Saving Seafood

LYDIA BLUME AND SARAH PEBWORTH: Maine needs to better prepare for changing climate – and we can’t do it alone

July 9, 2021 — Protecting the health and safety of our community members is of primary concern. As leaders of districts along the coast of Maine, this includes dealing with the impacts of climate change and planning for a prosperous future with these changes in mind.

Maine’s coastline will feel the effects of climate change for generations, which means communities along our rugged shores will feel these effects, too. Rising seas and increasingly dangerous storm surge events threaten our local infrastructure and economies. One of the best ways to protect us from the effects of climate change is to invest in coastal restoration and resilience projects like shoreline stabilization and wetland restoration. Both offer environmental and economic benefits that can help our communities plan for the future.

As we grapple in our districts with the tremendous scope and cost of the coming changes, we are relieved to see the promises of coastal restoration and resilience investments at the federal level. Restoration and resilience programs can and should play a key role in President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and for several good reasons: These projects will improve community resilience, provide opportunities for job growth and increase economic vitality. Additionally, recent pieces of federal legislation – the Moving Forward Act; Shovel Ready Restoration Grants for Coastline and Fisheries Act of 2020; the Ocean Based Climate Solutions Act, and others – have included coastal and ocean restoration programs. To build on what is in place already, it is important that this funding be appropriated as a new grant program in order to enhance equity and address environmental justice needs. When Congress and the administration consider economic stimulus and infrastructure funding to restore the nation’s economy and address climate change, a $10 billion coastal and ocean restoration program under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration must be part of that package.

Read the full opinion piece at the Portland Press Herald

MAINE: Mills signs bill that prohibits new offshore wind projects in state waters

July 8, 2021 — Gov. Janet Mills has signed a bill that prohibits new offshore wind projects in state waters, preserving waters closest to shore for recreation and fishing.

The bill, LD 1619, was sponsored by State Sen. Mark Lawrence, D-Kittery, was passed in the House and Senate on June 30 as an emergency measure and sent to the governor’s desk.

The new law comes after another bill, LD 336, she recently signed that created a first-of-its-kind research area for floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. Mills said in a release she applauds the Legislature for their “strong bipartisan support” to grow a global offshore wind industry in Maine, “which will create good-paying jobs for Maine people, support Maine’s transition to 100 percent renewable energy, and help fight climate change.”

Read the full story at News Center Maine

Maine prohibiting offshore wind projects in state waters

July 8, 2021 — New offshore wind projects will be prohibited from Maine state waters reserved for recreation and fishing under a new measure signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Janet Mills (D).

The bill was prompted by concerns from members of the commercial fishing industry on how they will be impacted by the state’s investment in research and construction of offshore wind farms.

According to the governor’s office, up to 75 percent of Maine’s commercial lobster harvesting occurs in state waters.

The protection of state waters comes after Mills signed into law last month legislation advancing the creation of the country’s first research area for offshore wind, which is set to be constructed in federal waters of the Gulf of Maine.

Read the full story at The Hill

Bar Harbor Foods® Named 2020 MSC US Ocean Champion

July 7, 2021 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) awarded Bar Harbor Foods® the MSC US Ocean Champion Award for going above and beyond the MSC standards in 2020, and for their continued dedication to seafood sustainability. Bar Harbor Foods® has been a leader in this space over the course of their thirteen-year partnership with the MSC – now displaying the MSC blue fish label on more than 20 qualifying products under the Bar Harbor brand. Brian Cote, National Sales Director, accepted the award on behalf of Bar Harbor in a small ceremony in Whiting, Maine presented by MSC’s Senior Commercial Manager, Nicole Condon.

“It’s an honor for us to be recognized for simply being who we are. Sustainability has been a focal point of our platform for more than a decade, not just something to participate in when it is trendy,” said Cote.

“As a long-term partner, Bar Harbor has repeatedly shown leadership and innovation in their sourcing and integration of the MSC blue fish label as a staple component of their brand,” said Eric Critchlow, MSC’s program director, USA. “They have shown that much of their innovation centers around including MSC certified sustainable sources in their product development. It will be exciting to see what Bar Harbor will develop next!”

