March 8, 2021 — The Biden administration took a crucial step Monday toward approving the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind farm about 12 nautical miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., a project that officials say will launch a massive clean-power expansion in the fight against climate change.
New Slow Zone (Martha’s Vineyard) and Extended Slow Zone (Nantucket) to Protect Right Whales
March 8, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
On March 7, 2021, the New England Aquarium survey team observed two aggregations of right whales. The new aggregation was observed south of Martha’s Vineyard, MA. The resighted whale aggregation was observed south of Nantucket, Island, MA. Both the Martha’s Vineyard, MA and Nantucket Island, MA Slow Zones are in effect through March 22, 2021.
Mariners are requested to route around these areas or transit through it at 10 knots or less.
Slow Zone Coordinates:
South of Martha’s Vineyard, MA, March 7-22, 2021
41 21 N
40 41 N
070 15 W
071 06 W
South of Nantucket, MA, March 7-22, 2021
41 23 N
40 40 N
069 39 W
070 35 W
See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.
Feds eye expansion of dogfish catch
March 8, 2021 — Federal fishing regulators are considering letting commercial fishermen catch more of a species of shark in the coming year.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it’s considering allowing more harvest of spiny dogfish in the 2021-22 fishing year. Fishermen catch dogfish off the East Coast.
The top producing states include Massachusetts and Virginia.
The NOAA said the proposed revisions increase catch limits by nearly 10%. That would increase the commercial fishing quota to more than 29 million pounds.
That’s more dogfish than fishermen usually catch in a year. Fishermen brought more than 18 million pounds of spiny dogfish to docks in 2019. The last year in which fishermen brought more than 30 million pounds to docks was in 1999.
Biden accused of playing politics on Vineyard Wind
March 4, 2021 — When the Trump administration dragged its feet on the environmental permitting of Vineyard Wind, wind energy proponents in Massachusetts and across the country cried foul, claiming politics was driving the process.
But now that the Biden administration is in office, the same claim is surfacing as the president quickly moves in the opposite direction.
The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, which advocates for the US fishing industry, on Wednesday released comments it sent to Amanda Lefton, the new head of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, questioning how her agency could simply revive a regulatory process that had been terminated by the same agency (which was then under Trump’s oversight) in December.
“It would appear that fishing communities are the only ones screaming into a void while public resources are sold to the highest bidder, as BOEM has reversed its decision to terminate a project after receiving a single letter from Vineyard Wind,” the alliance said in a statement.
Vineyard Wind has gone through a lengthy review process, in part because it’s the first major offshore wind farm to go through the process. The company submitted a construction and operations plan, or COP, to the federal government in December 2017. A year later the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a draft environmental impact statement on the project, which was pulled back after the agency decided it couldn’t review the project in isolation from a host of other wind farm projects being proposed up and down the coast.
BOEM resumes final environmental review for Vineyard Wind
March 4, 2021 — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Wednesday announced it is resuming preparation of a final environmental impact statement on the Vineyard Wind offshore energy project, reversing a move to end the permitting process in the final weeks of the Trump administration.
Vineyard Wind official submitted a Jan. 22 letter to BOEM asking to restart the process, and in a March 3 Federal Register notice the agency said it is moving ahead.
The planned 800-megawatt project off southern Massachusetts was awaiting a final record of decision on a draft EIS when the developers withdrew their construction and operations plan Dec. 1, 2020, saying they needed to “conduct additional technical and logistical reviews” to modify the plan for using larger, more powerful GE Haliade-X turbines.
BOEM came back with a Dec. 16 Register notice that because of Vineyard Wind’s withdrawal it was terminating the environmental impact study. The agency and its parent Department of Interior said the developers would need to start the permitting process over if they wanted to proceed.
With restaurant sales down, Atlantic surf clam processors focus on retail
March 3, 2021 — U.S. consumer demand for Atlantic surf clams and ocean quahogs has shifted in the past six months.
Most of the Atlantic surf clam fleet is centered around Point Pleasant Beach and Atlantic City, New Jersey; Oceanview, New York; Hyannis, Massachusetts (surf clams only); and New Bedford and Fairhaven, Massachusetts. There is also a quahog fishery in Maine.
