Maine Department of Marine Resources Archives - Page 46 of 47

MAINE: Lobster licensing bill runs into concerns about pressure on the fishery

February 17, 2016 — AUGUSTA — An effort to reduce waiting lists for entry into the $457 million lobster fishery is running into concerns that a proposal to create a new class of license would put more pressure on a lobster population that the industry and regulators agree is already “fully exploited.”

The proposal, drafted by the Department of Marine Resources, is designed to reduce the nearly 300-person waiting list, which was established 16 years ago after regulators began limiting entry into a fishery with a long tradition of local control and industry-led conservation efforts. The bill would create a new, limited lobster and crab fishing license for a reduced number of traps; increase the age from 18 to 23 before someone who has gone through the industry’s apprenticeship program is put on a waiting list; and remove special fees for applicants age 70 or older, among other provisions.

But several members of the Legislature’s Committee on Marine Resources are skeptical of the proposal because of its relatively modest impact on reducing the waiting list and the unforeseen consequences it could have on a fishery that has posted record landings for reasons that are not fully understood. The wariness is shared by the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, the leading trade group representing the industry, as well as the Maine Lobstering Union, a recently formed labor union. Roughly 123 million pounds of lobster were landed in 2014, with the value of the catch at nearly $457 million, a record. Regulators and the industry do not believe that those landings will continue.

Carl Wilson, director of the Bureau of Marine Science and the state’s leading lobster biologist, told legislators Wednesday that the proposal likely wouldn’t have a “huge negative impact” on the fishery. He said the effect would probably be the equivalent of the unreported landings of lobster that are cash sales.

However, Wilson also acknowledged that there are some “troubling” indicators that the industry could be headed for a downturn. The indicators are different from the ones that appeared before the collapse of the fishery in southern New England.

Read the full story at Portland Press Herald

Rebuilding Maine’s Scallop Fishery: Part 2

February 11, 2016 — The scalloping season is scheduled from December through March or April, depending on which fishing zone you’re in.

State waters are broken up into three zones, each with its own set of rules.

Wednesday, Caitlin Burchill took us scallop fishing in Cobscook Bay, an area which has since been closed to scallop fishing for the season.

The Department of Marine Resources says they’ve made the scallop fishery their top priority.

While Maine may be known for lobster, they want fisherman to have another seafood to fall back on.

In recent years, the DMR has implemented special closures, shorter seasons, and fishing limits, among other things, to help rebuild the fishery after it was overfished and hit rock bottom in 2005.

State regulators say it’s working, but what do fishermen think about all the rules?

Caitlin Burchill looks into it.

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Tim Sheehan sees scallop harvesters at the end of a hard day’s work.

Many stop by his store in Perry to sell him fresh caught Cobscook Bay scallops.

“Everyone needs to eat and the prices are going up and up and up. Years ago, guys would fish all day to get $5 a pound. Well now, I’m paying them $12.50 and you know for a half a days work, not that they don’t have huge overhead, it’s pretty good days pay,” said Sheehan.

A better price perhaps thanks to the creation of fishery management plans.

Trisha Cheney overseas the scallop fishery for the Department of Marine Resources.

“We base all of our management on the best available science, so we also have a science team that’s in the field collecting information,” said Cheney.

The state also gets input from fishermen.

“Three different management approaches in three different areas of the state, and it’s based on what the harvesters want in that area and we’ve seen different success in those areas as well,” said Cheney.

But when Cheney calls for closures, she understandably gets some angry phone calls.

Read the full story at WABI

States Schedule Hearings on Jonah Crab Draft Addendum I

February 11, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC):

The states of Maine through Maryland have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah Crab (FMP). The details of those hearings follow.

Maine Dept. of Marine Resources
March 17, 2016; 6-8 PM
Casco Bay Lines Conference Room
56 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
March 14, 2016; 5:30 PM
New Bedford Fairfield Inn and Suites
185 McArthur Drive
New Bedford, Massachusetts
Contact: Dan McKiernan at 617.626.1536

March 15, 2016; 6:00 PM
MA DMF Annisquam River Field Station
30 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Contact: Dan McKiernan at 617.626.1536

Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management
March 16, 2016; 6-9 PM
University of Rhode Island Bay Campus
Corliss Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Scott Olszewski at 401.423.1934

New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
March 23, 2016; 6:30 PM
New York State Dept. of Enviro Conservation
205 North Belle Mead Road, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Rachel Sysak at 631.444.0469

Maryland Department of Natural Resources
April 4, 2016; 2-4 PM
Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce
12320 Ocean Gateway
Ocean City, Maryland
Contact: Craig Weedon at 410.643.4601 ext. 2113

The Draft Addendum proposes changes to the incidental bycatch limits for non-trap gear (e.g., otter trawls, gillnets) and non-lobster trap gear (e.g., fish, crab, and whelk pots). For non-trap gear, the Draft Addendum includes options to maintain, increase, or eliminate the bycatch limit, while options for non-lobster traps include establishing bycatch limits of varying size or maintaining no limit on these gears. The intent of the Draft Addendum is to cap incidental landings of Jonah crab while ensuring the inclusion of current participants in the Jonah crab fishery.

