Saving Seafood

Northeast Ocean Plan emerges as development tool

October 19, 2016 — When, as expected, the Northeast Ocean Plan is approved later this year, New England will lead the nation in developing guidelines and an online database to provide framework for all future development and decision-making regarding the sea.

Originating from a 2010 presidential executive order, the national ocean policy instructs nine regions bordering the ocean or Great Lakes to form regional planning bodies consisting of representatives appointed from federal, state and regional entities and tribes to hold several hearings with a variety of stakeholders. (In New England, the New England Fishery Management Council and two ex-officio members from New York and Canada were also included.) The input is used to develop guidelines for how to proceed, for instance, in the case of a proposed offshore wind farm.

“For any project that comes up now, the ocean plan will guide the consideration of that project and in very specific ways,” said Priscilla Brooks, vice president and director of ocean conservation at the Conservation Law Foundation, who participated in stakeholder meetings. “It will guide [the project] in terms of agencies using this new Northeast Ocean Data portal – which is a tremendous compilation of data of the ocean and how we use it – for the first time. There are guidelines on how to engage stakeholders early in the process.”

Read the full story at the New Hampshire Business Review

Legislators Consider Changes to Ballast Water Regulations

July 6, 2016 — The following is excerpted from the television program Chicago Tonight, which is hosted by Elizabeth Brackett and aired on WTTW in Chicago:

Elizabeth Brackett: Ocean-going ships that bring their cargo into Great Lakes ports, like the Federal Biscay, unloading foreign steel at the port of Indiana’s Burns Harbor, are regulated by both the U.S. Coast Guard and the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act.

In 2006, the Coast Guard began requiring those ships to dump the ballast water they picked up in foreign ports and pick up sea water.

That ballast water exchange must be made at least 200 nautical miles from land, in water that is 2,000 meters deep to prevent invasive species from being brought in with the new ballast water.

Shippers say those Coast Guard regulations have kept invasive species out of the Great Lakes.

James Weakley, Lake Carriers’ Association: The door was closed in 2006 when the Coast Guard stopped allowing vessels from the ocean to come in with ballast water that wasn’t managed. Not coincidentally, in 2007 the last invasive species was discovered, the bloody red shrimp, in the Great Lakes.

Brackett: Ocean-going vessels that sail the Great Lakes, called Salties, have worked on developing ballast water treatment systems. The Federal Biscay is the first ship on the Great Lakes to bring a ballast water treatment system online. Located in the bowels of the ship over the ballast water tanks, these pumps will push out the old ballast water and bring in the ocean water when the ship is at sea.

Ships, like the 678-foot Wilfred Sykes, that never sail beyond the Great Lakes, are called Lakers.

The Lakers have always been a bit concerned that they’ve gotten blamed for bringing in these invasive species, when you say primarily it’s been the Salties.

Weakley: Actually it’s exclusively been the Salties. We never leave the Great Lakes. Our ships are physically too big to get beyond the Welland Canal so we’ve been in the forefront of calling attention to the problem.

Brackett: Both the Salties and the Lakers agree that the proposed legislation called the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, which would exempt ballast water from the Clean Water Act and put the Coast Guard in charge, is needed.

Weakley: Currently we have a patchwork quilt of regulations, more than two dozen states have requirements on top of the two federal agencies, and what we’re looking to do is have a piece of legislation that has a single national standard with a single federal agency in charge.

Read the full transcript at WTTW

Waters Surrounding New York City Contain At Least 165 Million Plastic Particles — Making Its Way Into the Food Supply

February 13, 2016 — The waterways surrounding New York City are a soup of plastic, ranging from discarded takeout containers down to tiny beads that end up in the food supply, according to a new report by an environmental group.

The study, by the group NY/NJ Baykeeper, estimated there are at least 165 million plastic particles floating in New York Harbor and nearby waters at any given time.

The report was based on samples collected by trawlers that plied the city’s East River, the mouth of the Hudson River and New Jersey’s Passaic River and Raritan Bay between March and August 2015.

The average concentration of plastics was 256,322 particles per square kilometer, according to the report.

To maybe nobody’s surprise, the highest concentration, 556,484 particles per square kilometer, was found in New York City’s East River, which separates Manhattan from Brooklyn and Queens and is known for its floating filth.

“It just goes to show you big problems need big solutions,” said Sandra Meola, a spokeswoman for Baykeeper.

The New York-New Jersey study was modeled on a pioneering study of the Great Lakes conducted by Sherri Mason, a chemistry professor at the State University of New York in Fredonia.

That study found plastics pollution in all five lakes, with the highest concentration in Lakes Erie and Ontario, which are ringed by urban centers and industry.

