Saving Seafood

Charter Boat Captains Seek Leniency on Sea Bass Limits

February 27, 2016 — HYANNIS — To fishermen, black sea bass appear to be everywhere.

“There are more sea bass around than forever,” said Bob DeCosta, owner of Albacore Charters and chairman of the Nantucket Board of Selectmen, during a public hearing Friday on quotas for the species. “We didn’t catch any sea bass when my father was fishing.”

In part the increased numbers are because black sea bass, a staple in Mid-Atlantic states, are now moving north as the rapidly warming ocean becomes more hospitable to the species. At the same time, the population has recovered from historic low population levels in 1999 to historic high amounts of spawning fish by 2004, the date of the last comprehensive stock assessment.

But fishermen are being penalized with a 23 percent cut this year because they exceeded their quota last year by 33 percent, or 762,000 pounds. The state Division of Marine Fisheries aired 14 different options on how to accomplish that at Friday’s hearing at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. Combinations of a shortened season with higher daily trip limits or longer seasons with a smaller daily limit, and other permutations were intended to address the concerns of various ports, fishing operations and the individual recreational fisherman.

State regulators said they are constrained by what the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission will allow.

Because the majority of the fish were caught in the early portion of the season, in May and June, state officials want to apply the brakes from the start with measures that allow between two and eight fish per person per trip. Still, no one in the room of about 70 fishermen was happy with a reduction far below the eight to 20 fish allowed in 2014 and as many as 20 per trip in 2013.

“We’re trying to stay in business,” said Gov Allen, captain of the Hyannis-based charter boat Lori-Ann. “Right now, we are on the precipice. We are losing everything.”

Allen has seen 50 percent of his business eroded this year as charter boat customers — who would normally spend thousands apiece to travel from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and as far away as South Carolina and Florida to board his boat and catch and freeze dozens of sea bass a day — informed him it wasn’t worth the trip if they could only keep a handful.

“The stocks are in a healthy condition,” said Jimmy Koutalakis of the charter boat On Time.
He held up a sheaf of letters from clients who were canceling, reading one from a Canadian client who said it was too far to travel and too much money to spend for a handful of fish a day.

23% harvest reduction approved for recreational black sea bass fishery

February 10, 2016 — Last week a board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Addendum XXVII to the Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which continues the use of regional management for the two species in the 2016 recreational season.

Summer flounder (fluke) regulations will likely be the same in Rhode Island (eight fish per person, per day), however, the board approved a 23-percent harvest reduction for the recreational black sea bass fishery. This will result in more conservative regulations for Rhode Islanders.

At a public workshop Tuesday night, the Marine Fisheries Division of the Department of Environmental Management shared six black sea bass regulation options. All six can be found by clicking “Workshop Presentation” in the Marine Fisheries Division’s Feb. 16 public hearing meeting notice at www.dem.ri.gov.

One option in particular has drawn the attention of both private anglers and the charter/party boat industry. This would allow private anglers to take three fish from July 20 through Dec. 31, while party and charter boats who apply for and receive a “Letter of Authorization” would be allowed seven fish from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.

Comments from recreational anglers on the various options for black sea bass and other species will be vetted at a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Coastal Institute Building, on the URI Bay campus.

Read the full story at the Providence Journal

Jersey Shore Fishing: ASMFC approves NJ Delaware Bay 17-inch fluke

February 4, 2016 — This week’s Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) meeting of the Summer Flounder, Scup & Black Sea Bass Management Board in Alexandria, Virginia produced unanimous approval of New Jersey as its own region with the option to utilize a 17-inch fluke minimum in Delaware Bay and for shore fishing at Island Beach State Park while the rest of the state maintains the same regulations as New York and Connecticut.