The FMP currently prescribes a 200 crab per calendar day/500 crab per trip incidental bycatch limit for non-trap gear; however, concerns were expressed over the appropriateness of these limits. Data submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries illustrate while 97-99% of trips from 2010 through 2014 were within the current limit, there were several trips above the limit. Furthermore, current bycatch landings were sufficiently low, accounting for approximately 0.1% of total landings.

Bycatch limits for non-lobster trap gear were added as a second issue for consideration in the Draft Addendum to address concerns regarding the lack of effort controls on non-lobster traps and the potential for trap proliferation. Data submitted by NOAA Fisheries show between May 1, 2013 and August 31, 2015, 194 trips landed Jonah crab with whelk pots, crab pots, and fish pots. Of these, 80 trips landed 100 crab or fewer and 115 trips landed 200 crab or fewer. Approximately 45 trips landed between 200 and 500 crab and 40 trips landed more than 450 crab. Landings from Maryland show between 2012 and 2015, 33 trips landed Jonah crab with fish pots. All of these trips were under 200 pounds. Reports also indicated from 2014-2015, 36 trips landed Jonah crab with whelk pots. Average landings per trip with whelk pots were under 500 pounds; however, there is concern that these whelk pot landings may in fact be rock crab, a closely related species which is often misreported as Jonah crab.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/JonahCrabDraftAddendumI_PublicComment_Feb2016.pdf or via the Commission’s website, www.asmfc.org, under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on April 18, 2016 and should be forwarded to Megan Ware, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mware@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Addendum I).

Maine Coldwater Shrimp Research Survey Harvests Fall Short of Predictions

February 10, 2016 — Maine shrimp lovers are hoping for the best this winter. With the shrimp population in decline over the past few years, and the Gulf of Maine shrimp fishery being closed for the third season in a row to shrimp trappers and trawlers, there won’t be much Maine shrimp in markets, restaurants or on dinner tables again this year.

But thanks to a study being conducted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, four trawlers and two trappers have been selected to collect samples of northern shrimp from the Gulf of Maine.

Marine biologists will use the data to determine the timing of the egg hatch, and the size, gender and developmental stage of the shrimp, according to biologist Margaret Hunter of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR). A total catch of 48,500 pounds from the Gulf of Maine is being allowed. Any shrimp not used in the study may be sold by the fishermen.

Each participating trawler is required to conduct five research trips in one region, and is being compensated $500 per trip. Each would be allowed to sell up to 1,800 pounds of shrimp per trip.

The two shrimp-trapping vessels are required to continue hauling until the shrimp have hatched off all their eggs. Each is allowed 40 traps, and may haul as often as necessary during the project, with a 600-pound weekly catch limit. The shrimp may be sold, but there will be no other compensation for the trappers.

Despite the best efforts of local trapper Bill Sherburne, as of yet, the shrimp catch has not met his expectations.

As of Feb. 1, Sherburne said he hadn’t done as well as he had hoped. “It makes a difference where the traps are placed. They don’t come close to shore until the water cools down.”

Read the full story at Boothbay Register

Emergency closure ordered for two Maine scallop fisheries

February 3, 2016 — Maine scallop fisheries in Cobscook Bay and Owls Head will face an emergency closure after Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR) identified a 30% exceeded removal target.

The closures will be effective on Saturday, Feb. 6, the DMR said.

In addition, harvesting in the St. Croix River will be limited to one day per week for draggers on Wednesdays and one day per week for divers on Fridays during the months of February, March and April 2016.

Based on direct input from the Marine Patrol and independent industry participants as well as observations made through the department’s monitoring programs, the level of fishing effort in these areas during the fishing season has likely exceeded the 30% removal target that ensures the fishery continues to rebuild.

Cobscook Bay has experienced a high amount of fishing effort the past three fishing seasons, as well as this season, and requires “an immediate conservation closure”, DMR said.

This determination is based on information collected in the DMR fishery independent in-season survey, DMR port sampling and Marine Patrol observations as well as direct industry reports.

These reports indicate a total of 59 vessels have been consistently targeting the area since it opened on Dec. 1, 2015.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Maine Shrimp Hitting Market Thanks to Spawning Study

PORTLAND, Maine — January 29, 2016 — Despite a moratorium on the northern Maine shrimp fishing season for the third consecutive year, a few wholesale buyers, restaurants, and markets could have some Maine shrimp on their hands — and plates — this winter, due to a scientific study currently underway throughout the state.

Fisheries regulators have closed the northern Gulf of Maine shrimp fishery every year since 2014, saying the shrimp population has dipped to an unsustainable low level.

Northern Maine shrimp is now considered by the regulatory committee to be “collapsed,” and a 2015 report indicated that from 2012 through 2015, the Maine shrimp population was the lowest on record during the 32 years that scientists have collected data.

However, this week, some Maine fishermen have been harvesting Maine shrimp from traps and trawlers as part of a sampling project being conducted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Technical Committee— a regulatory panel that manages the fishery — as well as other agencies including the Maine Department of Marine Resources and the School of Marine Science at the University of Maine in Orono.

