Saving Seafood

Council advances plan to cut Northeast US scallop quota 28 percent

December 6, 2024 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) voted to enact Framework 39 for the 2025 scallop fishing season – which includes a significant drop in the scallop allowable catch.

The Fisheries Survival Fund – which was established to advocate for the long-term sustainability of the Northeast U.S. scallop stock – supported the council’s decision and advocated for it to select Framework 39 before the council meeting. The organization said the allocations “reflect the need for pragmatic balancing” of fishing effort in the region to ensure the continued success of the fishery.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell also wrote to the council in support of Framework 39. New Bedford, Massachusetts is consistently ranked among one of the top ports by value in the U.S. – in part thanks to the high value of the scallop fishery.

“The scallop industry is a cornerstone of New Bedford’s economy, supporting not only fishermen and their families, but also the numerous shoreside businesses that rely on its success,” Mitchell wrote.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MASSACHUSETTS: Statement from New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell on NEFMC decision on Northern Edge

July 3, 2024 — The following statement was released by New Bedford, Massachusetts Mayor Jon Mitchell:

“I am disappointed by the New England Fishery Management Council’s decision last week after scant public notice to reverse itself and halt further discussion of the opening of the Northern Edge scallop access area. The decision comes less than three months after the Council voted to advance the opening of the Northern Edge, which was grounded in more than a decade of research showing that scallops are abundant in the area. Halting work on the Northern Edge so abruptly is an affront to scallop fishermen who were given every reason to believe that the council was working toward a fair, long-term solution.”

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Mayor seeks access to new scallop territory

April 18, 2024 — New Bedford’s mayor testified in front of the New England Fisheries Management Council on Wednesday with the hope of re-opening one of the richest fishing grounds in the world.

New Bedford is already home to the largest commercial fishing port in the country, and Mayor Jon Mitchell said he is now working to give the city’s fishermen more resources to gather scallops, which he described as the prime drivers of economic activity.

“The basic policy that people have to understand is that the scallop industry is regulated by the federal government in a rotational method,” Mitchell said. “Kind of like what farmers do.”

“There are areas that are growing well with lots of scallops that are open up for fishermen,” Mitchell continued. “And places that are already fished with not many scallops to be caught are closed for a period of time.”

Mitchell testified before the council about reopening one specific area for scallops.

Read the full story at WLNE

 

New Bedford Mayor, Port Authority, Successfully Advocate Opening Northern Edge Scallop Grounds to Boost Fishing Opportunities

April 18, 2024 — New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell delivered compelling testimony before the New England Fishery Management Council on Tuesday, urging the Council to open the Northern Edge scallop grounds to New Bedford commercial fishermen. Mayor Mitchell emphasized the potential benefits of this move, highlighting its significance as a new source of scallops while other locations recover, and scallop recruitment progresses.

Mayor Mitchell, who also serves as chairman of the New Bedford Port Authority, had previously written to Council Chair Eric Reid, noting that the work of the Habitat and Scallop Plan Development Teams has been careful and thoughtful, and has led to the cautious and prudent recommendation to pursue the opening of Concept Areas #2 and #4. Despite being the smallest of the Concept Areas evaluated, Mayor Mitchell stressed their importance in providing much-needed scallop fishing opportunities.

Concept Area #4 was highlighted for potentially harboring the highest concentration of scallops in recent surveys. Mayor Mitchell underscored that scallops have been spawning in the entire Closed Area for years, suggesting that a significant portion of the overall biomass would remain intact even after opening these areas to fishing. Additionally, the identified areas exhibit the lowest amount of complex bottom conditions, reducing the likelihood of adverse habitat impacts from scallop fishing.

Citing a long-term study conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Mayor Mitchell emphasized that most habitats recover from scallop fishing impacts in less than 10 months, with even more complex habitats fully recovering within six years. This scientific evidence supports the feasibility and sustainability of opening the identified areas to scallop fishing.

It is anticipated that opening these areas wouldn’t necessitate new habitat closures elsewhere, easing the burden on other fishing interests.

National Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrator Mike Pentony echoed support for moving forward with opening the two concept areas, noting that it was too early to abandon the concept areas over enforcement concerns, and that more can be done to improve enforceability if there are concerns.

Following Mayor Mitchell’s testimony, the Council took votes advancing Areas #2 and #4 towards a final action, possibly slated for September. This aligns with the Mayor’s request, both in his letter to Chair Eric Reid and in his in-person testimony.

The Port of New Bedford is the most valuable commercial fishing port in the U.S., maintaining its leadership position for more than two decades. With more than 7,000 jobs and 400 fishing vessels, the Port serves as a cornerstone of the regional economy, driving shoreside businesses and attracting significant public and private investments.

While New Bedford’s fishing vessels harvest multiple species, scallops remain the prime drivers of economic activity within the Port. Mayor Mitchell highlighted the fishermen’s commitment to maintaining the resource and their recognition of the strategic long-term importance of managing the scallop biomass.

