Saving Seafood

NOAA says watching for right whales during migrating season is more important than ever

November 19, 2018 — North Atlantic right whales are on the move along the Atlantic coast of the U.S.

20 right whale deaths were documented in 2017 and 2018. The NOAA is asking boaters to be cautious as the endangered whales migrate south.

Right whales are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and scientists estimate there are just over 400 remaining.

Officials are reminding boaters and coastal residents, right whale calving season begins in mid-November and runs through mid-April.

Every winter, many right whales travel more than 1,000 miles from their feeding grounds off Canada and New England to the warm coastal waters of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida’s east coast.

To reduce the risk of collisions between right whales and boats, federal law requires ships and aircraft to stay at least 500 yards away from right whales.

Vessels 65 feet and longer are also required to slow to speeds of 10 knots or less in Seasonal Management Areas along the East Coast, including the calving and nursery area.

“Right whales often swim and rest just below the surface, and are invisible to approaching boats and ships,” said wildlife biologist Clay George of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “It’s important for ship operators to follow vessel speed rules, and for boaters to slow down whenever possible.”

NOAA and its partners conduct aerial and vessel surveys off the coast of Florida and Georgia throughout the calving season.

Read the full story at WTKR

 

Mote-Led Initiative to Restore Corals

November 14, 2018 — Mote Marine Laboratory and partners will restore 70,000 coral “seeds” across 130 acres of depleted Florida reefs over three years — prioritizing coral genetic varieties resilient to disease and climate change impacts — thanks to a grant of nearly $1.5 million announced today by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and partners.

The grant challenges Mote and its supporters to raise matching funds and achieve the greatest possible impact for the Florida Reef Tract and those who depend on it. Florida has the planet’s third-largest shallow-water coral reef system, which underpins the state’s marine ecosystems, supports over 70,000 local jobs, draws $6.3 billion to Florida’s economy and serves as the primary front line of coastal resiliency defense from major storms.

Resilient coastlines are the focus of Mote’s grant and 34 others totaling $28.9 million, awarded by National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF), a partnership of NFWF, NOAA, Shell Oil Company and TransRe. These grants were made possible when congress provided funding for Title IX of the National Oceans and Coastal Security Act. Together, the grants are expected to generate $38.3 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $67.2 million.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire 

 

Commercial Closure for Hogfish in Federal Waters off the Florida Keys/East Florida Beginning November 16, 2018

November 12, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:
  • The commercial harvest for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish in federal waters of the South Atlantic and part of the Gulf of Mexico will close at 12:01 a.m. local time on November 16, 2018, and will open on January 1, 2019. The boundaries of the Florida Keys/East Florida population are from the 25 09′ N. latitude line off the west coast of Florida (near Cape Sable, Florida), east around South Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border.
  • During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of hogfish in or from federal waters off the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida, and south ofthe 25 09′ N latitude off the west coast of Florida is prohibited, and harvest or possession of hogfish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.
  • The commercial closure for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper and/or Gulf Reef Fish.
WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:
  • The 2018 commercial catch limit for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish is 4,524 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit by November 16, 2018.
  • According to the accountability measures, commercial harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.
AFTER THE CLOSURE:
  • The 2019 commercial fishing season for the Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish will open on January 1, 2019, with a commercial catch limit of 5,670 pounds whole weight. This catch limit is scheduled to increase annually through 2027.

Harvest of popular sushi fish shut down until March

November 6, 2018 — The federal government is shutting down a chunk of the Atlantic Ocean fishery for a species of mackerel for several months.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says commercial harvest of the Atlantic’s migratory Spanish mackerel in federal waters is shut down until March 1. The closure went into effect on Nov. 4.

The closure applies from North Carolina to New York. Over the years, Spanish mackerel have been harvested from Florida to Maine, though the northern edge of the fishery is typically closer to Rhode Island. The biggest producer is Florida.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Jersey Herald

Louisiana inside red snapper limit; Florida, Alabama go over

November 5, 2018 — If Chad Courville didn’t physically show how upset he is with recent catch data posted for each of the five Gulf states, his words certainly did during Thursday’s Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission monthly meeting in Baton Rouge.

