April 2, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The NOAA Navigator is a bi-monthly informational insert that we publish in Commercial Fisheries News.
The April issue of the Navigator is now available. Articles in this edition include:
Questions?
Contact Kate Swails, Regional Office, 978-282-8481
April 1, 2021 — Maine Marine Patrol officials and local fishermen have made headway over the last week in clearing fishing gear from a 23-mile long path being surveyed for an offshore wind development project, state marine officials say.
The monthlong survey for the New England Aqua Ventus project began earlier this month, but the presence of fishing gear on the path was making it difficult for the vessel conducting a survey of the seafloor to do its work, according to a project spokesperson and Maine Department of Marine Resources officials.
Fishermen were asked to move their gear in advance of the survey, but given the contentious issue of wind development of the Gulf of Maine, some fishermen felt they shouldn’t have to move their traps for a project that they feel threatens their livelihood.
March 30, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Reporting
As the recreational fishing season gets going, we are reminding all GARFO permitted vessel operators about the current reporting requirements:
Tilefish anglers on private vessels must submit their VTRs electronically for trips targeting or catching golden and blueline tilefish.
All fishermen can choose from several smart devices and web-based apps to report electronically. For more information and technical support, go to our Vessel Trip Reporting web page. You can also contact your local Port Agent
Upcoming Recreational Cod and Haddock Seasons
The recreational Gulf of Maine cod and haddock season opens on April 1. Read our notice for more information on these fisheries.
Slow Down for Whales
Endangered North Atlantic right whales have returned to Massachusetts waters. We encourage vessel operators to slow down to 10 knots or less to avoid deadly collisions with these whales. In some of these waters, speed restriction measures are in place and enforced. Learn more about federal and state speed restrictions and use the Whale Alert App to stay informed about right whale detections and Right Whale Slow Zones.
Questions?
Fishermen: Contact William Duffy, Analysis and Program Support Division, 978-290-1723
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175
March 24, 2021 — Acting on direction from Gov. Janet Mills, Maine’s marine resources commissioner on Wednesday asked captains who fish along a planned wind turbine cable survey route to voluntarily haul their gear, or he would have to tell the Marine Patrol to move it out of the way.
In a notice addressed to “Lobster harvesters who fish in or near the Monhegan survey route,” Pat Keliher sympathized with fishermen upset about the prospects of floating offshore wind projects coming to the Gulf of Maine. And he told them that a gear count done over the past day by the Marine Patrol found far fewer buoys in the survey path than a survey vessel had reported.
But there’s still too much gear inside the route for the survey vessel to do its work, Keliher said, noting that it was in everyone’s interest to complete the survey to determine if the cable can be buried. He asked fishermen to cooperate and remove any remaining gear for the next two weeks.
“The developer has committed to working with the department to ensure that fishing will be allowed around and over the cable route,” Keliher wrote to the lobstermen. “I hope that we can find a way forward to complete this survey and achieve that goal.”
March 24, 2021 — Federal fishing regulators are reopening the recreational fishery for cod in the Gulf of Maine for two weeks while they consider the future of the industry.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday that recreational anglers and for-hire vessel operators can harvest cod from the Gulf of Maine from April 1 to April 14. They’re limited to one cod per day.
Cod fishing was once the backbone of the New England economy, but the fishery collapsed after years of overfishing and is vulnerable to environmental changes. The New England Fishery Management Council has recommended status quo measures for recreational Gulf of Maine cod fishing for the 2021 fishing year, which starts May 1.
March 22, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Recreational anglers and for-hire vessel operators are reminded that this year cod may be harvested from the Gulf of Maine from April 1 through April 14. Anglers may harvest 1 cod per day with a minimum length of 21 inches during this season.
Additionally, anglers may begin harvesting haddock in the Gulf of Maine on April 1, with a limit of 15 haddock per angler per day, and a minimum length of 17 inches. Fishing for groundfish, including cod and haddock, is prohibited in the “Whaleback” Closure from April 1 through June 30.
The harvest of cod and haddock is permitted year-round outside the Gulf of Maine.
Anglers must release all cod and haddock that do not meet the minimum size requirements, or during seasons or in areas where their harvest is prohibited. Anglers are encouraged to use circle hooks to minimize discard mortality of released fish, and are also encouraged to target haddock or other abundant stocks to minimize unintended cod mortality. Anglers interested in targeting haddock this season are encouraged to use Massachusetts DMF’s Haddock Fishing Guide.
The New England Fishery Management Council has made recommendations for status quo recreational measures for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock for fishing year 2021, starting May 1, 2021. We are still considering the Council’s recommendation, and will make a determination soon.
Anglers can find out more about recreational groundfish regulations, including bag limits and seasons in federal waters, on our website. Other resources for recreational anglers in the Greater Atlantic Region can be found here.
March 18, 2021 — In 2005, Randy Cushman spent two days trolling through the Gulf of Maine, searching for Gary Thorbjornson’s body. Thorbjornson was family—not by blood, but in all the ways that really count. The men had grown up together, fishing the gulf’s waters since they were kids, and the intervening decades had sculpted their lives into similar shapes: careers in commercial fishing, marriages at about the same time, children of about the same age, and a tight-knit fishing community around Port Clyde, Maine.
While fishing on a foggy day in mid-July, the distress call came through: Thorbjornson’s boat was flooding, and the crew were panicking. “We have to get the fuck off this boat,” Thorbjornson yelled. By the time Cushman arrived, the crew, including Thorbjornson’s own son, were alive and safely aboard a rescue boat, but their fishing vessel was at the bottom of the ocean and Thorbjornson had vanished. The search began, hours lapsing into days as teams traversed the waters, looking for a body that might offer the Thorbjornson family a scrap of closure.
“His father called me, told me to stay,” Cushman says. “The coast guard gave up and then the other boats. I stayed like four to six hours longer and I called him back and said, ‘I can’t do this anymore. It’s killing me.’”
In Brunswick, Maine, 90 minutes west of Port Clyde, Monique Coombs has watched this silent stoicism play out over and over again in fishing communities. Coombs is the director of community programs for the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA), a nonprofit trade group dedicated to restoring commercial fishing in the Gulf of Maine. She’s seen fishermen just like Cushman endure the pain of lost loved ones, life-changing injuries, economic hardships, and the barrage of stresses endemic to the commercial fishing industry without seeking help, and she’s seen the legacy of depression and substance abuse that often follows. These problems have gotten worse, she says, ever since COVID-19 disrupted the state’s US $674-million seafood industry, shoving already unstable families even closer to financial collapse. But Coombs has a plan to fight back. Just over one year ago, her team won a grant to launch a pilot program aimed at addressing mental health in commercial fishing communities. The grant, awarded by the Fisher Charitable Foundation, is small—only $5,000, all of which goes to producing informational materials on managing anxiety and depression. But Coombs has much bigger ambitions.
March 10, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Effective on March 11, 2021, the new common pool possession and trip limits for Georges Bank (GB) cod, Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, GOM haddock, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder, American plaice, and witch flounder are summarized in the tables below. These increases are in effect through the end of the fishing year on April 30, 2021.
New FY 2020 Possession and Trip Limits
This action is intended to provide additional fishing opportunities and facilitate harvest of the common pool quotas.
For more details, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.
Questions?
Industry: Contact Spencer Talmage, Regional Office, 978-281-9232
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175
March 8, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA is announcing the availability of up to $1 million in funding in 2021 for projects to restore habitat for Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine region. The Gulf of Maine distinct population segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. It is also a Species in the Spotlight, one of nine species most at risk of extinction in the near future.
Atlantic salmon are an iconic species of the Northeast. They once returned by the hundreds of thousands to most major rivers along the northeastern United States. Now, they only return in small numbers to rivers in central and eastern Maine. These populations comprise the Gulf of Maine DPS.
Degraded habitat is one of the largest obstacles facing the recovery of threatened and endangered species like Atlantic salmon. Habitat restoration helps repair areas that have been destroyed by development, blocked by dams, or otherwise subjected to habitat destruction. Through funding and technical assistance, NOAA supports projects that restore the habitats that threatened and endangered species need to survive.
In addition to species recovery and rebuilding fish populations, habitat restoration projects yield community and economic benefits such as increased coastal resilience and recreational opportunities. Restoration projects also create an average of 15 jobs for every million dollars invested.
Proposals for this funding opportunity are due April 12, 2021. NOAA will accept proposals with a federal funding request between $300,000 and $1.5 million over a three-year award period. For more information, view the Fiscal Year 2021 Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants funding opportunity.
March 2, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Activity in the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) scallop fishery has steadily increased over the last few years. The Northeast Division of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement recognizes that many vessels relocate to the area for the season and may not be familiar with all of the federal scallop regulations.
Permit Renewal
All vessels fishing for scallops must have an active NGOM or Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) permit. The easiest way to renew your scallop permit is to fill out your forms electronically through your Fish Online account
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Requirements
All federally permitted NGOM and IFQ scallop vessels must have an operational Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). All trips must be declared through the vessel’s VMS prior to leaving port. The declaration for a NGOM trip should be SES-SCG-NGXDXX. In addition, all vessels must submit a Pre-Landing Report at least 6 hours before returning to port on each trip. For assistance with VMS requirements, please contact 978-281-9213.
Stellwagen Bank Scallop Closed Area
The Stellwagen Bank Closed Area is closed through fishing year 2021. This closure is to protect a substantial number of small scallops that have not recruited into the fishery.
Only One Landing Per Calendar Day
For example, if you complete a trip and land scallops midday on Monday, then depart for a second trip Monday afternoon, you cannot land scallops again until after midnight (i.e., Tuesday). However, you may return to harbor prior to midnight, but your vessel cannot land at any dock, land, or facility.
Selling to a Federally Permitted Dealer
Federally permitted vessels must sell to a federally permitted dealer. We understand COVID-19 may have impacted the market and many fishermen seek to sell directly to the consumer. However, to sell your scallops directly to the consumer you need a federal dealer permit. Please contact GARFO for questions and to obtain a federal dealer permit at 978-282-8438 or visit our website.