Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Implements Squid and Butterfish Quotas for the 2019 Fishing Year

August 1, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Based on updated information, we increased the commercial Illex squid quota by 8-percent for 2019. We also maintained the previously approved 2019 annual quotas for longfin squid and butterfish by continuing the existing longfin squid quota, and increasing the butterfish commercial quota by 66 percent.

The increased 2019 Illex quota is based on an evaluation that similar historic catch has not harmed the stock. As new information becomes available, we may revise the proposed quotas for future fishing years.

Read the final rule that filed today in the Federal Register and the bulletin posted on our website. Supporting documents for this rule are available on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s website.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Measures to Rebuild the Atlantic Mackerel Stock

June 7, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Framework Adjustment 13 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan would establish a five-year rebuilding plan for Atlantic mackerel, set 2019-2021 specifications, modify closure triggers to slow the commercial fishery when harvest approaches the annual quota, and update the river herring and shad catch cap in the Atlantic mackerel fishery.

For details, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register. Supporting analysis for this rule is available on the Council’s website.

Comments are due July 8, 2019.

To submit comments online, please use the e-rulemaking portal, or send comments by regular mail to Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA, 01930. Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Proposed Rule for Atlantic Mackerel Framework 13.”

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Proposes Squid and Butterfish Quotas for the 2019 Fishing Year

May 1, 2019 — The following was published by NOAA Fisheries:

Based on updated information, we are proposing an 8-percent increase in the 2019 commercial Illex squid quota. The previously approved 2019 annual quotas for longfin squid and butterfish would be maintained and would not be changed by this action.

The increased 2019 Illex quota is based on an evaluation that similar historic catch has not harmed the stock. As new information becomes available, we may revise the proposed quotas for future fishing years.

Read the proposed rule as published today in the Federal Register.

Comments on this rule must be received by 5 pm on May 31, 2019.

To submit comments, please use the Federal e-rulemaking portal, or send comments by regular mail to:

Michael Pentony
Regional Administrator
National Marine Fisheries Service
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA, 01930

Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Proposed Rule for 2019 Squid and Butterfish Specifications.”

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Alyson Pitts, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9352
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175

Council Approves Chub Mackerel Management Measures

March 11, 2019 — The following was published by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

At their meeting in Virginia Beach, VA last week, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved a suite of management measures for Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) in federal waters from Maine through North Carolina. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the Chub Mackerel Amendment will add chub mackerel to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

The management measures approved by the Council include an annual total allowable landings limit of 4.50 million pounds, a 40,000 pound commercial possession limit when 90% of this limit is projected to be landed, and a 10,000 pound possession limit when 100% of this limit is projected to be landed. In addition, commercial fishermen will be required to have one of the existing federal commercial permits for longfin squid, Illex squid, Atlantic mackerel, or butterfish in order to retain any amounts of chub mackerel in federal waters from Maine through North Carolina. Fishermen who do not already have one of these permits can obtain one of the existing open access permits. Similarly, for-hire vessels will be required to have the mackerel, squid, butterfish party/charter permit in order to retain chub mackerel.

The Council developed these management measures to help ensure orderly growth and sustainability of the emerging chub mackerel fishery which recently developed in the mid-Atlantic and southern New England. In addition, Council management will help elevate the priority of data collection for this data-limited species. The Council has already taken steps to address an important data limitation by funding a study on the importance of chub mackerel in the diets of tunas, marlins, and other predators in the mid-Atlantic.

Questions? See http://www.mafmc.org/actions/chub-mackerel-amendment or contact Julia Beaty, Fishery Management Specialist, jbeaty@mafmc.org, (302)526-5250.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Scoping Hearings for Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Amendment

January 18, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold four scoping hearings in February 2019 to solicit public input on an amendment to review and consider modifications to both the permitting system for Illex squid and the goals and objectives of the entire Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). There will also be a separate written comment period for this action which will be announced at a later date.

