Saving Seafood

Fishermen, state leaders push back against at-sea monitoring proposal

September 3, 2020 — Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) has joined local fishermen and his legislative colleagues to push back against a proposed policy shift that would require 100% at-sea monitoring of commercial groundfish vessels.

The New England Fisheries Management Council (NEFMC) is considering Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) that would require groundfishing vessels to implement 100% at-sea monitoring or a blended approach of at-sea monitoring and electronic monitoring.

The proposed change seeks to improve catch accountability in the fishery, but fishermen argue this particular proposal is overly burdensome and unnecessary to achieve the stated goal, a press release from Montigny’s office states.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken also co-signed a letter to the New England Fisheries Management Council opposing Amendment 23 to Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

NOAA to boaters: Watch out for right whales

September 2, 2020 — Federal fisheries regulators are asking mariners to either go slow or find a route around an area south of Nantucket where groups of right whales have recently been spotted as the endangered mammals migrate.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it established a “dynamic management area” south of Nantucket where “an aggregation of right whales” was seen on Monday. There are estimated to be fewer than 400 right whales remaining on Earth. Boaters are encouraged to slow their vessels to 10 knots or less or to avoid the area altogether.

Read the full story at The Boston Globe

Reminder: Atlantic Herring Fishery Restrictions in Management Area 1A

September 2, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries reminds participants in the Atlantic herring fishery that the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts implement fishery restrictions, including landing limits, landing days, and spawning closures, on herring landed from herring management area 1A.

Details of these fishery restrictions can be found on the Commission’s Atlantic herring webpage.

U.S. trade investigation to study lobster tariffs

September 2, 2020 — The U.S. International Trade Commission has embarked on an investigation into “possible negative effects” on the American lobster industry from Canada’s trade deal with the European Union.

The commission said it will investigate the overall economic impact of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement on the volume of U.S. exports of lobster to the European Union and the United Kingdom.

That trade deal between Canada and the EU removed all tariffs on imported Canadian lobsters and gave Canada’s lobster suppliers a clear advantage in the EU market, where U.S. suppliers faced an 8% tariff on their lobsters.

Lobster fishing is based mostly in New England and is one of the region’s the most lucrative marine industries. Massachusetts is the biggest exporter of lobster, behind Maine. Gloucester is the Bay State’s top port when it comes to lobster landings, while Rockport is in the top five.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Slow Speed Zone South of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

September 1, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area  or DMA) south of Nantucket.

This DMA was triggered based on an August 31, 2020, sighting of an aggregation of right whales.

Mariners, please go around this areas or go slow (10 knots or less) inside this area where groups of right whales have been sighted.

South of Nantucket DMA is in effect through September 15.

41 16 N
40 32 N
069 37 W
070 28 W

Read the full release here

Atlantic Herring Days Out Meeting Scheduled for September 17

September 1, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board members from the states of Maine and New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will meet on September 17, 2020 from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., to discuss days out measures (i.e., consecutive landings days) for the 2020 Area 1A fishery (inshore Gulf of Maine) for Season 2 (October 1 – December 31). This meeting will be held via webinar. The call and webinar information are included below:

Atlantic Herring Days Out Meeting
September 17, 2020
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

You can join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone at the following link:https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/912144885. If you are new to GoToMeeting, you can download the app ahead of time (click here) and be ready before the meeting starts. For audio, the meeting will be using the computer voice over internet (VoIP), but if you are joining the webinar from your phone only, you can dial in at +1 (224) 501-3412 and enter access code 912-144-885 when prompted. The webinar will start at 1:00 p.m., 30 minutes early, to troubleshoot audio as necessary.

The 2020 Area 1A allowable catch limit (ACL) is 2,957 metric tons (mt) after adjusting for the research set-aside, the 30 mt fixed gear set-aside, and the fact that Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL. The Board established the following allocations for the 2020 Area 1A ACL: 72.8% available from June 1 – September 30 and 27.2% available from October 1 – December 31.

Please contact Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0740 or mappelman@asmfc.org for more information.

The meeting announcement can also be found at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/AtlHerring_DaysOutMeeting_NoticeSept17_2020.pdf

MASSACHUSETTS: Blue Harvest brings second former Carlos Rafael vessel online

August 31, 2020 — Blue Harvest Fisheries, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, announced the launch of the Carrabassett, a vessel purchased in February from the family of Carlos Rafael, a.k.a the “Codfather.”

