Saving Seafood

Fishermen say Vineyard Wind’s turbine relocation makes no difference

June 28, 2019 — Vineyard Wind’s decision to move three turbines farther away from Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket makes no significant difference to the preservation of fishing grounds, fisheries sources say.

The offshore wind company announced Monday that it had removed three of the 84 planned turbines from the north end of the grid and placed them elsewhere among its 106 approved turbine locations.

The south side of the Islands, where the change was made, is a prime squid fishing ground.

Katie Almeida, fisheries policy analyst for Rhode Island squid dealer The Town Dock, told The Standard-Times the move will do little to help the industry.

“The removal of the turbines gives a very small portion of our traditional fishing grounds back, however we still don’t know how construction and operation are going to affect squid in and around that lease area,” she said.

With spacing of Vineyard Wind turbines starting at eight-tenths of a mile apart, the space represents a few square miles. The wind farm is about 14 miles from shore.

The company said it moved the turbines to limit visibility from the Nantucket Historic District and Chappaquiddick and reduce the impact on fishing.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Watching Whales Sensibly for Ten Years June 26, 2019

June 27, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As humpback whales make their way back to New England and Mid-Atlantic waters from their winter breeding grounds, whale watch companies’ seasons are swinging into high gear along the Atlantic coast. Marine wildlife viewing tours are one of the highest revenue-producing tourism industries in the northeast, with more than one million whale watchers in New England alone.

This year we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Whale SENSE, a program that promotes responsible whale watching practices and ocean conservation. The goal of Whale SENSE is to allow people to experience these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, while respecting their space and not interfering with their natural behaviors.

Whale SENSE began in 2009 with three Cape Cod, Massachusetts companies. NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary developed the program, in which whale watch companies agree to annual training of all naturalists and captains, an annual evaluation of the company’s behavior around whales, and completion of an annual stewardship project.

Participants in the program use a Whale SENSE logo on their promotional materials, and are listed on the Whale SENSE website. By choosing a Whale SENSE company, passengers know that they are making a responsible choice that benefits the whales and the marine environment as a whole.

Read the full release here

Sen. Wyden introduces bill to expand disaster relief to fisheries harmed by tariffs

June 27, 2019 — U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, (D-Ore.), and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, (D-Mass.), recently introduced legislation to expand disaster relief to fisheries harmed by tariffs.

Currently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) guidelines used to identify the causes of fishery disasters does not explicitly include tariffs. Wyden’s bill would amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Act to require NOAA to evaluate the impacts of duties imposed on American seafood, ensuring the Department of Commerce receives a complete overview of factors affecting a fishery in all fishery disaster declaration designations.

“American businesses are being hit hard by retaliatory tariffs from Trump’s ill-conceived trade agenda,” Wyden said. “Fisheries unfortunately are no exception. West Coast seafood is sought after internationally, and Oregonians earning a living in fisheries should be able to command top dollar on the global market, rather than be ensnared in the cross-fire of Trump’s escalating trade war.”

In March of this year, Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley, (D-Ore.), secured $2.1 million in federal disaster recovery aid for coastal fisheries in Oregon. Multiple years of drought in California, parasites within the Klamath River Basin and poor ocean conditions led to low returns of the Oregon Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Fishery in 2016 and 2017.

Read the full story at The News Guard

MASSACHUSETTS: Commercial Striped Bass Season Opens, Amid Concerns About Fishery

June 26, 2019 — By the end of the day Monday, the first day of the commercial striped bass season, the Menemsha Fish House had brought in 297 filleted pounds of the elusive — and profitable — fish.

Otto Osmers, a commercial fisherman and fishmonger at the Fish House, said it was an about average commercial day in terms of pounds of fish landed.

And he acknowledged that the season begins amid concern among fishermen and regulators over declining stocks.

Striped bass is a highly regulated fishery, especially in the commercial market. Fishermen with a permit are allowed to catch and sell the fish on Mondays and Thursdays. They have a bag limit of 15 fish per commercial day; the minimum commercial size is 34 inches.

The only added regulation this year is that fishermen are not allowed to gaff fish that are below legal size. Story Reed, state Division of Marine Fisheries permitting manager, said most fishermen have already adopted the practice of not gaffing smaller fish, so it was a matter of “putting it down on paper.”

