Saving Seafood

Florida regulators crack down on harvest, sale of undersized spiny lobsters

October 16, 2019 — Kent Alexander Quinn Downs, a 33-year-old commercial spiny lobster fisherman from Marathon, Florida, was arrested Oct. 10 and charged with 11 counts of possessing undersized lobsters on his vessel as well as a felony charge related to destroying evidence, the Miami Herald reports.

Quinn Downs and his boat, That’s Right, were spotted in the East Bahia Honda Channel by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) officer Joshua Peters in the afternoon and hailed for an inspection. Peters said he then noticed a man dumping half a basket of undersized lobsters into the water.

Quinn Downs later admitted there were about 15 undersized lobsters in the basket and that he dumped them when he saw the officer’s blue lights, according to the arrest report.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

US retailer Publix audits seafood suppliers’ sustainability answers

October 11, 2019 — Publix Super Markets, a Lakeland, Florida-based retailer with more than 1,200 locations in seven southern US states will begin, in 2020, to “reverse audit” some of its many seafood suppliers for their sustainability claims.

“We expect them to be in compliance and [to] find no errors,” Guy Pizzuti, the company’s seafood category manager, told Undercurrent News in a recent email exchange.

The reverse audit process will take an item code and lot number and work backwards through the system, he explained. In instances where aquaculture-related suppliers are found out of compliance, the company will meet with both the supplier and the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) program, he said.

“Corrective actions would be submitted, audits would be increased, and [the] business would be reduced or eliminated [from the supplier list] pending any further issues. BAP will be asked to demonstrate findings to both Publix and the supplier.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

FLORIDA: Commercial lobster boats can have undersized lobster onboard. But not this many, police said

October 11, 2019 — A Keys fisherman was jailed Wednesday after police said his commercial boat, called “That’s Right,” had more undersized lobsters than he was allowed to keep on his boat temporarily.

Kent Alexander Quinn Downs, 33, of Marathon, was arrested on a felony charge of destroying evidence, and misdemeanor charges of interference with an officer and 11 counts of possession of undersized lobster.

Quinn Downs on Thursday remained at the Marathon jail without bond. He has a court date set for Oct. 24.

At about 1:45 p.m., a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer Joshua Peters was patrolling the East Bahia Honda Channel off Big Pine Key and stopped the lobster boat for a marine inspection.

Read the full story at The Miami Herald

Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Meetings Affecting Federal Fisheries and Opportunities for Public Input

September 30, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold several meetings in the coming weeks on topics affecting federal fisheries management off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. Fishermen and others interested in offshore fisheries are encouraged to attend the meetings (in-person or via webinar) and provide their viewpoints and comments as the Council’s Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel, Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, and Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-Based Advisory Panel meet to discuss issues, as well as the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. Working groups for the Citizen Science Program and System Management Plan are also meeting.

All meetings are open to the public and available via webinar. Meeting materials, including agendas/overviews, public comment forms, briefing book materials, and presentations, are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/ as noted below.

Read the meeting materials, provide comment, and mark your calendar to listen in!

Citizen Science Projects Advisory Committee
October 7-8, 2019
Webinar Only
Briefing book, webinar registration, and public comment form now available at:
https://safmc.net/citizen-science-program/

Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel
October 7-8, 2019
Town and Country Inn
Charleston, SC
Briefing book, webinar registration, and public comment form now available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/current-advisory-panel-meetings/

System Management Plan Workgroup
October 8-9, 2019
Town and Country Inn
Charleston, SC
Briefing book, webinar registration, and public comment form now available at:
https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/other-meetings/.

Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel
October 9-11, 2019
Town and Country Inn
Charleston, SC
Briefing book, webinar registration, and public comment form now available at:
https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/current-advisory-panel-meetings/.

Scientific and Statistical Committee
October 15-17, 2019
Crowne Plaza Charleston Airport – Convention Center
Charleston, SC
https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/scientific-and-statistical-committee-meetings/.

Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel
October 22-24, 2019
FWC Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
St. Petersburg, FL
https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/current-advisory-panel-meetings/.

Plan for fish farm off Florida’s Gulf Coast raises environmental concerns

September 10, 2019 — A Hawaiian fish farming company wants to expand into the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota, Fla., prompting opposition from some fishing associations and environmental groups.

Although it’s only proposed as a demonstration project, such a plan pits the company’s desire to increase the local seafood supply against commercial fishing interests and some environmental groups, which believe industrial fish farms do more harm than good in the long run.

The proposed project comes as ocean fish-farming has been restricted to existing operations in Denmark and limited to native fish species in Washington state because of problems with pollution and escaping fish.

Read the full story at UPI

NOAA Fisheries – FB19-048: King Mackerel Commercial Trip Limit Reduced to 50 Fish per Day in Federal Waters off Florida Between the Flagler/Volusia and Miami-Dade/Monroe County Boundaries on September 1, 2019

August 28, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The daily vessel trip limit will decrease from 75 to 50 fish at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 1, 2019, for commercial vessels fishing for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel in federal waters off Florida between the Flagler/Volusia and Miami-Dade/Monroe County boundaries.

WHY THIS TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION IS HAPPENING:

  • When commercial landings of Atlantic migratory group king mackerel reach or are projected to reach 75 percent of the quota, regulations are in place to reduce the daily trip limit.
  • The trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest to avoid exceeding the quota.

AFTER THE TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION:

  • The 50-fish daily vessel trip limit will remain in effect through February 29, 2020, unless the Southern zone’s quota is reached and harvest of king mackerel is closed earlier.
  • An action to increase the trip limit in federal waters off Volusia County (between Flagler/Volusia County, Florida, boundary and the Volusia/Brevard County, Florida, boundary) from April 1 through September 30 from 75 fish to 3,500 lbs, is undergoing rulemaking.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on an Application for an Amendment to an Exempted Fishing Permit to Test Traps Targeting Lionfish in South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters

August 16, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries is accepting comments on an application for an amendment to an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).  NOAA Fisheries provided FWC with an EFP in November 2018 for certain areas in the South Atlantic.  FWC is requesting to amend their EFP to add additional sampling areas (including portions of the Gulf of Mexico [Gulf]), additional fishing vessels, additional number of traps, remove the requirement for research traps to have current certificates, and remove the approval for fishermen to sell any species caught from the research specific trap except lionfish.  The updated proposal is summarized below.  The applicant is testing various modifications to wire spiny lobster traps to harvest lionfish.  This study intends to examine the effectiveness and performance of modified trap designs for capturing lionfish, with the goal of identifying the best modifications to maximize lionfish catch and reduce bycatch of other species.  The activities would also derive biological life history information to improve lionfish control.

AMENDED PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

  • Increase the sampling area from Alligator and Looe Key in the South Atlantic to all Federal waters of the South Atlantic off Monroe County, Florida, and portions of the Gulf.  In the Gulf, sampling with traps would occur in depths from 150-300 feet (46-91 meters) southwest of a line defined by 25°21’ N. lat., 84°00’ W. long at the northwest corner and by 24°28’ N. lat., 83°00’ W. long., at the southeast corner (see map below).
  • Increase the sampling period from two times per month to two to four times per month over the course of the calendar year, including during the spiny lobster closed season.
  • The maximum number of traps that would be allowed to be deployed at any given time would increase from 100 to 300 (200 in the South Atlantic and 100 in the Gulf).
  • Maximum soak times would increase from 21 to 28 days per deployment.
  • Increase maximum number of sampling trips from 40 to 160 per year.
  • Increase number of federally permitted commercial fishing vessel participating in the study from two to eight.
  • Remove the requirement that traps would be required to have a current endorsement, stamp, or certification; however, FWC would mark each of the research traps.
  • Contracted commercial fishermen would no longer be permitted to sell any catch from the research traps except for harvested lionfish not needed for research purposes.
  • Representative sub-samples of any fish species would be collected by FWC for species identification verification in the laboratory as needed.

