Saving Seafood

Russia Says Volume of King Crab in Barents Sea May Equal Far East in a Few Years; Cod Catches Drop

May 18, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Russia plans to significantly increase the harvest volume of cod and Kamchatka (King) crab in the Barents Sea during the next several years, according to recent statements of representatives from leading local producers and senior officials of the Russian Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo).

This year, however, the volume of cod catch in the Barents Sea in the Arctic zone of Russia is expected to be the lowest of the last five years due to the lack of productive year classes. This was confirmed by All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) Director, Kirill Kolonchin.

At the same time, according to Kolonchin, and in contrast to cod, the volume of production of Kamchatka crab in the Barents Sea may increase significantly. That increase is primarily due to the corresponding population growth of the stock that has been observed in recent years.

VNIRO experts predict the commercial stock of Kamchatka crab could reach the level of the Far East in the next five to 10 years, Kolonchin said:

“The main share in the catch volume in the Barents Sea is taken by cod [fishermen], the fishing stock of which increased from 1.5 million tons in 2006 to 4.3 million tons in 2013,” Kolonchin said. “However last year it fell to 2.5 million tons. Regulation of its catch in the Barents sea is carried out within the framework of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission (FNC). For the current year, total allowable catch is set at 782,000, of which 331,000 tons accounts for Russia.”

He specified in 2017 the Russian catch of cod in the Barents Sea amounted to 396,000 tons, while in 2013 it was 432,300 tons. In the coming years, further reduction of cod stocks in the Barents Sea is expected due to the lack of new productive year classes recruiting into the fishery.

At the same time, according to VNIRO data, current Kamchatka crab stocks in the Barents Sea are quite high. Since the beginning of Kamchatka crab fishing in 2004, there have been two peaks in crab numbers: in 2006-07, at about 80,000 tons, and in 2014-17, at about 90,000-100,000 tons. However, in 2010, when the reserves fell significantly, the total allowable catch of Kamchatka crab in the Barents Sea was reduced from 10,400 tons to 4,000 tons. That precautionary measure resulted in the rebound and increase of its commercial stock.

Kolonchin also said that data in 2017 showed the appearance of numerous crab reserves, which should ensure the continued growth of this stock in 2019 onward.

Experts of VNIRO also added that the Barents Sea currently has favorable conditions for the catch of haddock, saithe, black halibut, sea flounder, catfish, capelin and saika. For example, after a two-year ban on capelin in 2016-2017, harvest levels for the current year were recommended at 205,000 tons, 80, 000 tons of which are the set aside for the domestic quota.

This story was originally published on Seafood News, it is republished here with permission.

 

New England groundfishery gains MSC certification

May 17, 2018 — The haddock, pollock, and Acadian redfish trawl in the U.S. Gulf of Maine and Georges Banks officially received MSC certification on 10 May.

Two companies, Fisherman’s Wharf based in Gloucester, Mass.; and Atlantic Trawlers based in Portland, Maine; worked to receive the certification. After roughly a year and extensive assessments the fishery was approved as sustainable.

“With the MSC certification, the fishery can guarantee that the fish stocks are healthy, the fishery has minimal impact on the marine ecosystem, and there is effective, responsive, and responsible management in place,” MSC spokesperson Jackie Marks said.

Certification allows the two companies to use the MSC blue ecolabel on their products, something that the owners of both Atlantic Trawlers and Fishermen’s Wharf saw as a good way to expand their market reach.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

The Future of Fishing Is Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

May 10, 2018 — New England’s groundfish season is in full swing, as hundreds of dayboat fishermen from Rhode Island to Maine take to the water in search of the region’s iconic cod and haddock. But this year, several dozen of them are hauling in their catch under the watchful eye of video cameras as part of a new effort to use technology to better sustain the area’s fisheries and the communities that depend on them.

Video observation on fishing boats—electronic monitoring—is picking up steam in the Northeast and nationally as a cost-effective means to ensure that fishing vessels aren’t catching more fish than allowed while informing local fisheries management. While several issues remain to be solved before the technology can be widely deployed—such as the costs of reviewing and storing data—electronic monitoring is beginning to deliver on its potential to lower fishermen’s costs, provide scientists with better data, restore trust where it’s broken, and ultimately help consumers gain a greater understanding of where their seafood is coming from.

“Electronic monitoring is a tremendous tool,” says Brett Alger, national electronics technology coordinator for NOAA Fisheries. “It isn’t necessarily for everyone or every fishery,” but “we’re working collaboratively in all of our regions with fishermen on the ground to understand their needs. I expect it to grow.”

