Saving Seafood

Kavanagh: Groundfish fishery needs ownership cap

April 14, 2016 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — In regards to state Rep. William Straus’ recent letter to the editor (“Your View: Impact of the federal fisheries arrests in New Bedford,” March 22), I appreciate his concern for the fishing industry. It doesn’t really matter how the fish are regulated — days at sea, catch shares, ITQ. Under any of these systems an ownership cap is necessary, as he pointed out.

The scallop industry has had an ownership cap for years, and it seems to be working out fairly well. The groundfish industry should follow a similar path. For some reason many members of the groundfish industry don’t seem to want a cap. They say they will have difficulty selling their permits if a cap is put into place.

Read the full letter at the New Bedford Standard-Times

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Rule

March 16, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries: 

Today, NOAA Fisheries announces that the proposed Amendment 17 to the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan is available for public review and comment.  

Amendment 17:

  • Establishes a cost recovery program for the individual transferable quota (ITQ) fisheries;
  • Makes administrative changes to how biological reference points are incorporated into the management plan; and 
  • Removes the optimum yield range from the plan

For more details, read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and the supporting documents available on our website.

Comments are due April 15, and may be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, or by regular mail to:

John K. Bullard

Regional Administrator

NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA  01930. 

Please mark the outside of the envelope: “Comments on Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Amendment 17.”

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel at 978-281-9175 or email jennifer.goebel@noaa.gov.