In June 2017, the Council considered, but did not adopt, revisions to Illex squid permits as part of Amendment 20 to the FMP. Since then, effort and landings have increased and the fishery closed early in both 2017 and 2018 after fully harvesting the available Illex squid quota. Given recent fishery performance, the Council is evaluating if permitted access to the Illex fishery should be modified based on recent and historical participation, and/or other considerations. In addition, existing FMP goals and objectives have not been revised since they were originally established. The Council is seeking input whether these goals and objectives are still appropriate for managing the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish fisheries or if they should be modified.

The scoping period is an important opportunity for members of the public to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered in the amendment and the general focus of the action. Public comments during scoping will help the Council address issues of public concern in a thorough and appropriate manner.

Hearing Schedule

1.Monday, February 4, 2019, 6:00 pm, Corless Auditorium, University of Rhode Island Bay Campus, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, 401-874-6440

2. Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 5:30 pm, Gurney’s Inn, 290 Old Montauk Road, Montauk, NY 11954, 631-668-2345

3. Wednesday, February 6, 2019, 5:30 pm, Congress Hall Hotel, 200 Congress Place, Cape May, NJ 08204, 609-884-8421

4. Thursday, February 7, 2019, 6:00 pm, Internet webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/msb-scoping-2019/. A listening station will be available at the new Virginia Marine Resources Commission (380 Fenwick Road, Ft. Monroe, VA 23651, 757-247-2200). For assistance with the webinar, please call 302-397-1131.
Additional information and updates on this action will be posted on the Council’s website at: http://www.mafmc.org/actions/illex-permitting-msb-goals-amendment.

Please direct any questions about the amendment to Jason Didden (jdidden@mafmc.org, 302- 526-5254).

Last Call for Public Comments on Chub Mackerel Amendment

January 15, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is soliciting public input on an amendment to consider adding Atlantic chub mackerel to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment considers potential catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required for stocks “in the fishery.” The deadline to submit written comments is January 18, 2019. Comments may be submitted online here or by email, mail, or fax (scroll down for addresses).

Learn More

Additional information about the amendment and the management alternatives being considered can be found at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/chub-mackerel-amendment.

Contact

Julia Beaty, Fishery Management Specialist, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, jbeaty@mafmc.org, 302.526.5250

Written Comments

Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on Friday, January 18, 2019:

Email to Julia Beaty, Fishery Management Specialist, at jbeaty@mafmc.org

Online at: http://www.mafmc.org/comments/chub-mackerel-amendment

Mail to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE, 19901

Fax to 302-674-5399

Please include “Chub Mackerel Comments” in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments by mail.

NOAA Fisheries Announces the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Acceptable Biological Omnibus Framework Adjustment

April 10, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces three administrative changes to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s processes in setting catch limits though the Acceptable Biological Catch Omnibus Framework Adjustment:

  1. The Council may now recommend multi-year Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) limits for Mid-Atlantic fisheries, which may bring greater stability and predictability to the fishing industry;
  2. The Atlantic Bluefish, Tilefish, and Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plans will now automatically incorporate the best available scientific information in calculating ABCs (as all other Mid-Atlantic management plans do) rather than requiring a separate management action to adopt them; and
  3. New language clarifies the process for setting ABCs for each of the four types of ABC control rules.

To get all the details on these management changes, read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register today.

 

NEFMC: Council Update – March 19, 2018 – Scallops, Herring, Groundfish, more

March 19, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

ATLANTIC SEA SCALLOPS:  The 2018 scallop fishing year will begin on April 1.