Read the full story at The Vineyard Gazette

MASSACHUSETTS: Seafood Soiree to Benefit Fishing Heritage Center

June 26, 2019 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

Enticing seafood appetizers from some of the area’s finest chefs are on the menu for a Seafood Soirée, the second annual gala fundraiser to benefit the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center.

Scheduled for the evening of July 18th at the Wamsutta Club at the James Arnold Mansion, a Seafood Soirée will feature the bounty of the sea with over a dozen dishes prepared by area chefs, as well as handmade desserts; live gypsy jazz by Hot Club Cheese Roll; and live and chance auctions.

“We invite the community to join us for this fun and delectable evening, a showcase of seafood from the nation’s most valuable fishing port,” said Executive Director Laura Orleans. “We are grateful to all our chefs, restaurants, seafood companies, and sponsors for their role in helping us promote the local seafood industry.”

Finest Kind lead sponsors for the Soirée include Farm Credit East, Fleet Fisheries and the Wamsutta Club at the James Arnold Mansion.

Highliner Sponsors include BayCoast Bank; Commercial Fisheries News; Edie and Marie Boat Settlements; Hancock Marine, Inc.; SouthCoast Media Group; and The Town Dock.

Skipper Sponsors include Moses Smith, Markey & Walsh and Seafuels Marine.

The cocktail hour from 5:30 to 6:30 pm will feature sushi from Turk’s Seafoodand mini lobster rolls by Oxford Creamery, both in Mattapoisett.

From 6:00 to 7:30 pm, signature seafood dishes will be offered by the following chefs (committed to date):

  • Clam Chowder donated by Blount Fine Foods;
  • Lobster sausage with chourico aioli prepared by Chef Chris Cronin of Union Flats opening soon on Union Street in New Bedford;
  • Korean barbeque Mackerel with charred bok choy and sweet chili glaze created by Chef Chris Cordeiro, Corporate Chef for Sid Wainer & Son;
  • Squid dish created by Chef Arthur Dill from Chartwells Dining Service at UMass Dartmouth;
  • Scallops with mustard and endive garnish, as well as scallop and codfish casserole created by Eastern Fisheries Executive Chef, George Karousos;
  • Smoked bluefish pate with pickled red onion and homemade crackers prepared by Chef Lisa Lofberg of Little Moss in Padanaram;
  • A Skate dish created by Chef Mike Melo of M&C Café;
  • New Bedford Seafood Paella featuring clams, scallops, mussels & chorizo by Chef Greg Morton of Morton’s Fork Catering;
  • Mini fish and chips prepared by Chef Jayme Reno of Merrill’s on the Waterfront in New Bedford;
  • For non-seafood eaters, Wamsutta Club Executive Chef Raymond Fonseca will offer assorted petite quiche, spanakopita, bruschetta, and chicken allouette.

Dessert from 7:30 to 8:30 pm will feature handcrafted chocolates by Life is Sweet and home baked cookies by Jo’s Breads & Muffins, along with coffee and tea.

Beginning at 7:30 pm, a live auction will feature items ranging from Red Sox HP State Street Pavillion Club seating tickets to a scallop dinner for four in the galley of a working fishing vessel. Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy gypsy jazz by Hot Club Cheese Roll, and try their luck at a Fluke and Flounder chance auction. A complimentary glass of champagne and a cash bar will round out the evening.

Tickets are $75 per person; proceeds will benefit the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, the city’s newest museum. For tickets, visit the Center at 38 Bethel Street, call 508-993-8894, or email info@fishingheritagecenter.org. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://fishingheritagecenter.org/soiree/

Helping New England fishing communities adapt

June 26, 2019 — New England fishing communities must adapt or fail. That’s the advice published in a new study co-authored by UMass Dartmouth scientist Dr. Robert Griffin.

Climate change is altering ocean temperatures, as researchers have previously documented, and entire fish populations are migrating further north or into deeper waters in search of cooler environments. For fishing communities, that means the slow disappearance of species that may be integral to the area’s identity.

For example, lobster in southern New England is migrating out, while black sea bass and Jonah crab have become more abundant.