New Jersey was forced last year into a region with those states after New York objected to having higher minimum sizes for fluke while often fishing in the same waters as New Jersey boaters. Yet, the same disparity applied to Jersey boaters at the southern end of the state in Delaware Bay as Delaware’s region had a 16-inch minimum. Since party and charter boats on the Jersey side of Delaware Bay draw most of their customers from Pennsylvania, anglers from that state usually opted to drive over the Delaware Memorial Bridge in order to bag 16-inch fluke rather than be restricted to an 18-inch minimum which is hard to come by in that bay.

The new one year agreement allows the DEP to set up separate Delaware Bay regulations with a 17-inch minimum for four fluke during a 128-day season. That’s still an inch over Delaware, but may be close enough to keep some Pennsylvania fishermen coming to New Jersey Delaware Bay ports. Meanwhile, the two fluke at 17 inches for shore-based anglers in Island Beach State Park can continue – and the DEP also has the opportunity to set up similar shore opportunities if they can be properly monitored.

The rest of the state will maintain the same fluke regulations as last year – an 18-inch minimum with five fluke during a 128-day season. The Marine Fisheries Council will set the opening and closing dates. Those regulations last year resulted in the entire region coming in well under the recreational quota. According to the 2015 assessment, summer flounder are not overfished, but overfishing is occurring. There were substantial illegal commercial catches, especially before the Research Set-Aside Program was discontinued, and the fishing mortality rate in 2014 was 16 percent above the reference point. Four year classes from 2010 to 2013 turned out to be overestimated – and the biomass has actually been trending downwards since 2010. As a result, the Acceptable Biological Catch limit of 16.26 million pounds for 2016 is reduced 29 percent from 2015 – and only 40 percent of that goes to the public.

Read the full story at NewJersey.com

 

SMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Approves Regional Management for 2016 Recreational Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Fisheries

February 4, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries  Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXVII to the Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. The Addendum continues the use of regional management for the 2016 summer flounder and black sea bass recreational fisheries, with a modification to the summer flounder regions. The modified summer flounder regions are intended to provide more equity in recreational harvest opportunities along the coast, especially between New Jersey and Delaware in the Delaware Bay. The approved summer flounder regions are Massachusetts; Rhode Island; Connecticut through New York; New Jersey; Delaware through Virginia; and North Carolina. For black sea bass, the Board approved the continuation of management measures by northern (Massachusetts – New Jersey) and southern regions (Delaware – North Carolina). 

Addendum XXVII was initiated to address the discrepancy in management measures between New Jersey and Delaware in the Delaware Bay. In recent years, the difference in size limit, which has been as great as 2-inches, has been cited as having an economic impact on southern New Jersey anglers. The approval of the New Jersey Delaware Bay region will allow New Jersey to pursue, through its regulatory process, the following management measures for New Jersey waters west of the COLREGS line in the Delaware Bay: a 17-inch minimum size, 4 fish possession limit, and a 128 day season. For New Jersey anglers east of the COLREGS line and north along the New Jersey coast, the state will seek to maintain 2015 management measures in 2016, namely, a 18-inch minimum size, 5 fish possession limit, and a 128 day season. The latter measures are consistent with those of New York and Connecticut. Management measures for the remaining states remain unchanged from 2015. The adaptive regional management approach for summer flounder has been approved for the 2016 fishing year only.

For black sea bass, the Board approved the continuation of ad hoc regional management measures for the northern (Massachusetts – New Jersey) and southern regions (Delaware – North Carolina). This approach has been used since 2011 and offers some advantages over coastwide regulations, which can disproportionately impact states within the management unit.  States in the northern region, which are responsible for approximately 97% of the total recreational harvest, will reduce their harvest by 23% to achieve the 2016 recreational harvest limit. Based on the recommendations of the Technical Committee, the Board approved management proposals and methodologies submitted by the northern states. The northern states will finalize their black sea bass management measures by the spring of 2016.

States in the southern region will implement measures consistent with federal regulations (current recommended federal measures are a 12.5 inch TL minimum fish size, 15 fish possession limit, and open season from May 15 – September 21 and October 22 – December 31). Combined, the regulations of the two regions are expected to achieve the required coastwide harvest reduction in order to not exceed the 2016 recreational harvest limit. The Board approved the ad hoc regional measures approach for the 2016 fishing year with the option of extending it through 2017 by Board action.

