Saving Seafood

NEW BEDFORD STANDARD-TIMES: New leader of NOAA Fisheries knows his mission

June 25, 2017 — Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has appointed Chris Oliver as the new Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, with blessings from the White House, a broad swath of fisheries stakeholders, and an enthusiastic group of local stakeholders.

Some five dozen fishing organizations, companies and advocates have been pleased with the outcome of the process that selected Mr. Oliver from among three candidates.

Mr. Oliver’s explicit responsibility will be oversight of management and conservation of the nation’s fisheries — commercial and recreational — inside the coastal fisheries habitat found within the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone established by the United Nations.

According to NOAA, while executive director of the Alaska-based North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, he “led the way on several cutting edge management initiatives,” including developing the programs that regulate fishery quota, fishing cooperatives and catch share programs such as we see in the Northeast, the Alaska fishery’s onboard observer program, bycatch reduction programs, habitat protection, allocation programs, and community development programs. This familiarity will leaves us more certain that the progress made in management of the challenging multispecies fishery can continue. It is far from perfect, but the moves toward fleet collaboration and consideration of fishing communities could stand to continue in the Northeast.

“I understand how important stakeholder involvement, transparency, and best available science are to making the right policy decisions and I plan to ensure those tenets of the Magnuson-Stevens Act are applied across the board while I am leading the agency,” he was quoted as saying by the NOAA press release that announced his appointment last Monday. “I intend to rely heavily upon the regional expertise of the eight fishery management Councils and the associated NOAA Fisheries Regions and Science Centers, and to ensure they have the resources necessary to effectively tackle region-specific issues.”

A federal budget has yet to be passed, and the Trump administration has already signaled it wants to see cuts at NOAA, particularly on weather and climate research, but not necessarily on fisheries (perhaps ignorant of the return on investment climate data delivers for fisheries industry and management alike). Mr. Oliver, as he was quoted above, wants to see the resources available to remedy “region-specific issues.” The list for the Northeast council and the Greater Atlantic Region includes untangling the influence of Carlos Rafael upon the groundfish fishery, besides trying to manage a multi-species fishery in a dynamic ecosystem in some of the fastest rising ocean temperatures on Earth.

Read the full opinion piece at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Group votes to protect some Atlantic corals, balk on others

June 22, 2017 — A federal panel voted on Thursday to offer new protections to some deep-sea corals in the Atlantic Ocean but held off on protecting others so it can get more information first.

The New England Fishery Management Council proposals focus on corals in two key fishing areas — the Gulf of Maine and south of Georges Bank off the Massachusetts coast — and have been the subject of debate among environmentalists and fishing groups for months.

“The goal is to protect as much coral as you can while minimizing impact on various industries that are fishing near the corals,” said John Bullard, a regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service and a member of the fishery council.

The proposals to protect the corals would need to be approved by the federal Department of Commerce.

New England’s corals grow in areas such as along underwater canyons and seamounts and provide habitat for marine life including sea turtles and fish. President Barack Obama protected one area last year as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the San Francisco Chronicle

Alaskan appointed to head U.S. fisheries management for NOAA

June 20, 2017 — Chris Oliver of Anchorage has been appointed to manage fisheries nationally for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Trump administration announced Tuesday.

Oliver has since 2000 led the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, for which he has worked for 27 years. He gained broad support for the position from fisheries groups and members of Alaska’s congressional delegation.

Oliver’s first day as assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries was Tuesday. He relocated to the Washington area for the job. The position is a political appointment but does not require Senate confirmation.

Oliver said in a statement that he plans “to make long-term sustainability the top priority, while looking for ways to maximize fishing opportunities for the benefit of recreational and commercial fishermen, processors, coastal communities, and the economies which depend upon them.”

“Oliver’s background and expertise will be an asset at NOAA Fisheries as they work to reduce our nation’s $11 billion seafood trade deficit,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

The agency is responsible for managing sustainable U.S. fisheries under the Department of Commerce, as well as recovery and protection of species of whales, sea turtles and corals.

