Saving Seafood

US lawmakers pushing for USD 19 billion relief program to help aquaculture sector

April 22, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a USD 19 billion (EUR 17.6 billion) relief program to give “critical support” for farmers and ranchers to ensure the integrity of the country’s food chain during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a White House briefing on Friday, 17 April, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the money will be split among two programs, with USD 16 billion (EUR 14.8 billion) earmarked for direct payments to farmers and ranchers. The USDA will use the remainder to purchase fresh products that the agency will distribute to food banks across the country.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Shrimp problems in Vietnam portend possible global shortage

April 22, 2020 — Glimpsing beyond a current lack of demand from Vietnam’s major export markets, executives at the country’s top shrimp trading firms are expressing deepening concern about a possible global shortage of shrimp in the latter half of the year.

Once COVID-19 began to spread beyond its origins in China, one by one, Vietnam’s shrimp-trading partners have significantly throttled down their imports. Starting in late February and early March, many importers in Europe stopped receiving cargoes, and by mid-March, customers in North America, the rest of Asia, the Middle East, and South America also increasingly decided to cancel or postpone orders. Stockpiles rose as companies could not export as planned, according to numerous executives interviewed by SeafoodSource. As a result, Vietnam’s export value of shrimp declined nearly 15 percent year-on-year to USD 207.7 million (EUR 190 million) in March, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Fisheries – FB20-029: Waiver of Observer Requirement in HMS, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Extended – Waiver Now in Effect through May 4, 2020

April 22, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Dear Federal Permit Holders, Partners, and Stakeholders,

Providing seafood to the Country remains an essential function even in these extraordinary times. Adequately monitoring United States fisheries remains an essential part of that process. However, in recognition of numerous travel or social distancing restrictions or guidance, NOAA Fisheries continues to temporarily waive the requirement for federally-permitted vessels participating in the following federal fisheries to carry a fishery observer:

  • South Atlantic Penaeid Shrimp
  • South Atlantic Rock Shrimp
  • South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper
  • Southeast Gillnet
  • Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish
  • Gulf of Mexico Shrimp
  • Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Pelagic Longline
  • Shark Bottom Longline (Atlantic HMS)
  • Shark Gillnet (Atlantic HMS)

This waiver is in effect April 21 through May 4, 2020, after which time we will evaluate the need for another extension. This waiver does not apply to vessels that are currently at sea with an observer on board. In addition, this waiver applies only to human observer coverage and not to electronic monitoring requirements. Note, NOAA Fisheries is not issuing waivers for participants in the Atlantic HMS Shark Research Fishery. All other requirements, including reporting and pre-trip notification call-in requirements, remain in place.

This action is consistent with criteria in the agency’s emergency rule regarding issuing waivers from requirements to carry fishing observers during the COVID-19 pandemic (85 FR 17285, March 27, 2020). Specifically, the first criterion allows NOAA Fisheries to waive observer coverage if local, State, or national governments, or private companies or organizations that deploy observers pursuant to NOAA Fisheries regulations, restrict travel or otherwise issue COVID-19-related social control guidance, or requirement(s) addressing COVID-19-related concerns, such that it is inconsistent with the requirement(s) or not recommended to place an observer(s). At this time, State and local emergency requirements to shelter-in-place and otherwise restrict travel are hindering our ability to deploy observers.

NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor and evaluate this situation. As we have done in other parts of the country, we will use this time to work with the observer service providers to implement adjustments to the logistics of deploying observers, ensuring qualified observers or at-sea monitors are available as soon as safely possible.

Observers and at-sea monitors are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation during this time. We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates. We are committed to protecting the public health and ensuring the safety of fishermen, observers, and others, while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life.

Note, vessels permitted and authorized to participate in these federal fisheries are monitored in a number of ways in addition to the placement of at-sea observers. For example, HMS pelagic longline vessels must adhere to the electronic monitoring program for each trip. Additionally, there are vessel monitoring system requirements for various vessels in addition to logbook submissions. Therefore NOAA Fisheries maintains the ability to collect valuable information from these fleets even in the absence of at-sea observers due to the temporary waivers associated with COVID-19.

The Southeast Regional Office, the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division within the Office of Sustainable Fisheries, and the Southeast Fisheries Science Center will evaluate the impacts of waivers on our fisheries and observer programs throughout this period by monitoring:

  • Fishing activity, in comparison to when observers have been deployed, to track continued compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Changes in the level of fishing effort and landings.
  • Changes in health and safety guidelines that may affect observer availability and ability to travel.
  • The status of the fisheries and/or protected species that were being observed or monitored to ensure that the relevant conservation and management goals are still being met.