The mayor’s letter to the NEFMC is available here.

 

Fishery council considering Mitchell’s plea to open Northern Edge to scallopers

April 18, 2024 — Mayor Jon Mitchell and New Bedford fishing representatives are urging the regional regulatory council to open up the Northern Edge — a lucrative scallop ground that has long been closed to commercial fishing. The council, which shot the motion down five years ago, has agreed to consider the request.

On Tuesday, Mitchell delivered testimony to the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC). He cited challenging years ahead for the scallop industry, which is being strained by a slump in prices and fewer days at sea for fishermen; and he stressed the importance of the scallop fishery as a foundational part of the port’s economy.

“The scallop fishery is facing some challenging years upcoming, after a few years of low recruitment,” Mitchell wrote in a letter to the council. “The industry would benefit greatly by adding these areas to its available fishing grounds.”

The region under consideration is the northernmost portion of the broad and productive fishing grounds called Georges Bank. In 1994, the Northern Edge was closed to commercial fishing to protect habitat for spawning cod and other bottom dwelling fisheries. Thirty years later, scallop representatives told the council, groundfish populations like cod have continued to decline while the area has remained locked up to scallopers.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Light

MASSACHUSETTS: MAYOR MITCHELL SUBMITS CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY

October 10, 2023 — The following was released by the City of New Bedford:

Mayor Jon Mitchell was invited by the U.S. House of Representatives to submit written testimony to the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in conjunction with a recent Congressional hearing entitled “Examining Barriers to Access in Federal Waters: A Closer Look at the Marine Sanctuary and Monument System.”

In his written submission (see attached), the Mayor explained why the federal government’s approach to fisheries management within the recently designated marine monuments matters to New Bedford’s commercial fishing fleet–the top-grossing fleet in the nation:  “The management of marine fisheries in federal waters within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a matter of vital importance to the Port of New Bedford, Massachusetts – America’s top-valued commercial fishing port.”

The Mayor encouraged Subcommittee members to take into account the unique role that New Bedford plays nationally in commercial fishing, saying “Our harbor serves not only the needs of the vessels that call New Bedford their home port, but also the needs of numerous East Coast vessels from North Carolina to Maine which land their catch in our port at different times during each fishing season.  The proper management of our nation’s marine fisheries is therefore crucial to the vitality of our port and our local and regional economy, but also to the nation, as we service the needs of an industry whose vessels operate up and down nearly the entirety of the East Coast.”

Mitchell noted that the Port and the City of New Bedford’s position has been consistent since 2016 when the proposal for a Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument originated. In the years following 2016, Mayor Mitchell has continued to argue for a more deliberate process to establish marine monuments, including providing in-person testimony before the U.S. House Natural Resources on Water, Power, and Oceans. (Copies of Mayor Mitchell’s previous 2016 testimony are available upon request.)

The Port and City maintain that marine fisheries in federal waters everywhere, including in national monuments, should be managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and Conservation Management Act (MSA), the 169-page long legal instrument governing marine fisheries management in U.S. federal waters.  The MSA, originally enacted in 1976, has been amended and improved by several Congresses in its nearly 50-year history and is considered by many worldwide to be the ‘gold standard’ for fisheries management.

The Mayor explained how the current commercial fishing ban imposed under the authority of the Antiquities Act contrasts with the science-based, inclusive regulatory processes established by Magnuson-Stevens.  The Mayor described how the current ban in marine monument waters creates multiple difficulties for affected fisheries, including:

  • In years when highly migratory species, such as swordfish and tuna, are traversing the monument region, our longline fishermen are likely to be unable to harvest their internationally negotiated quotes.
  • Harvesters targeting quid, butterfish, and other fisheries are forced to travel for hours across the monument unable to fish until they exit the far side of the monument passing schools of these species so that they can easily see in the monument waters. This wastes time and fuel, and unnecessarily increases their carbon footprint.
  • Although the Atlantic scallop industry (the most valuable federally managed wild-caught fishery in the nation) does not operate in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the commercial fishing ban is moving the offshore lobster industry from the region and leaving them nowhere to go except onto scallop grounds, creating a potential for conflict between fisheries.
  • The Atlantic red crab industry, which is sustainable and has brought an underutilized species to market, relieving pressure on over-exploited species can no longer be harvested in areas where they have been successfully harvested for decades.

Mayor Mitchell summarized his view for the Subcommittee members, saying “For all of these reasons, I remain convinced that fisheries management under existing Magnuson-Stevens authority, is the most sensible approach to managing fishing activity within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.”

Port of New Bedford Applauds Appointment of Eric Hansen to New England Fishery Management Council

June 28, 2022 — The following was released yesterday by the Port of New Bedford:

The Port of New Bedford applauds today’s appointment of Eric Hansen, a New Bedford scalloper and president of the Fisheries Survival Fund, to a seat on the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC). Hansen’s appointment will help ensure the concerns of New Bedford’s vital fishing community are represented at the Council level. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, chairman of the New Bedford Port Authority, recommended Hansen for the seat in a February letter to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.