Read the full story at the New York Daily News

Congress to vote on bill to ban microbead hygiene products in US

November 18, 2015 — US lawmakers are to decide whether to ban personal care products containing microbeads – minuscule pieces of plastic considered harmful to the environment – after proposed legislation was approved by a bipartisan committee.

Microbeads, typically under 5mm in size, are used as abrasive exfoliants in products such as toothpastes and facial cleaners. They often evade water filtration systems and flow into rivers, lakes and streams, where they can be mistaken for food by fish. Pollutants can bind to the plastic, causing toxic material to infect fish and, potentially, the humans that consume them.

The US House energy and commerce committee has unanimously approved the Microbead Free Waters Act of 2015, which was introduced by Frank Pallone, a Democrat, and Fred Upton, a Republican who acts as committee chairman.

The bill would start the phaseout of microbeads from products in the US from 1 July 2017. The federal legislation, if passed, will follow action taken by several states. Last month, California finalised a bill that phases out microbeads from 2020. This follows action taken by Illinois last year, which became the first state to ban the production, manufacture or sale of personal care products containing microbeads.

Read the full story at The Guardian 

 

Experts Urge Cautious Approach on Great Lakes Fish Farming

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — October 30, 2015 — If Michigan allows commercial fish farming in the Great Lakes, the industry should begin on a small and experimental scale to enable careful monitoring of the effect on the environment and wild fish populations, scientists said in a report to state officials.

The recommendation was among many in five reports submitted by a panel of scientists, economists and other experts appointed to advise regulators considering whether a process known as “net-pen aquaculture” would be suitable for Great Lakes waters within Michigan’s boundaries.

The state departments of Environmental Quality, Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development requested the study and recently posted the reports online.

State officials say they’ve heard from two operators interested in raising rainbow trout in floating enclosures in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The fish would remain inside the large nets until big enough for the consumer food market. But no permit applications have been submitted.

Read the full story from The New York Times

Mercury Levels Still Dangerously High in Freshwater Fish

October 23, 2015 — Mercury emissions from major Massachusetts sources have declined by 90 percent over the past two decades, but mercury levels in the state’s freshwater fish hold stubbornly high, with many species too contaminated for pregnant women and children to eat.

The inability to reduce mercury in fish to safe eating levels troubles environment and health officials — and added to that concern is growing evidence that some freshwater fish in similar northern latitudes, from the Great Lakes to Scandinavia, appear to have increasing mercury levels after years of decline. The New England Center for Investigative Reporting found six studies in the past decade that point to increasing mercury levels in freshwater fish.

Read the full story at The Huffington Post

 

 

FISHTOWN LOCAL: Something smells fishy

October 12, 2015 — Okay, here we go again. Another behind-the-scenes effort has begun behind our backs, the way it happened before. The newest NOAA effort has begun toward creating a marine national monument in the Cashes Ledge area — about 80 miles east of Gloucester — as well as the deep sea coral and seamount area south of Georges Bank, traditional catch areas for our fishermen.

Former U.S. Sen. John Kerry, now secretary of state, has been quixotic and disturbingly vague on the issue, hinting that following the model of Maryland’s sanctuaries and in the Great Lakes, “We also have plans in the works, which we are pursuing for still another significant one in the Atlantic, where we don’t have the kind of presence that we want and should.” Kerry added that the Obama administration is working with senators “engaged in that particular area in order to make that happen.” Unfortunately, current senators Markey and Warren have stayed silent on the subject.

Meanwhile, concerned by what it regards as a lack of transparency and undue influence from conservationists, a House committee on Wednesday sought more answers from the Obama administration on potential plans to create a national marine monument off the coast of New England that would be fully off limits to fishing or sea-bed harvesting.

Read the full opinion piece by Fishtown Local’s Gordon Baird at the Gloucester Daily Times

Lake Erie fishermen obtain global recognition for sustainable fishing

TORONTO — October 8, 2015 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Lake Erie yellow perch and walleye (pickerel) fisheries have become the fourth and largest commercial freshwater fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification, demonstrating they are well-managed and environmentally sustainable. They are the first in the Great Lakes to achieve MSC certification and only the second in North America.

With total catches of 3,176 metric tonnes of yellow perch and 2,132 metric tonnes of walleye in 2014 by the now certified vessels, the fisheries will provide a significant volume of MSC certified lake fish to markets in the U.S., Canada and globally. This also signifies an influx of locally sourced, MSC certified fish for the 11.6 million inland inhabitants in the surrounding Canadian and U.S. areas – a rare opportunity for non-coastal communities.