Courville, one of the commission’s seven, took note of a report indicating Florida’s recreational fishermen caught 113.5 percent of its allowed red snapper catch during its 40-day season. Alabama’s report was 100.2 percent.

“The MRIP numbers are insane,” Courville said, mentioning the federal Marine Resources Information Program data showing Alabama might have taken as much as four million pounds of snapper and its state agency reported on pounds of red snapper during the recreational season.

Meanwhile, Louisiana, using its highly accredited and federally approved LA Creel system, showed its state anglers took 99.2 percent of its allowed 700,000-pound-plus red snapper allowed limit. Mississippi reported at 95.6 percent while Texas’ numbers are not final because the Lone Star State continues to hold its state waters open to red snapper catches.

Read the full story at The Advocate

 

SAFMC Recruitment Announcement for Grants & Meeting Coordinator/Office Assistant

November 5, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, headquartered in North Charleston, S.C.,is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coast of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to KeyWest. The Council is responsible for Coastal Migratory Pelagics from New York to Florida and for Dolphin/Wahoo, from Maine to Florida.

The Grants and Meeting Coordinator and Office Assistantisresponsiblefor all aspects of on-site support of various types of meetings, from public hearings to Council Meetings. Additionally, responsibilities include submission of grants and reports via the Federal Grants on-line system, assisting with the Council’s website, and general office support. 

Assists the Administrative Officer and Technical Staff with support including, but not limited to:

Selects, stages, loads, and transports recording and AV equipment to various meetings within our geographical area.

Sets up and operates the recording and AV equipment and troubleshoots as necessary. Takes roll of meeting participants for the record and ensures that Council Committee Chairs sign the certification pages of minutes.

Provides liaison between the meeting attendees and the hotel as necessary regarding billing.

Submits grant reports to the regional office via Grants On-line. Coordinates our four states with the submission and proper documentation for payments under their annual contracts and provides documentation to the executive director for certification.

Coordinates the maintenance of all equipment with appropriate vendors, to include the copiers, postage machines, and recording and AV equipment. Responsible for sending the landlord trouble tickets for repairs to the office as necessary.

Updates the Council website under the instruction of the Outreach Specialist.

Assists with running meetings via webinar.

Formats and tracks verbatim Council minutes to ensure that certification is documented.

Orders, tracks, and reconciles invoices and inventories for all purchases for the office.

Is available to travel an average of fourteen weeks per year to meetings in support of Council and SEDAR activities.

Performs other general office duties, such as distributing mail, answering and directing phones calls, copying, and filing.

Prepares and distributes official office correspondence.

Performs other duties as assigned by the Administrative Officer.

Knowledge, Ability, and Skills Required:

This position requires an AA degree or higher. Dependability, resourcefulness, and a work ethic dedicated to providing support to the Council and staff. The individual must have the ability to travel and operate independently. An excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook) is a must. The individual must have the ability to communicate with and successfully work with staff, Council members, and the public concerning support of the Council’s mission. This requires experience in supporting various constituencies in a fast-paced environment. The successful individual must have the ability to learn new things and successfully implement instructions. Additional requirements include a clean DMV report and the ability to lift 40 lbs.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

Supervision Received:

Works under the supervision of the Administrative Officer.

Starting Salary Range (ZA II -01): $41,365-55,175 negotiable depending on education and experience.

This is a permanent, non-federal position with benefits. Non-U.S. nationals are welcome to apply.

Closing Date: Open until filled

Send Cover Letter, Resume and 3 References to: 

Kelly Klasnick

Administrative Officer

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201

North Charleston, SC 29405

kelly.klasnick@safmc.net

 

South Atlantic Council to Offer Training for Federally Permitted Charter Captains on Upcoming Electronic Reporting Requirements

November 1, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is continuing its series of hands-on training sessions for federally permitted charter captains.
TRAINING LOCATIONS: The next stop in the series is in South Florida with trainings in Key West through Miami over the course of next week. These trainings were originally scheduled for September but were postponed due to the threat of Hurricane Florence.  See the detailed schedule below.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: 
Charter captains with South Atlantic federal, for-hire permits (Snapper Grouper, Dolphin Wahoo, and/or Coastal Migratory Pelagic fisheries).
TRAINING TOPICS:
  • Overview of the South Atlantic For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment and rulemaking process;
  • Proposed reporting requirements;
  • Timeline for possible implementation;
  • Hands-on training to learn how to use web-based and tablet reporting tools

Check the webpage for the latest schedule.

