Saving Seafood

Climate Change Is Reshaping Atlantic Fisheries and Sending This Fluke Fight to Court

February 19, 2020 — By his own account, Anthony DiLernia is a guy who can make friends with any angler. For 45 years he’s run a fishing charter boat out of New York Harbor, and he’s served as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Fishing Council on and off for almost as long.

But get DiLernia on the subject of Paralichthys dentatus, aka summer flounder, aka fluke, and his voice gets territorial in a harbor kind of a way. What steams him are the wide variances in the amount the fish the federal government permits each state to catch. The uneven allocations are the reason that Southern fishermen routinely travel hundreds of miles to the waters off Long Island to trawl for fluke that local fishermen are forbidden to catch.

These state quotas, which are meant to prevent a species from being fished out of existence, are based on patterns of where the fish were brought in to docks in the 1980s. Back then summer flounder were clustered off Cape Hatteras, which explains, in part, how Virginia and North Carolina together get more than 50% of the annual quota, whereas New York gets only a little more than 7%.

But anyone who spends any time with a net knows warming waters have been pushing fluke steadily north. “You know all those critters who used to live down South? Guess what? They’ve moved to the Bronx,” DiLernia said.

“Our guys will be fishing right along their guys 80 miles off Long Island,” he said with indignation rising in his voice. “We catch more than a couple hundred pounds, and we have to throw the rest back—which is a total waste. Meanwhile, they are filling their freezer and driving back to North Carolina. With diesel fuel. What do you think that does to the environment?”

Read the full story at Bloomberg

Reminder: Public Scoping Hearings to Begin Next Week

February 3, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Scoping hearings will begin next week for two amendments that will consider potential changes to the management of summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Scoping is the first and best opportunity to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered in these amendments. You are encouraged to submit comments on which options may or may not be useful or practical for meeting the goals of these amendments, as well as any other relevant issues that should be considered.

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment

This amendment will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Members of the public are encouraged to attend a scoping hearing or submit written comments on potential changes to the commercial/recreational allocations for these three species.

Please note that this amendment will not address recreational bag, size, or season limits for any species.

Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment

This amendment is being developed in order to (1) update the goals and objectives of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan; (2) perform a comprehensive review of the bluefish sector allocations, commercial allocations to the states, and transfer processes; and (3) initiate a bluefish rebuilding plan. Members of the public are encouraged to attend a scoping hearing or submit written comments on any of these issues.

Please note that this amendment will not address recreational bluefish management measures, including the 3-fish private/shore bag limit and 5-fish for-hire bag limit recommended for 2020. 

Councils Approve Omnibus Commercial eVTR Framework

January 29, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council & Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council have taken final action on an omnibus framework adjustment that will require commercial fishermen to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically as eVTRs instead of on paper for all species managed by both Councils. The Mid-Atlantic Council initiated the action in December of 2018 and signed off on the framework during its December 2019 meeting. The New England Council joined the framework in June of 2019 and took final action during its late-January 2020 meeting in Portsmouth, NH.

Once approved and implemented by the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS/NOAA Fisheries), the framework will:

  • Require commercial vessels with federal permits for all species managed by both Councils to submit currently required VTRs to NOAA Fisheries through electronic means; and
  • Change the VTR reporting deadline to 48 hours after entering port at the conclusion of the trip.

Read the full release here

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Updates for January 17, 2020

January 17, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

February Council Meeting Agenda: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet February 11-13, 2020 in Duck, North Carolina. The agenda is available here.

Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment: The MAFMC has scheduled eleven scoping hearings to gather public input for the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. Hearings will be held between February 13 and March 4, 2020. Written comments will be accepted through March 17, 2020. Additional details are available in the hearing announcement and scoping document.

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment: The MAFMC and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission have scheduled eleven scoping hearings to gather public input on the range of issues and information to be considered in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment. Hearings will be held between February 13 and March 3. Written comments will be accepted through March 17, 2020. Additional details are available in the hearing announcement and scoping document.

SSC Nominations: The MAFMC is seeking candidates to fill four seats on its Scientific and Statistical Committee. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2020. View the announcement for details and application instructions.

IT Specialist Vacancy: The MAFMC is seeking candidates for the position of IT Specialist and Data Manager. Applications are due January 31, 2020. See the vacancy announcement for more information.

