Saving Seafood

High hopes to diversify US marine finfish aquaculture

March 13, 2019 — Spotted sea trout, wolffish, tripletail, California halibut, southern flounder, lumpfish and greater amberjack are amongst the prime candidate species that might allow for the US to diversify its marine finfish aquaculture sector.

So argued members of a distinguished panel of researchers during a special session of Aquaculture 2019 in New Orleans on 10 March – a session that offered some hope that diversification could help the country expand its marine finfish production and to reduce its $15 billion seafood deficit.

Eric Saillant from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Marine Aquaculture Centre, outlined the potential and pitfalls facing tripletail production, noting that “current data suggest that tripletail could become a successful species for commercial marine aquaculture, assuming that bottlenecks in the hatchery [phase] can be overcome.”

Read the full story at The Fish Site

Proposed Rule Would Reduce Red Grouper ACLs in South Atlantic Fisheries by 82%

April 6, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — In response to a 2017 assessment showing red grouper stock was overfished, undergoing overfishing and not making rebuilding progress, NMFS is proposing a dramatic reduction in the 2018 and 2019 annual catch limits for the stock.

Under the proposed rule, the total ACL for 2017 was 780,000 pounds, with 343,200 pounds allotted to the commercial sector. This year, those figures would drop to 139,00 pounds for the total ACL and 61,160 pounds for the commercial sector. The ACL in 2019 would increase slightly, to 150,000 pounds, with a corresponding commercial sector quota of 66,000 pounds. The ACL and sector amounts for 2020 would also increase slightly.

This is a cut of 82% vs. 2017.

NMFS is currently seeking comments on the proposed rule for Abbreviated Framework Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, which addresses red grouper in the South Atlantic. Comments are due by May 3.

The proposed rule is based on actions taken by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in June, September and December 2017. The reductions are based on a low-recruitment scenario. The expedited framework of this rule will adjust the ACLs for the next few years while the Council and NMFS finish development of Amendment 42 to the fishery management plan that is designed for comprehensive rebuilding of the red grouper stock.

Red grouper is typically a secondary species caught in association with targeted species such as snowy grouper, black sea bass, greater amberjack, snapper species and others, depending on the location. At the same time, red grouper landings have been declining in recent years.

In 2016, the commercial ACL was 343,200 pounds but fishermen landed only 13 percent, or 44,995 pounds. Landings in 2015 of 66,610 pounds were only 19 percent of the commercial ACL.

“The reduced level of observed landings is supported by anecdotal information received from commercial and recreational stakeholder who often state that red grouper are not being seen in large quantities in the South Atlantic,” documents for the April 2018 SAFMC meeting say. “A productivity regime shift and certain environmental factors could be driving the low observed numbers of fish, and the recent (since 2005) poor recruitment may or may not continue into the future … .”

The reductions are not expected to cause significant issues for the commercial sector since landings already have been dropping.

“With a large reduction in the ACL, commercial harvest of red grouper is expected to become primarily bycatch while fishermen target other snapper grouper species,” the Socio-Economic Profile of the Snapper Grouper Fishery in the South Atlantic Region document said. ” … While unlikely, a reduction in the red grouper ACLs could increase occurrences of regulatory discards if fishermen continue to encounter the species if the ACL is reached and possession and retention is prohibited.”

The Council documents also indicate an early closure of red grouper in 2018 is unlikely.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.   

 

Recreational Closure for Greater Amberjack in South Atlantic Federal Waters on October 31, 2017

October 27, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries: 

WHAT/WHEN:

The recreational harvest of greater amberjack in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, October 31, 2017.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2017 recreational catch limit is 1,167,837 pounds whole weight. Recreational landings have met the recreational catch limit.  According to the accountability measure, recreational harvest must close.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limits of greater amberjack in or from federal waters are zero. Because commercial harvest is also closed, the prohibition on harvest or possession of greater amberjack applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#_top.

Access this and other Fishery Bulletins from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office by clicking here.

 

Commercial Closure for Greater Amberjack in South Atlantic Federal Waters on October 18, 2017

October 13, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of greater amberjack in South Atlantic federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m. on October 18, 2017. During the commercial closure, harvest or possession of greater amberjack in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational fishery is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

  • The 2017 commercial catch limit is 769,388 pounds gutted weight. Commercial landings have met the commercial catch limit. According to the accountability measure, commercial harvest should close.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for greater amberjack does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 18, 2017, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6#se50.12.622_1190.

Access this and other Fishery Bulletins from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office by clicking here.