The Board also approved the maintenance of 2015 scup recreational measures for the 2016 fishing season. Addendum XXVII will be available on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org, by the end of February 2016. For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

                   

NCFA Special update: New River/Camp Lejeune; Ginger Shackelford

UPDATE ON THE MEETING IN SNEADS FERRY CONCERNING THE K-2 RANGE

The Marine Corps held an Open House public meeting to provide information on unexploded ordnance safety risks and a proposal to LIMIT PUBLIC ACTIVITIES IN THE WATERS adjacent to the K-2 Range at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Jerry attended the “Open House” and talked to a lot of folks: fishermen, Camp Lejeune employees and some contractors who will do the clean up if that’s the route they go.

The military cannot restrict, only the Corps of Engineers has that authority after a recommendation from Camp Lejeune. Even then federal law states: “…that the authority conferred shall be so exercised as not unreasonably to interfere with or restrict the food fishing industry……”

NCFA will be offering written comments and also staying in touch with our congressional folks on this issue. They will be doing on Environmental Assessment that includes more opportunity for public comment.

Public comment will be accepted until February 9, 2016. To comment by email, send to comments@K2RangeProject.com, or by mail to:
Cardno
501 Butler Farm Rd; Suite H
Hampton, VA 23666

For more information, visit the website: www.K2RangeProject.com

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FUND RAISING EFFORTS FOR GINGER SHACKELFORD

Ginger is the 18 year old daughter of Britton and Audra Shackelford of Manteo and is battling cancer. There was a fish fry last evening in Nags Head, which NCFA’s David Bush attended. We encourage you to donate to the family to help with the tremendous expenses. Make your check out to Britton Shackelford and send to:
303 Ananias Dare St.
Manteo, NC 27954
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BERNIE MCCANTS REMOVES HIS NAME FROM CONSIDERATION
for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council seat. Jack Cox currently holds that seat and we learned recently that he has removed his name from consideration due to business & personal obligations. This seat has historically gone to someone from the commercial fishing side, while the other seat has gone to recreational. The recreational  seat is currently held by Anna Beckwith.
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SUMMER FLOUNDER LANDINGS WINDOW EXTENDED

The current window for landing summer flounder under a North Carolina permit has been extended till 6:00pm on February 3rd. The trip limits are as follows:
summer flounder: 12,500 pounds
black sea bass: 1,500 pounds

The next window will open at 12:01am on February 4th and will close at 6:00pm on March 3rd with the following trip limits:
summer flounder: 10,000 pounds
black sea bass: 1,250 pounds

For more information, see the proclamations here:
Summer flounder
Black sea bass
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CALENDAR

Feb 2-4     ASMFC Winter meeting; Alexandria VA
Feb 9-11   MAFMC meeting in New Bern NC
Feb 17-19 NC MFC meeting in Wrightsville Beach, NC
Mar 7-11   SAFMC meeting in Jekyll Island, GA

Revised Supplemental Materials for the February 2, 2016 Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board Meeting

January 28, 2016 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials document for the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board has been revised to include Draft Addendum XXVII for Public Comment (PDF pgs 7-36) and the Technical Committee Report on 2016 Black Sea Bass Recreational Fishery Proposals (PDF pgs 122-134). The supplemental materials link for that Board has been revised on the 2016 Winter Meeting page (http://www.asmfc.org/home/2016-winter-meeting) and is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2016WinterMtg/SummerFlounderScupBlackSeaBassBoardSupplemental_revised.pdf. The combined file of all board/section supplemental meeting materials has also been revised and can be accessed at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2016WinterMtg/SupplementalCombined_revised.pdf.

Supplemental Materials Now Available for ASMFC’s 2016 Winter Meeting

January 27, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2016 Winter Meeting have been posted at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2016-winter-meeting for the following Boards/Sections (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). 

