Saving Seafood

Changes in lobster processing rules on Massachusetts Legislature’s plate

May 6, 2019 — Lawmakers are moving toward consensus on an overhaul of Massachusetts’ lobster processing laws.

The plan was recently endorsed by the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries, which concluded it would deliver “economic benefits throughout the state’s seafood supply chain” and give consumers more choice of lobster products to purchase.

The legislation would change state rules to allow for processing and sale of raw and frozen lobster parts that are still in the shell — claws and tails, for example — and permit shell-on lobster parts to be imported for further processing.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at Boston.com

Groundfish quota changes up for debate

April 26, 2019 — NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on its proposed rule revising catch limits for seven of the 20 groundfish stocks for the 2019 fishing season, but the real battle over commercial groundfish quotas probably will wait until after the next operational stock assessment in the fall.

The proposed rule, called Framework 58, calls for increasing the commercial quota for Georges Bank cod by 15 percent, Georges Bank haddock by 19 percent and Georges Bank winter flounder by 6 percent for the new fishing season that is set to begin Wednesday.

It also includes a 1 percent increase for witch flounder.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that the proposed rule, published in the Federal Register, calls for a whopping 50 percent cut to the annual catch limit for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, a 1 percent reduction in the quota Gulf of Maine winter flounder and a 3 percent cut to the catch limit for Atlantic halibut.

“We’re still digesting the proposed rule and expect to submit our comments next week,” said Jackie O’Dell, executive director of the Gloucester-based Northeast Seafood Coalition.

The deadline for public comment on Framework 58 is May 6.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Tarr keeps clawing at lobster rules

April 25, 2019 — State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr sometimes must feel as if the lobster gods are conspiring against him.

The Gloucester legislator, on three occasions, has filed a bill in the state Senate to liberalize the Bay State’s lobster processing laws to allow in-state processing and the sale of frozen lobster parts.

Three times it passed the state Senate, only to expire either at the hands of the House or in some other quadrant of the legislative hurly-burly.

Most recently, Tarr succeeded this session in attaching the measure to a supplemental budget bill for fiscal year 2019 already passed by the House.

But the lobster processing measure didn’t make the final cut during negotiations between the House and the Senate on the final supplemental budget even though a report from the Division of Marine Fisheries supported the legislative reform.

Tarr, however, continues to push his bill and the additional opportunities it could create for the lobstering industry, as well as economic benefits that could accrue for coastal communities.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Massachusetts captain offers classes for aspiring fishermen

April 22, 2019 — Capt. Joe Sanfilippo fished out of Gloucester for more than 20 years alongside siblings and family members. For much of that time, a seed was germinating.

Sanfilippo, 46, is the youngest of five boys and his training came from tough-love, working tutorials aboard the family’s three 80-foot fishing vessels, particularly from his brother Dominic aboard the F/V Captain Gus.

“He taught me pretty much everything I know and gave me a passion and work ethic for being a commercial fisherman right from the start,” Sanfilippo said. “I realized quickly that fishing is a way of life. It’s not about the money. It’s about the heritage.”

Which brings us to the germinating seed. Sanfilippo, as the industry evolved, often thought there might be a better way to give aspiring commercial fishermen a head start entering the profession.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Bedford Standard-Times

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule: Framework 58 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

April 19, 2019 — The following was published by NOAA Fisheries: 

We are seeking public comment on an action that would revise catch limits for seven groundfish stocks for the 2019 fishing year (May 1, 2019 – April 30, 2020), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2018.

For the commercial groundfish fishery, quotas are increasing for Georges Bank cod (+15%), Georges Bank haddock (+19%), witch flounder (+1%), and Georges Bank winter flounder (+6%), but are decreasing for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder (-50%), Gulf of Maine winter flounder (-1%), and Atlantic halibut (-3%).

Framework 58 would also:

  • Exempt vessels fishing exclusively in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Regulatory Area (i.e., in international waters) from the domestic groundfish fishery minimum fish sizes to allow them to better compete in the international frozen fish market.
  • Extend the temporary change to the scallop Accountability Measure implementation policy for the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder to provide the scallop fishery with the flexibility to adjust to current catch conditions while still providing an incentive to avoid yellowtail flounder.

In this proposed rule, we are also announcing:

  • Required adjustments to the 2019 quotas for Gulf of Maine cod because the quota was exceeded in 2017;
  • Proposed management measures for the common pool, the US/Canada Area, and special management programs for fishing year 2019;
  • A proposed extension of the annual deadline to submit applications to lease groundfish days-at-sea between vessels from March 1 to April 30 (the end of the fishing year); and
  • Changes to the regulations to clarify that vessels must report catch by statistical area when submitting catch reports through their vessel monitoring system.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. You may also submit comments through regular mail to: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930

The comment period is open through May 6, 2019.