NMFS Puts Councils on Notice for Three Species Subject to Overfishing or are Considered Overfished

September 28, 2017 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The National Marine Fisheries Service has notified regional fishery management councils that three species are subject to overfishing, approaching an overfished condition or are overfished.

South Atlantic red grouper, Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack and Northwestern Atlantic witch flounder are on the list and regional councils must take steps to end overfishing and/or rebuild those stocks.

South Atlantic red grouper, under the South Atlantic Fishery management Council’s purview, is subject to overfishing and also overfished, according to the stock assessment finalized this year using data through 2015, NMFS said in a Federal Register notice. This assessment supports a finding of subject to overfishing because the current estimate of fishing mortality is above the maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT), and overfished because the spawning stock biomass estimate is less than the minimum stock size threshold (MSST).

Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack is subject to overfishing, NMFS said, based on a stock assessment update finalized in 2016. That assessment also used data through 2015. This assessment supports a finding of subject to overfishing because the current estimate of fishing mortality is above the MFMT. Furthermore, greater amberjack remains overfished because the spawning stock biomass estimate is less than the MSST.

Northwestern Atlantic witch flounder is still overfished and the overfishing status is unknown, NMFS said in the notice. The assessment peer review panel for this stock rejected the most recent benchmark assessment, finalized in 2017, using data through 2015.

“However, this stock is at historical low levels and other signs of poor stock condition support this stock remaining listed as overfished,” the NMFS notice said. “Lack of similar reliable indicators for overfishing status support changing the overfishing status of this stock to unknown.”

Witch flounder is under the New England Fishery Management Council’s jurisdiction. NMFS said the NEFMC must implement conservation and management measures to rebuild it.

Similarly, the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico fishery management councils must take action to end overfishing of red grouper and greater amberjack immediately and implement conservation and management measures to rebuild those stocks.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

Fishing rule gives regional councils more flexibility on catch limits

October 14th, 2016 — Recreation anglers could see more fishing opportunities under a new rule issued by the Obama administration Thursday that gives regional management councils more flexibility to set catch limits.

The rule, already under fire from environmental groups in a rare conflict with the administration, could help mollify the recreational industry and its Republican allies in Congress. They’ve been critical of the administration for not relaxing restrictions given the dramatic rebound of many fish stocks over the past few years.

Officials with the Fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the change, months in the crafting, strikes an appropriate balance between the needs of the economically vital recreational and commercial industry while not undermining the current law that has helped rescue dozens of once overfished stocks.

Re-authorization of Magnuson-Stevens a decade ago is credited with helping to rebuild 40 endangered stocks since 2000. Eight stocks came off the overfishing list in 2015 including greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico, thorny skate in the Gulf of Maine; and hogfish in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Read the full story at USA Today 

Commercial Harvest for Greater Amberjack in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Will Close on October 4, 2016

September 29, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

The commercial harvest for greater amberjack in South Atlantic waters will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) October 4, 2016, and will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on March 1, 2017. The 2016-2017 commercial quota for greater amberjack is 769,388 pounds gutted weight. Commercial landings are approaching the commercial catch limit and should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

The operator of a vessel that has been issued a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper and is landing greater amberjack for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such greater amberjack prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 4, 2016.

During the commercial closure:

  • Sale or purchase of greater amberjack is prohibited.
  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • Harvest or possession of greater amberjack is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.
  • The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of greater amberjack that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 4, 2016, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

This closure is necessary to protect the greater amberjack resources by preventing the commercial annual catch limit from being exceeded.

Commercial and Recreational Harvest of Almaco Jack, Banded Rudderfish, and Lesser Amberjack in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Will Close on August 9, 2016

August 3, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

Commercial and recreational harvest of the other jacks complex (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, and lesser amberjack) in Federal waters of the South Atlantic will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on August 9, 2016. Commercial and recreational harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2017. The 2016 catch limits for the other jacks complex are 189,422 and 267,799 pounds whole weight for the commercial and recreational sectors, respectively. Reports indicate that commercial and recreational landings are projected to reach their respective 2016 catch limits. Note that the other jacks complex does not include greater amberjack.

The operator of a vessel with a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper that is landing species in the other jacks complex for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such species prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time), August 9, 2016.

During the closure:

  • Harvest or possession of species in the other jacks complex is prohibited in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic.
  • Sale and purchase of species in the other jacks complex is prohibited in or from federal waters in the South Atlantic.
  • These bag and possession limits apply in the South Atlantic on board a vessel for which a valid federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in state or federal waters.