Read the full story at Alaska Dispatch News

Fishermen react to extended red snapper season

June 15, 2017 — Wesley Heimen has been fishing for over 20 years.

The El Campo native woke up to good news Thursday morning that will make his fishing trips in the summer more pleasant.

The agreement between Texas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and the U.S. Department of Commerce will allow recreational anglers to fish for red snapper in federal and state waters for 39 weekend days beginning Friday and running through Labor Day, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“I found out in the morning from a friend, and I was really excited,” said the 40-year-old. “It’s great that we get the opportunity to fish more in the summer now.”

Fishermen are allowed to fish Friday, Saturday and Sunday with additional open days on July 3, July 4 and Sept. 4.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s old regulation allowed fishing for red snapper for three days from June 1 to June 3.

“We only got three days in the summer session, and now we have 39 weekend days,” Heimen said. “I’m excited for the kids because the red snapper fight hard and they can get some experience catching that type of fish.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife allows fishermen four red snappers in state waters. In federal waters, the NOAA allows two red snappers.

Read the full story at the Victoria Advocate

Red Snapper season extended by 39 days

June 14, 2017 — Red snapper season in state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will reopen Friday and extend through Labor Day with certain restrictions, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday.

The  39-day extension will allow Texas anglers, along with anglers in other gulf states, on private boats to catch red snapper each Friday, Saturday and Sunday during this period. Plus the season will remain open July 3-4 and Sept. 4.

This means anglers may target snapper out to 200 miles from shore during an extra 39 days this summer. In exchange, Texas state waters, which extend out nine nautical miles, will be closed to snapper fishing Monday through Thursday during the extension.

This extension will have no immediate effect on anglers fishing from charter vessels and party boats. Their season began June 1 and runs through July 19, but only in federal waters.

Previously, the summer snapper season for private anglers in federal waters ran from June 1-3 for all gulf states. Texas has a year-round snapper season in state waters, while other gulf states have shorter state seasons.

Anglers on charter vessels and party boats throughout the gulf are not allowed to fish in state waters except during the federal season.

These restrictions are meant to curb overfishing of red snapper, according to federal fisheries managers, which have imposed ever-shortening seasons. The red snapper population is on the rebound, but not fully recovered, according to federal fisheries managers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The size and bag limit for red snapper during the extended federal season will remain the same at two fish that measure at least 16 inches.

Texas rules allow anglers in state waters to keep four fish daily that measure at least 15 inches.The Texas state season will resume after Labor Day.

Florida and Alabama fisheries managers have agreed to forego their fall state-water seasons. Louisiana and Mississippi have agreed to review their fall seasons and may decide to not to reopen their state waters in the fall, according to the Department of Commerce.

Compromise solution floated on red snapper season

June 12, 2017 — A possible extension of the federal red snapper season could be coming soon, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Acting Commissioner Chris Blankenship has taken part in talks with federal officials to possibly extend the federal season for recreational fishing to Labor Day weekend.

The negotiations have included leaders from across the state and other officials in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Texas, as well as officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Each state is working out how a compromise could work for its waters.

For Alabama, the current proposal would create a 27-day season that could begin as soon as June 17 to allow fishing in federal waters every Saturday and Sunday until after Labor Day weekend. The newly proposed season would also include July 3 and 4.

In order to get that deal, state officials would have to give up allowed days of fishing in state waters. Fishermen are allowed in Alabama waters, that extend nine nautical miles from the shore, to fish until July 31.

Under the proposed compromise, the state would give up the ability for fishermen to fish within their waters Monday through Friday.

Baldwin County Commissioner Chris Elliott said he and other elected officials across the county had asked for a similar season extension in letters they sent to President Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and added he felt this compromise might be a possible solution.

