Saving Seafood

Public hearings slated for fish monitoring amendment

July 15, 2020 — With COVID-19 still looming, the New England Fishery Management Council has crafted an array of digital alternatives to help commercial fishermen understand the options contained in the long-discussed and critical Amendment 23 that will set monitoring levels in the groundfish fishery.

The council, which expects to take final action on the measure at its September meeting, has moved the Amendment 23 public hearings to online webinars and has produced an online tutorial to help the webinar uninitiated participate and develop informed comment. It plans a narrated digital presentation on the measure and has scheduled “Amendment 23 outreach office hours” when fishermen can call in or participate via webinar with questions for council staff.

Given the complexities of the measure, however, fishing stakeholders said the council should continue to search for a way to safely hold at least some of the remaining public hearings in person to accommodate industry members not as well versed with the digital world.

“This is such an important and significant action that we hope the council will do everything possible to hold traditional public hearings, but with safe distancing and all the other precautions we need to take,” said Jackie Odell, executive director of the Gloucester-based Northeast Seafood Coalition. “Taking it all online might be fair to some members of the industry, but not to all.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 Public Outreach – July and August Lineup

July 13, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will be taking final action on Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 during its September meeting. The amendment is intended to improve catch monitoring and reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery.

The Council has scheduled a series of public hearings in July and August that will be held by webinar. In order to help fishermen and other stakeholders prepare for these hearings, the Council has lined up a number of outreach efforts to make it easier for everyone to participate in the webinar hearings and become more familiar with the Amendment 23 proposed alternatives in advance of the actual hearings.

“We encourage everyone to take advantage of these opportunities,” said Council Executive Director Tom Nies. “Join the practice webinar. Call our groundfish staff during the Amendment 23 office hours. Ask questions. Watch the narrated video of the presentation, which we’ll be posting online soon. We’re doing everything we can to make sure the public is aware of all the alternatives in the document and that everyone feels comfortable giving us their comments.”

Read the full release here

Seafood Industry Sinking From Virus Fallout Pleads for Bailouts

July 10, 2020 — Seafood processors and fishers struggling with falling prices and disappearing markets during the coronavirus pandemic are pushing for federal bailouts following a government directive to send aid to New England’s lobster industry.

“We’re all scared. We’ve got tons of money wrapped up in these businesses,” said Nick Muto, the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance chairman and an independent small-boat captain dealing in groundfish and lobster. “We’re definitely hoping for some help here from the federal government,” Muto added. “But I’m leery to bet on it.”

Restaurant closures, mandated by local officials nationwide to slow the rate of infection, decimated seafood vendors’ sales. Now, some states beginning to relax restrictions are seeing a resurgence of Covid-19 cases—just as the industry tries to recoup its losses.

Read the full story at Bloomberg Law

NEFMC Discusses Skates, Atlantic Herring, Red Hake, EBFM, Habitat, and Research Priorities at June Meeting

July 10, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met June 23-25, 2020 by webinar. In addition to the news already released about groundfish, monkfish, and scallops, here’s an overview of the other issues the Council worked on during this meeting.

Research Priorities: After considering input from its various fishery-related committees and the Scientific and Statistical Committee, the Council agreed to submit an updated list of Research Priorities and Data Needs for 2020-2024 to NOAA Fisheries.

Skates: At the end of last year, the Council tasked its Skate Committee with defining a clear problem statement, goals, and objectives for Draft Amendment 5 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The amendment is being developed to consider whether limited access is appropriate for the skate wing and/or skate bait fisheries. The committee worked on this task in late-March using additional data provided by the Skate Plan Development Team. The Council reviewed the new problem statement, along with an additional objective, and discussed whether it wanted to continue pursuing the development of a limited access program for skates. The Council did not approve the problem statement but agreed to have the committee continue to work on its initial tasking.

