Saving Seafood

Biden-Harris Administration announces $20 million to boost red snapper science in the Southeast as part of Investing in America agenda

October 26, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced plans for $20 million in funding to address the impacts of climate change on red snapper and other reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These funds will support the efforts of NOAA and the Gulf of Mexico states to determine the best tools to collect reliable recreational fishing data that support science and management decision-making for red snapper. 

The funding is from the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history. It will strengthen NOAA’s efforts to share and exchange standardized state and federal data, harness the power of advanced technology and artificial intelligence to improve timeliness of data collection, and enhance state recreational data management systems for estimating landings, discards and fishing effort. 

“Red snapper is one of the Gulf of Mexico’s most iconic species and perhaps one of the region’s greatest management success stories,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These funds, made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, will improve NOAA’s data collection efforts and management decisions for red snapper and dozens of other species, thereby benefiting millions of anglers.” 

Distribution of these funds is underway, with NOAA Fisheries awarding the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission nearly $1.5 million through a cooperative agreement to modernize state recreational data management systems. The commission — in coordination with NOAA Fisheries — will work with state and federal partners to ensure common data standards, create and enhance certified state data systems and host workshops to improve data accuracy.

NOAA Fisheries intends to use the funding in the following three areas:

  • Develop and implement Gulf of Mexico video and acoustic camera surveys to improve reef fish data timeliness and generation of density estimates ($2 million).
  • Collaborate with Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission and state partners to increase accessibility of state survey data ($7.35 million).
  • Improve the estimates of recreational fishing effort and discards, which represent two of the greatest sources of uncertainty in managing and assessing Gulf of Mexico reef fish ($10.65 million).

“We know climate change is impacting many fish species, and these effects are not fully understood,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “With our partners at the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, we are working to improve state and federal recreational data collection so we can provide even more robust data and metrics to our fishing communities.”

Climate change has a specific impact on life in the ocean, as droughts, floods, rising seas, ocean acidification and warming waters change marine habitats and the behavior patterns of the wildlife in those habitats. 

This funding was first announced in June 2023 as part of the historic $3.3 billion in investments focused on ensuring America’s communities and economies are ready for and resilient to climate change.

Please visit NOAA’s Inflation Reduction Act website to learn about current and future funding opportunities.

NOAA aids Puerto Rico coral reef restoration through support of the Biden Administration

October 4, 2023 — The Biden administration awarded USD 34.4 million (EUR 32.5 million) in April toward projects to combat climate change in Puerto Rico, including ocean restoration.

Eight projects have been selected for grants to boost both economic and environmental outcomes for Puerto Rico’s coastal communities. The selected projects, the administration said, will benefit the community across Puerto Rico.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Fifth Circuit postpones federal ruling on offshore lease sales in Gulf of Mexico

September 28, 2023 — Last week a federal judge ruled the Biden administration must go through with offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico by Sept. 27 as originally planned and under original conditions. One week later, the Fifth Circuit amended the ruling, pushing back the lease sale date to Nov. 8.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who sued over another restriction imposed on the industry, said the ruling was “a major win not only for the rule of law, but also for Louisiana jobs and affordable energy. At a time when working families are being squeezed by unaffordable Bidenomics, I am glad to deliver yet another victory defeating overreaching bureaucrats.

“Congress is clear: lease sales must take place; so we are grateful the Judge cut through the noise and upheld the law,” Landry added. He also said “our fight is far from over,” the initial ruling granted relief “against the President’s latest attack on reliable and affordable American energy.”

The U.S. oil and natural gas industry, led by the Gulf states of Texas and Louisiana, have set records in petroleum exports and led in exports of liquified natural gas in the first half of 2023. The industry has also provided a “lifeline” to European countries reducing reliance on Russia and suffering from failed “green energy” policies, according to data previously reported on by The Center Square.

Read the full article The Center Square

 

Biden’s marine sanctuaries come under fire at US congressional hearing

September 23, 2023 — The U.S. government’s use of marine protected areas, sanctuaries, and monuments to conserve areas of the ocean came under fire during a congressional hearing this week, with House lawmakers and a bevy of witnesses decrying the use of executive authority to establish wide bands of ocean where commercial fishing is banned instead of relying on the existing regulatory system to protect fishing stocks.

“President Biden’s weaponization of marine protected areas designation is another example of his rampant abuse of executive authority to promote his radical climate agenda and social change initiatives without due consideration of the negative consequences for the economy, environment, and thousands of working Americans,” U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Arizona) said.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Fisheries council opposes Biden administration’s plans for new marine monument

September 20, 2023 — The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, at its latest meeting, again signaled its opposition to the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden’s plans to establish a new marine monument in the Pacific Remote Islands.

The administration’s proposal would form a new sanctuary around the Pacific Remote Islands using the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, creating a 770,000 square mile area that would be fully conserved. The conservation plan, the council said at its latest meeting, is likely already satisfied by the existing fishing regulations that govern the area.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Pacific islands sanctuary debated at House hearing

September 20, 2023 — The Biden administration’s proposal to protect 770,000 square miles with a new mid-Pacific marine sanctuary took center stage Tuesday during a Congressional oversight committee – with commercial fishing advocates arguing the process of setting aside ocean waters can short-circuit requirements for public input in fisheries policymaking.

The House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing was billed as “Examining Barriers to Access in Federal Waters: A Closer Look at the Marine Sanctuary and Monument System.” It focused on the plan to expand waters around the existing Remote Island National Monument into a wider sanctuary, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducting a scoping process that included a workshop in American Samoa last week.

