Saving Seafood

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

FLORIDA: Lionfish are still a problem, and FWC will give you a reward to remove them

May 17, 2019 — Lurking below off of Florida’s coast is the lionfish, a species that is both appetizing and intrusive, and wildlife officials want to remove as many of them as possible.

The lionfish is not native to the Sunshine State and are categorized as an invasion species that negatively impacts Florida’s native species. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is encouraging divers, anglers and commercial harvesters to help remove them from Florida’s waters.

Starting Saturday, May 18, FWC will reward those who catch lionfish with harvesting gear or cash prizes. The Lionfish Challenge ends on September 2. Those who submit 25 lionfish or 25 pounds of lionfish can qualify for prizes.

Read the full story at Fox 13

Recovery of Florida waters could take decades

October 31, 2018 — MARATHON, Fl. — The Florida Keys marine environment likely will need decades to recover from Hurricane Irma, scientists told marine advisers Oct. 16.

“Sobering,” said Bruce Popham, chairman of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, about post-hurricane survey reports on mangroves, sponges and water quality.

Mangrove forests that lay in the Lower Keys path of Irma in September 2017 endured “extensive canopy damage from high winds,” typically losing more than half their canopy cover, Kara Radabaugh of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a briefing to the Sanctuary Advisory Council, meeting in Marathon.

Mangroves that once had 85 to 100 percent canopy cover were left with about 40 percent cover, she said, noting that larger trees took the most severe hits.

“Canopy cover recovered from 40 percent to 60 percent within two to four months,” Radabaugh said, “but recovery plateaued.”

Read the full story at Keys News

 

Florida: Red tide creeps up to Melbourne Beach, Indialantic

October 17, 2018 — INDIALANTIC, Fla. — While test results to prove red tide are pending, the itchy throats and rancid fish carcasses on the beach this week have some already convinced, and fearing a repeat of the toxic tides that thoroughly flogged the Space Coast 16 years ago.

For tourists, another red tide now would be lousy timing. For fish, too.

“Right now we’ve got a big mullet run on the beach, so there are a lot of migratory fish following the mullet runs,” said Jon Shenker, associate professor of marine biology at the Florida Institute of Technology. “I have no idea how bad this is.”

Beachgoers and beachside residents have complained in recent days of coughing and irritated throats after being by the ocean. Dead fish reported in Indialantic and Melbourne Beach on Tuesday included bluefish, Spanish mackerel, mullet and other fish. A dead fish dotted the shoreline every 10 feet or so at Paradise Beach Park.

Brevard County is helping Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gather water samples to test for the red tide organism, Karenia brevis. The algae releases a neurotoxin that can cause asthma-like symptoms. If ingested, it can cause digestive problems. Brevard County Natural Resources has coordinated with FWC for sampling beginning Tuesday and hopes to know the results on Wednesday.

“In the meantime, we have been monitoring conditions and have reached out to various agencies, such as Keep Brevard Beautiful, Tourism and Development, the city of Cocoa Beach, to plan for a coordinated response if and when we have reported fish kills,” Brevard County spokesman Don Walker said via email.

Read the full story at Florida Today

 

Florida to boost redfish hatcheries amid red tide epidemic

September 19, 2018 — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is getting an additional $1.2 million to enhance research and increase production of redfish in Port Manatee, the state announced Monday.

The new funding should help recover Florida’s fisheries from the ongoing red tide sweeping Florida’s Gulf coast and wreaking havoc on Pinellas, Sarasota and Manatee County beaches.

Florida’s commercial fisheries generate $17.7 billion of sales and support nearly 93,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 2015 Fisheries Economics of the United States.

In addition, recreational fishing has an $8 billion economic impact in Florida and supports nearly 115,000 jobs, according to a National Marine Fisheries Service report last year.

“Florida is the ‘Fishing Capital of the World,’ ” FWC Executive Director Eric Sutton said. “Not only are our fisheries robust, but they are also incredibly resilient to the impacts of natural events, like red tide.”

Read the full story at Florida Politics

 

Stone crab catch in short supply across Florida

September 12, 2018 — It seems the only thing Florida stone crabbers harvested with any consistency during the season that ended May 15 was optimism. And that was often hard work.

The average annual haul since 2011 has been 3.7 million pounds, valued at $27.8 million. The harvest in pounds has climbed the past few years, with catch from October to December traditionally being better than January to May.

But 2018 bucked the recent seasonal trend, yielding just 2.1 million pounds — not much more than the 1.98 million pounds caught in 2013-2014 season that was labeled “historically low” by Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officials.

Shorter supply resulted in higher dollar value, though. Commission landings data shows an estimated value for all claw sizes this season at $29.6 million.

Price aside, it was hard for some fish houses to meet demand.

“I don’t know if we broke 100,000 pounds this season,” said Tommy Shook, general manager of Frenchy’s Stone Crab Co. in Palm Harbor, Fla. “The year before was 190,000 [pounds sold].”

The independent crabbers he buys from just weren’t able to deliver. “It sure makes it hard when the phones are ringing and there’s nothing to sell,” he said. “Nothing worse than being a crab company with no crabs.”

