Saving Seafood

New England Boaters: Watch Out for Whales!

July 21, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

Over the last two weeks, we have received multiple reports of interactions between boaters and whales in New England waters. During the summer, whales are feeding on small schooling fish and zooplankton called copepods, and have been spotted in coastal areas.

“Increased whale activity in areas off Northern New England are coinciding with summer boat traffic. We want to remind boaters of ways to prevent accidental interactions with whales, which can be fatal to the whales and cause damage to boats,” says Jeff Ray, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement.

NOAA Fisheries asks boaters to keep a close eye out for feeding and traveling whales, and to remember to follow safe viewing guidelines, which include staying 100 feet away from whales such as humpback, fin, sei, and minke whales, and 500 feet away from the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, for your safety and theirs.

New England waters are known as the summer feeding grounds for humpback whales. The bubble clouds that humpback whales use to corral their prey, and then lunge through the center to swallow the small fish, is something that boaters should watch out for and avoid. Fishermen or boaters in these bubble patches run the risk of colliding with a massive whale as it rapidly approaches the surface. 

Right whales are more difficult to see as they glide across the surface of the water when feeding on copepods. Fast moving vessels run the risk of colliding with right whales since they are hard to see. Boaters should look out for the V-shaped blow that can distinguish right whales from other species. If you see a whale blow, please slow down and maintain a safe distance from the whale. 

“In addition to keeping a sharp lookout, we also ask that should the whales approach your boat, you put your boat in neutral until they have passed safely,” says NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Response Coordinator Mendy Garron. “Also, please report any sightings. Locating the whales will help us keep them safe.”

When a whale collides with a vessel, it can be gravely injured and die from its injuries. Collisions with whales have also thrown boaters from vessels or cause significant damage to boats. 

In addition to the risk of a collision, the close proximity of a boat may cause a whale to stop feeding. All whales in U.S. waters are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it illegal for people to harm, injure, kill, chase, or harass whales or any other marine mammal. Harassment includes any activity that results in changes to the whales’ natural behaviors, such as feeding. Penalties for Marine Mammal Protection Act violations are fines of up to $20,000 and up to one year in prison. 

Get more information on safe boating near whales.

Please report any sightings to NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Stranding and Entanglement Hotline at 866-755-NOAA (6622).

Dr. David Shiffman: The rare Trump appointment that is actually making scientists very happy

July 14, 2017 — The following is excerpted from an analysis piece written by Dr. David Shiffman, a fisheries scientist and Liber Ero Fellow based at Simon Fraser University, and was published in The Washington Post yesterday. The analysis referenced and linked to Saving Seafood’s previous coverage of widespread industry support for Chris Oliver’s appointment as NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator, found here:

[T]he appointment of fisheries biologist Chris Oliver to lead NOAA Fisheries — the agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that is charged with sustainable management of commercial fisheries worth more than $140 billion — represents a striking departure from the Trump administration’s scientific and environmental personnel and policy choices.

Oliver has worked as the executive director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council since 1990. He has won the praise of both conservation groups and industry.

The position he will assume is one of the most important science, environment and natural resource management positions in the federal government. Its responsibilities include not only fisheries management but also conservation of marine species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries operates offices and research stations in 15 states and territories and employs more than 3,000 people.

Environmentalists and fishermen were following this appointment nervously. A mismanaged NOAA Fisheries could do severe and long-lasting environmental harm to U.S. marine and coastal waters, and economic harm to the millions of Americans who depend on those ecosystems.

The ocean conservation nonprofit sector, which has been strongly critical of the Trump administration, is praising this appointment. “Chris Oliver brings years of past experience working with fishermen, conservation groups and scientists, and a deep understanding of the practices and importance of science and ecosystem based management to the federal fisheries arena,” said Chris Dorsett, vice president of conservation policy at the Ocean Conservancy, a leading marine conservation nonprofit.

The seafood industry, which called for Oliver’s appointment in January in what was called “a nearly unprecedented display of unanimity,” is also pleased. “We are extremely supportive and excited about Chris’s appointment because he brings to NOAA Fisheries the skills and experience necessary to affect positive change during the challenging times that lie ahead,” said Lori Steele, executive director of the West Coast Seafood Processors Association.