Over the course of their thirteen years working with the MSC, Bar Harbor has been an active supporter of the MSC mission and a market leader with sustainably sourced MSC certified seafood products available in the retail sector. In 2008, the company introduced the first MSC ecolabeled seafood soups to the marketplace and followed up with the first ever MSC certified clam chowder available in 2017. Bar Harbor will be introducing the first-ever MSC certified condiments this summer including cocktail and tartar sauces using MSC certified clam juice.

The MSC US Ocean Champion Award was established in 2017 to reward fisheries and companies engaged in the MSC program who demonstrate continued leadership on sustainability above and beyond the MSC fisheries or Chain of Custody standards. Bar Harbor joins past winners including: Sam’s Club; the Annette Island Reserve Salmon Fishery, Metlakatla Indian Community; Bamboo Sushi and the Sustainable Restaurant Group; US Foods; Whole Foods Market; and TransOcean. Awardees are selected based on their demonstrated leadership and the ability to spark positive change within the industry. The custom glass award featuring a wave and the company’s name is handmade in downtown Seattle, WA.

According to a 2020 global consumer study commissioned by the MSC, 55% of U.S. seafood consumers believe that we must consume seafood only from sustainable sources to protect the ocean. Furthermore, 64% of Americans want retailers’ and brands’ claims about sustainability and the environment to be clearly labeled by an independent organization, such as the MSC.

The ocean feeds billions of people and provides 80% of the world’s biodiversity. A report by the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) shows that sustainable fisheries are more productive and resilient to change, and the UN Environment Program reports that sustainable fishing protects ocean biodiversity. The leadership of companies like Bar Harbor make sustainable fisheries and supply chains possible, and makes certified sustainable seafood products easily accessible and identifiable for consumers.

US lobster fisheries anxious over upcoming whale protections

July 6, 2021 — The profitable U.S. lobster fishery will soon have to contend with new rules designed to protect an endangered species of whale, and that could necessitate major changes for people in the industry.

The federal government is working on new rules designed to reduce risk to North Atlantic right whales, which number only about 360. One of the threats the whales face is entanglement in ropes that connect to lobster and crab traps in the ocean.

The new rules are expected to be released late this summer or early in fall, a spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Early indications show that the changes required by the rules could be significant.

Right whales were once abundant off the East Coast, but they were decimated by hunting during the commercial whaling era. They’ve been listed as endangered since 1970, but the population remains small, and in jeopardy. Recent years have also brought high mortality and poor reproduction among the whales.

They’re also vulnerable to ship strikes, and face the looming threat of warming oceans. Acting NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Paul Doremus said in June that the U.S. and Canada, which also harvests lobsters, must “take and sustain additional efforts to reduce right whale mortalities and serious injuries.”

The rules will focus on reducing the number of vertical ropes in the water, and they’re also expected to modify restricted areas of ocean, the government has said. A conservation framework released by the federal government in May states that the first phase of rules will be designed to reduce risk to the whales by 60%.

The lobster industry is prepared to do its part to conserve the whales, but a near complete risk reduction would require a total overhaul of the fishery, said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Washington Post

Maine to ban offshore wind in state waters for 10 years

July 2, 2021 — Maine governor Janet Mills (D-ME) supports offshore wind, but those working in the lobster industry are worried that offshore wind turbines will threaten their livelihood. So the Maine legislature has unanimously approved a compromise, which Mills is expected to sign, because she introduced the proposal.

Basically, state waters will be used for fishing and recreation, and offshore wind energy will be prioritized in federal waters farther from the Maine coast.

There will be a moratorium, which will last until March 1, 2031, on projects close to the coast, and the state is working with New England Aqua Ventus on a floating offshore wind technology demonstration project, the first in the US, in federal waters.

Further, there will also be a group created called the Offshore Wind Research Consortium that will include members of fishing groups.