The prospect of potential future limits on fishing in the region is alarming, said Rep. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, R-American Samoa, delegate to Congress.

In its potential extent the proposal is “about to take all of our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) away from us,” said Aumua Amata. American Samoa depends on the purse seine tuna fleet and the cannery it supplies, she stressed: “We are a one-industry economy.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

$82M will help protect whales from vessel strikes after over 60 strandings on Atlantic Coast

September 19, 2023 — The tragic and recurring trend of large whales washing up on the Atlantic Coast has not stopped.

Nor have investigations to determine why they keep happening — although ship strikes have been to blame in many cases.

In the meantime, officials hope new federal money will help to surveil and protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale and benefit other ocean species in the process.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries division, or NOAA Fisheries, on Monday said $82 million from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act will help “to conserve and recover” endangered North Atlantic right whales.

Read the full article at NJ.com

Biden-Harris Administration announces historic $82 million for endangered North Atlantic right whales as part of Investing in America agenda

September 18, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced next steps to conserve and recover endangered North Atlantic right whales with $82 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest climate and conservation investment in history. This announcement comes during Climate Week and is part of the $2.6 billion framework to invest in coastal resilience that NOAA announced earlier this year. 

North Atlantic right whales are approaching extinction with fewer than 350 individuals remaining, including fewer than 70 reproductively active females. Today’s funding provides an unprecedented opportunity to address the primary threats to the species — entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes — with new technologies and approaches.

“This historic funding will allow NOAA Fisheries to make critical advancements in our work to save the endangered North Atlantic right whale species,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With $82 million of Inflation Reduction Act funding, we are making smart investments — a cornerstone of Bidenomics — to help address the crisis these whales are facing through innovative solutions that minimize the impact on workers in marine industries.” 

New funding will support the application of existing technologies — such as passive acoustic monitoring — and the development and implementation of technologies to enable vessels to detect and avoid North Atlantic right whales and other large whales. Additionally, NOAA Fisheries will continue to develop and evaluate new technologies — such as those that use high-resolution satellite information — to transform North Atlantic right whale monitoring and improve understanding of the whales’ distribution and habitat use.

“During the past decade, right whales have changed their distribution patterns, spending more time in areas with fewer protections from vessel strikes and entanglements,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “The species has experienced a severe population decline that has underscored the urgency to take new and innovative actions for their recovery. This funding allows us to invest in technologies to reduce the risk of vessel strikes, increase the use of on-demand fishing gear and improve enforcement of existing federal regulations.”

NOAA will invest in four major areas over the next three years to include monitoring and computer modeling of whale distribution, vessel strike risk reduction, on-demand fishing gear and enforcement efforts. NOAA anticipates using funding as follows:

  • About $35.8 million for monitoring and modeling, including approximately: 
    • $17.2 million will go toward passive acoustic monitoring along the U.S. East Coast.
    • $3.5 million will go toward a satellite tagging monitoring program, in addition to $5.6 million for high resolution satellite artificial intelligence.
    • $5.2 million will be used for modeling advancements.
  • About $20.1 million will be invested toward vessel strike risk reduction efforts, including approximately:
    • $16.7 million will be dedicated to whale detection and avoidance technology development. 
  • About $17.9 million will be invested to support furthering on-demand fishing gear technology.
  • About $5 million will be invested in enforcement efforts, supporting new equipment, technologies and operations.

These funds support NOAA Fisheries’ Road to Recovery for North Atlantic right whales. The species is endangered, declining, and experiencing an Unusual Mortality Event, which NOAA Fisheries declared in 2017 following the documentation of elevated right whale mortalities. This event is ongoing and includes 115 North Atlantic right whales that are deceased, seriously injured or in poor health. 

Along with leveraging other funding and supporting the development of innovative fishing gear, NOAA will use Inflation Reduction Act funding to partner and coordinate with federal, state, industry and other partners to promote the development and implementation of advanced solutions to address existing and emerging threats to the species.

Biden’s offshore wind target slipping out of reach as projects struggle

September 17, 2023 — President Joe Biden’s goal to deploy 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind along U.S. coastlines this decade to fight climate change may be unattainable due to soaring costs and supply chain delays, according to forecasters and industry insiders.

The 2030 target, unveiled shortly after Biden took office, is central to Biden’s broader plan to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050. It is also crucial to targets of Northeast states hoping wind will help them move away from fossil fuel-fired electricity.

“It doesn’t mean that there can’t still be excellent progress towards this technology that’s going to do great things for our nation,” said Kris Ohleth, director of the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind, an independent organization that provides guidance and research to the industry.

“It’s just not going to be that size by 2030. It’s pretty clear at this point.”

In recent months soaring materials costs, high interest rates and supply chain delays have led project developers including Orsted (ORSTED.CO), Equinor (EQNR.OL), BP (BP.L), Avangrid (AGR.N) and Shell (SHEL.L) to cancel or seek to renegotiate power contracts for the first commercial-scale U.S. wind farms with operating start dates between 2025 and 2028.

Read the full article at Reuters

Biden admin proposes management plan for and Seamounts Marine National Monument

September 17, 2023 — The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed an updated management plan for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a 4,913-square-mile area located about 130 miles from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

“President Biden’s reaffirmation of the need to develop a management plan for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument further solidifies his commitment to protecting our most vital waters and the marine life that thrives in it,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit said.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource