menhaden population is not overfished nor is overfishing occurring. Additionally, the assessment showed mortality rates have remained below the overfishing threshold since the 1960s, and fishing mortality has been decreasing throughout the history of the fishery.

An analysis conducted by ASMFC scientists in 2016 showed that the menhaden quota could be increased by up to 40 percent with a 0 percent chance of leading to overfishing. Another analysis by the MFC using data from the ASMFC’s 2017 stock assessment found that the fishery already leaves 92 percent of fish in the water to serve their ecological role.

“There are numerous positive signs for the health of the menhaden fishery,” said Ben Landry, director of public affairs at Omega Protein, an MFC member based in Virginia. “That’s why Omega Protein is pursuing certification of the fishery’s sustainability by the highly respected Marine Stewardship Council, a process that is nearing its conclusion.”

Even though all current signs indicate a menhaden quota increase is warranted, industry stakeholders are supportive of efforts to better understand the role Atlantic menhaden play in the ecosystem. Therefore, while the ASMFC Biological and Ecological Reference Points (BERP) workgroup continues its work developing ERPs for the menhaden fishery, the MFC will not request a quota increase at this week’s meeting.

Multiple ASMFC Commissioners have stated that increasing the quota in past years was premature and that we should wait until the ERPs are conducted. MFC members believe the same should be true for any potential reallocation of the current quota at this week’s meeting.

Recreational Anglers Get Help Combatting Post-Release Mortality from Partnership of Fishery Managers

August 5, 2019 — The following was release by NOAA Fisheries:

No one, especially recreational anglers, likes to see a fish float away or sink to the bottom dead. That’s why NOAA Fisheries Recreational Fishing Initiative, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), and the Atlantic states are working together to help more fish survive when released by recreational anglers.

Fish mortality has historically been high in some of our most iconic fisheries. Advances in fishing gear technology have, in recent years, helped alleviate some of its leading causes. Two of the most effective tools are fish descending devices and circle hooks.

Descending devices help return fish to the depth—and pressure—where they were caught. This relieves problems caused by barotrauma, a condition resulting from rapid pressure changes. Barotrauma can make it hard for fish to swim and can cause swelling of their organs.

Circle hooks help anglers hook a fish in the lip or jaw, reducing damage from hooking fish in the gills, stomach, or other vital organs.

Many recreational anglers are embracing these technologies. Fishery managers see benefits when more anglers adopt catch and release best practices.

NOAA Fisheries recently worked with ASMFC to make these tools more easily available and keep our nation’s fishery resources healthy. With funds provided by NOAA Fisheries Recreational Fishing Initiative, the Commission distributed 61,000 circle hooks and more than 1,000 descending devices to state marine fishery agencies from Florida to New England. This project will help recreational anglers limit their impact on the resources they cherish. It has also strengthened the partnership between state and federal fishery managers.

Read the full release here

ASMFC 2019 Summer Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

July 31, 2019 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting for the following Boards/Workshop (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF. Not included in the combined document are supplemental materials for the Executive Committee.

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Revised Draft Agenda & Meeting Overview; Atlantic Cobia Technical Committee Meeting Summary; Atlantic Croaker Traffic Light Analysis (TLA) Report; Spot TLA Report; Draft Atlantic Cobia Fishery Management Plan Review; Draft Atlantic Croaker Fishery Management Plan Review

American Eel Management Board – Revised Meeting Overview

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Advisory Panel Call Summary

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Public Comment; Black Sea Bass Commercial Options; Review of Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Discard Mortality

Tautog Management Board – 2019 Draft Fishery Management Plan Review

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Draft Addendum VI; 2019 Draft Fishery Management Plan Review; Public Comment

Wind Power Workshop for New England and Mid‐Atlantic Commissioners and NOAA Fisheries –Revised Draft Agenda

As a reminder, Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6th and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 5:00 p.m.) on Thursday, August 8th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board 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. To register, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3215930074468838914

ASMFC 2019 Summer Meeting Final Agenda and Materials Now Available

July 23, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2019 Summer Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. For ease of access, all Board documents have been combined into one document Main Meeting Materials. Not included in this document are materials for the Executive Committee and the Committee on Economics and Social Sciences. Links to individual board/committee materials can be found on the 2019 Summer Meeting page. Supplemental materials will be available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting on July 31st.

Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6th and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 5:00 p.m.) on Thursday, August 8th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board 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. To register, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3215930074468838914.

As a reminder, the guidelines for 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) 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 July 30, 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, July 30, 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.

