Saving Seafood

NE Fishery Management Council Divided Over New Plan For Rafael’s Fishing Sector

April 20, 2018 — In a divided vote, the New England Fishery Management Council is backing a new operations plan for a sector of New Bedford boats that have been prohibited from fishing. However, the council said the plan should only be approved if certain conditions are met.

The sector of boats, called Sector IX, has been banned from catching groundfish, such as cod and haddock, for the past five months. Federal regulators from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made the decision to prohibit all sector activity after fishing mogul Carlos Rafael, who has also been referred to as “The Codfather,” pleaded guilty to misreporting the numbers of fish his boats were catching.

Now, Sector IX wants to be operational again as a “lease-only” sector, which means the boats would remain docked but could still make money by leasing their fishing allocation to other fishermen.

Read the full story at Rhode Island Public Radio

 

Massachusetts: Concerns, support aired at offshore wind hearings in Hyannis, on Nantucket

April 20, 2018 — NANTUCKET, Mass. — Attendees at public hearings in Hyannis and on Nantucket Wednesday for one of three offshore wind energy projects proposed for south of Martha’s Vineyard had questions about the environment, potential jobs and the effects on commercial and recreational fishing.

But others fully welcomed the benefit of a renewable energy project that — unlike Cape Wind, they said — appears to have a chance of coming to fruition.

“I’m just hoping that this will be the beginning of a national shift,” said Nantucket resident Colin Wyatt Leddy, who said he was “terribly sorry” to see Cape Wind not succeed.

The Cape Wind project, once slated for Nantucket Sound, is in the midst of relinquishing its lease with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

With four public meetings under their belt, and a fifth in Kingston, Rhode Island today, Vineyard Wind executives are moving into the heavy lifting of federal permitting for their 400 to 800 megawatt project planned off the Vineyard.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

 

Massachusetts: Fishermen air concerns about Vineyard Wind

April 19, 2018 — Looking to create a sea change in energy production in Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker signed “An Act to Promote Energy Diversity” with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2016. A key provision of the legislation mandated that utilities solicit long-term contracts with offshore wind farm developers, with the goal of adding 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2027.

Fast-forward to Tuesday night, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, where federal and state officials, along with representatives from Vineyard Wind, gathered for a “scoping session” to hear how Islanders feel about having the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the United States — 106 turbines, 700 feet tall, spaced about a mile apart, covering 167,000 acres — being built 14 miles south of home. The facility will produce between 400 and 800 megawatts of electricity.

Tuesday’s Tisbury gathering was one of five scoping sessions to be held this week by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island, to garner public input for the Vineyard Wind draft environmental impact statement (EIS).

Turnout was robust. The discussion remained even-keeled, which, according to one member of the large BOEM contingent, was a stark contrast to the previous night’s heated scoping session in New Bedford.

Read the full story at the Martha’s Vineyard Times

NOAA: New Voluntary Slow Speed Zone to Protect Right Whales

April 19, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area  or DMA) has been established to protect a group of five right whales sighted 12 nautical miles east of Boston on April 18.

Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

VOLUNTARY DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREAS (DMAs)

Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the following areas where a group of right whales has been sighted. Find out more about ship strike reduction efforts.

East of Boston – In effect through May 3.

42 43 N
42 00 N
071 17 W
070 20 W

ACTIVE SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS (SMAs)

Mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less (50 CFR 224.105) are in effect in the following areas:

  • Cape Cod Bay SMA in effect through May 15, 2018
  • Block Island SMA in effect through April 30, 2018
  • New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk SMA in effect through April 30, 2018

Right Whales in Crisis

The year 2017 was devastating for North Atlantic right whales, which suffered a loss of 17 whales, plus an additional mortality in January 2018–about 4 percent of their population–an alarming number for such a critically endangered species with a population currently estimated at about 450 animals.

In August 2017, NOAA Fisheries declared the increase in right whale mortalities an “Unusual Mortality Event,” which helps the agency direct additional scientific and financial resources to investigating, understanding, and reducing the mortalities in partnership with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and outside experts from the scientific research community.

More Info   

Recent right whale sightings

Download the Whale Alert app for iPad and iPhone

Acoustic detections in Cape Cod Bay and the Boston TSS

Send a blank message to receive a return email listing all current U.S. DMAs and SMAs.