“It isn’t often that the U.S. seafood industry unites together to support an appointment, but it was easy, thanks in large party to Chris’s experience and long-standing reputation as a fair, honest and successful leader in fisheries management,” she said.

“I am delighted that Chris has been well received by the fishing community in his new position,” said Wilbur Ross, the Secretary of Commerce, in a statement provided to the Post. “I have the utmost confidence that he will do a great job working with stakeholders to manage our nation’s vital fisheries – that’s why I recommended him to the president.”

Read the full story at The Washington Post

Grey seal population booming in New England

June 16, 2017 — Grey seals are making a comeback, not only in Connecticut, but throughout New England.

Hunted for more than a century the population was dangerously low.  The Marine Mammal Protection Act went into effect in 1972, and thus began a reversal in the numbers.

“That provided them federal government protections from harassment, killing them as well,” said Janelle Schuh, Stranding Coordinator at Mystic Aquarium.

Now scientists are saying the population is booming. They estimate there are anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 grey seals in New England.

“In 2015 NOAA did a recent stock assessment where basically they g out to the pupping areas where grey seals are giving birth and kind of look at what the population is doing and what the status is and they are definitely seeing increases,” said Schuh.

Exactly why the number has grown so much remains to be seen but Shuh says they’re staying because the location is ideal.

“Seals are quote unquote smart individuals. They’re gonna go where the fish are. They’re opportunistic feeders so they’re gonna swim around in the ocean if they find a large supply of fish they’re gonna hang out and they’re gonna have fish that they have in that area,” said Schuh.

Read the full story WTNH

Sharks should be happy about new Google Earth survey of seal populations

June 14, 2017 — Gray seals are booming. They’ve flocked to coastal Massachusetts, where hunters once killed the animals wholesale — a dead seal’s nose could fetch a $5 reward in the 1960s.

Twenty years ago, there were about 2,000 seals near Cape Cod and Nantucket. A new estimate, published Wednesday in the journal Bioscience, suggests there are now as many as 50,000.

‘‘We should be celebrating the recovery of gray seals as a conservation success,’’ said David Johnston, an author of the study and marine biologist at Duke University .

Where seals go, sharks often follow. Great white sightings in Cape Cod increased from 80 in 2014 to 147 in 2016. Johnston said the shark spike may be linked to the seals. ‘‘One of our tagged animals was killed by a white shark,’’ he said.

Maine and Massachusetts once placed bounties on seals because fishermen feared they would gobble up valuable fish such as cod. (There is little evidence that seals actually compete with fishermen, Johnston said.) The century-long bounty hunt claimed up to 135,000 animals.

The seals bounced back after 1972’s Marine Mammal Protection Act outlawed the killings. ‘‘I’m a firm believer if you just stop doing bad things to wildlife they will recover,’’ Johnston said. The seals’ recovery raised a question infrequently asked in conservation: What happens after success?

‘‘We haven’t done a great job of preparing people,’’ he said, ‘‘that they would be back again.’’

Part of that means quantifying the success. In 2011, a National Marine Fisheries Service aerial survey estimated 15,000 seals swam in southeastern Massachusetts waters.

Read the full story at the Boston Globe

Trump admin proposes seismic surveys for Atlantic drilling

June 6, 2017 — The Trump administration is seeking permission to use seismic air guns to find oil and gas formations deep underneath the Atlantic Ocean floor, a reversal from the Obama administration that is outraging environmental groups and some East Coast lawmakers.

The National Marine Fisheries Service said Monday it is seeking permits under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for five companies to use air guns for seismic surveys in the mid-Atlantic, from Delaware to central Florida.

The air guns are so loud they can disturb or injure endangered whales and other marine mammals and increase the risk of calves being separated from their mothers. Environmental groups and many East Coast lawmakers oppose the surveys, complaining that air-gun noise can injure marine life and harm commercial fishing and tourism.

The oil and gas industry has pushed for the surveys, which would map potential drilling sites from Delaware to central Florida. No surveys have been conducted in the region for at least 30 years.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April aimed at expanding drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, part of his promise to unleash the nation’s energy reserves in an effort to reduce imports of foreign oil.

Under Trump’s order, the Interior Department is reviewing applications by five energy companies that were rejected by the Obama administration.