  • The New England Fishery Management Council developed Framework Adjustment 29 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which contains 2018 fishery specifications and other measures. Visit “Related News” and “Framework 29” on the Council’s Scallop Webpage. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) currently is reviewing the framework for approval and implementation.
  • Northern Gulf of Maine measures are expected to be in place by April 1. The proposed rule is available at NGOM Framework 29 measures. NMFS will publish the final rule soon.
  • The remainder of Framework 29 will not be in place by April 1. Therefore, the 2018 scallop default measures implemented through Framework Adjustment 28will kick in. NMFS’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) published a side-by-side comparison of the measures at Defaults vs. Framework 29 Guide.
  • On March 15, NMFS published the proposed rule containing the remainder of the Framework 29 measures, meaning everything exceptthe NGOM actions. The agency is collecting public comment through March 30. Visit Framework 29 proposed rule for details.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: In addition to Framework 29, the scallop fleet must wait for the Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2 final rule to be published before being able to access the new Closed Area I and Nantucket Lightship-West Visit the New England Council’s Habitat Webpage and NMFS Approves “Majority” of Council’s Habitat Amendment for more information.
  • The New England Council’s Scallop Advisory Panel (AP) will meet March 21, 2018 in Providence, RI. The Council’s Scallop Committee will meet the following day at the same hotel in Providence. Details and documents are available at Scallop Committee March 22, 2018 meeting.

ATLANTIC HERRING:  Effective March 14, NMFS prohibited Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels from directed fishing in the Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England Catch Cap Area after projecting that the fishery’s river herring/shad catch cap had been harvested. The herring midwater trawl possession limit is 2,000 pounds in this area for the remainder of the 2018 fishing year, which ends December 31.

  • ATLANTIC HERRING DETAILS: Additional details and a map showing the Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England Catch Cap Closure Area can be found at NMFS herring fishery bulletin.
  • ATLANTIC MACKEREL FISHERY: The Atlantic mackerel fishery, which is managed by the Mid-Atlantic Council, also reached its river herring/shad catch cap. Effective February 27, NMFS prohibited federally permitted mackerel vessels from possessing more than 20,000 pounds of mackerel per trip through December 31. Learn more at NMFS mackerel fishery bulletin.
  • The New England Council’s Herring Committee and Herring AP will meet jointly on April 4 in Boston to, among other things, discuss the implications of the river herring/shad catch cap accountability measures (AMs) being triggered in both the Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel fisheries. The Committee and AP also will review a draft white paper considering the addition of river herring and shad as “stocks in the Atlantic herring fishery.” The meeting notice is available at April 4 Herring Committee/AP meeting. Related documents will be posted on this same page as they become available.

GROUNDFISH:  Effective March 1, NMFS extended its previous emergency action to remove the 2017 southern windowpane flounder AMs for non-groundfish trawl vessels. The emergency action will run through April 30, the end of the 2017 fishing year.  Read the notice at emergency action extension. A map of the area is available at bulletin.

  • The New England Council’s Groundfish AP will meet March 26, 2017 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Logan Airport in Boston. The Groundfish Committee will meet the following day at the same location primarily to discuss Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 and work-to-date on 2018 groundfish priorities.  The meeting notice is available at March 27, 2018 Groundfish Committee Meeting. Related documents also will be available on this page shortly.

GROUNDFISH RECREATIONAL:  At the request of the New England Council, NMFS published a new control date that may be used to determine future participation in the Northeast multispecies charter/party fishery. The new control date is March 19, 2018. This replaces the previous March 30, 2006 control date, which many members of the industry considered to be “stale” and not reflective of current conditions in the fishery. NMFS is collecting public comment on the new date through April 18. The notice is available at March 19, 2018 control date. Learn more about the New England Council’s recent recreational actions at January 31 decision-making.

RED HAKE:  NMFS has notified the New England Council that the Southern Georges Bank/Mid-Atlantic stock of red hake is now subject to overfishing and overfished based on the recent 2017 assessment. As such, the Council will be working to develop measures to end overfishing and rebuild the stock.  Read the Federal Register notice and visit the Council’s Small-Mesh Multispecies Webpage.

DOGFISH, MID-ATLANTIC SPECIES:  Spiny dogfish is jointly managed by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils. The Mid-Atlantic, which has the administrative lead over the Spiny Dogfish FMP, is soliciting applications from qualified individuals to serve on the Dogfish Advisory Panel.