Offshore Wind Updates: The latest update on offshore wind activities in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England is available here. Sign up for our offshore wind email list to receive these updates (be sure to check the box next to “Offshore Wind Updates”).

SSC Agenda: An agenda for the March 10-11 Scientific and Statistical Committee meeting is now available here.

Longfin Squid: Longfin squid incidental catch permit applications are due by February 29, 2020. See the NOAA Fisheries bulletin for more information.

Rutgers IFISSH Course: January 24th is the deadline to register for Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) Course. This course was developed to educate New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fishing industries’ stakeholders on fisheries science and management. Classes will meet every Tuesday from January 28 through March 31, 2020. Learn more on the IFISSH web page.

Spanish Mackerel Trip Limits: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking input on proposed commercial trip limit reductions for Spanish mackerel in the Atlantic Northern Zone (federal waters from the North Carolina/South Carolina line northward to the New York/Rhode Island/Connecticut line). The reductions are proposed to help extend the commercial season. Webinar hearings will be held January 22 and 23 at 6:00 p.m. Written comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on February 7. More information is available here.

Upcoming Meetings:

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo – msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

MAFMC: Reminder: SSC Application Deadline January 24

January 16, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking four qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Successful candidates will serve a three-year appointment beginning in March of 2020. Applications must be received by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, January 24, 2020.

The SSC serves as the Council’s primary scientific/technical advisory body and provides independent scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch and achieving rebuilding targets. The SSC also provides science advice and information on stock status, bycatch, habitat, social and economic impacts of management measures, and research priorities. The SSC typically meets 4-5 times per year, with meetings lasting from one to three days. In-person meetings are usually held in Baltimore, MD.

Membership is comprised of state and federal employees, academia, and independent experts with scientific and technical expertise in biology, statistics, economics, social science, and other relevant disciplines. The Council recently completed a comprehensive review of SSC membership in order to align new membership expertise with the future needs of the Council. Based on that review, the Council is seeking four candidates in the following areas:

  • One additional member with quantitative stock assessment expertise
  • One fisheries biologist/ecologist with experience and expertise in ecosystem science and approaches
  • One economist/social scientist with experience and expertise in ecosystem science and approaches
  • One economist and/or social scientist to help support Council priorities and actions that will have socioeconomic implications

Individuals interested in applying for nomination to the SSC must submit a current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume and a brief letter describing qualifications and relevant experience in priority areas identified above. All applications received will be reviewed by the Council and will require a nomination by a Council member in order to be considered for appointment.

Applications and materials may be submitted by email to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, at cmoore@mafmc.org. All applications must be received by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, January 24, 2020. If you have any questions or need further information about the process, please contact Brandon Muffley at bmuffley@mafmc.org; 302-526-5260.

Web Version / PDF Version

MAFMC Meeting February 11-13 in Duck, NC

January 15, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold its next meeting February 11-13, 2020 at the The Sanderling Resort (1461 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949, Telephone 855-412-7866).

Agenda: A detailed meeting agenda is available here.

Meeting Materials: Briefing documents will be posted at http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/february-2020 as they become available.

Public Comments: Written comments may be submitted using the online comment form linked below or via email, mail, or fax (see this page for details). Comments received by 11:59 p.m. on January 29, 2020 will be included in the Council meeting briefing book. Comments received after this date but before 5:00 p.m. on February 6, 2020 will be posted as supplemental materials on the Council meeting web page. After that date, all comments must be submitted using the online comment form linked below.

Webinar: For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/february2020.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo, msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

Supplemental Scoping Hearings Scheduled for Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment

January 13, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold eleven supplemental scoping hearings to gather public input for the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. The Council is developing this action in cooperation with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in order to (1) update the goals and objectives of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP); (2) perform a comprehensive review of the bluefish sector allocations, commercial allocations to the states, and transfer processes; and (3) initiate a bluefish rebuilding plan. Scoping hearings will be held between February 13 and March 4, 2020. Written comments will be accepted through March 17, 2020.

An initial round of scoping was conducted in the summer of 2018 to gauge public interest in the development of an amendment. Since then, recalibrated Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) estimates became available and were incorporated into the 2019 bluefish operational assessment. The assessment concluded that the stock was overfished but not experiencing overfishing. The Council and Commission subsequently recommended including the rebuilding plan into this ongoing amendment. Because the additional issue modifies the scope of the amendment, the Council is holding additional hearings to provide the public ample opportunities to comment on the expanded scope of the amendment.

