Saving Seafood

NOAA report sides with right whale activists

January 22, 2021 — A federal report released Thursday largely agreed with the concerns expressed by animal rights activists and conservation groups that voluntary speed limits intended to protect highly endangered North Atlantic right whales were not working, and that even mandatory restricted speed zones needed to be expanded.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s vessel speed rule assessment recommended that the vessel strike rule that was implemented in 2008 be strengthened. They want increased enforcement of speed limits, expansion of mandatory no speed zones and a rethinking of areas that have only voluntary speed restrictions that are routinely violated and where an increase in vessel collisions with whales have been seen.

NOAA also wanted to consider mandatory speed restrictions or some other protections for an area just south of Nantucket where right whales have been found year-round in recent years.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Seasonal Ban on Lobstering Aims to Protect Right Whales

December 21, 2020 — With the North Atlantic right whale population at a dangerously low ebb, the state Division of Marine Fisheries is proposing a statewide seasonal ban on lobstering in a last-chance effort to save the critically endangered species from extinction.

Floated by the DMF during public hearings on Dec. 8 and 9, the proposed regulations come in the wake of a report that estimated right whale populations at only 366 marine mammals — down from the 481 estimated in 2011 — and a continued “unusual mortality event” that has seen more than 30 right whale deaths in the past three years.

The dramatic rule changes propose extending the state’s existing Feb. 1 through April 30 lobster trap closure in Cape Cod Bay to all waters under the jurisdiction of the commonwealth, including the Vineyard and Nantucket Sound. Buoyed recreational lobster and crab trap fishing would also be closed. The recreational closure would run from the Tuesday after Columbus Day through the Friday preceding Memorial Day.

Read the full story at the Vineyard Gazette

Slow Speed Zone Southeast of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

December 15, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is implementing a Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

On December 14, 2020 the New England Aquarium aerial survey team noted presence of right whales in this area triggering a slow zone.

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

The Nantucket Slow Zone is in effect through December 29 for waters bounded by:

41 26 N
40 44 N
069 31 W
070 25 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here

MASSACHUSETTS: Stabilizing The World’s Last Commercial Wild Bay Scallop Fishery In Nantucket

December 3, 2020 — Standing at the water’s edge overlooking Nantucket Harbor, Tara Riley explained that she had never heard of the famed island before she applied to become the town’s shellfish biologist in 2009. But now, ten years later, she said, she can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Perched at the entrance to Nantucket Harbor at Brant Point, the Town of Nantucket Shellfish Propagation Facility resembles a one-room schoolhouse on stilts. And it’s where Riley manages what is essentially a shellfish fertility clinic, growing clams and oysters — and more importantly, wild bay scallops — that she will release into the harbor to grow and mature. With Riley’s help, Nantucket’s shellfish hatchery is producing billions of larvae to help stabilize one of the last commercially viable wild bay scallop populations in the world.

Her job is no less than to save an historic industry that was nearly lost to pollution in the harbor from sewage and fertilizers. Wild bay scallops have generated revenue in Nantucket for 150 years, replacing the whaling industry after it shifted to New Bedford. Like whaling, commercial scalloping provided an important independence from the mainland.

“It’s pretty rare to have the town have a program like we have,” Riley said. “It just speaks to the fact of how important the bay scallop fishery is to the community and how much they want to preserve it.”

Read the full story at WGBH

Vessel Slow Speed Zone SW of Nantucket in Effect Through December 14

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

NOAA Fisheries is triggering voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area or DMA) southwest of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

This DMA was triggered on November 29, 2020, when an aerial survey team from the New England Aquarium sighted right whales in the area.

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

South of Nantucket, MA DMA is in effect through December 14, 2020

40 01 N
40 22 N
070 07 W
070 59 W

Other Slow Speed Zones

South of Nantucket, MA DMA is in effect through November 30 (expires today)

40 59 N
40 23 N
069 05 W
069 52 W

Southeast of New York City Slow Zone is in effect through December 2

40 41 N
40 01 N
073 03 W
073 55 W

Southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey in effect through December 5

39 25 N
38 44 N
073 44 W
074 36 W

Read the full release here

Slow Speed Zone South of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

November 16, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

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

This DMA was triggered by a November 15, 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 November 30.

40 59 N
40 23 N
069 05 W
069 52 W

Active Seasonal Management Areas November 1- April 30

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

  • Block Island Sound
  • Ports of New York/New Jersey
  • Entrance to the Delaware Bay
    (Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington)
  • Entrance to the Chesapeake Bay
    (Ports of Hampton Roads and Baltimore)
  • Ports of Morehead City and Beaufort, NC
  • Within a continuous area 20-nm from shore between Wilmington, North Carolina, to Brunswick, Georgia.

Find out more and get the coordinates for each mandatory slow speed zone.

Read the full release here

MASSACHUSETTS: Restaurant closures contribute to dwindling scallop fleet on Nantucket

November 9, 2020 — Bobby DeCosta only saw about half a dozen scalloping boats when he loaded his boat into the harbor on Nov. 3.It was the second day of the commercial scalloping season. There were about 40 boats scalloping last November.

It’s a dwindling fleet, DeCosta said. It’s also getting hit by COVID-19. With both island and off-island restaurants – which typically sell Nantucket bay scallops – shutting down for the season or for good, the income you can make selling scallops is on the decline.

“I hear guys say, ‘I’m not scalloping this year, I’m going to take a land job,’” said De-Costa, a commercial scalloper and former Select Board member. “If you didn’t grow up in the fishery, it’s a hard thing to get into.”

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Extended: Slow Speed Zone South of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

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

NOAA Fisheries announces an extension to the previously triggered voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area or DMA) south of Nantucket.

This DMA was originally triggered by an August 31, 2020 sighting of an aggregation of right whales and previously extended until October 20, 2020, and again to November 3, 2020. We are now extending the Slow Zone through November 15, 2020 after an aerial survey team observed an aggregation of right whales South of Nantucket on October 31, 2020.

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 November 15.

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

Read the full release here

Extended: Slow Speed Zone South of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

October 20, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces an extension to the previously triggered voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area  or DMA) south of Nantucket.

This DMA was originally triggered by an August 31, 2020, sighting of an aggregation of right whales and previously extended until October 20, 2020. A Center for Coastal Studies aerial survey observed an aggregation of whales in this area on October 19. Since the current DMA is set to expire we are extending it through November 3.

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 November 3.

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

Read the full release here