Saving Seafood

Fishermen say sanctuary status a risky proposition for them

February 16, 2017 — Some fishermen are relieved the nomination of the Baltimore Canyon as a national marine sanctuary was pulled from consideration, saying that designation could have restricted fishing in the rich area about 73 miles southeast of Delaware Bay.

“It’s in the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, and that is what has always been a concern for us as users of the area,” said John Depersenaire, Fisheries Researcher at the Recreation Fishing Alliance in New Gretna. “It says unlawful acts include injuring or harming any sanctuary resource.”

The sanctuary program is set up to protect resources, said Reed Bohne, regional director of the sanctuary program for the Northeast and Great Lakes for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

Congressmen MacArthur, Smith, and LoBiondo Announce Major Victory for New Jersey Fishing Community

February 3, 2017 — Washington, D.C. — The following was released by the office of Representative Tom MacArthur:

Today, Congressmen Tom MacArthur (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), and Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) announced a major victory for New Jersey’s fishing industry. After congressional opposition led by Congressman MacArthur, the Baltimore Aquarium has withdrawn their nomination for the Baltimore Canyon to be named a national marine sanctuary, a controversial designation which could have prohibited or restricted fishing access near South Jersey.

“This is a big win for our fishing industry and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to protect New Jersey’s fishermen,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “Too often, our commercial and recreational fishing industry has been stifled by too many regulations from nameless, faceless and unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C. This will make sure that a burdensome designation won’t stand in the way of our fishermen’s success.”

“With our recreational and commercial fishing industry under constant attack from Washington bureaucrats, this is certainly welcome news for our region,” said Congressman LoBiondo. “I remain committed to fighting against such arbitrary restrictions on our fishermen and appreciate Congressman MacArthur’s leadership on this critical economic issue for South Jersey.”

“If implemented, a reduction of this magnitude will have harsh and immediate economic consequences for families and businesses along New Jersey’s 130 mile shoreline—many still struggling to fully recover from Superstorm Sandy. The impact will be felt not only in fisheries and fishing communities, but by the local businesses that rely upon the industry, the governments that depend on the revenue generated by these activities and other industries—such as tourism—that are a staple along the Jersey Shore,” said Rep. Chris Smith. “The Delegation is working on a full court press that we hope will delay, and ultimately severely alter, the implementation of this devastating decision.” 

In December, Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-03) along with Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-03), Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2), Congressman Lee Zeldin (NY-01), Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) sent a letter to the NOAA Administrator against the potential designations of Baltimore, Hudson, and Norfolk Canyons as Marine Sanctuaries.

The original letter can be viewed here

MARYLAND: Sanctuary request withdrawn

February 3, 2017 — The Baltimore National Aquarium’s sponsorship of a proposal to have Baltimore Canyon declared an Urban Marine Sanctuary ended Wednesday with a letter from aquarium CEO John C. Racanelli notifying federal officials that it is withdrawing its nomination.

The letter to John Armor, director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in Silver Spring, ends months of disagreement between the aquarium and local fishing interests, who feared that granting the canyon limited protected status now might lead to heavier restrictions  later that would prevent them from fishing those waters.

Roughly 60 miles off the coast, the 28-mile-long canyon has long been one of the locations favored by anglers in the pursuit of marlin and other gamefish, hence the jittery initial response from the industry locally when the aquarium announced its plan in October with assurances that fishing would not be affected.

Read the full story at Ocean City Today 

Congressional Coalition Opposes Canyon Designation; Letter Calls Out ‘Additional Financial Stresses’

December 16, 2016 — OCEAN CITY, MD — Days after the Ocean City Mayor and Council fired off a letter last week opposing the designation of the Baltimore Canyon as the nation’s first Urban National Marine Sanctuary, a coalition of U.S Congressmen sent a letter of their own to a federal official who could ultimately make the decision.

