Saving Seafood

Higher catch limits proposed for haddock

February 20, 2020 — Northeast groundfishermen could have significantly more access to two haddock stocks, American plaice and pollock in the coming fishing season after the New England Fishery Management Council posted revised catch limits to the key stocks.

The council on Wednesday green-lighted triple-digit increases in 2020 catch limits for Georges Bank haddock (129%) and American plaice (100%), as well as a 45% increase in the catch limit for Gulf of Maine haddock as compared to 2019.

It also approved a revised catch limit for pollock that brings the stock’s catch limits closer to 2019 levels. Instead of the 63% reduction initially recommended by the council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee, the council approved a 36% reduction.

Those catch limits must be approved by NOAA Fisheries to go into effect for the new fishing season that begins May 1.

“All four stocks are healthy and well above their spawning stock biomass targets based on the latest assessments,” the council said in its statement on the revised catch limits.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

New England Council Seeks Contractor to Develop Groundfish ABC Control Rule Alternatives

February 19, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking the services of an independent contractor to develop alternatives for Northeast multispecies (groundfish) acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules. This is a medium-term, temporary contractor role, commencing in late March 2020 and expected to be completed by November 2020. Letters of interest and supporting materials must be received by March 18, 2020.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING: Thirteen groundfish species – some with separate geographic stocks – are managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) is required by law to recommend ABCs for each stock based on an ABC control rule. The Council establishes control rules in consultation with the SSC. These control rules account for scientific uncertainty in the overfishing limit (OFL) and the Council’s risk policy. The current ABC control rules are contained in Amendment 16 to the FMP, which was implemented in 2010. Given developments over the past decade, these control rules may not reflect best practices, changes in policy, lessons learned from experience, and modifications to the law. Therefore, the Council is revisiting the control rules.

WHICH STOCKS ARE INVOLVED: This contract will focus on groundfish stocks with analytic assessments as of 2019, which are: Gulf of Maine cod, Gulf of Maine haddock, Georges Bank haddock, American plaice, pollock, Georges Bank winter flounder, white hake, Acadian redfish, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder. The contract is limited to stocks with analytic assessments because a research track assessment in 2020 is expected to address stocks with empirical assessments.

WHAT’S EXPECTED: The contractor will work closely with representatives of the Council’s SSC, Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT), and Groundfish Committee. Since the Council establishes ABC control rules in consultation with its SSC, the contractor will analyze and evaluate a suite of suitable control rules but not recommend a specific one. At present, standard ABC control rules are applied to groundfish stocks with analytic assessments – the rules are not tailored for each stock – and this should be the approach tested by the contractor.

  • The contractor will prepare a report that evaluates the performance of the control rules against a range of metrics that will be identified by Council representatives.
  • The contractor will be expected to identify possible ABC control rules and test their performance in a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) framework. This should be a “desktop” MSE working closely with Council representatives.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS: The Council is looking for candidates that have familiarity with the U.S. federal fisheries management system, preferably in New England but this is not required. Additionally, among other skills, candidates should have: (1) extensive experience with analytic stock assessments and the use of simulation techniques to evaluate various ABC control rules and preferably be familiar with the stock assessment and projection models used for Northeast multispecies stocks; (2) a demonstrated ability to summarize complex policies and procedures in clear, easily read documents and through concise verbal discussions; (3) an advanced degree in a fisheries technical field, particularly in population dynamics, modeling, and stock assessment; and (4) a demonstrated ability to summarize conflicting information in an objective manner.

APPLICATION DETAILS: Interested professionals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, current resume or curriculum vitae, examples of similar work completed for other organizations or publications, and a budget with expected expenses no later than March 18, 2020.

  • A complete list of desired experience and demonstrated skills can be found in the solicitation announcement, along with application mailing/email addresses and other information.
  • NOTE: Candidates employed by advocacy organizations or by organizations that are parties in fishery lawsuits will not be considered.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Interested candidates may want to review:

QUESTIONS: For more information, contact Executive Director Tom Nies at (978) 465-0492 ext. 113, tnies@asmfc.org.

NEFMC Posts Draft Groundfish Framework 59 Update on Website

February 19, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has posted a revised draft of the preferred alternatives for Framework Adjustment 59 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan on its website. The draft includes updated tables that reflect the Scientific and Statistical Committee’s (SSC) acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for groundfish stocks for the 2020-2022 fishing years and the annual catch limits (ACLs) and sub-ACLs that stem from those recommendations.

A copy of the revised preferred alternatives is available here. The revised sub-ACLs are reflected in the tables at right and on page 2.

The Council signed off on Framework 59 during its December 2019 meeting. At the time, the Council approved 2020-2022 catch limits for most of the stocks in the groundfish complex based on the SSC’s ABC recommendations.

However, the Council voted to send four stocks back to the SSC for reconsideration – Gulf of Maine haddock, Georges Bank haddock, American plaice, and pollock. All four stocks are healthy and well above their spawning stock biomass targets based on the latest assessments

Read the full release here

PFMC: Reminder! Groundfish Management Team to hold webinar February 25, 2020

February 18, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s  Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will convene a webinar meeting to discuss items on the Pacific Council’s March 2020 meeting agenda.  The webinar will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2020 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.  The webinar end time is an estimate, the meeting will adjourn when business for the day is completed.  This meeting is open to the public.

Please see the Groundfish Management Team webinar notice on the Council’s website for participation details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Todd Phillips  at 503-820-2426; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

Cod, haddock anglers could get 2 extra weeks of fishing

February 10, 2020 — Recreational anglers of cod and haddock would receive two extra weeks of spring fishing in upcoming seasons under new measures recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council.

The council, in advancing its recommendations, followed the guidance of both its recreational advisory panel and groundfish committee concerning Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock.

The recommendations require approval by NOAA Fisheries, which said it expects to implement its recreational measures by the time the new fishing season dawns on May 1.

The council recommended no changes from the 2019 season for Georges Bank cod. The open season will be year-round, with a bag limit of 10 fish per day per angler and a minimum size of 21 inches.

For Gulf of Maine cod, the council recommended instituting a two-week spring open season — April 1 to 14 — in addition to the existing fall open season of Sept. 15 to 30.

The bag limit and minimum size for Gulf of Maine cod remain the same as 2019 — one fish per day per angler and 21 inches, respectively.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

New England council puts out Amendment 23 proposals

February 7, 2020 — Amendment 23 to the Northeast groundfish management plan will go out to public hearings this spring, featuring its unexpected possibility of 100 percent at-sea monitoring.

The New England Fishery Management Council says that number is just a starting point to discuss the costs of improving catch reporting — with onboard observers, or increasingly with electronic monitoring by onboard cameras looking over fishermen’s shoulders.

On Wednesday the council outlined the menu of alternatives that will be presented at those hearings, likely to be scheduled for late March and early April. The council will take in comments from that process to help it make final decisions at its June 23-25 meeting in Freeport, Maine.

The goal of the amendment is “to improve the reliability and accountability of catch reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery to ensure there is precise and accurate representation of catch,” including both landings and discards, according to the council.

Boosting at-sea coverage could be achieved by placing more observers on all trips, or alternatively with electronic monitoring, or EM as NMFS officials now refer to it.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NEFMC Votes to Send Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 out for Comment with Preferred Alternatives

February 5, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council voted on January 29 to send Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 out for public comment. The amendment contains numerous proposals, and the Council selected several “preferred alternatives” to help guide the public in supplying feedback. The hearings will take place this spring, likely in late March and April. The Council then will review all oral and written comments and take final action during its June 23-25 meeting in Freeport, ME.

The Council developed the amendment “to improve the reliability and accountability of catch reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery to ensure there is precise and accurate representation of catch.” Catch is defined as both landings and discards.

Read the full release here

New England council will examine 100 percent at-sea monitoring

February 5, 2020 — Requiring 100 percent at-sea monitoring coverage for the Northeast groundfish trips is part of the Amendment 23 proposal the New England Fishery Management Council will take to public hearing in the coming weeks.

The council approved a surprise motion by NMFS regional administrator Michael Pentony Jan. 29 at its meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., to move the long-awaited changes to the groundfish plan.

Pentony stressed that achieving 100 percent coverage is not his goal, but to spur a broader public discussion about monitoring and other reforms – which Pentony said could help provide more fishing opportunity.

“I want it to be very clear that I’m not making this motion because it’s my opinion or the agency’s opinion,” Pentony told council members. Making 100 percent coverage the preferred option will “provide a sense of what’s possible,” and a “good framework for discussion during the public hearing process,” he said.

It’s also the only option that would make possible the elimination of management uncertainty buffers, and making more groundfish available to catch, Pentony said.

“This doesn’t commit the council to action in June,” he added.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

When Environmentalists and the Fishing Industry Team Up, Ocean Habitats Win

February 4, 2020 — When it comes to threatened Pacific species, groundfish rarely get the glory. They are not as charismatic as orcas, nor is their life history as inspiring as salmon’s. As seas warm and the threats of climate change take effect, what these bottom-dwellers—and the cultures that depend on them—do have going for them is an incredible and unexpected comeback story.

Historically, the Pacific groundfish fishery was run as a derby—essentially a race for fish. By the 1970s, massive quantities of fish and bycatch were being hauled in via trawl nets all along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. But by the late 1990s, research began to reveal signs of overfishing among groundfish, which includes dozens of species that live near the ocean bottom, such as rockfish, roundfish, and flatfish. Since many of these species are long-lived, they are slow to grow and reproduce, meaning they’re also slow to recover from overharvesting. As the century turned, managers scrambled to close certain areas to fishing and reduce catch limits to prevent collapse.

“The first decade of the millennium, we were in sort of a frantic panic mode trying to gather more scientific information,” says Gretchen Hanshew, a fisheries management specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. At the same time, NOAA worked to rein in some exploitative fishing practices to make sure they weren’t creating future problems.

Still, in 2001, a coalition of environmental groups sued the federal government to step up the management of overfished species and won. The result was a sweeping closure of fishing areas considered essential fish habitat, many as a precautionary measure. Managers essentially froze the map on trawl fishing until they could get a better handle on what was happening where.

Read the full story at Yes Magazine

Alaska seafood industry faces challenges beyond harvest cuts: its workforce

January 31, 2020 — Amid ongoing declines of salmon returns, restrictions on harvest and collapsing groundfish stocks, Alaska seafood industry experts are concerned about something else too: the workforce.

The Alaska seafood workforce, both on boats and on shore, is aging, and fewer young people are going into careers in the industry. While the graying of the fishing fleet is in part because of the high cost of entry for permits, boats and equipment, there is also a looming shortage in processing plant workers.

Jay Stinson, president of the Alaska Research Consortium, a research organization supporting fisheries and marine science in the North Pacific, told the House Fisheries Committee on Jan. 23 that about 75 percent of the state’s manufacturing workforce is in the seafood industry. However, those workplaces are changing from what they were a few decades ago, when unskilled labor dominated.

“(Processors are) moving from the old slime line, which was unskilled labor, to a technical skill set requiring computer sciences, robotic operators and programmers, maintenance people, things like that,” he said. “Those skill sets are in really big demand, but there’s no place in the state to get that training.”

While the University of Alaska has some courses in fisheries technology and skill sets that would be useful to processors, there is no training program that specifically focuses on those skills as related to the seafood industry.

Read the full story at the Alaska Journal of Commerce