Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: Restaurant closures contribute to dwindling scallop fleet on Nantucket

November 9, 2020 — Bobby DeCosta only saw about half a dozen scalloping boats when he loaded his boat into the harbor on Nov. 3.It was the second day of the commercial scalloping season. There were about 40 boats scalloping last November.

It’s a dwindling fleet, DeCosta said. It’s also getting hit by COVID-19. With both island and off-island restaurants – which typically sell Nantucket bay scallops – shutting down for the season or for good, the income you can make selling scallops is on the decline.

“I hear guys say, ‘I’m not scalloping this year, I’m going to take a land job,’” said De-Costa, a commercial scalloper and former Select Board member. “If you didn’t grow up in the fishery, it’s a hard thing to get into.”

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Deadline extended: Louisiana commercial fishermen can apply for COVID-19 aid through Nov. 23

November 6, 2020 — Louisiana commercial fishermen and processors who have lost business because of the COVID-19 pandemic have until Nov. 23 to apply for a share of $14.6 million in federal aid.

The CARES Act, which Congress passed in March, provides $300 million to assist hard-hit fisheries across the U.S. Louisiana is receiving the eighth largest investment of those states and territories.

The original deadline to apply was Oct. 26. But hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta and their impact on Louisiana coastal areas prompted the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to extend the deadline.

“The department wants to ensure that everyone impacted by those hurricanes has ample opportunity to apply for the CARES Act relief funds,” Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet said in a news release. “This extension will provide those persons more time to devote to repairing and getting services to their homes and taking care of the immediate needs of their family.”

Stay-at-home orders and shutdowns states have ordered in an effort to slow the deadly virus’s spread have closed or slowed business at many restaurants and markets, wreaking havoc on the supply chain upon which fishermen usually rely.

Read the full story at Houma Today

Frustration as Antarctic conservation summit fails to declare marine sanctuaries

November 6, 2020 — The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), a governing body of 25 member states and the European Union, missed an opportunity to establish a network of three marine protection areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean, according to conservation experts who attended the commission’s recent meeting.

Each year, the CCAMLR meets in Hobart, Tasmania, to discuss matters related to the management and protection of the Southern Ocean and its rich marine life. Conservationists hoped that this year’s meeting would address a proposition to form three new MPAs in East Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula, and the Weddell Sea, and that CCAMLR members would reach a consensus to bring these plans into fruition. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission met online instead of in-person during the last week of October, which didn’t provide ample time for proper negotiations and discussions, according to attendees. By the meeting’s end, the MPA proposals had not been approved.

Rodolfo Werner, a wildlife conservationist who attended the CCAMLR as an official observer and scientific representative of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), said this year’s meeting was “frustrating for several reasons.”

Read the full story at Mongabay

MAINE: Final week to apply for CARES Act Fisheries Relief funding

November 5, 2020 — If you work in Maine’s marine industry, this is the final week to apply for the CARES Act Fisheries Relief fund.

The Department of Marine Resources says it contacted eligible applicants last month by both mail and email, but wants to make sure anyone who can receive the aid is aware of the application process.

The federal funding relief is for licensed commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, seafood dealers and processors as well as for hire guides impacted by the pandemic this year.

Read the full story at WABI

LEIGH HABEGGER: Alaska fisheries and restaurants need immediate relief

November 5, 2020 — Alaska is often referred to as the “seafood powerhouse,” and rightfully so. With more than 50% of our country’s seafood landed here, options for seafood are plentiful — whether you’re looking for a buttery halibut fillet to go with a glass of chardonnay or a cod sandwich and cold beer. But our fishermen and our restaurant partners are struggling because of COVID-19.

In addition to supplying Americans and the world with some of the freshest, most sustainable seafood, the state’s seafood industry created $5.6 billion in total annual economic activity for Alaska in 2018. Fishing is a huge economic driver for the state. But, between March 1 and April 16 of this year, more than half of restaurants in Alaska closed temporarily and more than 80% of restaurant employees were laid off or furloughed. We saw halibut prices cut in half practically overnight.

Nationwide, independent restaurants have lost more jobs than any other industry, affecting 11 million employees within the industry and more than 5 million workers they support in the supply chain. Alaska is no different: Leisure and hospitality have accounted for 38% of all jobs lost in our state during the pandemic. This pandemic directly endangers the 31,800 Alaskans working restaurant and food service jobs, and the countless farmers, fishermmen and other livelihoods that depend on restaurants’ supply chains.

Read the full opinion piece at the Anchorage Daily News

WPRFMC: Community Stakeholders Discuss Issues Key to Sustainable Fisheries

November 5, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recently convened three virtual meetings in its continued efforts to support regional and local fishing and seafood communities. The meetings highlight the Council’s emphasis on collaboration among agencies and promoting stakeholder involvement in the fishery management process.

