Saving Seafood

MAINE: State hopes new card system can help revive struggling urchin fishery

September 26, 2016 — State officials are hoping what is good for elvers will be good for urchins, too.

Having implemented an electronic “swipe” card system in the elver fishery in 2014, the Maine Department of Marine Resources now is requiring urchin fishermen and wholesale dealers to use such cards to register every transaction. The requirement, which will give the department up-to-the-minute statewide harvest data, went into effect when the urchin season got underway on Sept. 1.

The goal, according to DMR officials, is to better manage the struggling fishery, which has seen far better times. Just over 20 years ago, Maine’s annual urchin landings briefly exceeded $40 million, noted Patrick Keliher, head of DMR. Only lobstering, which in the mid-1990s first passed the $100 million-a-year mark, was more valuable.

With only $4.3 million in total statewide landings in Maine in 2015, urchins now are the state’s seventh-most lucrative commercially fished species. The vast majority of all the urchins harvested in Maine are shipped to the Far East for the region’s voracious seafood market.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

Warming waters threaten young lobsters, study finds

SOUTH BRISTOL, Maine — The Gulf of Maine’s lobster population, which has boomed even as climate change and overfishing have hurt other commercial species, could suffer if water temperatures keep rising, according to a University of Maine study.

The study suggests that, as the Gulf of Maine continues to grow warmer, the state’s $495 million lobster industry — by far the most valuable commercial fishery in Maine — could face the same kind of population decline that has affected urchins, scallops, groundfish and shrimp. Overfishing greatly reduced harvests for many of these species, but warming waters have been identified as an impediment to recovery.

The new lobster study, conducted by UMaine’s Darling Marine Center and by Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, indicates that larvae reared in 66-degree water had a distinctly higher mortality rate than those cultivated in the water 5 degrees cooler, the temperature now typical in the western Gulf of Maine. Water temperatures in the western Gulf of Maine are expected to rise 5 degrees by 2100.

The study looked only at larval lobsters, which spend all their time floating, and not at juveniles or older lobsters that live on the ocean floor.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

The Maine Lobster Industry Celebrates National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016

September 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Lobster Marketing Collective:

PORTLAND, Maine — For the second year in a row, the Maine Lobster industry will celebrate its positive economic and cultural impact both in Maine and in the U.S. during National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016. Designated through a resolution by Senators Angus King and Susan Collins of Maine, National Lobster Day reinforces the hard work, sustainable practices and passion of Maine’s 5,600 independent lobstermen and women.

“The lobster industry is not only an iconic part of Maine’s image, but it’s also a significant engine in our local economy that supports families up and down our coast,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “By designating September 25 as National Lobster Day, the Senate has once again recognized lobster’s tremendous value for our communities while honoring the hardworking people in the industry. The thousands of Mainers who haul lobster from our shores, process it and distribute it ensure that this delicious Maine product can be enjoyed across the country and around the world. Lobster is a livelihood and a way of life for many Maine people, and we will always work to make sure this proud industry can continue its positive impact for generations to come.”

Last year, the Maine Lobster industry landed more than 120 million pounds for the fourth year in a row thanks to the self-governing, unparalleled sustainable practices that the industry has had in place for 150 years. Landings increase during peak season, typically June through November, allowing for nearly $1 billion in revenue to support citizens throughout Maine, and the tender sweet flavor of Maine Lobster to be shared with diners across the country.

“We are thrilled that the Senate has recognized the Maine Lobster industry by deeming September 25 as National Lobster Day again this year,” said Matt Jacobson, the Executive Director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC). “We’re excited to have the national spotlight on our industry, especially during peak season, and we thank Senators King and Collins again for their support with this resolution.”

To further promote Maine Lobster and its rich heritage, the MLMC focuses on sharing the Maine Lobster story with national media, educating chefs about Maine Lobster’s diverse culinary applications to help them reimagine it as a key ingredient and connecting lobster lovers through social and digital platforms. Additionally, this year, the Collaborative released a video series that showcases the uniqueness of Maine Lobster and the industry’s impact across Maine.

“Maine Lobster’s strong sustainability story, beautiful flavor and versatility make chefs proud to serve it,” said Barton Seaver, chef, cookbook author and sustainable seafood expert. “National Lobster Day highlights these great qualities and the many people throughout the industry who bring Maine Lobster to our plates.”

Atlantic Herring Landing Days Set for Area 1A Trimester 3

September 21, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

This release revises the September 16th release by modifying the end time of Maine’s landing period and clarifying that vessels may only land once every 24-hour period.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section (Section) members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts met via conference call on Friday, September 16, 2016 to discuss Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) days out measures for Trimester 3 (October 1 – December 31). Section members, with input from industry, agreed to four consecutive landing days until 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL is projected to be harvested or until further notice. Vessels may only land once every 24-hour period.

Beginning on October 2, 2016: Vessels in the State of Maine may land herring starting at 6:00 p.m. on Sundays up to 5:59 p.m. on Thursdays.