  • The application deadline is April 20, 2018.
  • All current advisory panel members must reapply in order to be considered for reappointment.
  • The Mid-Atlantic Council also is accepting applications for seven other advisory panels, which are the: River Herring and Shad AP; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass AP; Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish AP; Surfclam and Ocean Quahog AP; Tilefish AP; Bluefish AP; and Ecosystem and Ocean Planning AP.
  • Additional information and an application form are available at serve on an advisory panel.

Learn more about the NEFMC by visiting their site here.

 

MAFMC Reminder: Electronic Reporting Requirements for Party/Charter Vessels with Mid-Atlantic Permits

March 7, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Beginning Monday, March 12, 2018, all charter and party vessel operators holding a federal permit for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be required to electronically submit Vessel Trip Reports for all trips carrying passengers for hire. These electronic Vessel Trip Reports (eVTRs) must be submitted through a NOAA-approved software application within 48 hours of entering port following the end of a fishing trip. This regulation applies to all vessels with these permits, including vessels outside of the Mid-Atlantic region, regardless of where they are fishing when carrying passengers for hire.

This action is not a change in reporting requirements; it is an administrative modification to the method and timing for submitting VTRs.

This change applies to all vessels with federal Greater Atlantic Regional charter or party permits for any of the following species:

  • Atlantic mackerel
  • Squid
  • Butterfish
  • Summer Flounder
  • Scup
  • Black sea bass
  • Bluefish
  • Tilefish

Electronic Reporting Information and Resources

For more information, visit the Mid-Atlantic Council’s For-Hire Electronic Reporting page or the NOAA Fisheries Summary of eVTR Reporting Requirements. Additional details about eVTR software applications and contacts/support for eVTR problems are available here.

Training Opportunities

The Council has hosted several training sessions to help for-hire vessel operators prepare for these upcoming electronic reporting requirements, including two workshops in April 2017, two workshops in February 2018, and a webinar in March 2018. A recording of the webinar can be viewed online at this link.

On March 16, 2018, The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) will host a workshop on using the SAFIS eTrips software in Riverhead, NY. Registration is required, and participation will be limited to the first 25 captains who sign up. View the announcement for additional details.

Contact

Individuals with questions about eVTRs should contact Daniel Luers, Sustainable Fisheries Division, at 978-282-8457 or email at Daniel.Luers@noaa.gov.

Quick Links

Learn more about the MAFMC by visiting their site here.

 

Rhode Island: Narragansett Bay’s Ecology Changes Worry Fishermen

December 11, 2017 — NARRAGANSETT, R.I. — Narragansett Bay has experienced dramatic changes during the past century, from being a dumping place for sewage and industrial pollutants to a near paradise for recreational swimming and boating. But changes continue to occur, whether from the warming climate, invasive species, fluctuating wastewater effluent, or other factors.

As University of Rhode Island oceanography professor Candace Oviatt recently told an audience of fishermen, scientists and students, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an average day on Narragansett Bay. The bay is always changing. Every year is different. Whether we like it or not, the bay is going to keep changing.”

Oviatt’s comments on Dec. 6 were part of a daylong symposium sponsored by Rhode Island Sea Grant and aimed at creating a dialogue between fishermen — many of whom are worried that the bay has gotten so clean that there is little food left for fish to eat — and scientists whose research tells a sometimes confusing story of how the bay’s changing ecology might give that erroneous impression.

While most of the scientists claim their research suggests that the biomass of fish and other creatures living in Narragansett Bay has changed little through the years, almost all said the composition of species that call the bay home has changed dramatically.

A weekly fish trawl survey in two locations in the bay conducted since 1959 illustrates those changes. According to Jeremy Collie, the URI oceanography professor who directs the trawl, in the early years of the survey most of the species collected in the nets were fish and invertebrates that live on or near the bottom, such as lobster, winter flounder, tautog, cunner and hake. Those species also happen to prefer cooler water.

In recent years, the species that prefer warmer waters and that live higher in the water column have dominated the trawl surveys, including butterfish, scup and squid.

Read the full story at ecoRI