Saving Seafood

MAFMC: NEFMC to Hold Mid-Atlantic Port Meetings to Gather Public Input for Independent Program Review

January 5, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is currently undergoing an independent review to: (1) assess past performance; (2) gather feedback on strengths and weaknesses of the Council process and operations; and (3) identify potential areas for improvements. Twelve port meetings and one webinar meeting were held in November and December to gather public input.

Two additional port meetings have been scheduled in the Mid-Atlantic region:

  • Monday, January 8, Montauk, NY – Montauk Playhouse Community Center, 240 Edgemere Street, 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, January 9, Cape May, NJ – Rutgers University, 1636 Delaware Ave., 5 p.m.

Stakeholders can also provide input through an online survey, which is available HERE.

More information can be found at Council Program Review.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976.  The Council has primary responsibility for twelve species of fish and shellfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between 3 and 200 miles off the Mid-Atlantic coast.  Member states include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.  Visit our website for more information.

 

SAFMC: Public Hearings Scheduled for Atlantic Cobia Management

January 5, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: 

Fishermen and others interested in the management of Atlantic cobia are encouraged to provide recommendations to members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council as they consider revising the current management system for the stock. Public hearings will be held via webinar with public listening stations. Written comments will also be accepted.

Atlantic cobia are managed in federal waters along the Atlantic coast from Georgia through New York in cooperation with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; two voting seats are provided to the Mid-Atlantic Council on the South Atlantic Council’s Mackerel Cobia Committee. This arrangement provides an opportunity to include the views of constituents from Virginia northwards. Cobia in federal waters off the east coast of Florida are considered part of the Gulf of Mexico migratory stock. The management boundary for the two stocks was modified following a 2013 stock assessment and annual catch limits for each stock were set. NOAA Fisheries determined the recreational catch limit for Atlantic cobia was exceeded in 2015, leading to a shortened season in 2016. Cobia harvested in both state and federal waters count toward the annual catch limit. Subsequent overages occurred the following year and the recreational fishery was closed in federal waters on January 24, 2017.

In order to provide for effective management and fair and equitable access to the Atlantic cobia fishery without reducing protection to the stock, the Council is considering a range of alternatives for managing Atlantic cobia, from complementary management with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to removal of Atlantic cobia from the federal management unit. The ASMFC recently approved an Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Cobia that will be implemented in April 2018. Should the Council choose to remove Atlantic cobia from the current federal management unit, the ASMFC Interstate Plan would be applied to both state and federal waters, allowing for additional management flexibility.

Public Hearings for Atlantic Cobia Management

(Amendment 31 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan)

Public hearings will be conducted via webinar with listening stations as noted below. Attendance at the listening stations is encouraged but not required. The Council wants to ensure constituents from Virginia northwards are able to participate/comment and are encouraging them to participate in the hearing scheduled for January 23rd with a listening station available in Hatteras, NC (in-person or via webinar) or January 24th (via webinar).

During the public hearings, Council staff will present an overview of the amendment and will be available to answer questions via webinar. Area Council members will be present at each of the listening stations. Members of the public will have an opportunity to go on record via webinar or at the listening stations to record their comments for consideration by the Council.

January 22, 2018 Webinar – begins at 6:00 PM

Listening Stations:

  1. Port Royal Sound Maritime Center: 310 Okatie Hwy,Okatie, SC29909
  2. North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries’ Central District Office: 5285 Highway

70 West, Morehead City, NC 28557

  1. Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Division: One Conservation

Way, Brunswick, GA 31523

January 23, 2018 Webinar – begins at 6:00 PM

Listening Station:

Hatteras Community Center; 57689 NC-12, Hatteras, NC 27943

January 24, 2018 Webinar – begins at 6:00 PM

Listening Station:

Haddrell’s Point Tackle: 885 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

Registration for each webinar is required. Registration information along with public hearing documents, video presentations and other materials will be posted on the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/ as they become available. An online public comment form for written comments will also be available and additional details for submitting written comments posted two weeks prior to the hearings.