The technology is required for highly migratory longline species in the Atlantic (swordfish). It’s thriving in the Pacific coast groundfish industry, and dozens of other fisheries regions have pilot initiatives.

Read the full story at Civil Eats

 

Massachusetts: Gloucester fish seller, supplier earn sustainability certification

May 8, 2018 — Haddock, pollock and redfish — “The Big Three” — are getting a big new marketing edge from a little blue label.

“There’s a lot of them out there,” says Jimmy Odlin from the headquarters of his Portland, Maine-based AtlanticTrawlers Fishing. “We just needed to sell more of it. We knew we needed to expand our market and after researching, we decided that MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification was the best fit.”

The other half of Odlin’s “we” is Gloucester’s Nick Giacalone, who, along with brothers Chris and Vito Jr. have since 2008 shared the helm of Fishermen’s Wharf Gloucester on Rogers Street. And what the two men were after, the MSC certification label — the international gold standard for dealing in sustainably caught and processed seafood — does not come easily.

But after one solid year, “a lot of money and meetings,” a third-party assessment, internal research and finally, 350-odd pages of copious scientific and peer reporting, the pair announced this week that the much coveted little blue MSC “ecolabel” will now go on all haddock, pollock and redfish trawled from the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank by Atlantic Trawlers Fishing and landed at Fishermen’s Wharf.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

New England Haddock, Pollock and Redfish Trawl Fishery Achieves MSC Certification

May 8, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS —  The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has certified the New England haddock, pollock and redfish trawl fishery as sustainable.

Portland, Maine-based Atlantic Trawlers Fishing, who spearheaded the MSC certification efforts, confirmed the news on Monday.

“The MSC label is the gold star standard of certification and will assure our customers that these fish stocks are healthy and well managed,” Jim Odlin of Atlantic Trawlers said in a statement. “Our vessels – the Nobska, Morue, Harmony, Teresa Marie III and Teresa Marie IV – also use modified fishing gear to minimize the catch of other stocks, like cod, so we can maximize the catch of haddock, pollock and redfish.”

The MSC assessment concluded that the New England fishery management system is “robust and contains requirements that lead to the fulfillment of MSC principles.” The assessment also found that the fishery has extensive catch accountability and traceability systems, as well as strong science supporting the foundation for “rebuilding and maintaining abundant stocks of haddock and redfish, which were previously overfished.”

This story was originally published by Seafood News, it is republished here with permission.

 

NOAA Fisheries Sets 2018-2020 Catch Limits for Groundfish Stocks and Announces Other Management Measures for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

May 1, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Through Framework 57, we have set catch limits for 20 groundfish stocks for the 2018-2020 fishing years (May 1, 2018-April 30, 2020), including the 3 stocks managed jointly with Canada.

Framework 57 increases quotas for 11 stocks compared to 2017, including: Georges Bank cod (139%), Gulf of Maine cod (41%), and Gulf of Maine haddock (190%). Quotas are decreasing for nine stocks, including Southern New England yellowtail flounder (-75%) and Gulf of Maine winter flounder (-45%).

We expect increases in the quotas for Gulf of Maine cod, Gulf of Maine haddock, and Georges Bank cod to provide additional economic revenue and flexibility to the commercial groundfish industry. Overall, we expect the measures in Framework 57 to generate $9 million in additional gross revenues this fishing year compared to last year.

Framework 57 also:

  • Revises the way common pool quotas are split between trimesters for six stocks.
  • Modifies the Atlantic halibut accountability measures.
  • Changes the trigger for the scallop fishery’s accountability measure for the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder stock to when total catch exceeds the overall catch limit.
  • Revises the southern windowpane flounder accountability measure for the summer flounder, scup, and skate fisheries.
  • Sets a Georges Bank cod catch target of 138 mt for the recreational fishery and grants the Regional Administrator authority to set recreational measures for 2018 and 2019 to prevent the catch target from being exceeded. A separate rule implements new Georges Bank cod recreational measures.

Read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin on our website.

 

US Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank Waiting on MSC Final Consultation for Haddock, Pollock and Redfish

April 19, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The U.S. Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank haddock, pollock and redfish trawl fishery are one step closer to receiving Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.

A determination was reached by certification body Acoura Marine Ltd., who found that the fishery should be certified “according to the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fisheries.” However, the fishery must wait until the final consultation period has concluded before receiving their official MSC certification. Any party that disagrees with the determination has 15 working days to object in a written letter.