The Port thanks Gov. Baker, who nominated Hansen to the Council, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who made the appointment. The Port also thanks NOAA Assistant Administrator Janet Coit and NOAA Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator Michael Pentony.

For the past 21 years, New Bedford has been the most valuable fishing port in the country, with $451 million worth of seafood landed in 2020. In addition to species like surf clams and ocean quahog, a major share of the Port’s success is due to the value of New England’s scallop fishery, one of the most valuable fisheries in the country.

Prior to Hansen’s appointment, there was no representative from New Bedford on the NEFMC. Having a voice on the Council who understands the needs of our fishermen and our fishing community is critical to preserving the economic and cultural future of the Port.

“As the most valuable commercial fishing port in the nation, New Bedford deserves a seat at the table where management decisions are made, and we appreciate Secretary Raimondo’s recognition of that fact,” Mayor Mitchell said. “Eric’s extensive knowledge and experience, and his solid reputation in the industry, will enable him to serve with distinction.”

Hansen brings years of fisheries management experience to his new role on the NEFMC. He has previously served on the Council’s Scallop and Monkfish Advisory panels. In his role as president of the Fisheries Survival Fund, he has effectively advocated for the scallop fishery as it has become one of the most sustainable and effectively managed species in the country.

MASSACHUSETTS: Mayor Mitchell: Adopting scallop leasing proposal like opening Pandora’s Box. ‘Let’s not go there’

May 26, 2022 — A majority of scallopers, fishing industry stakeholders and elected officials again expressed vehement opposition to a leasing proposal on Wednesday, with New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell warning “don’t open Pandora’s box.”

More than 80 people attended the meeting before a regional fishery management council, about half the turnout of the first meeting. But more supporters provided public comment during the second meeting than did during the first, including Ronald Enoksen and Roy Enoksen of Eastern Fisheries, the world’s largest scallop company according to its website.

At certain points, the supporters’ comments drew booing or interjections from those against it, prompting a representative of the New England Fishery Management Council to remind them to remain respectful.

“I got nothing against anybody and apparently they have something against me. I’ve worked hard all my life. I’m not asking for handouts,” said Tony Alvernaz, who owns five vessels and supports leasing. As he started speaking, another vessel owner asked how much private equity is invested in his vessels.

Ronald Enoksen of Eastern Fisheries prefaced his comments by stating he is very much involved in the business and puts in 12- to 15-hour days, despite working for a corporation.

“We have problems right now. Things are going good, but we don’t know how much longer,” he said. “The water temperature, the pH is changing… the recruitment is not the same as historically it has been… we’re going to lose more bottom to the wind farms,” he said. “We need more, better operational flexibility.”

Read the full story at the New Bedford Light

Mayor Mitchell warns of ‘potentially consequential’ impacts if leasing is approved

May 25, 2022 — Mayor Jon Mitchell is “deeply concerned” about the “potentially consequential” impacts leasing could have in the scallop fishery, according to a letter he submitted to a fishery council ahead of its second and final public meeting in New Bedford Wednesday.

“There is no denying that there will be costs and impacts associated with the leasing program,” Mitchell wrote. “The playing field will be tilted on day one, perhaps irrevocably so, and the transformation of the scallop fishery from a ‘community fishery’ to a ‘corporate fishery’ may become all but inevitable.”

He went on to write, “as the most valuable fishing port in the nation, New Bedford has, without a doubt, more at stake in this matter than any community in the nation.”

At the close of his nearly four-page letter, he echoed local state representatives in requesting the council decline to proceed with drafting an amendment for leasing.

“I am hopeful that the Council will decline to proceed with the proposal before it, based on the vigorous opposition presented by New Bedford stakeholders.”

Included in his letter is an 11-page review, commissioned by the New Bedford Port Authority, on the potential impacts leasing could have.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Light

‘A big day for the Port of New Bedford’: Development projects could bring hundreds of jobs

March 25, 2022 — Two entities in the Port of New Bedford this week announced they will soon start on major infrastructure projects.

The New Bedford Port Authority announced Tuesday the awarding of a $27,943,800 contract to expand the port’s North Terminal to Acushnet-based D.W. White Construction.

“This project represents a major step in our effort to modernize the Port of New Bedford,” Mayor Jon Mitchell said in a press release. “It will enhance the long-term competitiveness of our maritime industries and help create quality jobs for our residents.”

The new bulkhead will be built near the Environmental Protection Agency’s Deepwatering Facility and create approximately 150,000 square feet of terminal space in the upper harbor.

The project will also build a fourth Contaminated Aquatic Disposal cell in the harbor with a 480,000 cubic yard capacity for dredged contaminated material.

The project is also expected to create more berthing space for vessels, increasing the number of permitted slots now counted at the port as somewhere around 400.

Authorities said that the project is expected to create almost 900 new jobs, approximately $65 million in new wages and consumption, and $11.5 million in state and local tax revenues.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times