Learn more about the SAFMC by visiting their site here.

 

MAFMC: Request for Proposals For a Study to Assess the Importance of Atlantic Chub Mackerel to the Diets of Recreationally-Important Highly Migratory Species

January 2, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Proposal Submission Deadline: February 16, 2018

Term of Contract: 2 years

The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) seeks a highly-qualified contractor to design and carry out a study to assess the importance of Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) to the diets of recreationally-important highly migratory species (e.g. tunas, billfish, wahoo, dolphinfish) in the mid-Atlantic. Preference will be given to proposals which use genetic barcoding to identify degraded stomach contents to the species level. Based on stakeholder input, priority predator species include bigeye and yellowfin tunas and white and blue marlin. Priority sampling locations include Virginia Beach, VA and Ocean City, MD. However, other predator species and locations are also of interest.

Background

The Council is developing management measures for chub mackerel fisheries and will consider the potential ecosystem impacts of any management alternatives. However, limited quantitative scientific information on the role of chub mackerel as prey is available to support such considerations. Stakeholders have expressed concerns related to the potential impacts of a commercial chub mackerel fishery on recreationally-important predators such as tunas, marlins, wahoo, and dolphinfish. A literature review and a webinar with scientific experts identified quantitative information on the importance of the Scombridae family to the diets of several predators; however, limited quantitative information on the importance of chub mackerel has been identified. Identification of species such as chub mackerel, Atlantic mackerel, frigate mackerel, and bullet mackerel can prove challenging for traditional diet studies due to similarities in their appearance.

The Council is interested in funding a study using methods other than visual identification of stomach contents to quantify the importance of chub mackerel in the diets of recreationally-important predators. Based on the recommendations of experts who participated in a recent webinar on this topic, preference will be given to proposals which incorporate genetic barcoding techniques; however, other methods (e.g. examination of hard part morphology) will be considered. Please see http://www.mafmc.org/actions/chub-mackerel-amendment for more information.

Scope of Work

The contractor will be responsible for all aspects related to design of the study, data collection, analysis, and presentation of final results to the Council.

Contractor Qualifications

Applicants should have demonstrated experience with food habits research on marine fish.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a proposal to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, by email (cmoore@mamfc.org) by 11:59 pm on February 16, 2018. Proposals should include the following elements:

  • Executive Summary: A summary of the proposed scope of work as well as brief summary of the applicant’s qualifications.
  • Proposed Scope of Work: A detailed plan for addressing the scope of work described above. This should include a summary of potential analysis approaches, a project schedule, a brief summary of how the project will be managed, and a list of all personnel who may work on the project.
  • Qualifications of Applicant: A summary of the qualifications of the applicant and other team members, if applicable. Curriculum vitae should be included for all individuals who will work on the project.
  • Proposed Budget: A detailed budget, including the basis for the charges (e.g. hourly rates, fixed fees).
  • References: Names, full addresses, and phone numbers for three clients for whom the applicant has provided similar services to those requested.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on methodology, prior experience, references, qualifications, and budget. The Council may request additional information as deemed necessary or negotiate modifications to an accepted proposal.

Requests for Further Information

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
800 North State Street, Suite 201
Dover, DE 19901
tel: 302-526-5255
email: cmoore@mafmc.org

Disclaimer

  1. All costs associated with the preparation and presentation of the proposal will be borne by applicants.
  2. Proposals and their accompanying documentation will not be returned.
  3. Respondents must disclose any relevant conflicts of interest and/or pending civil/criminal legal actions.
  4. The Council reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications received, negotiate with all qualified applicants, cancel or modify this request for proposals in part or in its entirety, or change the application guidelines, when it is in its best interests.

View/Download PDF Announcement

Learn more about the MAFMC by visiting their site here.

 

MAFMC Discontinues Development of Squid Buffer Framework

December 19, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted last week to discontinue development of a framework action that would have considered establishing a squid fishery buffer zone in waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. This decision will allow the effects of the recently-approved Squid Amendment to be realized prior to any additional action.

