Saving Seafood

3 more right whale calves spotted

February 6, 2020 — Three more right whale calves have been spotted off the coasts of Georgia and Florida, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

A 28-year-old mother named Calvin was spotted swimming off Georgia with her calf, the statement says. In 2000, Calvin was found entangled off the coast of Cape Cod and was disentangled by the Center for Coastal Studies Marine Animal Entanglement Response Team.

A 24-year-old mother named Echo was seen with her calf off Atlantic Beach in Florida, and an 18-year-old mom called Arrow was spotted with her calf off Amelia Island in Florida.

These sightings bring the total number of right whale calves this season to nine, up from seven seen all of last year, according to a statement from the Center for Coastal Studies.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

NOAA Fisheries – FB20-002: Atlantic Spanish Mackerel Southern Zone Commercial Trip Limit Reduction to 500 Pounds on January 29, 2020

January 27, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone is reduced from 1,500 to 500 pounds, effective at 6:00 a.m., local time, on January 29, 2020.
  • The southern zone includes federal waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. The boundary for the southern zone is the North Carolina/South Carolina border and the Monroe/Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, border.

WHY THIS TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION IS HAPPENING:

  • When landings of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone reach or are projected to reach 100 percent of the adjusted commercial quota, the daily trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds.
  • The trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest to avoid exceeding the commercial quota.

AFTER THE TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION:

  • The 500 pound trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current fishing season on February 29, 2020, or when 100 percent of the commercial quota is reached or projected to be reached, whichever occurs first. If 100 percent of the quota is reached or projected to be reached, NOAA Fisheries will close the fishery.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=76c2b80788a139f1549b85d3764437b0&mc=true&n=pt50.12.622&r=PART&ty=HTML#sp50.12.622.q.

Injured Baby Right Whale Given Grim Prognosis After 2nd Look

January 15, 2020 — An endangered newborn right whale spotted with grievous injuries to its head off the Georgia coast is unlikely to survive, though scientists may try to inject the calf with antibiotics using a syringe fired from an air gun if they can safely get close enough, government experts said Monday.

Foggy weather along the coast was delaying efforts to locate the wounded baby whale and its mother by plane Monday. The calf was first seen from the air Wednesday, and a boat crew got close enough Friday near St. Simons Island for scientists to conclude its injuries were worse than initially feared.

“If you talk about an animal having an uphill climb, this one has a climb up Mt. Everest,” said Barb Zoodsma, who oversees the right whale recovery program in the U.S. Southeast for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The New York Times

SAFMC to Address Transit Provisions for Shrimp Fishery

January 13, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

At the request of penaeid shrimp fishermen, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is considering measures to modify current transit provisions for cold-weather closed areas. The Council will hold a joint meeting of its advisory panels as well as public hearings to get input on proposed changes.

Joint Advisory Panel Meeting

  • Deepwater Shrimp, Law Enforcement, and Shrimp Advisory Panels (via webinar)
  • Friday, January 17, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Details, including a meeting agenda with a link to webinar registration, briefing book materials, and an online comment form is available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/current-advisory-panel-meetings/.

Public Hearings

  • Amendment 11 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (via webinar)
  • Wednesday, February 5, 2020
  • Thursday, February 6, 2020
  • Hearings begin at 6:00 p.m. Additional details, including a public hearing summary document and overview will be posted online as they become available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/. Links for the webinar registration are now available.

The Council created the cold-weather closures and associated transit provisions to protect over-wintering white shrimp if the abundance of white shrimp decreases by 80% or water temperatures dip below 48 degrees Fahrenheit for at least one week. The current provisions, implemented in 1994, require that trawl gear be stowed below deck when transiting the closed areas. Fishermen have expressed concerns that changes to vessel design over the years make it more difficult to store the gear.

Council members will review recommendations from its advisory panels and input from the public hearings before considering final approval of Shrimp Amendment 11 during their March 2-6, 2020 meeting in Jekyll Island, GA.

Baby right whale spotted with deep wounds off Georgia coast

January 10, 2020 — A newborn right whale spotted off the coast of Georgia was suffering from deep cuts on either side of its head, dismaying conservationists who closely monitor the southeast U.S. coast during winter for births among the critically endangered species.