Read the full story from Maine Pubilc Broadcasting

Former State Trooper Andrew Foss Joins Ranks of Maine Marine Patrol

January 12, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

Andrew Foss, a ten year veteran of the Maine State Troopers has joined the ranks of the Maine Marine Patrol. Foss, a lifelong resident of Washington County, was sworn in by Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher in January and began serving in the Lubec Patrol of Section 6, which stretches from the Hancock Bridge to the Canadian border.

Marine Patrol Officer Foss fills a vacancy created by the promotion of Russell Wright to Sergeant of Section 3, which runs from the Kennebec River to the St. George River.

Foss began his career in law enforcement as a Police Officer in Lubec where he served from 1986 to 1987. He also served as a Washington County Sherriff’s Deputy between 2001 and 2005. In 2005, he joined the Maine State Police and served from Machias until 2015. “Officer Foss’ extensive experience in law enforcement and knowledge of the people and places in Washington County will serve him well in his career in the Marine Patrol,” said Major Rene Cloutier.

Foss also brings to the position knowledge of the working waterfront in Washington County. Between 1991 and 2005 he worked for several aquaculture operations including Maine Pride Salmon, Treats Island Fisheries and Atlantic Salmon of Maine. His duties included site work, boat operation, scuba diving, and operation of computerized feeding systems. “Officer Foss’ experience on the water, operating boats and dealing with a commercial operation gives him unique insight into the challenges and opportunities of the working waterfront in downeast Maine,” said Major Cloutier.

“I like working on the ocean and I feel lucky to have been hired by the Marine Patrol,” said Officer Foss. “Working in Lubec is like going back home. I probably know 80 percent of the local fishermen and I look forward to getting to know fishermen in the area better.”

The Maine Marine Patrol is a bureau of the Maine Department of Marine Resources and provides law enforcement, search and rescue, public health, and maritime security on Maine’s coastal and tidal waters. Information about the Maine Marine Patrol, including contact information can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/bmp/homepage.html.

Lubec native Andrew Foss recently joined the ranks of the Maine Marine Patrol after a 10 year career with the Maine State Police. Officer Foss (center) was recently sworn in by Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher (left). Also pictured with Officer Foss is Major Rene Cloutier (right). Officer Foss is serving in the Lubec Patrol of Section 6, which stretches from the Hancock Bridge to the Canadian border.

MAINE: Marine Resources Committee schedules hearing on elver legislation

January 6, 2016 — ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Legislature’s Marine Resources Committee has scheduled a public hearing on a bill introduced by Rep. Walter Kumiega (D-Deer Isle) that would give the Department of Marine Resources more flexibility in managing the elver fishery.

The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, in Room 206 of the Cross Building in Augusta.

Sen. Brian Langley (R-Hancock County) is among the bill’s co-sponsors.

Kumiega, House chairman of the Marine Resources Committee, has proposed a bill that would, he said last month, “provide increased flexibility and promote maximum utilization of the elver quota by Maine’s elver harvesters.”

The law as it now stands calls for a 48-hour fishing closure each week to give the juvenile eels, commonly known as elvers, a chance to pass upstream on their spring journey from the sea to their spawning grounds in Maine’s streams, lakes and ponds. The closed period is now set by statute and runs from Friday at noon to Sunday at noon each week. Kumiega’s bill would let DMR set the 48-hour closed periods by rule prior to the start of the season, based on the timing of the weekly tidal cycle. The department would consult with industry members to determine which weekly 48-hour period would have the least impact on the fishery opportunity by setting the closed periods when the tides are the least advantageous to harvesting.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

Inflatable vessel to help Maine improve disentanglement efforts

December 24, 2015 — With recent funding from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, the Maine Department of Marine Resources has taken another step forward in its ability to lead whale disentanglement efforts.

The $20,000 grant will be used by the DMR to purchase a soft bottom inflatable boat that can maneuver more safely and effectively when Maine Marine Patrol, along with key DMR staff, respond to entangled whales.

“Often, responders have to pull alongside an entangled whale which might surface underneath the boat,” said DMR Scientist Erin Summers, who is coordinating the purchase. “A soft bottom boat will move and form to the body of the whale, making injury to the whale less likely. A hard bottom boat is also more likely to tip when hit from below, which could endanger the responders.”

Read the full story at Wiscasset Newspaper

Maine to acquire soft-bottom boat for whale entanglements

December 20, 2015 — ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Maine Department of Marine Resources is getting a $20,000 grant that it will use to help make it safer for its staff members to respond to whale entanglements along the coast.

The grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund will be used to purchase an inflatable, soft-bottom boat that will be used by Marine Patrol to help free whales from ropes in the ocean, the state agency announced in a prepared statement released this week.

The agency currently uses one or more boats with rigid, v-shaped hulls to deal with entanglements, but such boats can pose a hazard both to whales and the people in the boats if the whale should surface underneath the vessel, according to Department of Marine Resources staff. The hard bottom is more likely to injure the whale, which already could be sick or injured, than a soft-bottom boat. A hard-bottom boat also is more likely to tip or capsize if the whale pushes it up out of the water.

Read the full story at Bangor Daily News