The Council included the Squid Buffer Framework in its list of possible actions for 2017 in response to public concern regarding longfin squid fishing effort during Trimester 2 (May-August) in an area south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Commenters raised concerns about a lack of juvenile squid in some areas, high amounts of bycatch of squid eggs and other species, and reported poor recreational finfish catches.

The Squid Amendment includes a 250-pound trip limit for all permits once the Trimester 2 quota has been reached — a 90% reduction from the current post-closure trip limit of 2,500 pounds. Once the amendment is implemented by NOAA Fisheries, fishing effort will be constrained after a closure during the summer months. This may address some of the concerns raised regarding squid fishing near Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Allowing time for that action to be fully implemented will enable the Council to evaluate the need for buffers or other management measures more effectively in the future.

Prior to last week’s meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, the Council received a substantial number of public comments both in support of and opposed to the framework. Comments immediately prior to the meeting were mostly against proceeding with the buffer action. Also, the directors of the state fisheries agencies for Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the two states most directly impacted, recommended not moving forward with the action at this time.

After extensive discussion and consideration of public comments, the Council voted to discontinue development of the framework. In December 2018 the Council will consider if a 2019 workshop including the various interested parties could serve to further inform possible future actions.

Learn more about the MAFMC by visiting their site here.

 

ASMFC Approves Black Sea Bass Draft Addendum XXX for Public Comment & ASMFC and MAFMC Initiate Bluefish Amendment

December 19, 2017 — ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Comission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) met jointly to establish recreational specifications for black sea bass, scup, and summer flounder; consider approval of Black Sea Bass Draft Addendum XXX for 2018 recreational management; discuss the initiation of a new Bluefish Amendment; and jointly take action on several items related to all four species (detailed below). The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters. The Council will forward its federal waters recommendations regarding summer flounder specifications to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval.

Black Sea Bass

As part of the discussion on black sea bass recreational specifications, the Commission approved Draft Addendum XXX to the Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for public comment. The Draft Addendum considers alternative regional management approaches for the recreational fishery, including options for regional allocation of the recreational harvest limit (RHL) based on historical harvest and exploitable biomass. A subsequent press release on the document’s availability and the public hearing schedule will be distributed once hearings have been finalized. The Council recommended the following recreational measures for federal waters from February 1-28, 2018: a 12.5” minimum size limit and a 15 fish possession limit. Specifications for the remainder of 2018 fishing season will be determined in February.

The Commission and Council also initiated the development of an addendum/framework to address several recreational management issues. The addendum/framework will consider implementing a conservation equivalency management program for black sea bass similar to that used with summer flounder by allowing state or regional measures to be implemented in both state and federal waters; allow for a summer flounder, scup and black sea bass transit provision in federal waters around Block Island similar to the provision allowed for striped bass; and consider the possible implementation of slot limits in federal waters for summer flounder and black sea bass. This addendum/framework will be developed in 2018 with the goal of implementation prior to the 2019 recreational fishing seasons.

Additionally, the Commission/Council reviewed draft alternatives for an addendum/framework to consider the opening of the Wave 1 recreational fishery in 2019 through a Letter of Authorization. Work on these documents will continue in 2018.

Bluefish

The Council and Commission initiated a new amendment to the Bluefish FMP. The intent of the Draft Amendment is to review and possibly revise commercial/recreational allocation of the resource, as well as the distribution of the commercial quota among the states. A Scoping Document will be released sometime in 2018.

Scup

For scup, Commission and Council maintained status quo recreational management measures in federal waters (e.g., 9-inch minimum size, 50 fish possession limit, and year-round open season). For state waters, the Commission approved the continued use of the regional management approach. Based on interest expressed by fishery managers and stakeholders, the Technical Committee will conduct an analysis on the potential impacts of lowering the size limit for northern region state waters on the 2018 coastwide harvest. The Technical Committee will present this analysis at the Commission’s Winter Meeting in February. 