“[Fishermen] all seemed to understand that this is happening,” Griffin said. “They go out and try to continue to catch the fish they’ve been trying to since they started, but it’s much harder.”

Read the full story at The Boston Globe

Vineyard Wind moves turbines to aid fishing vessels

June 25, 2019 — Vineyard Wind announced Monday that it has adjusted the layout for its 84-turbine wind farm to give more room for fishing vessels operating south of the Islands.

The company has moved the planned location of three 9.5 megawatt turbines farther away from the Nantucket Historic District and Chappaquiddick to create additional distance between the wind farm and commercial fishing areas just south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The redesign also aids fishing vessels traveling around Nomans Land and heading toward fishing grounds southeast of the wind farm, the company said.

The project’s plan to deliver 800 megawatts of electricity annually to three Massachusetts utilities is not affected by the adjustments, according to the company.

“Where possible, we have a responsibility to minimize the project’s footprint with respect to the history and culture of the Cape and Islands, and existing uses of these waters,” said Erich Stevens, Vineyard Wind’s chief development officer.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

This Discovery Could Be The Key To Managing New England’s Cod Population

June 24, 2019 — Cod has long been a staple of the New England fishery, but this once-plentiful fish has declined in recent decades. Despite repeated attempts to rebuild the stock, assessments suggest that the species has not recovered, frustrating biologists and fishermen alike.

Although the species is managed as a single population, cod in the Gulf of Maine can be divided into two genetically-distinct groups. And according to a new study, understanding the unique behavior and lifecycles of these two groups may be the key to creating a better management strategy.

“These subpopulations are dramatically different from one another,” says Micah Dean, a doctoral student at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center who led the study. “And the mix of these subpopulations changes over space and season, and over time. This sort of complexity needs to be accounted for.”

Incorporating the differences between these two groups into population models could improve management decisions, says Dean, who is also a senior biologist for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. And those decisions are vital to the survival and recovery of the fishery.

Both fisheries managers and fishermen have known that groups of cod in the Gulf of Maine gather to release and fertilize eggs twice each year, when the bottom temperatures are between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius (42.8 and 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). In the last decade, researchers have confirmed that the fish spawning in May and June are distinct from the fish spawning in November and December. But there hasn’t been a clear way to incorporate this information into management strategies, so the animals have continued to be grouped together.

Read the full story at News at Northeastern

MASSACHUSETTS: Whole Foods committed to Gloucester, despite plant exit

June 24, 2019 — Even though Austin, Texas, U.S.A.-based Whole Foods market is closing its seafood processing facility in Gloucester, Massachusetts, it plans to continue sourcing seafood from the Bay State.

Whole Foods recently said that its North Atlantic region will be permanently closing its Pigeon Cove Seafood facility in Gloucester, effective 15 August.

The plant closing will eliminate 60 full-time positions. However, Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said that Linda Shear, executive coordinator of team member services for Whole Foods, confirmed in a phone call that the retailer’s seafood processing will stay in Massachusetts.

“We addressed Whole Foods Market’s commitment to buying local and fresh seafood, and I am happy to report that this remains a priority for them,” Romeo Theken said in a statement provided to SeafoodSource. “I have asked them to buy it [seafood] here in Gloucester and my team will continue the conversation about Gloucester Fresh with Whole Foods Market.”

And, while Theken is “disappointed” in Whole Food’s decision to close the Pigeon Cove Seafood Facility, she was “pleased to hear that they are actively addressing the needs of the displaced employees”.

“I learned that all of the employees will be offered employment and training opportunities at Whole Foods Markets in the area [and] all employees are eligible for some type of severance package as well as unemployment benefits,” Romeo Theken said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MASSACHUSETTS: Officials confirm year’s second right whale death

June 24, 2019 — The second dead right whale of the year was found Thursday by a surveillance flight, drifting northeast of the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, according to the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

The death was confirmed by New England Aquarium, which has identified the whale as “Punctuation,” an adult female that has been studied by researchers for nearly 40 years and seen more than 250 times along the coast of the U.S. and Canada.

The aquarium maintains a photographic identification catalog that encompasses most of the right whale population. Punctuation was first photographed in 1981.

“All right whale deaths hit hard, but this one is particularly devastating to the population,” the aquarium staff wrote in an emailed statement.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times