Read the full release here

MASSACHUSETTS: Senator Tarr Letter on NOAA ASM Waivers

July 2, 2020 — The following is an excerpt from a letter from Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr to multiple federal regulators in regards to at-sea monitor waivers:

The current waiver from the requirement of At Sea Monitoring (ASM) in the Northeast groundfishery is a critically important safeguard not only for the health and safety of those engaged in this fishery, but also for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 crisis, and should not be ended as our nation continues to confront devastating impacts of this disease. Accordingly, I write to join with Congressman Moulton and Congress Keating and the Massachusetts Fishing Partnership to request that you extend this waiver and the essential health protections that it provides.

Read the full letter here

NEFMC Schedules Groundfish Amendment 23 Final Action; Discusses COVID-19, Cod Issues

June 29, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council addressed numerous groundfish-related items as it wrapped up its June 23-25, 2020 webinar meeting. Here are the highlights.

Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23: This amendment is intended to improve catch monitoring and reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery. The Council has held three public hearings to date by webinar – one in April and two in May – and is now scheduling more public hearings for July and August. The public comment deadline has been extended through August 31, 2020. The Council will take final action at its September meeting.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Calendar: Here’s the June 2020 AP and Committee Meeting Lineup – Join Our Webinars

June 3, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled several advisory panel (AP) and committee meetings during the first three weeks of June to address actions related to Atlantic herring, Atlantic sea scallops, groundfish, whiting/red hake, research priorities, and ecosystem-based fishery management. All meetings will be conducted by webinar. The results will be discussed by the full Council when it convenes June 23-25, 2020, also by webinar. Here’s the June lineup.

WHITING/RED HAKE – Thursday, June 4: The Council’s Whiting Committee and Whiting AP will meet jointly to discuss proposed alternatives for rebuilding southern red hake, as well as other issues.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule: Framework 59 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

May 29, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are seeking public comment on an action that would set or adjust catch limits for groundfish stocks for the 2020 fishing year (May 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2019.

Framework 59 would also adjust the allocations of the total quota between the commercial and recreational fishery for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. The proportion of quota allocated to the recreational fishery would increase from 33.7% to 37.5% for Gulf of Maine cod, and would increase from 27.5% to 33.9% for Gulf of Maine haddock.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. Comments are due by June 15, 2020.

Don’t Forget: Groundfish Advisory Subpanel and Management Team Webinar on Scenario Deepening, May 28

May 26, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

As part of its Climate and Communities Initiative (CCI) the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is sponsoring a series of webinars with its advisory bodies, which are open to the public.

The webinar with focus on groundfish will be held on the following date and time:

  • Groundfish Advisory Subpanel and Management Team: Thursday, May 28, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Please see the CCI “Scenario Deepening” groundfish webinar notice on the Council’s website for materials and public participation details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Dr. Kit Dahl at 503-820-2422; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

Industry Spoke and We Listened: Communications Effort Focuses on Groundfish Monitoring and Amendment 23 Development

May 20, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries collaboratively manages U.S. fisheries with fishery management councils, fisheries commissions, and state partners. The New England Fishery Management Council is developing Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Through this amendment, the Council is evaluating the current groundfish monitoring program and considering changes to improve the monitoring system. Early discussions during the development of Amendment 23 revealed that industry members wanted more information about our current monitoring system. The groundfish monitoring system is complex, and since the at-sea monitoring program is industry-funded, changes to this program have implications for the industry. Communication is key to our work and we always strive to do a better job communicating about our programs and systems. The development of this amendment presents an opportunity for us to improve understanding about our monitoring programs. We can also help industry and other stakeholders engage in the development of Amendment 23.

Creating a Plan to Improve Communication about Monitoring and Amendment 23

In 2018, we contracted with a team of public outreach specialists from Vision Planning and Consulting, LLC (VPC). They helped us develop a strategic communications plan to improve the way we communicate about groundfish monitoring and Amendment 23. We developed the plan to ensure that members of the industry, particularly those who may not always participate in Council meetings, have the information they need to engage meaningfully in the management process.

Read the full release here