Details and graphics of all ship strike management zones currently in effect.

Reminder: Approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law.

 

Trump administration seeks dismissal of Northeast Canyons and Seamounts monument lawsuit

April 19, 2018 — Despite its willingness to review the designations made by its predecessor, the Trump Administration is at least defending former President Obama’s ability to create national monuments. That’s according to a filing in federal court earlier this week.

Jeffrey H. Wood, acting assistant attorney general for the environment and natural resources division, entered a motion on 16 April to dismiss a lawsuit filed last year by the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. The Lobstermen and other fishing groups filed the suit in response to the Obama Administration designating the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in September 2016.

The Northeast Canyons was the first national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean, and with that designation, commercial fishing – with certain exclusions for red crab and lobster fishing – is not permitted in the nearly 5,000-square-mile area. Crab and lobster fishing would continue until a seven-year permit expires.

Last year, Trump ordered Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review the monuments, which were created under the Antiquities Act. While Zinke has not recommended removing any designation for marine monuments, he has encouraged Trump to open monuments for more commercial fishing opportunities.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

US Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank Waiting on MSC Final Consultation for Haddock, Pollock and Redfish

April 19, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The U.S. Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank haddock, pollock and redfish trawl fishery are one step closer to receiving Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.

A determination was reached by certification body Acoura Marine Ltd., who found that the fishery should be certified “according to the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fisheries.” However, the fishery must wait until the final consultation period has concluded before receiving their official MSC certification. Any party that disagrees with the determination has 15 working days to object in a written letter.

Objections must be submitted by May 9. The fishery will be able to use the MSC logo on their products once the final consultation period has ended without objections.

This story originally appeared on Seafood News, it it republished here with permission.

 

Massachusetts: Despite sector shuffle, New Bedford fishermen will still be on sidelines in May

April 19, 2018 — MYSTIC, Conn. — Whispers filled the convention room at the Hilton Wednesday as the dozens in attendance attempted to count the raised hands, which signified votes of the New England Fishery Management Council.

The three attempts to accurately tally the votes only added to the drama of a discussion that involved a groundfishing ban that’s affected New Bedford since November.

In the end, the vote didn’t provide a resolution for those fishermen out of work and the shoreside businesses affected by the ban.

The final count was 7 yes votes, 5 no votes and 5 abstaining. The motion approved recommendations of a Sector IX lease-only plan and authorization of Sector VII’s full operational plan after repayment of overages.

While the motion was approved, it is only a recommendation to NOAA. The meeting and discussion, which are parts of an overall larger process, acted as a procedural matter to allow the NMFC an opportunity to express its opinion on the issue. NOAA is not obligated to follow the recommendation.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

NOAA Tells NE Management Council That Sectors 7 and 9 Plans May Not be Approved Until Mid-Summer

April 18, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — NOAA is discussing the fate of the vessels in sectors 7 and 9 with the New England Fishery Management Council this morning.

This has been the subject of a stand-off in which NOAA has demanded the illegal fishing is sector 9 due to Carlos Rafael be accounted for before vessels, including those formerly in the sector, will be allowed to lease quota or operate.

Meanwhile, players in New Bedford who have been hurt by the enforcement action have been trying everything possible to start fishing operations again without any final decision by NOAA.

In their presentation which will be given to the Council this morning, NOAA lays out their plan and invites comments.

Their Sector 9 proposal is to treat illegal catch in each fishing year as if it was known immediately after the end of the season.   This would eliminate carryover of unused quota into the next season when illegal catch was involved.

Once the illegal catch was identified by year, and allocated, then the sector could repay that out of 2017 lease quota.  After the repayment, the sector would be free to lease its remaining quotas.

NOAA anticipates that if they conduct rulemaking this would happen by ‘mid-summer’.

Regarding sector 7, all of whose current roster transferred from sector 9, NOAA says they will not be allowed to start fishing on May 1st.

Instead, sector 7 allocations will be made through separate rule making.  This is because sector 7 is proposing substantive changes in their operational plans, including prohibiting any vessel owned by Carlos Rafael from fishing or leasing quota until it has ownership transferred.