American Lobster Management Board – Preliminary Results of Claw Removal and its Impacts on Survivorship and Physiological Stress in Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) in New England Waters; NEFMC Correspondence on Jonah Crab Permit Holders; Jonah Crab Plan Review Team FMP Implementation Memo; MaineJonah Crab FMP Implementation Program

Atlantic Herring Section – Revised Draft Amendment 3 (please note this version has been revised from January 21st draft); Public Hearing Summary; Written Comment (Summary and Submitted Comments); Advisory Panel Meeting Summary

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Draft Addendum XXVII Public Hearing Summaries; Written Comment (Summary and Submitted Comments); Law Enforcement Committee Comments; General Public Comment

ACCSP Executive Committee (please note meeting materials are available through the main header not supplemental) – Draft Minutes from December 17, 2015; Draft Standard Operating Procedures; 2016 Meetings Calendar 

ACCSP Coordinating Council (please note meeting materials are available through the main header not supplemental) – Draft Minutes from November 2, 2015

Executive Committee (please note these materials are the same as those provided for the ISFMP Policy Board) – Memo on Changes to Commission Guidance Documents; Draft ISFMP Charter; Draft Compact, Rules and Regulations; Draft Technical Support Group Guidance and Benchmark Assessment Process

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Law Enforcement Committee Report on Maryland and Potomac River Fisheries Commission Equivalency Proposals; Public Comment

Atlantic Sturgeon Management Board – 2016 FMP Review

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Adaptive Resource Management Subcommittee Meeting Summary

Tautog Management Board – Decision Document for Draft Amendment 1; Law Enforcement Committee Report on Commercial Harvest Tagging Program Objectives 

Winter Flounder Management Board – NEFMC Presentation on Overview of Federal Management Measures for Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/ Mid-Atlantic Stocks; Scientific and Statistical Committee Report

American Eel Management Board – Advisory Panel Report and Technical Committee Review  on North Carolina’s Aquaculture Plan; Final version of North Carolina’s Aquaculture Plan; Public Comment

ISFMP Policy Board (please note these materials are the same as those provided for Executive Committee) – Memo on Changes to Commission Guidance Documents; Draft ISFMP Charter; Draft Compact, Rules and Regulations; Draft Technical Support Group Guidance and Benchmark Assessment Process

As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 9:00 a.m. on February 2nd and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 3:45 p.m.) on February 4th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section 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 for the webinar, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/86228471613051649.

NEW JERSEY: Fluke fortunes may rise on Delaware Bay

January 7, 2016 — STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Southern New Jersey anglers gave hearty support this week to a plan that would boost fluke fishing in the Delaware Bay.

A crowd of about 50 anglers showed up at the Thursday night meeting here at the municipal building on East Bay Avenue to give opinions on 2016 regulations for black sea bass, scup and fluke, which is also called summer flounder.

The most important question of the night was whether to support Option 2B of the fluke plan that would allow the New Jersey side of the Delaware Bay to compete with Delaware. This support now goes to the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council when it makes decisions on 2016 fluke regulations in March.

The 2015 regulations for the New Jersey side of the bay included a minimum fish size of 18 inches, five fish per day, and a 128-day season.

In Delaware, Maryland and Virginia anglers were allowed a 16-inch fish, four fish a day and enjoyed a 365-day season. Option 2B would allow the New Jersey side to have a 17-inch fish, four fish a day and the 128-day season. It’s not equal to Delaware, but it is closer to parity.

Read the full story at Press of Atlantic City

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2016-2018 Regs for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass

December 30, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces the 2016-2018 regulations for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass.

The summer flounder catch limit is reduced by 30 percent (from 23 million lbs to 16 million lbs) due to 4 years of below average recruitment (young fish entering the fishery). The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has requested a stock assessment update for next year.

The scup catch limit is slightly reduced compared to 2015 levels, but is still well above recent catch.