Public comments during scoping will help the Council address issues of public concern in a thorough and appropriate manner. Some management questions for consideration in this amendment include:

  • Are the existing goals and objectives appropriate for managing the bluefish fishery?
  • Is the existing allocation between the commercial and recreational sectors based on the annual catch limit appropriate for managing the bluefish fishery?
  • Are the existing commercial state allocations appropriate for managing the bluefish fishery?
  • Are the existing transfer processes appropriate for managing the bluefish fishery?
  • What is the appropriate approach to take for rebuilding?

Read the full release here

MAFMC and ASMFC to Hold Scoping Hearings for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment

January 7, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council & the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) have scheduled a series of scoping hearings to gather public input on the range of issues and information to be considered in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment. Hearings will be held February 13 – March 3. Written comments will be accepted through March 17, 2020. All comments provided at public hearings or in writing will be presented to the Council and Commission.

This amendment will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The commercial and recreational allocations for all three species were set in the mid-1990s based on historical proportions of landings (for summer flounder and black sea bass) or catch (for scup) from each sector. In July 2018, the Marine Recreational Information Program released revisions to its time series of catch (harvest and discards) estimates. These revisions resulted in much higher recreational catch estimates compared to previous estimates, affecting the entire time series of data going back to 1981. Some changes have also been made to commercial catch data since the allocations were established. The current commercial and recreational allocation percentages for all three species do not reflect the current understanding of the recent and historic proportions of catch and landings from the two sectors. This amendment will consider whether changes to these allocations are warranted.

Scoping is the first and best opportunity to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered. You are encouraged to submit comments on which options may or may not be useful or practical for meeting the goal of this action and any other relevant issues the Council and Commission should consider.

Read the full release here

Rutgers Cooperative Extension to Host Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) Course

January 3, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is offering an introductory fisheries science course to educate New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fishing industries’ stakeholders on science and management processes impacting their industries. Classes will meet from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. every Tuesday from January 28 through March 31, 2020.

This will be a “HyFlex” course to provide students with the option to participate live in-class or remotely via webinar. The in-class meeting location is Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County, 1623 Whitesville Road, Toms River, NJ 08755. The program fee is $60 per person.

Register before January 24, 2019 by contacting Kelly Jurgensen (Administrative Assistant, Marine Extension Program), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County at kjurgensen@co.ocean.nj.us or by calling 732-349-1152.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Douglas Zemeckis (County Agent III – Assistant Professor), Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rutgers University at zemeckis@njaes.rutgers.edu or 732-349-1152.

Download the course flyer or visit the IFISSH webpage for more details.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed Rule to Implement the Omnibus Deep-Sea Coral Amendment

January 3, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule to designate coral protection areas on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine. This action would:

  • Establish a deep-sea coral protection area in deep waters on the continental slope and rise in New England waters. It would complement the Frank R. Lautenberg Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area established by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in Amendment 16 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The area would run along the outer continental shelf in waters no shallower than 600 m and extend to the outer limit of U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone boundary to the east and north, and south to the Frank R. Lautenberg Deep Sea Coral Protection Area.
  • Restrict the use of all bottom-tending commercial fishing gear within the designated deep-sea coral area. The prohibition on these gears would protect deep-sea corals from interaction with and damage from bottom-tending fishing gear. Red crab pot gear would be exempt from the prohibition.
  • Designate a coral protection area in an area southwest of Mount Desert Rock off the eastern Maine. Vessels would be prohibited from fishing with bottom-tending mobile gear in this area.
  • Designate a coral protection area in an area on the Outer Schoodic Ridge, southeast of Mt. Desert Island. Vessels would be prohibited from fishing with bottom-tending mobile gear in this area.
  • Establish provisions for vessels transiting through the coral protection areas.
  • Designate the area around Jordan Basin in the Gulf of Maine as a dedicated habitat research area.
  • Expand framework adjustment provisions in the FMP for future modifications to the deep-sea coral protection measures.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register. We will be accepting public comment on this proposed rule through February 18, 2020.  You may submit comments via the online portal or submit written comments to NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope “Comments on Omnibus Deep-Sea Coral Amendment.”

Read the full release here