Objections must be submitted by May 9. The fishery will be able to use the MSC logo on their products once the final consultation period has ended without objections.

This story originally appeared on Seafood News, it it republished here with permission.

 

Matching grants open for sustainable groundfish projects

April 17, 2018 — The New England groundish fishery is one of the priority targets of a new grants program by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to promote innovation in sustainable fisheries. through “effective participation by fishermen and fishing communities.”

The Fisheries Innovation Fund program, funded by NOAA and three private foundations, is set to award up to $950,000 nationally. Most of the grants are anticipated to fall within the range of $50,000 to $100,000.

The program, however, noted that priority for funding will be given to projects in one of four local fisheries — New England groundfish, West Coast groundfish, Gulf of Mexico reef fish and Gulf of Alaska halibut and groundfish.

The grants will require 100 percent matching funds from recipients. The NFWF said in its announcement that eligible recipients include non-profits, state government agencies, municipal governments, educational institutions and individual businesses.

To date, according to NFWF spokesman Rob Blumenthal, the Fisheries Innovation Fund “has awarded grants totaling over $20.3 million to 127 projects across 26 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

Those awards generated more than $22.5 million in matching funds from recipients “for a total conservation impact of $42.8 million.”

The three foundations joining NOAA in providing the overall funding include two with strong ties to environmental and conservation groups — the Kingfisher Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation — as well as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation of Palo Alto, California, started by the founder of Intel.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

 

Fishermen, Environmentalists: Fight Over Monitors Not Over

April 6, 2018 — PORTLAND, Maine — Commercial fishermen and environmental groups agree that a longstanding dispute over the future of at-sea monitoring is far from over, despite recent funding help from Congress.

The monitors are on-board workers who collect data to help inform fishing regulations. The federal government moved the cost of paying for them to fishermen in some Northeast fisheries in 2016.

Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said last month that a budget bill finalized by Congressional leaders included about $10 million to pay for the monitors. That means fishermen of valuable New England species such as cod, haddock and sole won’t have to pay for the monitors this year.

But fishing groups, and the environmentalists who watch them, say the government and industry need to work together on a long-term solution to make paying for monitoring sustainable. Fishermen say they can’t afford the cost themselves, as it can add around $700 per day to the cost of fishing.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at US News

 

Don Cuddy: Proposed Magnuson Stevens changes are reasonable

April 2, 2018 — I am wondering how much commercial fishermen know about acting? At a guess I’d say probably as much, or as little, as most actors know about commercial fishing, even award-winning ones. This thought arose following the recent appearance in these pages of an opinion piece on fishery management by a member of the acting profession in an attempt to wield political influence.

The thespian in question is also an Oceana board member, a well-funded environmental group antithetical to America’s oldest industry. This group has been known to advance claims which fail to resonate with real scientists. One particularly misleading report ‘Wasted Catch,’ launched by Oceana on a credulous public in 2014, drew a letter of censure from all eight of our nation’s regional Fishery Management Councils. Among other things the letter stated:

“While we acknowledge that there are no laws requiring Oceana reports to accurately represent the best available scientific information or to undergo peer review, to do so would be in the best interest of all involved parties. This is why we suggest that you retract the report until it is reviewed and corrected.” http://www.mafmc.org/newsfeed/wasted-catch

The Magnuson Stevens Act which governs fisheries in federal waters requires reauthorization and it is currently under review. Changes proposed in a bill now before Congress were denounced by this Oceana advocate as “counter factual, anti-science, anti-conservation.”

The frothy plea to our congressman is for maintenance of the status quo in fishery management. And the argument carries weight because it comes from a well-known actor? Well sir, Nature isn’t listening. And the modest proposals in H.R 200, intended to remove some of the onerous provisions burdening our fishermen, have generated a predictable response from environmentalists who dismiss realities which do not fit their agenda. Change is needed.

The act as written, for example, calls for rebuilding all stocks to maximum sustainable yield simultaneously and imposes timeline to achieve that. I called my friend Dave Goethel for his take on that. “That ignores Nature. It’s a biological impossibility,” he said. “Something will always be overfished. The reason haddock are up and cod are down now is because they occupy the same ecological niche.”

Dave is a working commercial fisherman with a degree in marine biology who served two terms on the New England Fishery Management Council. He doesn’t act but he has been fishing for 50 years. Fishermen, he said, are simply hoping to introduce a little flexibility on these rigid rebuilding timelines which were imposed more or less arbitrarily when the act was written.

Read the full opinion piece at the New Bedford Standard-Times