Read the full release here

NOAA: Request for Comments on Red Snapper Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico

August 8, 2019 — The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) developed six amendments to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) to allow the five Gulf of Mexico states some management authority for private angler red snapper recreational fishing. The Council has transmitted these Amendments to NOAA Fisheries.

  • NOAA Fisheries requests your comments regarding the changes these Amendments would make to Gulf of Mexico private recreational red snapper management in federal waters. Comments are due by October 7, 2019.
  • Amendment 50A includes actions that affect all states and Amendments 50B-F analyze actions specific to each Gulf of Mexico state (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas, respectively).
  • NOAA Fisheries will also publish a proposed rule to implement these changes and will send another Fishery Bulletin to request comments at that time. Comments on both the amendment and proposed rule will be considered in the final rule.

Read the full story at Fishing Wire

The Fight Over Shark Fins in Florida

August 6, 2019 — The fight for sharks is converging on Florida.

With the new legislative session next in September, conservation groups are pushing for measures at both the state and federal level to ban one of the largest threats to the shark population – the fin trade.

Between 100 million and 200 million sharks are killed every year. An estimated 73 million of those are killed for their fins.

“The shark fin trade is a global market for shark fins,” Trish Albano, a shark researcher at the University of Miami’s Rosensteil School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, told NBC 6 South Florida. “The shark fin is being used to make shark fin soup.”

Read the full story at NBC 6

Rubio, Schatz, Scott, Hirono Introduce Bill to Restore and Conserve America’s Coral Reefs

August 2, 2019 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL):

This week, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Representatives Darren Soto (D-FL) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) introduced the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2019, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would reauthorize and modernize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. The Coral Reef Conservation Act, which expired 15 years ago, was designed to promote the conservation of our nation’s reefs. The Restoring Resilient Reefs Act authorizes five years of directed federal funding and technical assistance to states for the restoration and management of coral reef ecosystems, encourages innovative new Coral Reef Stewardship Partnerships among resource management agencies, research centers, and community stakeholders, and codifies and updates the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.

Additional original cosponsors of the House bill include Representatives Charlie Crist (D-FL), Brian Mast (R-FL), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). A summary of the bill is available here and a section by section is available here.

“I saw the devastated condition of our coral reefs firsthand when touring the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in February, and I promised a comprehensive response,” Rubio said. “This important bipartisan bill will ensure federal agencies are partnering effectively with state and local governments, as well as the communities who rely on the vitality of these critical habitats. Florida’s Reef Tract is an integral component of the economic and ecological character of Florida, and the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2019 will ensure future generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonder.”

“From never-before-seen levels of bleaching in the Pacific, to unprecedented devastation from disease in the Atlantic, coral reefs need urgent help. Our bill gives local governments and communities the federal resources to help save Hawaii’s corals,” Schatz said.

“People from across the world come to Florida because of the state’s natural beauty. During my eight years as Governor, Florida’s annual investments to preserve the environment increased by $1 billion to make sure future generations can enjoy all that Florida has to offer. Today, I’m proud to join Senator Rubio, Senator Schatz, Senator Hirono and our colleagues in the House to introduce the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2019, which will build on our efforts and help restore and protect our coral reef ecosystems,” Scott said.

“Coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services to not only our oceans, but also to our island and coastal communities. The long-term ecological and economic impacts of coral bleaching pose serious threats to our way of life,” Hirono said. “The Restoring Resilient Reefs Act would provide important tools to preserve and sustain the condition of our coral reef ecosystems through community-based management programs. Our bill is a step in the right direction to ensuring that communities that depend on healthy oceans, like those in Hawaii, have the resources they need for protecting coral reefs.”

Read the full release here