Read the full story at The Islander

Louisiana OKs feds’ red snapper offer; 5 states must agree

June 12, 2017 — As officials seek full recovery of the once disastrously depleted red snapper population in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf states are considering a proposed compromise on a contentious three-day federal red snapper season for recreational anglers.

The Commerce Department has said that if the Gulf states close waters to recreational redfish anglers on weekdays at least through Labor Day, a federal season will run the weekends of June 17 through Sept. 4.

If recreational anglers haven’t reached their 3 million-pound (nearly 1.4 million kilogram) quota by then, states could reopen their waters for a fall season.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted 5-0 for the proposal Monday.

Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida also are being asked to approve it.

Patrick Banks, head of fisheries for Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, told commissioners that an online survey of nearly 5,000 anglers found that they preferred an alternative that would have added Friday to the weekends.

However, that proposal also would have required states to give up the chance for a fall season in state waters. Texas — which has a year-round recreational red snapper season — balked at that, Banks said.

Texas is holding three public hearings Monday night along the coast and a webinar Tuesday. Alabama officials asked for public comment in a Facebook posting Friday, the same day that Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission held a conference call to gauge public comment.

Mississippi, like Louisiana, sent surveys to people who have participated in red snapper landing counts, said Paul Mickle, chief scientific officer at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. He said more than 500 people have responded so far.

The Commerce Department made the proposal after talks with state congressional delegations, said Jack Montoucet, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. He said the proposal apparently came from outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which set the three-day season held earlier this month.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Austin American-Statesman

LDWF seeks comment on red snapper options

June 10, 2017 — Rancor, the word in all its definitions, properly describes the sentiment pervading the issue of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico among Louisiana’s recreational offshore fishermen.

Despite what’s turned out to be a 200-day season in state waters out to nine miles for this species, this year’s three-day June 1-3 season in federal waters out to 200 miles into the Gulf stirred enough resentment toward federal fisheries managers and fierce opponents to recreational access that congressional delegations from the five Gulf states jumped into the fray.

While Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., declined specific comment on his part, he said there were many others stirring this stew for more recreational access. The result is a package of three options the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission will elicit public comment on during a special meeting set for 1:30 p.m. Monday at the state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.

Here’s what the U.S. Department of Commerce, through its National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Fisheries Section, agreed to offer, after the hard push from the five Gulf states’ congressmen and senators.

Read the full story at The Acadiana Advocate

New Jersey Congressman Blasts Plan To Use Underwater Air Guns To Look For Oil In The Atlantic

June 9, 2017 — The Trump Administration wants to look for oil and natural gas under the Atlantic Ocean using seismic air guns, a proposal that doesn’t sit well with a South Jersey congressman.

The National Marine Fisheries Service wants permits to use those air guns from Delaware to Central Florida. Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo is dead set against the proposal.

“This was started by President Obama while he was in office with his Department of Commerce,” LoBiondo told KYW Newsradio. “It was a dangerous and dumb idea then and it continues to be a dangerous and dumb idea now.”

The oil and gas industry is pushing for these surveys, and five companies have applied through the Interior Department to get those permits.

LoBiondo’s reasons for opposing the plan are mostly economic.

“Why would we want to take a risk on endangering our tourist season, endangering our fishing, commercial and recreational? It is beyond me, and there’s no good reason why, if they had to do this, it couldn’t be done in February,” he added.

Read the full story at CBS Philly

Red snapper season could be extended starting next week

June 9, 2017 — A decision on extending the federal red snapper season for recreational anglers could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, said the acting commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Chris Blankenship, who was appointed to the acting commissioner’s role last week and who has been involved in negotiations to extend the season with federal authorities, said Thursday that he feels an agreement is “very close” in extending the federal recreational season to Labor Day weekend.

The agreement would have to be approved by the five Gulf states – Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas – and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA, through National Marine Fisheries Service, is charged with managing fisheries in federal waters.

“We are working out the details in each of our own states,” said Blankenship.

Read the full story at AL.com