In October, National Aquarium officials announced they were seeking an Urban National Marine Sanctuary designation for the Baltimore Canyon, a vast 28-mile long and five-mile wide submarine canyon off the coast of Ocean City that lies at the center of the resort’s multi-million dollar fishing industry. According to the National Aquarium’s petition drive, a designation of the nation’s first Urban National Marine Sanctuary for the Baltimore Canyon “presents a unique opportunity to connect an urban population to the ecological treasure using cutting edge deep sea exploration technology.”

The announcement in October met with an immediate reaction from the resort’s area’s multi-million fishing industry, whose representatives fear a sanctuary designation would ultimately limit, restrict or prohibit recreational and commercial fishing in the canyon. During a meeting at the Ocean City Marlin Club late last month, aquarium officials assured fishing industry leaders the intent of the designation was not to impact fishing in the Baltimore Canyon, but could offer no assurances about potential changes in the uses allowed.

Last Monday, after hearing a presentation from attorney Mark Cropper, who represents several marina owners, fishing captains and other stakeholders about the potential “devastating” effects of a sanctuary designation for the Baltimore Canyon, the council fired off a letter to its representatives in Annapolis including Gov. Larry Hogan urging them to formally oppose the designation. Just two days later, the coalition of U.S. Congressman including Andy Harris, who represents Maryland’s 1st District, penned a letter of its own to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan expressing serious concern with the proposal and calling into question its legality. Along with Harris, signing the letter Congressmen Tom MacArthur, Walter B. Jones, Frank LoBiondo, Lee Zeldin, Chris Smith and Roy Wittman.

Read the full story at The Dispatch

To protect coral, bottom fishing gear banned near Delaware’s coast

December 16th, 2016 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is banning commercial fishing gear that could drag along the seafloor in part of the Atlantic Ocean – including a portion 66 miles off the Delaware coast.

Deep-sea coral can live for hundreds to thousands of years, but once they are damaged, they can take decades or even centuries to re-grow.

To ensure these corals can live undisturbed, a section of the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Virginia – about the size of Virginia – has been designated as “protected”. The protected area is about 66 miles from Delaware’s shore and covers a portion of the Baltimore Canyon. Joseph Gordon, Pew Charitable Trust’s manager of U.S. northeast oceans, said that means fishing gear that reaches down to the depths that deep-sea coral inhabit would not be allowed to operate there.

“They’ve lived a long time but they live in an environment that is cold, with huge pressure, without light,” Gordon said, about the coral. “And so fishing technology could damage them in a way that could take centuries to recover from.”

Some bottom-fishing technologies include rockhoppers and canyon-busters. They are designed to roll over boulders and canyons, and according to Oceana, they can weigh at least several hundred pounds. NOAA authorizes the gear that fishermen can use for commercial fishing, and documented almost 1,000 bottom-fishing technologies in use in the Mid-Atlantic region in 2016. That is up from 630 documented in 2013.

Read the full story at Delaware Public Media 

Marine sanctuary campaign worries anglers

October 28th, 2016 — Representatives of local fishing enterprises are worried that a recent push to designate the Baltimore Canyon as a marine sanctuary off the coast of Ocean City could put the area out of bounds to all anglers.

The National Aquarium on Monday launched a petition to establish the 28-mile long, five-mile wide submarine rift as its first Urban National Marine Sanctuary. The canyon contains several fragile deep-sea corals rarely seen anywhere else in the world. According to the nonprofit, this measure would protect its ecosystem and restrict the offshore exploration of minerals, oil and gas.

“The Baltimore Canyon is an aquatic treasure!” National Aquarium Chief Conservation Officer Kris Hoellen said. “It contains fragile deep sea corals rarely seen anywhere in the world as well as unique biological processes, such as methane seeps. Based on its ecological value, these corals and biological processes are irreplaceable and should be protected.”

That canyon is also a popular destination of Ocean City’s multi-million-dollar fishing industry, which could be left on the outside looking in if the standard sanctuary restrictions apply.

Read the full story at Ocean City Today