Saving Seafood

September 2021 PFMC (online) meeting notice and agenda now available

August 9, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC or Council) and its advisory bodies will meet September 8-11 and 13‐15, 2021 by webinar only, to address issues related to groundfish, ecosystem, highly migratory species, salmon, Pacific halibut, and administrative matters.

Please see the September 2021 Council meeting webpage for further updates and details regarding webinar participation; schedule of advisory body meetings, our E-Portal for submitting public comments, and public comment deadlines. There will be no meetings scheduled Sunday September 12th, however, the meeting will continue daily on Monday, September 13 at 8 a.m. through Wednesday September 15, 2021. Meetings of advisory bodies will also be conducted by online meetings based on the schedules in the agenda.

Instructions for how to connect to the online meetings will be posted on the Council’s September 2021 meeting webpage prior to the first day of the meeting.

For further information:

PFMC Groundfish Subcommittee of the SSC to hold online meeting August 17, 2021

July 28, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council)  Groundfish Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to review new groundfish stock assessments. The online meeting will be held Tuesday, August 17, 2021, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time.

Please see the meeting notice on the Pacific Council’s website for additional details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer John DeVore at 503-820-2413; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

PFMC Groundfish Management Team to hold online meeting August 31, 2021

July 27, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council’s September 2021 meeting agenda.  This meeting is open to the public. The online meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 31 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.  The scheduled ending time for this GMT meeting is an estimate, the meeting will adjourn when business for the day is completed.

Please see the meeting notice on the Council’s website for details.

For further information:

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

NOAA Fisheries Sets Management Measures for Northeast Multispecies

July 27, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Effective Today

We are approving the previously proposed Framework 61 developed by the New England Fishery Management Council that sets or adjusts catch limits for groundfish stocks for the 2021 fishing year (May 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. For 2021, Framework 61 decreases six stock quotas, and increases four stock quotas compared to 2020. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2020 and are intended to help prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks.

This action also revises the status determination criteria for Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, implements a revised rebuilding plan for white hake, and implements a universal exemption to allow sectors to target redfish.

Read the final rule as published in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin.

Read the full release here

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Thursday, July 29, 2021 – Skate, Groundfish, Scallop, Social Science Issues; Guidance for Data Limited Stocks

July 21, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to skates, social and economic information in recent groundfish and scallop actions, federal guidance under National Standard 1 for developing annual catch limits for data limited stocks, and ABC control rules for groundfish.  The public is invited to listen live.  Here are the details.

WHEN:  Thursday, July 29, 2021

START TIME:  9:00 a.m.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 930-5321.  The access code is 971-717-154.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA:  More specifically, the SSC will meet to:

  • Review information presented by the Council’s Skate Plan Development Team (PDT) and develop acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for the Northeast Skate Complex for fishing years 2022-2023;
  • Receive a presentation on the SSC Social Science Subpanel’s review of social and economic information in Groundfish Framework Adjustment 59 and Scallop Framework Adjustment 32;
  • Discuss comments on the document titled NOAA/NMFS NS1 [National Standard 1] Technical Guidance Subgroup 3 Tech Memo, which addresses annual catch limits (ACLs) for data-limited stocks;
  • Discuss approaches for modifying ABC control rules for the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan; and
  • Consider other business as necessary.

COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.  Address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org.  Additional information is available in the meeting notice.

MATERIALS:  All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC July 29, 2021 meeting webpage.

QUESTIONS:  Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

NEFMC Receives Updates on Offshore Wind, Atlantic Herring, EBFM; Approves 2021-2025 Research Priorities

July 9, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met June 22-24, 2021 by webinar. In addition to the actions the Council took on scallops, groundfish, and skates, here are other important highlights.

Habitat/Offshore Wind – The Council received offshore wind presentations from three different agencies.

  • The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) covered how NOAA Fisheries cooperates and coordinates with other agencies on wind issues, develops checklists to help guide analyses of socio-economic impacts on fishing communities, as well as Endangered Species Act biological assessments and other analyses, conducts essential fish habitat (EFH) consultations and EFH mapping, and more;
  • The Northeast Fisheries Science Center focused on offshore wind impacts on federal scientific surveys and the associated implications; and
  • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) provided a broad overview of offshore wind energy projects throughout the Atlantic region.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Receives Cod Stock Structure and Groundfish ABC Control Rule Updates; Initiates Framework 63

June 28, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council covered three groundfish topics during its June 22-24, 2021 meeting that all addressed this year’s management priorities for Northeast multispecies. The Council:

  • Received an update on work being done to evaluate alternative acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules for groundfish, also referred to as harvest control rules;
  • Initiated Framework Adjustment 63 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which includes specifications and management measures for fishing years 2022 to 2024; and
  • Received a progress report on a two-part series of workshops related to Atlantic cod stock structure.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule: Framework 61 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

June 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are seeking public comment on an action developed by the New England Fishery Management Council that would set or adjust catch limits for groundfish stocks for the 2021 fishing year (May 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. For 2021, Framework 61 would decrease six stock quotas, and increase four stock quotas compared to 2020. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2020 and are intended to help prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks.

This action would also revise the status determination criteria for Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, implement a revised rebuilding plan for white hake, and implement a universal exemption for sectors to target redfish.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal.

The comment period is open through 07-09-2021.

As Marine Fish Shift With Climate Change, Scientists Work Across Borders to Ensure Sustainability

June 23, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The cold waters of the eastern Bering Sea support some of the world’s largest and best-managed commercial fisheries. Sustainable management of these fisheries is founded on scientific information provided by Alaska Fisheries Science Center groundfish surveys. New collaborative research is providing information to ensure accurate local estimates of fish abundance in a changing Bering Sea.

Recent rapid, large-scale movements of fish driven by unprecedented warming in the Bering Sea have created a challenge for survey scientists. As fish populations track their preferred conditions, they are shifting northward and westward, likely beyond historical survey boundaries.

“To maintain sustainable fisheries, managers need to understand how climate is influencing how many fish there are and where they are. As fish populations shift in response to changing ocean conditions, we need to adapt and expand our surveys to provide accurate information that represents the entire population,” said Cecilia O’Leary, NOAA Fisheries biologist, Alaska Fisheries Science Center.

Read the full release here

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Tuesday, June 8, 2021 – Groundfish and Council Research Priorities

June 1, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to groundfish and the Council’s updated list of research priorities.  The public is invited to listen live.  Here are the details.

WHEN:  Tuesday, June 8, 2021

START TIME:  9:00 a.m.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (562) 247-8422.  The access code is 272-665-980.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA:  The SSC will meet to:

  • Discuss possible next steps for modifying groundfish acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules in response to findings in the report titled Evaluation of Alternative Control Rules for New England Groundfish;
  • Comment on the Council’s 2021-2025 Research Priorities; and
  • Consider other business as necessary.

COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Friday, June 4, 2021.  Address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org.  Additional information is available in the meeting notice.

MATERIALS:  All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC June 8, 2021 meeting webpage.

QUESTIONS:  Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.