Read the full story at The Washington Post 

REMINDER: No Selfies with Seals!

May 26, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

Seal pupping season is underway in New England. If you are headed to the beach this Memorial Day weekend, you might see a seal pup resting on the beach.

There is no selfie stick long enough!

As tempting as it might be to get that perfect shot of yourself or your child with an adorable seal pup, please do the right thing and leave the seal pup alone. Getting too close to a wild animal puts you–and the animal-at risk. 

Seals have powerful jaws, and can leave a lasting impression. 

We have received reports of (and seen on social media) numerous injuries to humans as a result of getting too close to an animal during a quick photo op. When you get too close to a wild animal, you risk stressing or threatening it, and stressed animals are much more likely to act unpredictably. 

Normal Behavior

It is normal for a mother seal to leave her young pup alone on the beach for up to 24 hours while she feeds. You may not see the mother offshore, but if she sees you near her pup, she may not think it’s safe to come back. It might only take a few seconds for you to snap the photo, but the mother may abandon her pup if she feels threatened. For the seal pup, the consequences can be devastating.

Give Them Space

If you see a seal pup, keep your distance. As a rule of thumb, stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) from seals. A curious seal pup might approach on its own, but the mother is likely to be nearby, and may see your interaction as a threat.

“The best thing you can do if you want to help is keep away from the animal and keep your pets away from it, so the mother has a chance to return,” says Mendy Garron, marine mammal stranding program coordinator for NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region.

The Rules

Approaching a wild animal can be considered harassment, which is an illegal activity. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, harassment is defined as “any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance” which has the potential to injure or disturb a marine animal. This can be dangerous for the animal, but can be dangerous for you, too.

How to Help

If you think an animal may be in trouble, there are things you can do:

  • To report a stranding, please call your local Marine Mammal Stranding Network Member or the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional 24-hour hotline 866-755-NOAA (6622).
  • If you see someone harassing a marine mammal, please contact our Office of Law Enforcement at 800-853-1964.
  • Always maintain a safe distance, at least 150 feet, from the animal to avoid injury to yourself or injury to the animal.

More information on the Greater Atlantic Region’s Stranding Program (covering the coastlines of Maine to Virginia).

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel at 978-281-9175 or jennifer.goebel@noaa.gov

Mass Die-Off of Whales in Atlantic Is Being Investigated

April 28, 2017 — Humpback whales have been dying in extraordinary numbers along the Eastern Seaboard since the beginning of last year. Marine biologists have a term for it — an “unusual mortality event” — but they have no firm idea why it is happening.

Forty-one whales have died in the past 15 months along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Maine. In a news conference on Thursday, officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said that they had not identified the underlying reason for the mass death, but that 10 of the whales are known to have been killed by collisions with ships.

The agency is starting a broad inquiry into the deaths.

These whales “have evidence of blunt force trauma, or large propeller cuts,” said Deborah Fauquier, a veterinary medical officer at the agency’s Office of Protected Resources. These collisions with ships were “acute events,” Dr. Fauquier said, and were being treated as the “proximate cause of death.”

Dr. Fauquier said that the number of whale strandings was “alarming,” and that she hoped the investigation might give a sense of what kind of threat this presents to this population of humpback whales and those around the world.

Read the full story at the New York Times

NOAA investigates ‘unusual’ whale deaths

April 27, 2017 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries says the deaths of 41 humpback whales dating back to last year in the waters between North Carolina and Maine will have “a focused, expert investigation into the cause.”

NOAA made the announcement Wednesday, noting that the deaths constitute an “unusual mortality event.” Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an unusual mortality event is defined as “a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response.”

NOAA is expected to release more information on the investigation Thursday.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Fishing Rule Aims To Do For All Marine Mammals What It Did For The Dolphin

January 6, 2017 — The vaquita is a small porpoise found only in the northern Gulf of California, in Mexico. Today, the species is critically endangered, with less than 60 animals left in the wild, thanks to fishing nets to catch fish and shrimp for sale in Mexico and America. The animal is an accidental victim of the fishing industry, as are many other marine mammals.

But a new rule that takes effect this week seeks to protect marine mammals from becoming bycatch. The rule requires foreign fisheries exporting seafood to the U.S. to ensure that they don’t hurt or kill marine mammals.