Read the full story at Electrek

MAINE: Meeting fails to quell salmon farm concerns

July 1, 2021 — American Aquafarms last week once again made a case for its $330 million project to raise Atlantic salmon off Bald Rock and Long Porcupine Island and process the fish at the now dormant Maine Fair Trade Lobster Co. facility in Prospect Harbor. But the Norwegian-backed company’s June 23 presentation did little to quell citizens’ fears that the proposed operation will harm the area’s robust lobster fishery and scenic values that draw millions of visitors to the region annually.

At the Maine Department of Marine Resources’ 3.5-hour scoping session, held via Zoom, American Aquafarms heard comments and answered questions about its proposal and draft applications to lease the two Frenchman Bay sites for up to 20 years. The intent, too, was for the company to inform the public about its proposed plan to harvest as much as 66 million pounds of salmon annually from the two 15-pen sites and process the fish at the Prospect Harbor facility. Sardines, lobster and other seafood have been processed almost continuously at that facility and transported to market from there for at least 115 years.

Attending the Zoom session, Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider had a prepared statement to read aloud, but he was not among the 13 people who got to speak during the allotted time. In his statement, made public June 24, Schneider called for the DMR’s July deadline for submitting written comments on the long-term leases to be extended to Aug. 6. In his remarks, he noted that Acadia National Park is just 2,000 feet at the closest point from the two lease sites each comprising 60.32 acres. At both sites, two rows of eight and seven closed pens would be arranged in grids and anchored to the ocean floor in mooring systems encompassing 10 acres each.

Read the full story at the Ellsworth American

Maine looks for offshore wind compromise with fishermen

July 1, 2021 — The Maine Legislature approved a compromise about offshore wind power in Maine that would put a moratorium on projects close to the Maine coast.

Maine’s lobster fishing industry has expressed concerns about the effect development of offshore wind power could have on its business. The state is working with New England Aqua Ventus on a project that would be the first floating offshore wind research array in the country.

The Maine Legislature unanimously approved its compromise on Wednesday and sent it to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who is a supporter of wind power. Mills introduced the compromise proposal earlier this year. She said at the time that it was an attempt to “protect Maine’s maritime heritage and coastal economy while being out front in this new competitive industry.”

The proposal would also create a group called the Offshore Wind Research Consortium that would include members of fishing groups. It would research the impacts of offshore wind.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

TOM JOHNSON: Maine Compass: Restore Maine’s place as bastion of wild, native fish

June 29, 2021 — I am writing on behalf of the Maine chapter of Native Fish Coalition regarding the recent proposal by the state to allocate $20 million from the American Rescue Plan to update and modernize Maine’s fish hatcheries.

Native Fish Coalition (NFC) is a nonpartisan, grassroots, donor-funded, all volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and restoration of wild native fish. Founded in Maine, we also have chapters in Alabama, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia with members, partners, volunteers, supporters and followers.

When it was announced that Maine’s hatchery system will receive $20 million from the American Rescue Plan, it was stated: “At the core of Maine’s fisheries is Maine’s state hatchery system.” This is a gross misrepresentation of what Maine’s fisheries are, what makes Maine unique, and why people come to Maine to fish.

Read the full opinion piece at Central Maine

In fight over right whales and lobster fishery, all sides want to know more about the whales’ activities off Maine

June 28, 2021 — The historic migration patterns of endangered North Atlantic right whales have been changing over the past decade, possibly due to climate change. Federal regulators, meanwhile, are considering drastic measures to protect the whales against deadly entanglement in fishing gear and rope.

So, the question of where and when the whales are swimming in relation to Maine’s lobster fishery is gaining urgency. Now, new efforts are underway to pinpoint their travel habits.

Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration created a new website that maps almost two decades of work to detect whales off the east coast, via “passive acoustic” recorders set on buoys, on submerged platforms, and on underwater gliders that can zig and zag around the Gulf of Maine for months at a time.

“We’re seeing that you are getting whales. They are calling,” said Genevieve Davis, a research biologist at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News