Saving Seafood

‘Uptick’ in horseshoe crab population but numbers still not great, expert says

November 13, 2020 — Researchers scouring beaches from Brooklyn to Montauk found nearly four times the number of horseshoe crabs than they did last year, but a lead scientist said it’s little cause for celebration.

The annual survey, conducted during the crabs’ prime breeding season of May to August by the Center for Environmental Research and Coast Oceans Monitoring at Molloy College, found 957 horseshoe crabs this year compared with last year’s 16-year low of just 243. This year’s number is also the highest in the past four years: 2,202 were found in 2016.

On Long Island, iconic horseshoe crabs are used not for food but chiefly as a bait, to catch whelks, also known locally as conch, and eels. Whelks have been important to Long Island fishermen after the large drop-off in the Long Island lobster population.

State regulators say the 2020 commercial harvest was down, but they are still analyzing population data. A 2019 assessment by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission found the New York horseshoe crab population to be in “poor condition.”

Read the full story at Newsday

ASMFC September/October 2020 issue of Fisheries Focus Now Available

November 12, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The September/October 2020 issue of ASMFC Fisheries Focus is now available at http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5fad9e9dFishFocusSeptOct2020.pdf

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Upcoming Meetings
page 2

Report from the Chair
page 3

Species Profile
American Lobster
page 4

Fishery Management Actions
Atlantic Cobia
Horseshoe Crab
Spiny Dogfish
page 6

Science Highlight
ACFHP Launches Fish Habitat Conservation Area Mapping and Prioritization Project
page 10 

On the Legislative Front
U.S. Congress Advances Marine Debris and Conservation Bills
page 11

ACCSP Facilitates Compromise for Meeting Federal Dual-permitted VTR Requirements
page 12

Employee of the Quarter
page 13

Comings & Goings
page 13

Past issues of Fisheries Focus can be found at http://www.asmfc.org/search/%20/%20/Fishery-Focus

ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Board Sets 2021 Specifications for Horseshoe Crabs of Delaware Bay Origin

October 21, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board approved the harvest specifications for horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay origin. Under the Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework, the Board set a harvest limit of 500,000 Delaware Bay male horseshoe crabs and zero female horseshoe crabs for the 2020 season. Based on the allocation mechanism established in Addendum VII, the following quotas were set for the States of New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia, which harvest horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay origin:

The Board chose a harvest package based on the Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committee’s and ARM Subcommittee’s recommendation. The ARM Framework, established through Addendum VII, incorporates both shorebird and horseshoe crab abundance levels to set optimized harvest levels for horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay origin. The horseshoe crab abundance estimate was based on data from the Benthic Trawl Survey conducted by Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). This survey, which is the primary data source for assessing Delaware Bay horseshoe crab abundance, does not have a consistent funding source. Members of the Delaware and New Jersey U.S. Congressional Delegations, with the support of NOAA Fisheries, have provided annual funding for the survey since 2016.

For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0740 orcstarks@asmfc.org.

Horseshoe crabs have a vital role in the development of a coronavirus vaccine. Here’s why

September 22, 2020 — Allen Burgenson had a job, his father explained as they stood on the sand.

This was Allen’s first fishing trip, but he wasn’t going to take anything from the bay. He was to return the water’s gifts to the deep, where they’d belonged for hundreds of millions of years.

If he spotted a horseshoe crab on its back, his father said as he held Allen’s hand, that meant it was in trouble and needed Allen’s help to get home. Allen just had to flip it over. Its 10 legs could make it the rest of the way back to the crashing waves.

Allen did just that on that day in 1963 in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, when he was 3 years old. That’s what he still does today. Whenever Burgenson enjoys a stroll along the East Coast, he is still a lookout for the stranded sea creature that’s unlike anything else on the planet.

In 1963, Burgenson didn’t know that inside each of those ancient animals he saved was something that would help save millions of us during his lifetime.

In 2020, the horseshoe crab is poised to assume a vital role in a drug the whole world awaits, a COVID-19 vaccine.

Read the full story at USA Today

ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Board Sets 2020 Specifications for Horseshoe Crabs of Delaware Bay Origin

October 30, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board approved the harvest specifications for horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay origin. Under the Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework, the Board set a harvest limit of 500,000 Delaware Bay male horseshoe crabs and zero female horseshoe crabs for the 2020 season. Based on the allocation mechanism established in Addendum VII, the following quotas were set for the States of New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia, which harvest horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay origin:

The Board chose a harvest package based on the Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committee’s and ARM Subcommittee’s recommendation. The ARM Framework, established through Addendum VII, incorporates both shorebird and horseshoe crab abundance levels to set optimized harvest levels for horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay origin. The horseshoe crab abundance estimate was based on data from the Benthic Trawl Survey conducted by Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). This survey, which is the primary data source for assessing Delaware Bay horseshoe crab abundance for the past two years, as well as the ongoing benchmark stock assessment, does not have a consistent funding source. However, due to the efforts of three Senators and six Representatives – namely, Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Tom Carper (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ); and Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) – and the support of NOAA Fisheries, annual funding for the survey has been provided since 2016. They have also requested that NOAA Fisheries incorporate the survey into the agency’s annual budget.