BOEM considers virtual public comment on Vineyard Wind study

April 22, 2020 — A wider federal study of the Vineyard Wind project and cumulative impacts of offshore wind development off the East Coast is holding to schedule despite the coronavirus crisis, with a decision expected by December, a top federal official said Tuesday.

With their offices closed, federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management reviewers are working remotely to compile findings toward a final environmental impact statement for the 804-megawatt Vineyard Wind project off southern New England, said James Bennett, chief of BOEM’s renewable energy program.

But public health measures to combat the spread of coronavirus have derailed the agency’s plans for gathering stakeholder comment, including public hearings starting in June, Bennett said during IPF20 Virtual, an online conference hosted this week by the Business Network for Offshore Wind.

“We’re in the process now of planning some kind of virtual event” that would similarly inform the public of what BOEM has been finding, and gather in additional information and comments, Bennett told news reporters during a media availability Tuesday morning.

The public comment process required by the National Environmental Policy Act is another avenue that is bringing formal and written commentary into the review as well, he said.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NOAA to allow boats to fish without monitors into May

April 21, 2020 — The federal government is extending its suspension of the requirement for at-sea monitors in some East Coast fisheries until May.

Some fishing boats are required to carry workers on board who collect data about commercial fishing. They’re called observers or at-sea monitors, and the data they gather helps inform federal management of fisheries.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said its waiving the requirement in some Northeast fisheries until May 2. The agency waived the requirement to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Florida’s charter fishing industry is hurting, and operators don’t see any relief coming

April 21, 2020 — Kit Mobley’s phone starting ringing in mid-March. That’s not unusual for a charter boat captain based in the Florida Keys, especially with peak fishing season approaching. But these calls were different.

“It started with, like, one a day,” Mobley recalled. “Then two a day. And then the phone just kept ringing — six, seven calls a day. All of them canceling.”

The novel coronavirus pandemic forced most captains in the country’s unofficial fishing capital to dock their boats indefinitely. Tourists disappeared, and business dried up. But unlike in many other industries, fishing boat captains say government relief probably won’t make them whole, and many fear a lost fishing season will sink their small, tourist-dependent businesses.

“Right now we’re just hoping this blows over as quickly as possible,” said Mobley, who hasn’t had a client since March 20 — after taking 45 trips in the previous month. “This time of year is when we make our money.”

Read the full story at The Washington Post

MAINE: Fishermen still waiting to access pandemic relief funds

April 21, 2020 — Once they acknowledged that the current coronavirus pandemic, in addition to its public health consequences, would cause an economic disaster, Congress and the administration in Washington, D.C., established a $2.2-trillion economic relief program. The program was designed to put money in the pockets of millions of newly unemployed workers and to help thousands of small businesses keep workers on the payroll.

While the federal programs are designed to provide substantial aid, so far they have done little to help the thousands of entrepreneurial Maine fishermen who are self-employed and don’t qualify for ordinary unemployment insurance benefits. It is an open question when any help will be forthcoming.

“The state of Maine continues to await guidance from the federal government on guidelines to expand unemployment to self-employed persons,” Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, said Friday. “The only source of info is the state. They continue to tell self-employed not to file because the application will result in denial since the program is not set up.”

On March 27, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that, among other provisions, authorized one-time “economic impact payments” of $1,200 to adult U.S. residents with incomes of under $99,000 plus an additional payment of $500 for each child in a household. According to the U.S. Treasury, the first payments were issued last week. Some payments were to be transferred by direct deposit into taxpayers’ bank accounts, but as of Monday many people were still waiting for the money to appear.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

US restaurants, distributors press for government funding relief

April 21, 2020 — Restaurants and foodservice distributors continue to push the U.S. government for funding relief to help their businesses survive in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restaurant industry is expected to realize losses of more than USD 240 billion (EUR 221 billion) nationwide by the end of the year, after losing USD 30 billion (EUR 28 billion) in March and USD 50 billion (EUR 46 billion) in April, the National Restaurant Association said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Danielle Blacklock, director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Aquaculture, discusses future of U.S. industry

April 21, 2020 — Danielle Blacklock took over as director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Aquaculture in mid-March, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to come to a head in the United States. Over the past decade, Blacklock has served in multiple positions at NOAA, most recently as a senior policy advisor for aquaculture. In that role, Blacklock completed a six-month assignment at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, focused on aquaculture sustainability globally. She also served as the acting deputy in the office for several months.

Blacklock is charged with overseeing the aquaculture component of NOAA’s sustainable seafood portfolio and providing the strategic vision for developing a stronger aquaculture industry in the United States. Nearly a month into her appointment, SeafoodSource connected with Blacklock to discuss her goals as director, the office’s response to COVID-19 complications and what the future of U.S. aquaculture looks like.

Read the full story at Seafood Source