If U.S. authorities determine that a certain foreign fishery is harming these mammals, the fishery will be required to take stock of the marine mammal populations in places where they fish, and find ways to reduce their bycatch. That could involve not fishing in areas with high numbers of marine mammals. Fisheries will also have to report cases when they do end up hurting mammals. This is what American fisheries are already required to do under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

Up to 90 percent of seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, most of it shrimp, freshwater fish, tuna, and salmon. The goal of the new rule is to ensure that seafood coming into the country didn’t harm or kill marine mammals.

But can this new rule protect the vaquita?

Zak Smith, a senior attorney with the Marine Mammal Protection Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council, thinks so. The vaquita is kind of a poster child for what happens when you don’t have this law in place,” he says.

To understand the potential impact of the rule, Smith says, we should consider the laws that saved dolphins from tuna fisheries. For decades, dolphins – which swim with schools of tuna – were accidentally (and sometimes deliberately) killed by tuna fisheries. According to NOAA, over six million dolphins have been killed since the beginning of tuna fishery. Enacted in 1972, the MMPA required tuna fisheries to take measures to stop harming dolphins. Then, in the 1980s, the act was amended to ban the import of tuna from foreign fisheries that harmed dolphins. In 1990, the U.S. passed another legislation – the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act – that spelled out requirements for “dolphin-safe” labeling on all tuna sold in America.

Smith says these laws have helped reduce dolphin deaths. But the new rule goes even further, he says, because it applies to all kinds of seafood and all marine mammals, not just tuna and dolphins.

As an American consumer, “I’ll know that anything I purchase in the U.S. met U.S. standards,” he says.

Read the full story at NPR

Tagging study of gray seals could cost a half million dollars

December 12, 2016 — NANTUCKET, Mass. — As David Pierce sat at the table at the Nantucket Seal Symposium last month, he said one image came to mind: private pilot Aaron Knight’s video from April of miles of gray seals, a dozen deep, cheek by jowl, banding the Monomoy shoreline.

Recently appointed as director of the state Division of Marine Fisheries, Pierce is a veteran of decades of fisheries negotiations as former director Paul Diodati’s proxy on the New England Fishery Management Council. Fishery managers live and die by population estimates – known as stock assessments – that help set sustainable catch levels for commercial fishermen, so it was disconcerting to hear that the same level of science had not been applied to the predators who eat them.

“The determination of population size is extremely important, especially in the context of ecosystem management in New England,” Pierce said. “If (gray seals) are out there in large numbers foraging, what might their impact be on the Georges Bank ecosystem?”

The answer will not be coming any time soon, according to federal fisheries officials at the symposium.

“It’s just an expensive number to get,” said Sean Hayes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration branch chief for protected species in the Northeast.

Kimberly Murray, coordinator of the seal research program at NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Research Center in Woods Hole, said it could cost as much as a half million dollars to conduct the tagging study alone.

The operational budget for seal research is around $10,000, Hayes said, although that doesn’t include the salaries for the two full-time and two part-time employees in the program.

Federal agencies are required to stick to the budgets they are allocated by Congress, and NOAA can’t shift money around among species. Because of their historic comeback from virtual extinction in New England waters, gray seals are far down on the budget priority list, Hayes explained, and get minimal funding. To put more money into seal research, he’d have to take it from other programs for more highly endangered species such as right whales during the budget process, and make a successful plea to put that amount into seals.

“We definitely want to try and find the resources to do the whole population count, but competing resource priorities from headquarters for species like the right whales, or a roof collapse at a science center, that comes up every year,” Hayes said. “Headquarters is getting hit by all the science centers. Everyone has an urgent priority.”

The region’s fishermen have been asking in vain for years for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries division to give them a true population number for gray seals to gauge their impact on fish stocks such as cod, haddock, flounders and striped bass. With the arrival of hundreds of great white sharks to inshore waters of Cape Cod every year, to feast on members of the largest gray seal colony in the U.S., new voices have emerged with concerns about public safety.

“Where is this headed and how are we going to know at what rate this population is increasing if we don’t know what the number is now?” asked Orleans Natural Resources Manager Nate Sears.

Their resurgence is both a Marine Mammal Protection Act success story and a cause for concern.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times