Questions?
Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, at 978-281-9103

Fishermen’s group offering safety training next week

April 19, 2019 — The water can be a dangerous place to make a living, but a fishermen’s group is a sponsoring a special free, three-day round of safety training next week in Gloucester and Newburyport that could make it less so for participants.

The nonprofit Fishing Partnership Support Services is offering the free hands-on sessions:

Wednesday, April 24: Safety and survival training, U.S. Coast Guard Station, 65 Water St., Newburyport, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday, April 25: Safety and survival training, U.S. Coast Guard Station, 17 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; drill conductor training, U.S. Coast Guard Station, Newburyport, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Friday, April 26: Drill conductor training, U.S. Coast Guard Station Gloucester, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As a prerequisite for drill conductor training, fishermen need to have taken the safety and survival training within the previous year.

Read the full story at Gloucester Daily Times

Group offering lobstermen discounted lifejackets

April 17, 2019 — A nonprofit organization dedicated to the health, safety and economic security of commercial fishermen are offering discounted lifejackets to lobstermen this week.

Fishing Partnership Support Services has partnered with the Northeast Center for Occupational Health & Safety on its “Lifejackets for Lobstermen” Van Tour. The tour runs through November and is stopping at ports across Massachusetts and Maine. The van be will on Cape Ann and lobstermen may drop by:

Wednesday, April 17, at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Morss Pier in Masconomo State Park in Manchester.

Thursday, April 18, at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the lot near the Gloucester Harbormaster’s Office, 19 Harbor Loop.

Read the full story at Gloucester Daily Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Lured to Gloucester: Virginia business comes to buy haddock after expo visit

April 12, 2019 — When executives at Gloucester-based Intershell Inc. decided to ramp up the company’s presence at the Seafood Expo North America in March, they hoped at the very least to develop new relationships that could slingshot into additional sales.

Intershell did strong business during the three days the vast show ran at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in South Boston, shipping orders to new customers stretching from New York to Texas.

Now it can add the bustling burg of Spotsylvania, Virginia, to the list of new out-of-state clients.

Intershell has entered into an agreement with the Spotsylvania-based Van Cleve Seafood Co. to fully source Gloucester-landed haddock for a new line of ultra-healthy frozen seafood the all-female-owned company is developing for national distribution from its facility near the Chesapeake Bay.

“We think this could evolve into a very good revenue stream for local fishermen,” said Frank Ragusa of Intershell. “We’ve also talked with them about sourcing North Atlantic pollock, as well, which would really help build up the market for pollock and help our guys out even more. And it all started with a conversation at the seafood show.”

In that conversation, the women from Van Cleve — mother Shelly Van Cleve and her daughters Monica Van Cleve-Talbert and Alexandra Cushing — explained to the Intershell executives that they were looking for the cleanest, freshest seafood they could find for the new line.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Herring skip fish count opening day

April 2, 2019 — Apparently river herring are just like humans: They’re not too crazy about the cold, either.

Monday was the annual opening day for counting river herring at the city’s alewife fishway in West Gloucester and the cold, blustery weather tossed a shutout to the disappointment of about a dozen fish counters, including Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken.

No fish for you.

Unlike last year, when a few river herring returning to the fishway from the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Little River actually showed up on opening day, the fish apparently are operating at a more measured pace this season.

The water was a bracing 7 degrees Celsius, or 44.6 degrees Fahrenheit. That was about the same as last year. But the air temperature of 11 degrees Celsius, or about 52 degrees Fahrenheit, and the whipping wind with gusts up to 30 mph provided their own chilling effects.

“This is colder than they like,” said Eric Hutchins, the Gulf of Maine restoration coordinator for NOAA Fisheries. “But we know they’re on their way because the fish are migrating down in southeastern Massachusetts. It’s just a matter of getting the water a few degrees warmer. A few days of 60-degree temperatures and we’ll have fish.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Struggling New England groundfish sector deactivated

April 1, 2019 — One of Gloucester, Massachusetts’ two groundfish sectors – Northeast Fishery Sector III — has been shutdown for the 2019 fishing season, which begins on May 1, due to a lack of financial support, The Gloucester Times reports.

However many of its 36 groundfish permits that remain active will be merged into Sector II, giving that group as many as 128 combined permits and about 35 boats.

Sector III was one of the original 16 commercial groundfish sectors approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a 2010 transition to catch shares, according to the newspaper.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News