Saving Seafood

Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) Seeking Advisory Council Applications

June 8, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) is seeking applications from recreational and commercial fishermen to join its Advisory Council, which provides substantive direction and strategic guidance to the alliance. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2020.

ROSA is a nonprofit organization that seeks to advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions through collaboration and cooperation. ROSA’s work currently concentrates on the waters from Maine to North Carolina.

The background information and applications are listed below and can be found at https://www.rosascience.org/. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2020.

Deadline Extended: Survey on Impacts of COVID-19 on Commercial Fisheries

June 5, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Rutgers University Center for Fisheries and Ocean Sustainability has extended the deadline to complete a survey on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on commercial fishermen and their livelihoods in the Northeast US. The survey results will be shared broadly to help fisheries managers and policy makers understand what some of the immediate impacts of the pandemic have been on the fishing industry and on commercial fishermen in the Northeast.

All commercial fishermen (including vessel owners, captains, and crew) in the Northeast US (North Carolina through Maine) are invited to complete the 15 minute anonymous survey online here: https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1MiTWJDQDt4atTf

The survey deadline has been extended to June 14 to ensure broad representation from across the Northeast region. Please feel free to forward this announcement to relevant individuals or groups.

Questions? Contact Dr. Victoria Ramenzoni, Department of Human Ecology, Rutgers University, victoria.ramenzoni@rutgers.edu, (848) 932-9153

Take the survey here

Reminder: Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment Scoping Comment Deadline

May 27, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The deadline to submit written scoping comments on the Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment is Sunday, May 31, 2020. This management action will consider potential modifications to the allocations of the black sea bass commercial quota among the states of Maine through North Carolina. All interested members of the public are encouraged to provide input on the range of management alternatives that should be considered in this action.

How to Submit Comments

Written comments should be submitted by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday May 31, 2020 by any of the following methods:

  1. ONLINE: http://www.mafmc.org/comments/bsb-com-allocation-amendment
  2. EMAIL: jbeaty@mafmc.org
  3. MAIL: Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901
  4. FAX: 302.674.5399

Please include “Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Amendment” in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments.

Read the full release here

June 16-18 MAFMC Webinar Meeting Agenda

May 19, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold its June Council Meeting via webinar June 16-18, 2020. Due to public health concerns related to COVID-19, this webinar-based meeting replaces the in-person meeting previously scheduled to be held in Virginia Beach, VA.

A detailed agenda is available here. Topics to be discussed at this meeting include:

  • Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment
  • Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment
  • Summer Flounder Commercial/Recreational Allocation Study Model Update
  • Recreational Reform Initiative
  • Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment
  • 2020-2021 Illex Specifications
  • Update on Habitat Activities
  • Unmanaged Landings Update

Briefing documents and webinar connection details will be posted at https://www.mafmc.org/briefing/june-2020 as they become available.

Written comments may be submitted using the online comment form linked below or via email, mail, or fax (see this page for details). Written comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on June 3, 2020 to be included in the briefing book. Comments received after this date but before 5:00 p.m. on June 11, 2020 will be posted as supplemental materials on the Council meeting web page. After that date, all comments must be submitted using the online comment form linked below.

June 2020 Public Comment Form
Questions? Contact Mary Sabo, msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Final 2020 and Projected 2021 Scup and Black Sea Bass Specifications

May 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are implementing the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s recommended 2020 specifications for the scup and black sea bass fisheries. The revised specifications are based on recently completed operational stock assessments. The projected 2021 specifications are also included in this rule.

For more information, read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.

Read the full release here

Reminder: Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment Webinars – Today @ 2:00 p.m. and Thursday @ 6:00 p.m

May 11, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold two scoping webinars to gather public input on a management action to consider potential modifications to the allocations of the black sea bass commercial quota among the states of Maine through North Carolina. Learn more about this action in the scoping announcement or at the links below.

Webinar Schedule

Both scoping hearings will be conducted by webinar.

  1. Monday May 11, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm EDT
  2. Thursday May 14, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm EDT

To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/bsb-com-allocation-scoping/. Audio connection instructions appear upon connecting, or you can call 800-832-0736 and enter room number 5068871#.

Written Comments

In addition to providing comments at either of the scoping hearing webinars, you may submit written comments by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday May 31, 2020. Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE: http://www.mafmc.org/comments/bsb-com-allocation-amendment

2. EMAIL: jbeaty@mafmc.org

3. MAIL: Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director

    Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

    800 North State Street, Suite 201

    Dover, DE 19901

4. FAX: 302.674.5399

Please include “Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Amendment” in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments. All comments, regardless of submission method, will be shared with the Commission and Council and will be made publicly available on their respective websites. It is not necessary to submit the same comments to both the Council and Commission or through multiple channels.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed 2020-2021 Bluefish Specifications and Recreational Management Measures

May 11, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended revised bluefish specifications for 2020 and 2021. These proposed catch limits are reduced to account for the results of the recent operational assessment and prevent overfishing on the now overfished bluefish stock.

The commercial total allowable landings would be reduced by 25 percent, from 3.71 to 2.77 million pounds. The recreational total allowable landings would be reduced by 39 percent, from 15.62 to 9.48 million pounds.

The federal bluefish recreational fishery daily bag limit would remain reduced from 15 to 3 fish per person for private anglers and to 5 fish per person for for-hire (charter/party) vessels as set forth in the interim measures recently announced. All other recreational management measures and commercial management measures would remain unchanged.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. The comment period is open through May 26,2020.

Read the full release here

Lots of longfin squid, but markets locked up

May 6, 2020 — “Business has fallen off a cliff, for squid, and for every market that deals with restaurants,” says Chris Lee, of Sea Fresh USA, a supplier and processor in North Kingstown, R.I. “Every dockside processor is talking about coronavirus.”

While the year-round Northeast longfin squid fishery commercial harvest is used to fluctuation, the covid-19 pandemic is unparalleled.

“There’s always lots of uncertainty with squid availability and international demand/supply price effects. My understanding is that coronavirus-related restaurant shutdowns have had extreme immediate negative effects on domestic demand, and negative effects for exports are expected as well,” says Jason Didden of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

In the past decade, says Lee, most of his squid was sold domestically. But now, he says, “we haven’t just lost the U.S. market. I have containers of squid on the water that were going to Europe. Customers are already trying to renegotiate because those markets in Europe are not open, all their restaurants are closed.” If there is an upside right now, Lee adds, it’s China, where some markets are looking as if they are starting to reopen.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Reminder for Northeast Multispecies Vessels: Charter/Party Letters of Authorization

April 30, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries reminds you that vessels that are issued the groundfish charter/party Letters of Authorization (LOA) may not participate in the commercial fishery for any species managed by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils during the enrollment period. These vessels may not sell, barter, or trade fish that are harvested or possessed by the vessel on any trip, even if the trip was taken outside the closure area. The enrollment periods are as follows:

If you have questions regarding your 2020 LOA or to make changes, please call the Greater Atlantic Region Permit Office, (978) 282-8438.

For more information about the requirements and regulations pertaining to Letters of Authorization, please contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division,  (978) 281-9315.

Reminder: Tilefish Recreational Reporting Webinar Tonight @ 5:30 p.m.

April 28, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/pr_private_tf/

Audio connection instructions will pop up automatically when you connect. For telephone-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter room number: 5068609#.

Recreational tilefish anglers may soon be subject to new permitting and reporting requirements. Under proposed regulations published by NOAA Fisheries, private recreational vessels (including for-hire operators using their vessels for non-charter, recreational trips) would be required to obtain a federal vessel permit to target or retain golden or blueline tilefish north of the Virginia/North Carolina border. These vessel operators would also be required to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically within 24 hours of returning to port for trips where tilefish were targeted or retained. For more information about the proposed requirements, check out our Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting FAQs.

NOAA Fisheries is encouraging anglers not already using another electronic VTR system to utilize NOAA Fish Online, which is available through a mobile app or a web-based portal. Other systems that may be suitable for recreational anglers include SAFIS eTrips/mobile and SAFIS eTrips Online. You can access information about approved applications and other aspects of electronic reporting on the NOAA Fisheries website.

Read the full release here