Beginning on October 3, 2016: Vessels in the State of New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may land herring starting at 12:00 a.m. on Mondays up to 11:59 p.m. on Thursdays.

Trimester 3 landings will be closely monitored and the directed fishery will close when 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL is projected to be reached. Fishermen are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A until the start of Trimester 3. For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0740 or aharp@asmfc.org.

New England Fishery Management Council Elects 2016-2017 Officers, Welcomes New Members

September 20, 2016 — The following was released by the NEFMC: 

The New England Fishery Management Council today by acclimation elected Dr. John F. Quinn of Massachusetts and E. F. “Terry” Stockwell III of Maine to serve respectively as chairman and vice chairman in the year ahead. The two have led the Council since 2014 but reversed roles this year. Stockwell said he wanted to participate more freely in discussions and vote on motions, especially on issues important to his home state. The Council chair serves as a neutral leader and does not vote except to break a tie.

Quinn said he was ready to take on the top position and thanked the Council for its support.

“I’m honored that the Council has put its trust in me,” Quinn said. “We have some significant challenges ahead. I’m glad Terry will be by my side as vice chair to help guide us along. We’re both committed to working closely with industry and all of our stakeholders to ensure that our actions are transparent and carried out as collaboratively as possible.”

Stockwell added, “I really appreciate John’s willingness to step up as chair. We’re wrestling with many issues right now that are critically important to the state of Maine. I need the ability to fully air the state’s position and serve as a voting member. I’m pleased to be vice chair. This way I can continue to help John and the Executive Committee carry out Council business.”

Quinn directs the Public Interest Law Program and External Partnerships at the University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth. In July, he was bestowed with the school’s 2016 “Chancellor’s Award Recognizing Excellence in Service.” Stockwell is Director of External Affairs at the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and serves on the Council as DMR Commissioner Pat Keliher’s designee.

Quinn and Stockwell will serve on the Council’s Executive Committee in their ex officio capacities as chair and vice chair. The Council also elected Doug Grout of New Hampshire, Peter Kendall of New Hampshire, and Terry Alexander of Maine to round out the team. The five-member Executive Committee develops policy for Council consideration and provides guidance on administrative, financial, and personnel matters.

The Council held this annual election of officers on the first day of its Sept. 20-22 meeting in Danvers, Massachusetts, where it also welcomed two new members.

Mark Godfroy of New Hampshire is the owner and captain of two party boats — the Lady Tracey Ann II and the Lady Courtney Alexa — that operate out of Seabrook, New Hampshire as part of the fleet at Eastman’s Docks. He was appointed to the state’s obligatory seat, replacing Ellen Goethel.

Richard Bellavance Jr. of Rhode Island, the owner/operator of Priority Charters, LLC, a charter fishing business located in Point Judith, was appointed to the at-large seat previously held by Frank Blount of Rhode Island.

Dr. Michael Sissenwine was reappointed to serve a second, three-year term on the Council. New appointments took effect Aug. 11.

See the full release at the NEFMC

Maine putting scallop fishing rules in front of harvesters

September 14, 2016 — MACHIAS, Maine — Maine fishing regulators are asking scallop fishermen to comment on the state’s planned rules for the upcoming harvesting season.

The state is proposing that fishermen be allowed to catch about the same amount of scallops this coming winter as they did this past year. The state is also proposing closures of several scallop fishing areas, including the Sheepscot River and Muscongus Bay.

The state Department of Marine Resources is holding a public hearing on the plans on Wednesday in Machias. Another is scheduled for Wiscasset on Sept. 19. The department also held a hearing in Ellsworth on Monday night.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Daily Progress

Two Maine lobstermen accused of running illegal fishing operation

September 13, 2016 — Two midcoast lobstermen have been charged with running an illegal fishing operation.

Duston Reed, 34, of Waldoboro was arrested Aug. 18 and charged with fishing lobster traps that were not marked by a buoy, fishing untagged lobster traps, falsifying physical evidence and tampering with a witness, the Maine Marine Patrol said in a news release Monday.

Jeremy Yeaton of Friendship, Reed’s sternman, was arrested Aug. 28 and charged with falsification of physical evidence. Yeaton removed marine electronics used to navigate and locate fishing gear from Reed’s vessel, Outer Limits, the marine patrol said.

Marine patrol officers recovered 40 unmarked, untagged lobster traps during the seven-month investigation, a significant violation of Maine’s marine resource laws, marine patrol Col. Jon Cornish said.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Discovery Channel Acquires Worldwide Rights to Revealing Documentary ‘Sacred Cod’

September 12, 2016 (NEW YORK) — SACRED COD will make its premiere on Sept. 17 at the Camden International Film Festival in Maine. Tickets can be found here. It will also be screened at 7 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, as part of the GlobeDocs Film Festival. Tickets are available here. For more information, visit the SACRED COD website. The following was released by Discovery Communications:

Discovery Channel announced the purchase of global rights of the revealing documentary SACRED COD. The film will make its world premiere at the 2016 Camden International Film Festival and debut on Discovery in 2017 under the Discovery Impact banner.