Summer Flounder

For summer flounder, the Commission and Council extended the provisions of Addendum XXVIII, allowing for the use of conservation equivalency to achieve, but not exceed, the 2018 summer flounder RHL of 4.42 million pounds. Conservation equivalency allows individual states or multi-state regions to develop customized measures that, in combination, will achieve the coastwide RHL. Further, it was specified that any modifications to state measures in 2018 should result in no more than a 17% liberalization in coastwide harvest relative to the projected 2017 harvest of 3.23 million pounds. This maximum liberalization was set based on continued concern for the stock status of summer flounder. Additionally, information suggests 2017 appears to be an anomalous low year in terms of effort and harvest, raising concern that overages in 2018 may occur under a larger liberalization in regulations if catch and effort rates increase in 2018. In extending the provisions of Addendum XXVIII, the regional delineation for 2018 will be:  (1) Massachusetts (2) Rhode Island (3) Connecticut‐New York, (4) New Jersey, (5) Delaware‐Virginia, and (6) North Carolina. Any state or region wishing to modify its management measures must submit proposals for Technical Committee review in January, and Board consideration in February.

The Commission and Council set non-preferred coastwide measures in the event that state conservation equivalency measures are not approved by NOAA Fisheries. These measures include a 4-fish possession limit, a 19-inch total length minimum size, and an open season of May 15 – September 15. The Council and Board also approved precautionary default measures (i.e., a 2-fish possession limit, a 20-inch total length minimum size, and an open season of July 1 – August 31), which will be implemented in any state or region that does not adopt measures consistent with the conservation equivalency guidelines.

Lastly, work continues on the development of a new Summer Flounder Amendment. The Commission and Council reviewed the latest revisions to the Draft Amendment, including FMP goals and objectives, and commercial alternatives. An updated draft document is scheduled to be released in 2018 for public comment.

A PDF of the press release and meeting motions can be found here –http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5a3948abpr60ASMFC_MAFMC_Actions.pdf.

Learn more about the ASMFC by visiting their site here.

 

Nantucket Squid Restrictions Not Approved by Mid Atlantic Council

December 19, 2017 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted against a proposed squid buffer zone framework off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

According to The Independent, Narragansett Town Council members signed a letter requesting that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council reject the buffer zone for the summer squid fishery off Nantucket. The council members wrote that “any exclusion zone or restrictions” could potentially result in “economic devastation,” not only for the fishing industry, but other businesses and the town in general.

“Squid is the economic foundation of Narragansett’s fishing industry and it is necessary that access to that valuable resource be preserved,” the letter reads. “We therefore respectfully request that the council protect the access of the squid fishery to these very important and historic fishing grounds.”

Meghan Lapp, fisheries liaison for Seafreeze Ltd., told the Independent that: “A potential squid buffer zone off the south of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, it’s federal waters. So there are a handful of fishermen from Nantucket who do not want squid fishing in Nantucket south of the island. So the commercial squid fishery, it occurs in the summertime south of Nantucket. It has been occurring for decades, since at least the `970s. There have been squid vessels commercially fishing squid there since the ‘70s at least.”

Nantucket charter boat captains have been complaining about the squid fishery causing a decline in striped bass. The ban was proposed due to pressure from the recreational fishing industry, but is now will not  take place in federal waters.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

 

New Jersey: Fisheries groups to meet on flounder management

December 11, 2017 — Flounder fishery regulations will be part of the discussion next week at a meeting of two fishery management bodies in Annapolis, Maryland.

“The purpose of next week’s meeting is to make a decision on whether or not the federal government will put in place a coastwide measure and all states will fish under the same regulations, or if it will defer to individual states,” said Adam Nowalsky, a former charter boat captain out of Atlantic City.

Under something called conservation equivalency, states have the right to set different regulations if they are expected to achieve the same level of harvest, Nowalsky said.

“Conservation equivalency will be the direction I expect things to go,” he said.