“Stones were in very short supply in our area last season,” said Katie Fischer of Island Seafood Co. in Matlacha, on Florida’s Southwest Gulf Coast. “Our local crab house couldn’t supply us, so we had to drive to a crab house up in Englewood the whole season.” Island Seafood was paying $28 a pound for jumbo claws and $20 to $25 for large claws at the dock.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

FLORIDA: Gov. Scott Announces First Pasco County Scallop Season in More Than 20 Years

July 17, 2018 — Today, Governor Scott announced that for the first time since 1994, state waters off Pasco County will be open to bay scallop harvest during a 10-day season from July 20-29. The region includes all state waters south of the Hernando–Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, and includes all waters of the Anclote River.

Governor Scott said, “I’m proud to announce that for the first time in more than 20 years, families in Pasco County will be able to enjoy a scallop season. Scalloping is one of the best ways to experience the Sunshine State’s incredible natural areas and I encourage residents and visitors to take advantage of this exciting opportunity.”

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Bo Rivard said, “Scalloping with your friends and family is classic Florida fun in the sun. The season brings people and an economic boost to these coastal areas, all the while encouraging conservation and connecting residents and visitors to the wonders of Florida’s outdoors.”

Read the full story at the Florida Trend

Coast Guard busts Keys fishing vessel with shark fins

June 20, 2018 — A Coast Guard crew from Station Islamorada stopped a commercial fishing vessel in the Upper Keys Tuesday morning that was loaded with dismembered sharks and 11 fins.

Federal law has prohibited the practice of shark finning — where the fin is cut off the shark and the rest of the body discarded — since 2000.

The 40-foot vessel, the Miss Shell, was stopped near South Sound Creek, which is near John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Murray. The initial stop was for improper display of navigational lights, according to a Coast Guard press release.

Crew from a Coast Guard patrol boat, which included an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, boarded the Miss Shell and found the fins and shark carcasses.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has taken over the investigation into the case. There is no immediate information about arrests.

Read the full story at the Florida Keys News

 

FLORIDA: Red Snapper Season Starts June 11 in Gulf

June 5, 2018 — The recreational red snapper season will start June 11 in Gulf state and federal waters and remain open through July 20, closing July 21. This year and next year are unique compared to previous years in that Florida’s Gulf recreational red snapper season applies to harvest from both state and federal waters.

Anglers fishing from private recreational boats will need to have their recreational saltwater fishing license (unless exempt) and will need to have Gulf Reef Fish Angler on their license (includes those that are exempt) to target red snapper or other certain reef fish in Gulf state and federal waters (excluding Monroe County). You can get this printed on a license at no cost at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by visiting any location you can purchase a license.

For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in this 40-day season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in state waters only. These operations must have State Gulf Reef Fish Charter on their license to target red snapper and other reef fish in Gulf state waters (excluding Monroe County). This can be done at no cost at a local tax collector’s office.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has also partnered with Snook and Gamefish Foundation on a new smartphone app specifically for voluntary reporting of red snapper catch information. This app will be available soon on your phone’s app store by searching for iAngler Gulf Red Snapper for private anglers or iAngler Gulf Red Snapper Charter if you are a charter operation. Using the app is important because it will help us test real-time data collection.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act Receives Broad, Growing Support

May 21, 2018 — A growing coalition of industry groups, conservationists, scientists, and other stakeholders are rallying behind a bill that promotes global shark conservation, while protecting responsible U.S. fishermen. The bill, Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act, is undergoing a markup before the Senate Commerce committee on Tuesday, May 22. Similar, bipartisan legislation from Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) is under consideration in the House.

Introduced by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the bill would require that all countries exporting shark fins to the U.S. receive certification that their shark fisheries have an effective ban on the practice of shark finning, and adhere to sustainable management practices like those in U.S. fisheries. The new certification program would be similar to the existing U.S. shrimp certification program.

The United States has been praised for having among the strictest and most conservation-minded shark management in the world; all shark species are required to be harvested at sustainable rates, and the practice of shark finninghas long been banned.

The bill’s approach to conservation, which would preserve the jobs of responsible, law-abiding shark fishermen in the U.S. while promoting a high standard of shark conservation abroad, has won support from a broad cross-section of shark fishery stakeholders, including the Sustainable Shark Alliance. It is joined in its support by leading conservation groups, such as the Wildlife Conservation Society; shark experts at the Mote Marine Laboratory; 62 leading shark scientists; recreational fishing organizations such as the American Sportfishing Association, the Center for Sportfishing Policy, and the Coastal Conservation Association; the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association.

“The Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act allows the United States to continue its role as a global leader in shark conservation and management,” says Shaun Gehan, a representative for the Sustainable Shark Alliance. “Unlike other bills that would ban the sale of shark fins outright, this bill maintains our own rigorous conservation standards, while allowing U.S. fishermen to maintain their livelihoods by responsibly utilizing every part of the shark.”

About the Sustainable Shark Alliance
The Sustainable Shark Alliance (SSA) is a coalition of shark fishermen and seafood dealers that advocates for sustainable U.S. shark fisheries and supports healthy shark populations. The SSA stands behind U.S. shark fisheries as global leaders in successful shark management and conservation. The SSA is a member of Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities.