Saving Seafood

NEFMC Considers Adjusting Skate Bait Trigger, Possession Limit

April 18, 2017 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has initiated a framework adjustment to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to consider alternatives for adjusting the skate bait threshold trigger and possession limit.

The Council’s Skate Committee recommended the action, and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) will provide assistance in developing the document. The framework will be narrowly focused, addressing only the trigger/possession limit issues. The Council anticipates taking final action at its June meeting and, if all stays on schedule, NMFS is aiming to implement the new measures in December.

Complications with this winter’s fishery led the Council to pursue a framework adjustment. On January 30, NMFS reduced the commercial per-trip possession limits for both the skate wing and skate bait fisheries to the following “incidental” levels:

Read the full release here

NOAA hosting hearings on funding fish monitors

September 21, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries has scheduled a number of public hearings in October and November, including one in Gloucester, to elicit public comment on the proposals for industry-funded monitoring programs for a variety of fisheries.

The schedule includes a public hearing at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office at 55 Great Republic Drive in Gloucester on Oct. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The other locations for the public hearings are Portland, Maine, on Oct. 20; Cape May, New Jersey, on Oct. 27; and Narragansett, Rhode Island, on Nov. 1. There also will be an online webinar Oct. 17.

The period for written public comments on the amendments being considered by the New England Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will stretch from Sept. 23 until Nov. 7.

“The Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils are developing an omnibus amendment to allow for industry-funded monitoring,” said the notice published Tuesday in the Federal Registry. “This amendment includes omnibus alternatives that would modify all of the fishery management plans managed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils to allow for standardized and streamlined development of future industry-funded monitoring programs.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

Monitoring The Catch Aboard Groundfishing Vessels

April 22, 2016 — While the feds used to pay for [at-sea] monitors, as of March 1st, fishermen have had to start footing the roughly $700-per-day cost.

John Bullard is Regional Administrator for NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fishery Office in Gloucester. His agency uses input from fishermen and scientists to set quotas and other regulations for the industry.

“It’s not that we wanted the industry to pay,” Bullard said. “We understand the hardship that the groundfish industry is under, believe me.”

Bullard explained that NOAA covered the costs of at-sea monitors for as long as it could. But that money is now gone. And he said the industry has had plenty of warning.

“We’ve been saying to industry, ‘You guys are gonna have to pay for this…not because we want you to, but because the money’s gonna run out.’ So this hasn’t been a sudden thing,” said Bullard.

Most groundfishermen now must scramble to come up with ways to pay for at-sea monitors. Meanwhile, others are trying another option: electronic monitoring with video cameras.

Read and listen to the full story at WCAI

NOAA Fisheries offering industry-related loans

March 30, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries is accepting applications from commercial fishermen and those in the aquaculture industry looking for a share of NOAA’s $100 million in lending authority designated for fiscal 2016.

The loans, which run from five to 25 years, have market-competitive interest rates.

Eligible applicants include those working in aquaculture, mariculture, shoreside fisheries facilities and commercial fishermen.

Potential uses for the funds among applicants from aquaculture, mariculture and shoreside fisheries facilities include purchasing an existing facility, improvements to an existing facility, new construction and reconstruction.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

Announcing 2016 Fishing Opportunities in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area

March 1, 2016 — We are announcing 2016 fishing opportunities in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area for U.S. fishing vessels.

Read the announcement as filed in the Federal Register.

Background

The United States is a Contracting Party to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization or NAFO. NAFO is an intergovernmental fisheries science and management body whose convention on Northwest Atlantic Fisheries applies to most fishery resources in international waters of the Northwest Atlantic. 

NAFO’s Fisheries Commission is responsible for the management and conservation of the fishery resources in its Regulatory Area.

What NAFO fishing opportunities are available to U.S. fishing vessels?

NAFO manages Atlantic cod, yellowtail and witch flounders, Acadian redfish, American plaice, Greenland halibut, white hake, capelin, shrimp, skates, and Illex squid. NAFO maintains conservation measures for these species (in its Regulatory Area), including catch limits that are allocated among NAFO Contracting Parties. 

Who can apply for these fishing opportunities?

Any U.S. fishing interests (e.g., vessel owners, processors, agents, others). 

How do I apply?

Send an expression of interest in writing to:

John K. Bullard

U.S. Commissioner to NAFO

NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930 

phone: 978-281-9315

John.Bullard@noaa.gov

For more information, read the Federal Register announcement, visit the NAFO website, or contact:

Michael Ruccio

NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930 

phone: 978-281-9104

fax: 978-281-9135

Michael.Ruccio@noaa.gov

The deadline is March 15.

ASMFC Approves Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring

February 8, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Herring. The Amendment refines the spawning closure system, modifies the fixed gear set-aside, and includes an empty fish hold provision contingent on federal adoption. The Amendment consolidates prior amendments (and associated addenda) and recent management decisions into a single document; it is now the comprehensive document for Atlantic herring management in state waters.

The Amendment allows for the use of a modified GSI-based spawning monitoring system to track reproductive maturity in an effort to better align the timing of spawning area closures with the onset of spawning. This new method will be tested and evaluated for effectiveness during the 2016 fishing season. If found to be ineffective the Section has the option to revert back to using the prior monitoring system. Default closure dates have been modified to late August or early October depending on the area. The spawning closure period remains four weeks.

Previously, the fixed gear set-aside was available to fixed gear fishermen through November 1, after this date the remaining set-aside became available to the rest of the Area 1A fishery. The November 1 date had been established because, typically, herring have migrated out of the Gulf of Maine by that time. Anecdotal evidence suggests herring are in the Gulf of Maine after November 1, therefore, fixed gear fishermen requested the set-aside be made available to them for the remainder of the calendar year. Under Amendment 3, fixed gear fishermen will now have access to the quota as long as the directed fishery is open.

Amendment 3 also requires fish holds to be empty of fish prior to trip departures. This measure, which is contingent on adoption in federal waters, seeks to minimize wasteful fishing practices and encourage harvest based on market demand. The New England Fishery Management Council has included a similar provision in its Framework Adjustment 4 to the Federal Atlantic Herring FMP. Framework Adjustment 4 is currently under review by NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office.

For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Agenda, NEFMC Meeting, December 1-3, Portland, ME

November 11, 2015 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting on Tuesday-Thursday, December 1-3 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring Street, Portland, ME.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

9:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Terry Stockwell, Council Chairman)

9:05 Reports on Recent Activities Council Chairman and Executive Director, NOAA Regional Administrator (Greater Atlantic Region), NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA Enforcement, and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council

11:15 Spiny Dogfish Report (Jason Didden, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council staff) Approve final action on the 2016-2018 fishery specifications and associated management measures

12:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:30 Open Period for Public Comments (Terry Stockwell) Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on issues that are relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda for formal discussion (speakers are asked to sign up beforehand and limit remarks to between 3-5 minutes)

1:45 Overview and Discussion of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s (NEFSC) Strategic Plan (Dr. Bill Karp, Science Director, NEFSC)

2:15 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Report (Dr. Jake Kritzer, SSC Chair)

  • Review and approve committee recommendations for an overfishing limit (OFL) and an acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the following: Atlantic sea scallops for fishing years 2016-2017; red hake for 2016-2017; most of the groundfish stocks in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for fishing years 2016-2018;
  • Receive SSC comments on NOAA’s Ecosystem-based Fishery Management Policy

3:45 Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management (EBFM) Committee Report (John Pappalardo)

  • Receive a progress report on the development of a prototype Fishery Ecosystem Plan
  • Review and finalize NEFMC comments on NOAA’s EBFM policy

**Public scoping hearing on Amendment 22 to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan** at 5:30 or immediately following adjournment of the Council meeting

The intent of the amendment is to establish a limited access program for the five small mesh stocks that are regulated via the NEFMC’s Groundfish Plan — two stocks of whiting (silver hake), two stocks of red hake, and one stock of offshore hake.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

8:30 a.m. Skate Committee Report (Libby Etrie) Approve final action on Framework Adjustment 3 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP); in addition to setting specifications, other measures may include possession limits and modifications to the seasonal management of the wing fishery

9:15 Thorny Skate Update (Kim Damon-Randall, NOAA Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office staff) Update on NOAA Fisheries’ follow-up activities associated with the petition to list thorny skate as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act

9:45 Groundfish Committee Report (Frank Blount)

  • Overview of the Greater Atlantic Region’s (GAR) Recreational Fishery Implementation Plan (GAR staff) Following a presentation, opportunity for the Council to develop formal comments on the plan
  • Recreational Fishery Measures, beginning at approx. 10:30 Develop final recommendations for Gulf of Maine haddock and Gulf of Maine cod recreational measures for fishing year 2016;
  • Framework Adjustment 55, beginning at approx. 11:15 Take final action on the 2016-2018 fishery specifications for 20 groundfish stocks, plus the three U.S./CA stocks for 2016 only; this framework also could include final action on multiple at-sea monitoring and other management measures

12:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:30 Groundfish Report/Framework Adjustment 55 – continue until meeting adjournment for the day

Thursday, December 3, 2015

8:30 a.m. Finalize NEFMC Management Priorities for 2016 (Executive Director Tom Nies)

10:00 Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Briefing (ACCSP staff) Program overview and update

10:45 Research Steering Committee Report (Mark Alexander) Request Council consideration of specific research recommendations for sea scallops and monkfish

11:00 Scallop Committee Report (Mary Beth Tooley)

  • Amendment 19 to the Sea Scallop FMP Take final action on an amendment that would allow earlier implementation of the sea scallop fishery specifications (now proposed as April 1)
  • Framework Adjustment 27 Take final action on fishing year 2016 specifications and default measures for fishing year 2017

12:00 p.m. Lunch Break

1:00 Scallop Committee Report – continued

3:00 Other Business

Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change. The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the meeting.

View a PDF of the Agenda

Ladders and Licenses: Fish Passages Play Role in Relicensing Hydroelectric Facilities

October 30, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

By Bill McDavitt, Integrated Statistics, under contract to Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Habitat Conservation Division

Hydroelectric facilities use the energy of river water spilling down the height of a dam to power turbines, which generate electricity. These facilities generally operate under a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the Commission). These licenses typically last a long time-30 to 50 years.

When licenses need to be renewed, we have an opportunity to review how the power plant operates, not just in terms of generating electricity but also in how it affects the environment. The Habitat Conservation Division works with these facilities to ensure that their operations are not harming diadromous fish and their habitats.

Read the rest of the story about how we work with hydropower facilities in our region to improve fish passages.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.

NOAA Fisheries Accepts Petition to List Thorny Skate under ESA

October 26, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

In response to a petition from Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) to list thorny skate (Amblyraja radiata) under the Endangered Species Act, we have prepared a 90-day finding. We accept the petition and are initiating a review of the status of the species.

The petition, which we received in May 2015, requested that we list a “Northwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment” or a “United States Distinct Population Segment” of thorny skate as threatened or endangered. The petition also requested a designation of critical habitat for thorny skate. 

The petitioners claim that the species numbers have been declining since the 1970s, and that the species is threatened by illegal landings, bycatch and discard mortality, inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms (related to fishing), global climate change and hypoxia, and natural stochastic events. 

We will now start a review of the status of the species to determine if listing the species or any potential distinct population segments is warranted. We are asking for public input through the Federal Register notice published today. 

You may submit information or data on this document by either any of the following methods: 

  • Online: Submit information and data via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Click the “Comment Now” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. 
  • Mail: Submit information and data to Julie Crocker, NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Protected Resources Division, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA.

The deadline for submissions is December 28.

Our determination will be published as a notice in the Federal Register within 12 months.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.

Thorny skate. Credit: NOAA/Tobey Curtis

NOAA Releases Interactive Atlantic Scallop Fishery Areas Map

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — August 7, 2015 — A new “story map” created by NOAA Fisheries’ Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) overviews the 2015 Atlantic sea scallop fishery regulations based on Framework 26 from as far north as Georges Bank in New England down to the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Implemented as of May 2015, these scallop fishery areas include open access areas, rotational closed areas, seasonal areas reserved for turtle conservation, transit declarations for ports, and gear modifications.

The story map gives viewers, “a quick tour of the regulations for the Scallop fishery as of May 2015,” and interactive features allow users to zoom in on areas of the map for more details on specific area closures. The map and accompanying website also provide information about gear restrictions, information for vessels operating Days-at-Sea trips, and the protocol fishermen need to follow after crossing Vessel Monitoring System Demarcation Lines. The map is color-coded and includes downloadable GIS shapefiles from all Greater Atlantic Region regulated areas, as well as links to specific management measures through an Electronic Code of Federal Regulations website.

View the interactive story map from NOAA Fisheries

Learn more about Atlantic Sea Scallops on NOAA Fisheries’ webpage