Last year New Jersey defied the ASMFC and federal regulations, and eventually won the right from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the federal Commerce Department to set its own rules. The state convinced those bodies its regulations would be as protective to the species.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City 

 

Nominations Sought for Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee

October 17, 2017 — The following was released by the NOAA Fisheries 

Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee nominations accepted through November 27, 2017.

NOAA Fisheries is seeking nominations to fill current and pending vacancies on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC) due to term limits. MAFAC advises the Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce. The Committee draws on its members’ expertise and other sources to evaluate and make recommendations to the Secretary and NOAA on the development and implementation of agency regulations, policies, and programs critical to the mission and goals of NOAA Fisheries.

MAFAC members represent the wide spectrum of commercial, recreational, subsistence, and aquaculture fisheries interests; tribes; seafood industry; protected resources and habitat interests; environmental organizations; academic institutions; consumer groups; and other living marine resource interest groups.

Nominees should possess demonstrable expertise in one of these fields and be able to fulfill the time commitments required for two in-person annual meetings and between-meeting subcommittee work. Membership is balanced geographically across states and territories, ethnically, and on the basis of gender, in addition to the range of expertise and interests listed. Individuals serve for a term of three years. Members may serve a second consecutive term, if re-appointed.

A MAFAC member cannot be a federal employee, a member of a Regional Fishery Management Council, a registered federal lobbyist, or a state employee.  Membership is voluntary, and except for reimbursable travel and related expenses, service is without pay. The committee functions solely as an advisory body (complying fully with the Federal Advisory Committee Act) that reports to the Secretary.

Full nomination instructions and guidelines are described in this Federal Register notice.

For questions or more information, please contact Jennifer Lukens, Executive Director of MAFAC, jennifer.lukens@noaa.gov or Heidi Lovett, heidi.lovett@noaa.gov.

ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Board Approves 2018 Fishery Specifications

October 17, 2017 — NORFOLK, Virginia — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Management Board approved a spiny dogfish commercial quota of 38,195,822 pounds for the 2018 fishing season (May 1, 2018 – April 30, 2019). The Board maintained a 6,000 pound commercial trip limit in state waters (0-3 miles from shore) in the northern region (Maine through Connecticut). The quota and northern region trip limit are consistent with the measures recommended to NOAA Fisheries by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. States in the southern region (New York to North Carolina) have the ability to set state-specific trip limits based on the needs of their fisheries.

2018 marks the third year of the current federal 3-year specifications cycle. It is anticipated the stock assessment will be updated in 2018 to inform development of fishery specification recommendations, including the commercial quota, for 2019 and beyond. Additionally, the Board intends to discuss issues raised by the Advisory Panel (and other fishery participants) in more detail prior to setting 2019 specifications. The timing of the next benchmark stock assessment for spiny dogfish is less certain, however, the Board supported the Council’s recommendations to conduct a benchmark stock assessment in 2019, or soon after.

The 2018 spiny dogfish commercial quota allocations (in pounds) for the northern region and the states of New York through North Carolina are provided below. Any overages from the 2017 season will be deducted from that region’s or state’s 2018 quota allocation. Similarly, any eligible roll overs from the 2017 season will be applied to that region’s or state’s 2018 quota allocation.
For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740

Cuomo threatens to sue if fluke quotas aren’t reallocated

October 11, 2017 — LONG ISLAND, New York — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo threatened Tuesday to sue the federal government if two interstate fishery-management agencies meeting in December fail to reach an “equitable” redistribution of the coastwide quota for fluke.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on Tuesday, Cuomo wrote it was “imperative” that the federal and interstate agencies take “immediate action” to “reallocate” the quota for fluke “in a fair and equitable manner or New York will be forced to take legal action to protect the interests of fishermen in this state.”

Cuomo gave the agencies until December to act. “If the December meetings do not result in a process for a dramatic increase [in] the commercial fluke allocation for New York, I will commence litigation and secure from the courts the rights of New York’s fishermen as a matter of law,” he wrote.

Read the full story at Newsday