The black sea bass catch limit will increase from 5.5 million lbs to 6.67 million lbs for 2016 and 2017. This is based on the revised recommendation of the Mid-Atlantic Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The 2018 regulations will be determined after the next scheduled stock assessment.

To get all the details on these proposed regulations, read the rule as published in the Federal Register today and the permit holder bulletin posted on our website.

Questions? Contact Moira Kelly at 978-281-9218 or moira.kelly@noaa.gov.

 

STATES SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON DRAFT ADDENDUM XXVII

ARLINGTON, VA — December 21, 2015 —  The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC):

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Draft Addendum XXVII for public comment at the Joint Commission/Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Annapolis, Maryland earlier this month. Draft Addendum XXVII proposes regional management approaches for the 2016 summer flounder and black sea bass recreational fisheries. The Atlantic coast states of Massachusetts through Virginia have scheduled public hearings to gather public comment. The details of those hearings follow:

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
January 14, 2016 at 4:30 PM
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
101 Academy Drive
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532
Contact: Nichola Meserve at 617.626.1531
 
Rhode Island Division of Fish & Wildlife
January 6, 2016 at 6 PM
University of Rhode Island, Corliss
Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at 401.423.1943

Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection
January 5, 2016 at 7 PM
Marine Headquarters
Boating Education Center, Building 3
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: David Simpson at 860.434.6043

New York State Dept. of Environmental
Conservation
January 7, 2016 at 6 PM
Bureau of Marine Resources
205 North Belle Mead Road, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Steve Heins at 631.444.0436

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
January 7, 2016 at 6:30 PM
Stafford Township Municipal Building
260 East Bay Avenue
Manahawkin, New Jersey
Contact: Tom Baum at 609.748.2020

Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Control and Maryland Department of Natural Resources
January 12, 2016 at 6 PM
DNREC Lewes Building (at the Lewes Boat Ramp)
901 Pilottown Road
Lewes, Delaware
Contacts: Delaware – John Clark at 302.739.9914  and Maryland – Mike Luisi at 410.260.8341

Virginia Marine Resources Commission
January 12, 2016 at 6 PM
2600 Washington Avenue
4th Floor Conference Room
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Rob O’Reilly at 757.247.2248

Draft Addendum XXVII was initiated to consider extending use of regional management approaches for the 2016 recreational summer flounder fishery, including an option that would allow for a Delaware Bay specific region. The Draft Addendum also includes options for extending use of ad-hoc regional management approaches for black sea bass recreational fisheries in 2016 and 2017. In the event the options in Draft Addendum XXVII are not approved for management, the Board extended the current summer flounder regional management approach for use in 2016.

In 2014, the Board approved Addendum XXV to shift away from traditional use of state-by-state harvest targets under conservation equivalency to use of an alternative regional strategy for managing summer flounder recreational fisheries. Based on its success in keeping recreational harvest within the RHL and providing greater regulatory consistency among neighboring states, this strategy was extended for use in 2015. State-by-state harvest targets previously utilized under conservation equivalency created difficulties for some states as overages occurred due largely to state shares and limits not reflecting local summer flounder abundance and its availability to recreational fishermen. In 2014 and 2015 management regions were the following: 1) Massachusetts; 2) Rhode Island; 3) Connecticut-New Jersey; 4) Delaware-Virginia; and 5) North Carolina.

The Draft Addendum also proposes two options for the 2016 black sea bass recreational fishery (1) coastwide measures or (2) the continued use of management measures by northern (Massachusetts – New Jersey) and southern regions (Delaware – North Carolina). The regional management approach has been used since 2011 and offers advantages over coastwide regulations by addressing geographic differences in the stock (size, abundance and seasonality) while maintaining the consistent application of management measures by neighboring states.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on Draft Addendum XXVII either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/DraftAddendumXXVII_PublicComment_Dec2015.pdf and can also be accessed on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on January 21, 2016 and should be forwarded to Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; 703.842.0741 (fax) or at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org  (Subject line: Draft Addendum XXVII). For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.