Menhaden reopening eases Maine bait worries – for now

July 19, 2019 — A two-week hiatus in the Maine menhaden fishery ended with the Atlantic States Fisheries Management Commission granting an additional 4.7 million pounds of quota, quelling worries about an impeding shortage of lobster bait.

The “episodic event fishery” that started July 15 won’t solve what has become a regular element of suspense for the industry. State officials reopened the season with additional effort controls, and reducing the weekly allowance from four trucks to three.

The harvest is restricted to state waters Monday through Thursday. The Department of Marine Resources had ordered a halt to the fishery June 30, after monitoring showed the fleet had exceeded the Maine annual quote of 2.4 million pounds by 1.5 million pounds – an overage of about 62 percent.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Extra menhaden quota awarded to Maine as lobster bait shortage concerns heat up

July 17, 2019 — As the peak summer season begins to beat down on Maine’s lobster harvesters, state officials have stepped in to help ease some of the bait shortage burdens pressuring the sector as of late.

Last week, the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Management Council approved Maine’s request to reopen its recently closed menhaden fishery for an additional 4.7 million pounds of catch, according to a recent report from the Portland Press Herald. On 30 June, the state had to end its menhaden fishing season early after it determined that harvesters had exceeded the annual quota of 2.4 million pounds for the key bait species by 1.5 million pounds.

With the state’s fleet of more than 100 vessels seemingly docked for the summer, menhaden were still being found in abundance in Maine waters from Kittery to Penobscot Bay, prompting officials to petition the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Management Council for extra quota.

With their wish granted, state officials are hopeful that “landing the extra menhaden quota now that peak lobster season has started and bait demand is picking up will help ease fears of a shortage predicted as a result of a 70 percent reduction of landings for herring, Maine’s most popular lobster bait,” the Portland Press Herald explained. Prices were already rising when the herring season opened on Sunday, 14 July, noted a special bulletin issued by Maine.gov one day later.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Maine DMR responds to elver story

July 3, 2019 — The article about Henry Bear’s acquittal suggested that the charges were based on the amount Bear exceeded his quota, which was inaccurate.

Bear was charged with fishing after reaching his elver individual fishing quota. The charge had nothing to do with the amount by which he exceeded his quota, but its emphasis in the headline and the article only contributes to misunderstanding of the violation, and the department’s obligation to regulate and enforce the quota system.

The quota system, implemented in 2014, is designed to manage this valuable resource and to ensure that Maine does not exceed its overall quota allotted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Maine has been able to retain this fishery because of its ability to manage and enforce the quota system and because of the compliance of harvesters.

This fishery today is worth more than $20 million to Maine.

In addition, Bear’s assertion that this investigation was a “political hatchet job” is not just wrong, it’s an irresponsible, defamatory statement. The charges were filed based on evidence that indicated a violation of a law. Plain and simple.

The specific section of law, §6575-K, prohibits fishing after an individual fishing quota has been met.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

REVISED: ASMFC 2019 Summer Meeting Preliminary Agenda

July 3, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please note the preliminary agenda for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Meeting has been revised (see attached, below, or the Summer Meeting webpage). Most notably, the schedule for Wednesday’s meetings has been changed, with meetings and times shifted. Additionally, a Legislators and Governors’ Appointees Luncheon has been added to Tuesday’s schedule, slightly shifting meeting times that afternoon. These changes may affect participant travel so please review the revised schedule carefully.

Commissioners and Proxies – Please notify Cindy Robertson if your hotel accommodations need to be modified as a result of the schedule changes.

Read the full revised agenda here

Retention Limit of Aggregated Large Coastal Shark and Hammerhead Shark Management Groups increase to 36 Sharks per Trip

June 24, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

NOAA Fisheries has increased the retention limit for the commercial aggregated large coastal shark and hammerhead shark management groups (Appendix 1, next page) for directed shark limited access permit holders in the Atlantic region from 3 to 36 sharks per vessel per trip effective June 25, 2019. The retention limit will remain at 36 LCS, other than sandbar sharks, per vessel per trip in the Atlantic region through the rest of the 2019 fishing season or until NOAA Fisheries announces another adjustment to the retention limit or a fishery closure via the Federal Register.

As agreed upon by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Coastal Sharks Management Board in December 2015, the Commission will follow NOAA Fisheries for in-season changes to the commercial retention limit, therefore, no more than 36 sharks per vessel per trip may be retained from the aggregated large coastal and hammerhead shark management groups by state licensed fishermen effective June 25, 2019.

The Federal Register regarding the change to the commercial retention limit will be published on June 25 at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/06/25/2019-13483/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-commercial-aggregated-large-coastal-shark-and-hammerhead-shark. Shark landings can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/2019-atlantic-shark-commercial-fishery-landings-and-retention.

For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0740 or krootes-murdy@asmfc.org.

A PDF of the announcement ca be found here –http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5d11021cM19_48AdjustedCommericalRetentionLimits_June2019.pdf.

ASMFC 2019 Summer Meeting Preliminary Agenda & Public Comment Guidelines

June 17, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please find attached and below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2019 Summer Meeting, August 6-8, 2019, in Arlington, VA. The agenda is also available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting. Materials will be available on July 24, 2019 on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting.

A block of rooms is being held at The Westin Crystal City, 1800 S. Eads Street, Arlington, VA  22202. Cindy Robertson will make Commissioner/Proxy reservations and will contact you regarding the details of your accommodations. Please notify Cindy of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.

For all other 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 $179.00 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 Sunday, July 7, 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

 Summer Meeting

August 6-8, 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 the 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. 

 Tuesday, August 6

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

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

  • Consider Policy Addressing Non-Payment of State Assessments
  • Consider Proposed Revision to the Annual Report
  • Update on Transitioning the For-hire Telephone Survey to State/ACCSP Conduct
  • Discuss Commission Involvement in Biosecurity and Bait Sources

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

  • Consider Approval of Atlantic Cobia Amendment 1
  • Progress Update on Draft Addenda for Atlantic Croaker and Spot Traffic Light Analyses
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for Atlantic Cobia, Atlantic Croaker, and Red Drum

Noon – 1:00 p.m.                     Lunch

1:00– 2:00 p.m.                        American Eel Management Board  

  • Review Board Working Group Recommendations on Addressing Coastwide Cap Overages
  • Review and Consider Approval of Aquaculture Proposals

2:15 – 3:15 p.m.                       Horseshoe Crab Management Board 

  • Consider Potential Management Response to the 2019 Benchmark Stock Assessment
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.                       Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

  • Progress Update on Menhaden Single Species and Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Stock Assessments
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports
  • Set 2020 Atlantic Menhaden Fishery Specifications

Wednesday, August 7

8:30 – 11:15 a.m.                     Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

  •                   Review Potential Black Sea Bass Commercial Management Strategies and Consider Initiating Management Action to Address Commercial Allocation
  •                   Progress Update on the Recreational Management Reform Working Group
  •                   Update on Management Strategy Evaluation of Summer Flounder Recreational Fishery Project
  •                   Discuss Discard Mortality

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.              Committee on Economics and Social Sciences

  • Review Ongoing Committee Activities
  • Discuss Efforts to Increase the Availability and Use of Socioeconomic Information in Management
  • Review Committee Input on the Commission’s Draft Risk and Uncertainty Policy

11:30 – 12:30                            Spiny Dogfish Management Board

  • Consider Approval of Draft Addendum VI for Public Comment
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.                     Lunch

1:15 – 3:15 p.m.                       Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

  • Review 2019 Performance of the Stocks Report
  • Review and Consider Approval of ISFMP Guiding Documents
  • Update on American Lobster Enforcement Vessel
  • Committee Reports
  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)

3:15 – 3:30 p.m.                       Business Session 

  • Consider Approval of Atlantic Cobia Amendment 1
  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.                       Tautog Management Board

  • Review Implementation Guidelines for the Commercial Harvest Tagging Program
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

Thursday, August 8

8:30 – 11:30 a.m.                     Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board  

  • Consider Approval of Draft Addendum VI for Public CommentMid
  • Consider Postponed Motions from the April 2019 Meeting:

Main Motion: Move to initiate an Amendment to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan to address the needed consideration for change on the issues of fishery goals and objectives, empirical/biological/spatial reference points, management triggers, rebuilding biomass, and area-specific management. Work on this Amendment will begin upon the completion of the previously discussed Addendum to the Management Plan.

Motion made by Mr. Luisi and seconded by Mr. Clark.

Motion to Amend: Move to amend to add reallocation of commercial quota between states.

Motion made by Mr. Pugh and seconded by Mr. Reid.

  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.         Lunch

12:30 – 5:00 p.m.                     NOAA Fisheries Wind Power Workshop for New England and Mid-Atlantic Commissioners

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 an opportunity for 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.

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 July 30, 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, July 30, 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.