An official selection of the 2016 Camden Film Festival, SACRED COD chronicles the collapse of the historic cod fishery in the waters off New England in the United States. Scientists and environmental advocates have attributed the collapse to overfishing, climate change, and government mismanagement. Many of the fishermen — who are losing their livelihoods and way of life as the species have declined — have argued that the science is wrong and have protested government policies that have banned them in recent years from fishing for cod. SACRED COD features interviews with fishermen and their families, along with scientists, advocates, and federal officials who warn about the risks of overfishing and climate change and say that the plight of cod could be a harbinger for fish around the world. The film tells a complex story that shows how one of the greatest fisheries on the planet has been driven to the edge of commercial extinction, while providing suggestions about how consumers can help support sustainable fisheries.

“For centuries, cod was like gold. Wars were waged over it. Settlers sailed across oceans in search of it. And early America used it to finance a revolution,” said David Abel, one of the filmmakers and a Boston Globe reporter who has covered the fishing industry for years. “Cod were so abundant in the waters off New England that fishermen used to say they could walk across the Atlantic on the backs of them, and generations of men from places like Gloucester and Cape Cod spent their entire lives chasing the coveted fish. Cod played such an important role in the early history of New England that a carved replica of the fish has hung for centuries in the Massachusetts State House. It’s called the Sacred Cod.”

“Unfortunately, what is happening in New England is being seen in many fisheries and fishing communities across the world,” said John Hoffman, EVP Documentaries and Specials, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Science Channel. “The decline or collapse of fish stocks is a complex issue rooted in climate change, overfishing and shifting legislative policies, which together have destroyed many once thriving communities. SACRED COD is an epic tale of our times about a collapsing ocean ecosystem, which threatens a community’s livelihood, and the scientists who are working to rescue a species and way of life.”

SACRED COD is directed and produced by Steve Liss, Andy Laub and David Abel. The film is presented by Discovery Channel in association with Endicott College, The Boston Globe, In Our Own Backyard, and As It Happens Creative. For Discovery: Ryan Harrington is Supervising Producer and John Hoffman is executive producer.

Read the release at Discovery Communications

MAINE: The ‘lobster capital of the world’ faces a crucial question

STONINGTON, Maine — When Deer Isle lobsterman Jeff Eaton peers into one of his traps, he sees a lot more than snappers and selects, hard-shells and shedders.

The part-time boat builder and avid lobster boat racer sees the heart of a $126 million regional economy that supports an even larger network of trap makers, bait dealers, marine supply shopkeepers and boat builders like himself.

That trickle-down shadow economy has transformed the island, which used to be known best for the granite quarries that built New York and Washington, D.C.’s most iconic buildings, into a thriving lobster economy, now best known as the home to a 300-boat lobster fleet and the town of Stonington, the self-proclaimed lobster capital of the world.

“Up here, the lobster business trickles down a lot further than just us fishermen,” Eaton said. “It feeds the whole economy.”

Although postcard-beautiful, with its neat, century-old houses looking out over its blink-and-you’ve-missed-it downtown, Stonington is a fishing village first and a stomping ground for summer people second. It’s the leader of a regional economy that traps more than a third of all lobsters landed in Maine, and an equal percentage of all the dollars earned from their sale. Last year the value of the state’s catch reached nearly $500 million. This stretch of coastline, and the lobstering islands of Vinalhaven, Isle au Haut and North Haven, landed more lobsters than any other managed zone, and has done so for the last four years.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

GEORGE LAPOINTE and TOM TIETENBERG: Reducing Maine’s carbon footprint

September 8, 2016 — We know the threat of climate disruption to Maine is real in part because we are experiencing early warning signs. The science is also clear that the problems will escalate if we do not act to further reduce carbon pollution.

There are now many important examples of how a warming climate threatens Maine, and here is one that strikes close to home for many Mainers: our changing marine environment could spell serious trouble for commercial fishing and all those who rely on it for a living. Consider the following:

• The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99 percent of world’s oceans.

• Maine’s shrimp fishery has been closed for several years now, attributed in part to warmer waters.

• Lobstermen and other fishermen are bringing up in new species from warming waters with their catch — presence of new species is not usually a good sign. For example, warming weather contributes to large increases in green crab populations, which ravages Maine clam flats and eelgrass beds.

• Clams and other shellfish face an existential threat: the same carbon pollution that is warming the globe is making ocean water more acidic and that makes it more and more difficult to build a shell.

These problems affect many Mainers, from commercial fishermen to all the households and businesses that they interact with. Commercial fishing is a $2 billion part of Maine’s economy, employing roughly 39,000 people.

Read the full opinion piece at Central Maine