The Carrabassett is a 78-foot trawler that was previously known as the Cowboy, according to a release by Blue Harvest. It joins the Allagash – formerly the Southern Crusader II – which was launched in July. Blue Harvest added that it plans to launch the third vessel, the Schelvis – formerly known as the Glaucus – later this fall.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Council meeting not a signal of normalcy

August 31, 2020 — The pandemic has kept us all closely tethered to home for the past five months, so it was nice for us here at FishOn to go over the bridge and up the line last Wednesday to cover an actual in-person event. No Zoom. No webinar. Just journalism in the great outdoors of Wakefield.

We covered the last public hearing conducted by the New England Fishery Management Council on the ever-contentious Amendment 23 — the measure to set future monitoring levels for sector-based groundfish vessels in the Northeast fishery.

The council, which is expected to take final action on the measure at its September meeting, did a good job of hosting the public hearing meeting under a tent in the parking lot of the Sheraton Four Points hotel.

Folks were masked and properly socially distanced. Capacity was 50 and about 20 fishing stakeholders attended the meeting, so there was plenty of room. Under the tent, it felt like junior high school detention (or so we understand) where they separate all the troublemakers as far apart as possible.

“It was a pretty big effort,” said Tom Nies, the council’s executive director said about a half hour before the scheduled start of the hearing. “The hotel was helpful. But we’re still working on some details.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Former Rafael Groundfish Trawler Gets Blue Harvest Makeover

August 28, 2020 — One by one, fishing vessels once owned by Carlos Rafael — the New Bedford “Codfather” who did prison time for fisheries fraud — are being relaunched under new colors.

Blue Harvest Fisheries this week launched the Carrabassett, the second of three refitted groundfish vessels the company is putting into service this year. The 78-foot trawler was once painted “Carlos Rafael green” and emblazoned with the “CR” logo. Now it’s refurbished, repaired, upgraded, painted deep blue, and decorated with Blue Harvest’s distinctive scallop logo.

The Schelvis, an 85-foot trawler once known as the Glaucus, is scheduled to launch this fall. The Allagash, an 83-foot trawler formerly known as the Southern Crusader II, entered Blue Harvest’s fleet in July after getting some serious work done. Earlier this year, the vessel could be plainly seen from the Union Street Wharf at the Fairhaven Shipyard.

In addition to being renamed and repainted in Blue Harvest colors, all three vessels are outfitted with new fishing gear and updated electronics. The Allagash and Carrabassett have had their decks reconfigured so catch can be quickly sorted, cleaned and stored. The Schelvis is undergoing greater changes that will allow catch to be stored in superchilled water tanks, Blue Harvest said in a media release.

Read the full story at WBSM

Blue Harvest Makes Good on Commitment to New Bedford Fishing Community with Launch of Refitted Groundfish Vessels

August 28, 2020 — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:

This week, Blue Harvest Fisheries launched the Carrabassett, the second of three refitted groundfish vessels the company is launching this year. Our investment in these vessels, which were purchased in February from the family of Carlos Rafael, demonstrates Blue Harvest’s continued commitment to New Bedford’s rich fishing culture, and our investment in the city’s waterfront community.

The Allagash, an 83-foot trawler previously known as the Southern Crusader II, was the first to enter Blue Harvest’s growing fleet with its launch in July. The Carrabassett is a 78-foot trawler previously known as the Cowboy. The Schelvis, an 85-foot trawler previously known as the Glaucus, is scheduled to launch later this fall.

“We promised when we acquired these vessels that we would be keeping them in New Bedford, and that we would be investing in this city’s historic fishing industry. Those weren’t just words to us,” said Keith Decker, President and CEO of Blue Harvest. “We’re proud of the improvements we’ve made to these vessels, which will provide good jobs here in New Bedford, and high-quality seafood around the country.”

In addition to being renamed and repainted in Blue Harvest colors, all three vessels are being completely reoutfitted with new fishing gear and updated electronics. The Allagash and Carrabassett have also had their decks reconfigured so catch can be more quickly sorted, cleaned and stored.

The Schelvis is undergoing far greater changes that will allow catch to be stored in superchilled tanks of water that will help keep the fish fresher, longer.

Read the full release here