The Fishing Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC) is one of three advisory bodies to the Council required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act that provides input and recommendations on management and conservation actions from an industry perspective. Members include representatives from Hawaiʻi, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam in industry-related sectors such as fishing, seafood processing, distribution and marketing industries, fishing tackle and marine service and supply providers.

The Non-Commercial Fisheries Advisory Committee (NCFAC) has existed in a simpler form since 1999, but its purpose has now expanded from gathering recreational fishing data in Hawaiʻi to providing advice to the Council on non-commercial fishery issues, data collection and research. The Council also met with the State of Hawaiʻi and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to discuss improving state and federal fishery management coordination and filling regulatory and monitoring gaps.

FIAC members emphasized the tremendous impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on fishing and marketing. They put forward several recommendations to the Council, including supporting a Pacific Island-wide seafood promotion program, improving harbor safety and management, redesigning fish aggregating devices to be more environmentally responsible and ensuring industry representation on the national NMFS Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.

The NCFAC meeting focused on the Council’s current data collection efforts and needs and research priorities. Committee members noted that smart device applications and electronic monitoring could be incorporated into existing data collection systems. The voluntary Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey collects non-commercial catch data, but garnering participation continues to be an issue. Members suggested increasing outreach efforts to fishermen regarding data usage to demystify the fishery management process, encourage participation and instill a sense of pride that they are part of the solution.

At the Council meeting with the State of Hawaii and NMFS representatives, participants acknowledged continuing data gaps and identified several areas where federal and state rules could be better aligned, especially in the non-commercial small-boat fisheries. While accurate, timely catch and effort data from fishermen is important for improving stock assessments and to minimize management uncertainty, some discrepancies still exist. For example, the Hawaiʻi longline and bottomfish fishermen report their fishing trip information within 72 hours of landing; and fishermen with state commercial marine licenses catching pelagics, uku, Kona crab and other species continue to report on a monthly basis.

All three groups plan to regularly meet and continue to address fishing community needs.

Future of Fish: Lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic

November 5, 2020 — There are valuable lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic for fisheries in Latin America, according to Future of Fish (FOF), an international nonprofit that focuses on sustainable practices principally with artisan fishers in the region.

Working with small-scale fishers to empower thriving coastal communities, ensure food security, and achieve long-term social impact while lowering the environmental footprint, Future of Fish embraces business-friendly approaches to solving problems. It was originally founded in 2008 as a project of the Packard Foundation, applying a solutions framework for complex problems. It now receives funding principally from other foundations, particularly the Walton Family Foundation.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Despite shutdowns, Oregon Dungeness crab fleet fares well

November 5, 2020 — Oregon crabbers had landed 20.07 million pounds of Dungeness as of August. Ex-vessel price negotiations and meat fill issues delayed the opening of the season until 31 December. And like other fisheries, the arrival of COVID-19 put the stops on product flow to preferred markets.

As for the resource, the good times continue to roll for the crabbers. Based on average ex-vessel prices of USD 3.64 (EUR 3.12) per pound this year’s revenues crunch out to USD 73.06 million (EUR 62.67 million). According to data from PacFIN, the Oregon fleet averaged USD 3.58 (EUR 3.02) per pound for revenues of USD 66.7 million (EUR 57.21 million) in the 2019 season.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Hawaii opens application for fishery virus relief funding

November 4, 2020 — Businesses in Hawaii’s fishing and aquaculture sectors can begin applying for federal coronavirus relief funding.

The U.S. Department of Commerce opened the application period Monday for qualified fisheries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Garden Island reported Monday.

More than $300 million in federal funding was allocated for fisheries and aquaculture, including more than $4.3 million for Hawaii businesses.

Applications must be submitted to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission by Nov. 23.

Applicants should be able to claim revenue losses of more than 35% compared to their previous five years of average revenue or negative impacts to their subsistence, cultural or ceremonial fisheries.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

MASSACHUSETTS: US Rep. William Keating on track to win sixth term in 9th Congressional District

November 4, 2020 — U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Bourne, appeared on his way to winning a sixth term representing the 9th Congressional District on Tuesday.

Keating, 68, fended off challengers Helen Brady, a Republican from Plymouth, and Michael Manley, an independent from Brewster.

The 9th District comprises 46 municipalities that stretch from Norwell to Fall River and includes Cape Cod and the Islands.

With results in from most Cape and Islands towns and several off-Cape towns, Keating had 63 percent of the vote early Wednesday.

This year’s election was quite different from years past, Keating said Tuesday night. A typical Election Day, he said, begins outdoors in the cold and ends with a large gathering of friends and supporters. But such a celebration could not happen this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is much more than sitting around waiting for results coming in,” he said. “You meet people, share stories and share excitement on what is going to happen. It’s impossible to replicate.”

Read the full story at The Enterprise