The S-shaped gashes, roughly 2 feet (0.6 meters) apart, were likely inflicted by the propeller of a boat, said Barb Zoodsma, who oversees the right whale recovery program in the U.S. Southeast for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

She said Thursday humans may be helpless to do anything to treat the injured calf.

“If this was a human baby, this calf would be in the NICU right now,” Zoodsma said, referring to a hospital’s intensive care unit for babies. “… And it’s highly unlikely that we can fix this animal.”

Crews searched by air and by boat Thursday in an attempt to relocate the wounded whale and its mother, which were first spotted Wednesday. But they couldn’t be found, said Allison Garrett, a National Marine Fisheries Service spokeswoman. She said inclement weather moving into the area could prevent further searches until next week.

Read the full story from the Associated Press

Trump administration sued over endangered Florida sea turtle protection from climate change

January 9, 2020 — Several environmental groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming agencies in the Trump administration have failed to protect green sea turtle habitat as required by the Endangered Species Act.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, says the turtles’ nesting beaches in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as their ocean habitat, face threats from sea level rise brought on by climate change and plastic pollution, according to a news release from the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the plaintiffs.

Other plaintiffs are the Sea Turtle Oversight Protection and the Turtle Island Restoration Network.

Read the full story at the Treasure Coast Newspaper

Reminder – The New Year Brings Changes to South Atlantic Federal Fishing Regulations

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

Fishermen are reminded that several changes in federal fishing regulations occur beginning January 1st as we ring in 2020 – and a new fishing year for some species in the snapper grouper management complex. The South Atlantic regulation changes apply to federal waters ranging from 3 to 200 nautical miles offshore of NC, SC, GA, and the east coast of Florida.

For example, a spawning season closure for shallow-water grouper goes into place to help protect species such as gag grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, yellowmouth grouper, and others. The season will reopen May 1st. Some other snapper grouper species will open for harvest January 1st.

See the Regulations Summary (click the image) available from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council for changes effective January 1, 2020. To keep up with federal regulations and changes throughout the year (recreational and commercial), download the free FishRules mobile app.

Additional regulation information and other helpful resources are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/regulations/.

GEORGIA: More right whales spotted off area coast

December 4, 2019 — North Atlantic right whale migration is underway, just in time for Whale Week in Savannah.

Since the first right whale of the season was spotted by fishermen Nov. 23 off Mayport, Fla., biologists have confirmed that sighting plus sightings of four more potential right whale moms.

Only about 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. Deaths, mainly from ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear, have outpaced births of these bus-sized creatures recently. Biologists have recorded 30 right whale deaths over the last three years and only 12 births.

“We’re going backwards here,” said Barb Zoodsma, right whale biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries.

That first known arrival from the feeding grounds off new England and Canada to the Georgia/Florida calving grounds was a 19-year-old female nicknamed Harmonia. Records indicate she last gave birth in 2016.

Other whales spotted include “Naevus,” who was seen off Ossabaw Island. “Harmony,” “Arpeggio,” and “Slalom” were spotted off South Carolina.

Read the full story at the Savannah Morning News

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/.

Savannah leads in shark fin exports

August 12, 2019 — For the last five years the port of Savannah has been the U.S. leader in the export of fresh shark fins, a legal but controversial trade item essential for shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy.

Last year, more than 18,000 pounds of shark fins, valued at about $808,000 was exported from Savannah. All of it was shipped to Hong Kong. (While Savannah led in the value of shark fins exported, a larger amount of fins, at nearly 37,000 pounds, was shipped out of Galveston, Texas.)

“Savannah is the No. 1 exporter of shark fins in the United States,” said Cathy Liss, president of the nonprofit Animal Welfare Institute. “Georgia plays an unfortunate role in the lucrative, billion-dollar shark fin trade. As long as we continue to provide a marketplace for shark fin products, the United States, including Georgia, will undoubtedly contribute to the destruction of shark populations.”

Read the full story at The Savannah Morning News