For more information, please contact Dr. Michael Schmidtke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0740 or mschmidtke@asmfc.org.

ASMFC 2019 Summer Meeting Preliminary Agenda & Public Comment Guidelines

June 17, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please find attached and below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2019 Summer Meeting, August 6-8, 2019, in Arlington, VA. The agenda is also available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting. Materials will be available on July 24, 2019 on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting.

A block of rooms is being held at The Westin Crystal City, 1800 S. Eads Street, Arlington, VA  22202. Cindy Robertson will make Commissioner/Proxy reservations and will contact you regarding the details of your accommodations. Please notify Cindy of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.

For all other attendees, please reserve online via Star Group Website at http://www.starwoodhotels.com/ or call The Westin Crystal City at 703.486.1111 as soon as possible and mention the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to obtain the group room rate of $179.00 plus tax single/dbl. Please be aware you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment. Hotel reservations must be made by Sunday, July 7, 2019.  Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date.  If you are being reimbursed by ASMFC for your travel, please make your reservation directly with the hotel. Reservations made through travel websites do not apply toward our minimum number of required reservations with the hotel. Please note, cancellations at The Westin must be made by 4:00 p.m. two days prior to arrival to avoid penalty and an early departure fee of $100.00 will apply when checking out prior to the confirmed date. If you have any problems at all regarding accommodations please contact Cindy at 703.842.0740 or at crobertson@asmfc.org.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

 Summer Meeting

August 6-8, 2019

The Westin Crystal City

Arlington, Virginia

Preliminary Agenda

 The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of the time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein. 

 Tuesday, August 6

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.                     Executive Committee 

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners only)

  • Consider Policy Addressing Non-Payment of State Assessments
  • Consider Proposed Revision to the Annual Report
  • Update on Transitioning the For-hire Telephone Survey to State/ACCSP Conduct
  • Discuss Commission Involvement in Biosecurity and Bait Sources

10:15 a.m. – Noon                   South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board 

  • Consider Approval of Atlantic Cobia Amendment 1
  • Progress Update on Draft Addenda for Atlantic Croaker and Spot Traffic Light Analyses
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for Atlantic Cobia, Atlantic Croaker, and Red Drum

Noon – 1:00 p.m.                     Lunch

1:00– 2:00 p.m.                        American Eel Management Board  

  • Review Board Working Group Recommendations on Addressing Coastwide Cap Overages
  • Review and Consider Approval of Aquaculture Proposals

2:15 – 3:15 p.m.                       Horseshoe Crab Management Board 

  • Consider Potential Management Response to the 2019 Benchmark Stock Assessment
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.                       Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

  • Progress Update on Menhaden Single Species and Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Stock Assessments
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports
  • Set 2020 Atlantic Menhaden Fishery Specifications

Wednesday, August 7

8:30 – 11:15 a.m.                     Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

  •                   Review Potential Black Sea Bass Commercial Management Strategies and Consider Initiating Management Action to Address Commercial Allocation
  •                   Progress Update on the Recreational Management Reform Working Group
  •                   Update on Management Strategy Evaluation of Summer Flounder Recreational Fishery Project
  •                   Discuss Discard Mortality

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.              Committee on Economics and Social Sciences

  • Review Ongoing Committee Activities
  • Discuss Efforts to Increase the Availability and Use of Socioeconomic Information in Management
  • Review Committee Input on the Commission’s Draft Risk and Uncertainty Policy

11:30 – 12:30                            Spiny Dogfish Management Board

  • Consider Approval of Draft Addendum VI for Public Comment
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.                     Lunch

1:15 – 3:15 p.m.                       Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

  • Review 2019 Performance of the Stocks Report
  • Review and Consider Approval of ISFMP Guiding Documents
  • Update on American Lobster Enforcement Vessel
  • Committee Reports
  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)

3:15 – 3:30 p.m.                       Business Session 

  • Consider Approval of Atlantic Cobia Amendment 1
  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.                       Tautog Management Board

  • Review Implementation Guidelines for the Commercial Harvest Tagging Program
  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

Thursday, August 8

8:30 – 11:30 a.m.                     Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board  

  • Consider Approval of Draft Addendum VI for Public CommentMid
  • Consider Postponed Motions from the April 2019 Meeting:

Main Motion: Move to initiate an Amendment to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan to address the needed consideration for change on the issues of fishery goals and objectives, empirical/biological/spatial reference points, management triggers, rebuilding biomass, and area-specific management. Work on this Amendment will begin upon the completion of the previously discussed Addendum to the Management Plan.

Motion made by Mr. Luisi and seconded by Mr. Clark.

Motion to Amend: Move to amend to add reallocation of commercial quota between states.

Motion made by Mr. Pugh and seconded by Mr. Reid.