Gorton’s adapting itself to new seafood’s new retail reality
March 3, 2021 — Gorton’s Seafood is stepping up production and is embarking on a new marketing campaign to cement the significant sales growth it garnered through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past year, Gorton’s retail sales surged 34 percent, with its breaded and battered wild Alaska pollock entrees snaring the highest sales increases, Kurt Hogan, the president and CEO of the Gloucester, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based processor, told SeafoodSource.
Massachusetts sets rules for recreational catches
February 26, 2021 — Massachusetts has set fishing regulations for the upcoming 2021 recreational fishing season, retaining the status quo in state waters on seasons and limits for most species.
The exceptions are the striped bass circle hook requirements, as well as the Gulf of Maine haddock and cod seasons and a pending recommendation on gear restrictions for blue crabs.
The Division of Marine Fisheries expects to announce the new regulations on the three pending measures in late March. It has scheduled a virtual public hearing for March 2 at 6 p.m. Participation requires advanced registration at http://bit.ly/3pRGpBZ.
Here are the 2021 regulations on seasons and limits for a variety of recreational species:
Black sea bass — The season will run May 18 to Sept. 8. The minimum size is 15 inches and the trip possession limit is five fish per angler.
Bluefish — The season runs all year, with no size limits. Possession limits are three fish per day for anglers fishing from the shore or aboard private vessels. The trip possession limit for anglers aboard for-hire craft is five fish.
Former BASE auction employees implicate owners in Carlos Rafael scandal
February 26, 2021 — Two former employees of the Buyers and Sellers Exchange (BASE) in New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. have alleged that the owners – brothers Raymond and Richard Canastra – were aware of and involved in falsifying quotas performed by the “Codfather” Carlos Rafael.
Rafael pleaded guilty in 2017 to falsifying fish quotas, tax evasion, and conspiracy in the wake of allegations he was connected to a criminal fishing scheme involving the evasion of fishing quotas and the smuggling of profits to Portugal. Following the criminal case, a civil case brought by NOAA ensued, which Rafael settled in August 2019.
MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Launches “Women’s Work” Project
February 26, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center launches its new project, Women’s Work: At Sea, On Shore, At Home, In the Community, this March with two public programs. This project will shine a light on the many roles women play in commercial fishing communities.
On Thursday, March 11th at 7:00pm the Center will host a virtual concert and presentation, Women and the Sea by musician Debra Cowan. This program offers an engaging and informative look at the often overlooked and varied roles and experiences of women and the sea through the lens of Maritime songs and ballads. Debra emphasizes that women can overcome adversity and in some of these songs and stories, take charge and win the day. The program will be live-streamed on the Center’s Facebook page, facebook.com/NBFishingHeritageCenter. This program is free and open to the public.
On Friday, March 19th, the Center’s Virtual Dock-u-mentaries series continues with a screening of the film, Women in the Fishing Industry in Point Judith by filmmaker Markham Starr. As with other traditional industries throughout the country, tightening labor markets and a dwindling supply of men willing to commit to heavy work has created opportunities for women. This film follows a handful of women now working in the industry through a typical day on deck or on the factory floor. This film is part of a larger series documenting the commercial fishery in Point Judith for the Library of Congress. Filmmaker Markham Starr will speak about the film and answer any audience questions. Join the ZOOM Meeting at bit.ly/March2021Dock. Dock-u-mentaries are presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. The program is free and open to the public.
Learn more about these programs on the Center’s online calendar, fishingheritagecenter.org/programs/calendar.
Women’s Work: At Sea, On Shore, At Home, In the Community is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, the Mass Cultural Council, and the Westport and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils.
Women’s Work will use the arts of photography, film, music, poetry, and storytelling to highlight the often-untold stories of women in commercial fishing communities. From March through December 2021, public programs and an exhibit will engage visitors in exploring the lives, skills, and experiences of women who work in the fishing industry as well as those who are connected through family. The Center will partner with Our Sisters School, Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School, Global Learning Charter Public High School, and the YWCA to engage young people in this project.
Please contact programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.
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