NOAA will be holding meetings with the sectors to discuss the apportionment of overages.

This plan does not address the issue of whether these permits should have restrictions or even be allowed to be transferred.  The argument between New Bedford and some of the other New England Ports is whether the permits that are sanctioned should remain in New Bedford, be sold to the highest bidder no matter where they may operate, or be deactivated and the representative quota returned proportionally to all remaining quota holders.

This story originally appeared on Seafood News, it it republished here with permission.

 

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell to NEFMC: Sector IX Closure Is Hurting New Bedford’s Economy

April 18, 2018 — The following statement was delivered to the New England Fishery Management Council today on behalf of New Bedford, Massachusetts Mayor Jon Mitchell. Mayor Mitchell also serves as Chairman of the New Bedford Port Authority:   

Thank you Chairman Quinn and Members of the Council for this opportunity to communicate about a matter of ongoing concern to the Port of New Bedford, namely the impact that the closure of Sector 9 of the Northeast Fishery is having on groundfishing operations in the Port.

The NOAA decision has had–and continues to have–troubling economic consequence for the Port of New Bedford and our local economy. It has triggered significant business losses among local companies that provide support services to the commercial fishing fleet, and has meant the loss of livelihood for dozens of local fishing families.

It is important for all parties to keep in mind the numerous New Bedford businesses and families who have played no direct role in the operation of Sector 9, but who now find themselves in severe financial distress as a result of the Sector’s closure.

While the significant human cost of the closure cannot be adequately measured, Professor Dan Georgiana of the School of Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts (SMAST) has used a standard NOAA economic impact model to estimate the economic damage being done to the Port of New Bedford. His analysis found that the Port suffered roughly $12 million in economic losses in just the first twenty-five days after the closure went into effort on November 20th of last year.

This week marks the fifth full month of the Sector 9 closure, and the losses continue to mount. If one extrapolates from Professor Georgiana’s original analysis, it is not unreasonable to suggest that the Port of New Bedford may now have cumulatively suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses in the last five months.

This figure includes the impacts on harvesting, processing, wholesale and retail market activity, but does not include the cost to the public of unemployment compensation or the impact on businesses that supply vessels or process groundfish.

None of this is to suggest that the one person at the center of the controversy should not be punished severely. Carlos Rafael should be held fully accountable for his actions. I emphasize rather that the Fisheries Service should undertake its rulemaking, as it is statutorily required, with the interests of the Port and its businesses in mind. At a minimum, this means that it should complete the rulemaking “expeditiously”–as NOAA’s notice of withdrawal said it would–so that the effected fishermen and businesses can get back to work without further delay.

The Service also noted it had to calculate the amount of “overage” to certain groundfish stocks caused by Rafael’s fraud before it completed its rulemaking. Yet the Service has had, for some time now, all the reasonably available information to complete this loss calculation. Again, I urge the Service to complete these calculations and its rule-making with all deliberate speed.

The clock is ticking against New Bedford fishermen and shore-side businesses. A resolution of this matter therefore cannot come soon enough for the Port of New Bedford. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Massachusetts: Offshore Oil Drilling Sparks Early Opposition on Martha’s Vineyard

April 18, 2018 — Island environmental groups and state legislators are strongly opposing a plan by the Trump administration to open up North Atlantic waters to offshore oil and gas exploration.

The five-year drilling plan announced in early January by the U.S. Department of the Interior calls for drilling along East Coast federal waters from Georgia to Maine, including waters off Massachusetts.

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission has gone on record early against the idea of drilling.

“Opening our coast to drilling and the potential for a dangerous spill is a reckless threat to our region,” wrote MVC executive director Adam Turner in a recent letter to Gov. Charlie Baker. “Any oil spill, even in a limited quantity, will have serious consequences to the Island and the region.”

Mr. Turner said he wanted to make it clear to the governor early on that the commission is opposed to the proposal.

“I’m concerned about what safeguards are in place to avoid an oil spill or contamination in the water,” Mr. Turner said. “What’s the impact on wildlife?”

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has also opposed the plan, saying that the drilling could threaten the state’s $7.3 billion fishing industry and 1,500 miles of coastline and raising the prospect of taking legal action.

Read the full story at the Vineyard Gazette