  • Review and Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports

 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.         Lunch

12:30 – 5:00 p.m.                     NOAA Fisheries Wind Power Workshop for New England and Mid-Atlantic Commissioners

Public Comment Guidelines

With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity for the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will use a speaker sign-up list in deciding how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).

1.   Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included in the briefing materials.

2.   Comments received by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday immediately preceding the scheduled ASMFC Meeting (in this case, the Tuesday deadline will be July 30, 2019) will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.

3.   Following the Tuesday, July 30, 2019 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail, fax, and email.

ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Board Approves Benchmark Stock Assessment for Management Use

May 3, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The 2019 Horseshoe Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment evaluated the stock status of the resource by region, finding populations within the Delaware Bay and Southeast regions remaining consistently neutral and good, respectively, through time. The Northeast region population has changed from poor to neutral, while the status of the New York region population has trended downward from good, to neutral, and now to poor. The Benchmark Assessment was endorsed by the Peer Review Panel and accepted by the Horseshoe Crab Management Board (Board) for management use.

To date, no overfishing or overfished definitions have been adopted for management use. For the assessment, biological reference points were developed for the Delaware Bay region horseshoe crab population although not endorsed by the Peer Review Panel for use in management. However, given the assessment results of low fishing mortality and relatively high abundance, overfishing and an overfished status are unlikely for female horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay region.

Read the full release here

ASMFC 2019 Spring Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

April 24, 2019 — The following was published by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spring Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting for the following Boards/Committees (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF – http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2019SpringMeeting/2019SpringMtgMaterialsSupplemental.pdf.

American Lobster Management Board – Progress Report on Draft American Lobster Addendum XXVIII
 
Atlantic Herring Management Board – Advisory Panel Review of Draft Addendum II; Overview of 1A Management Tools
 
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Technical Committee Report on Percent Reduction in Harvest to Achieve Fishing Mortality Threshold and Target in 2020, and Example Recreational Options to Achieve Those Reductions;  Correspondence Regarding Striped Bass Management; Public Comment
 
Law Enforcement Committee – MAFMC Letter on Law Enforcement/For-hire Workshop
 
Executive Committee – Revised Agenda & Draft Work Group Meeting SOPPS
 
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Plan Development Team Report on Black Sea Bass Commercial Management
 
Business Session – Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment Summary
 
Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee Task List; Public Comment; James Cooper Tribute to Board
 
Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board – Revised Draft Agenda and Meeting Overview
 
South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Committee Task List; MD DNR Memo: State-Gathered Public Input on Potential Management Measures for Atlantic Croaker and Spot
 
As a reminder, Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning April 29th at 1 p.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 12:15 p.m.) on Thursday, May 2nd. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Please go to – https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1041506190356646145 – to register.

ASMFC Schedules Peer Review for Horseshoe Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment for March 26-28, 2019

February 27, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment will be peer-reviewed on March 26 – 28, 2019 at the Commission’s office at 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA 22201. The assessment will evaluate the horseshoe crab population along the Atlantic coast and inform the management of this species. The peer review is open to the public, except for discussions of confidential data when the public will be asked to leave the room.

Confidential data (see NOTE below) are data such as commercial landings that can be identified down to an individual or single entity. Federal and state laws prohibit the disclosure of confidential data, and ASMFC abides by those laws. Each state and federal agency is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of its data and deciding who has access to its confidential data. In the case of this stock assessment and peer review, all analysts and reviewers have been granted permission by the appropriate agencies to use and view confidential data. When the assessment team needs to show and discuss these data, observers to the stock assessment process will be asked to leave the room to preserve confidentiality. For horseshoe crab, regional biomedical data and model runs that include these data are considered confidential, as well as any discussions around regional trends or stock status derived from these data. Additionally, the public and all other workshop participants will be asked to leave the room during the Peer Review Panel’s final deliberations.

A copy of the agenda for the peer review can be found here –http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/HSC_PeerReviewWorkshopAgenda_March2019.pdf. For more information, please contact Patrick Campfield, Science Director, at pcampfield@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

The blood of horseshoe crabs is important for its medical benefits. Now they’ll get a relaxing place to recover.

August 20, 2018 — William Hall, a retired marine scientist, is scheduled for cataract surgery soon, and a horseshoe crab will play a crucial role in the surgery’s success.

The blood of horseshoe crabs contains an agent that clots when exposed to gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella. Since the 1980s, the blood has been used to detect toxins in medical procedures, including inoculations, intravenous drugs and even rabies shots for pets.

Decades ago, scientists conducted less accurate toxin tests on rabbits. If the injected rabbit got a fever, the sample was contaminated.

Now, they use the blood of hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs. But blood extraction stresses the creatures. Fishermen under contract collect them from their habitat and haul them to a lab, where technicians extract their blood before they are carried back to the ocean and released. About 15 percent die from the process.

Thanks in part to funding from North Carolina Sea Grant, a Greensboro-based life sciences company plans to establish natural salt-water ponds where horseshoe crabs can rest and eat after having their blood extracted.

Read the full story at The Virginian-Pilot