“Our fisheries have a long, rich history, and operating them sustainably is about ensuring our local industry can stay productive and competitive for this and future generations,” said Tim Tiessen, President of the Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association (OCFA). “Sustainability is the hallmark of our industry so MSC certification is excellent news for the Lake Erie yellow perch and walleye commercial fisheries. The companies buying our fish are looking for ways to prove to their customers that it is responsibly sourced, and the MSC certification allows us to do just that.”

Lake Erie is not only home to one of the world’s largest freshwater commercial fisheries but also the economic backbone of many local communities founded on and supported by the industry. As the most important species harvested, yellow perch and walleye (pickerel) contribute heavily to the area’s 1,490 fishing and processing jobs, provided by independently-owned small and medium sized businesses.

The MSC fishery certificate, initiated and owned by the OCFA, applies to yellow perch landed in Ontario, Canada and in Ohio, United States, and walleye landed in Canadian waters. The Lake Erie fishery is managed cooperatively by Canada and the United States through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC).

“The success of this large project involved the work of many groups and individuals, including fish processors, fishermen, and the Lake Erie Committee, which includes the Lake Managers from the Province of Ontario and four US States bordering Lake Erie,” added Tiessen.

In addition to the fishery certification, two Ontario-based supply chain processors, La Nassa Foods and Presteve Foods Ltd, have also achieved MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification allowing them to purchase and sell Lake Erie yellow perch and walleye as MSC certified. Other OCFA members are eligible to complete CoC certification.

“The MSC is extremely proud to welcome such a significant and iconic fishery into our program,” said Jay Lugar, Program Director for MSC in Canada. “When we think fisheries in Canada we must always consider the importance of commercial freshwater fisheries. As the most credible and recognized standard for sustainable fishing, and in a country known worldwide for its freshwater resources, we are committed to expanding engagement by inland fisheries in Canada. The Lake Erie certification is a tremendous achievement and we hope it will pave the way for more freshwater fisheries to enter the program.

Read a PDF version of the release from the Marine Stewardship Council

Press Release: NOAA Fisheries Announces $3 Million to Restore Habitat in Great Lakes

September 17, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries Announces $3 Million in Funding to Restore Habitat in Great Lakes

NOAA has selected three projects, through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), totaling $3 million, to restore habitat in severely degraded areas of the Great Lakes

Funded projects are in Michigan and Ohio. They will benefit a variety of important local fish stock, including important spawning and nursery grounds for muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed sunfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch, channel catfish, and bullhead. This funding builds on years of investment in the Great Lakes to restore waterways threatened by poor water quality, contaminated fish, and other environmental concerns. 

NOAA’s Restoration Center targets habitat conservation where it’s needed it most. We provide funding and technical guidance to restore coastal habitat nationwide. In the Great Lakes, we focus on restoring the most degraded environments–designated “Areas of Concern”–as well as reversing the environmental damages resulting from oil spills, and chemical releases.

“Great Lakes communities deserve a clean and healthy environment and these projects will help restore Great Lakes Areas of Concern,” said Pat Montanio, Director of NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation. “This work shows how the GLRI is making a difference for communities across the region.”

NOAA’s investment in the effort to restore aquatic habitat is part of a long-term effort to rebuild fisheries, many of which have declined from habitat loss, over-fishing and climate change. Recent successes show that restoring habitat is a way not only to stop the decline of fish populations, but also to regrow them to historic high numbers. 

Funded Projects: 

Maumee River Wetland Restoration at Penn 7 Project

Toledo, OH ($175,000 awarded to the City of Toledo)

Funding will support initial site characterization and feasibility study on the lower Maumee River to determine the restoration potential of 15.2 acres of emergent coastal/floodplain wetland habitat at the Penn 7 property site.

Rouge River – Henry Ford Estate Dam Fish Passage and 

Habitat Restoration Design Project

Dearborn, MI ($350,000 awarded to the Alliance of Rouge Communities)

Experts will determine the appropriate design to hydrologically reconnect 50 miles of the Rouge River and 108 additional miles of its tributaries to the Great Lakes system. Once implemented, this project will improve fish and wildlife habitat to promote healthy populations of desirable native fish, wildlife and bottom-dwelling organisms within the Rouge River Watershed.

Detroit River – Stony Island Habitat Restoration Project

Detroit, MI ($415,605 awarded to Friends of the Detroit River)

This is a multi-year project supporting the restoration of approximately 3,000 linear feet of habitat shoals, creation and protection of 50 acres of backwater habitat within Stony Island. This implementation project is a major step in completing a habitat re-construction among the islands in the lower part of the Detroit River.