Informational Webinars

Can’t attend an in-person training? Council staff will also host informational webinars twice a month for federal for-hire permit holders to provide information about electronic reporting, the proposed amendment, and upcoming training sessions. Registration is required.
Below is the current schedule for informational webinars:

FLORIDA: Off-shore drilling ban goes to voters

October 25, 2018 — In just a few short weeks, Florida voters will head to the polls to vote on candidates and amendments to the Florida Constitution.

The 12 constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot are the most since 1998. One of those amendments concerns an issue that is a hot topic for Floridians and environmentalists.

Amendment 9 would prohibit offshore oil and gas drilling in state-owned waters. While this amendment is a good first step for Florida, some local officials and international organizations say it’s not enough.

“While Amendment 9 would be a great step and a great showing of public opposition, it still doesn’t get to the heart of the leasing plan that’s in federal waters,” said Loryn Baughman, the U.S. communications associate for Oceana, an ocean conservation and advocacy organization.

Currently, the Gulf of Mexico is split up into three separate sections: the western, central and eastern sections. Oil drilling is allowed in the western and central sections but the eastern section is under a moratorium until 2022 as part of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.

“The Trump Administration released a (oil drilling) proposal in January that involves 90 percent of all U.S. waters, including the eastern Gulf,” said Hunter Miller, the Florida Gulf Coast campaign manager for Oceana.

Miller referenced the Deepwater Horizons oil spill that occurred in 2010 and said it’s still not known just how much damage was done ecologically to the fisheries and ocean environments.

Read the full story at The Destin Log

Satellite images show red tide hugging Florida’s Space Coast

October 24, 2018 — Red tide is so widespread that NASA can see it from space, in large colorful plumes that jut off the Space Coast.

Satellite images from this past Saturday, enhanced by a Melbourne Beach marine biologist, show high chlorophyll levels — further evidence of red tide’s scourge here.

Tests last week confirmed high red tide levels in Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach. And beachgoers continue to sense the algae’s airborne toxin in their itchy throats and see its toll in the sporadic dead fish washing up on the beach.

But where red tide flows next is anyone’s guess.

“I am uncertain about the apparent pool off Cape Canaveral, but I heard that red tide has been found off Ponce Inlet, so there is a good chance that the pool off Cape Canaveral is red tide,” Mitch Roffer, a marine biologists and fishing conditions forecaster, said via email.

Roffer used data from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra satellite. He found Saturday’s ocean color imagery showed “pools” of what appears to be chlorophyll stretching off Cape Canaveral, Melbourne, Cocoa and south to Fort Pierce and Port St Lucie.

Read the full story at Florida Today

 

The Invasice Venomous Lionfish is Killing Atlantic Reefs. So Please Eat It.

October 24, 2018 — KEY LARGO, Fla. — What do you do with an invasive fish, covered from head to fin with venomous spines as sharp as hypodermic needles; a fish that can’t be caught with a rod or in a trawling net as it multiplies rapidly, deep in our oceans, flummoxing fishermen and scientists alike?

Conservationists are hoping you eat it.

The Indo-Pacific native lionfish arrived in the Atlantic about a decade ago, the product of well-meaning aquarium owners who released their charges into the ocean, not realizing they reproduce at an alarming rate, prey on more than 70 species of fish and hasten the dying-off of any coral reef they alight on. Scientists describe their invasion into Florida’s waters in the same words noted Key West fisherman Ernest Hemingway used to describe the onset of bankruptcy: slowly, and then all at once. Now estimated to number as many as 1,000 fish per acre, lionfish also have no known predators — except humans.

Read the full story at Vice News