National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Archives

BANGOR DAILY NEWS: Right whales, wrong rules

September 1, 2021 — Federal fisheries regulators on Tuesday announced new rules for the northeast lobster industry. The rules, which are aimed at protecting endangered North Atlantic right whales, are more stringent and extensive than lobstermen and state officials had expected.

The timing of the new restrictions — which include a large area that will be closed to lobster harvesting during the height of the season — is especially problematic. To add to the frustration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration moved ahead with the new rules without essential information about whale deaths that lobstermen, the governor and the state’s congressional delegation have requested for years.

In a draft biological opinion issued earlier this year, the fisheries agency essentially acknowledged the lack of specific data on what causes whale mortality, particularly information on collisions between ships and whales. Yet, it went ahead with the restrictive rules, which also impact New England’s crab fishery.

According to data that accompanied the announcement of the new rules, NOAA was certain of the cause of death in fewer than half of the 13 right whale deaths in the U.S. since 2017. In two of those cases, gear was found entangled on the dead whale. Entanglements were suspected in five other U.S. whale deaths. The agency did not specify where the gear was from or what type it was. Three deaths were attributed to vessel strikes.

The most recent known Maine entanglement occurred in 2004, but the whale survived, the Portland Press Herald reported.

“The leading category for the cause of death for [these unusual mortality events] is ‘human interaction,’ specifically from entanglements or vessel strikes,” NOAA said in an introduction to the data.

This is a very imprecise rationale for rules that will have a significant impact on Maine’s lobster fishing industry, which is the state’s largest and most lucrative fishery.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

Feds Announce New Lobster Fishing Restrictions To Protect Endangered Right Whales

September 1, 2021 — America’s lobster fishing industry will face a host of new harvesting restrictions amid a new push from the federal government to try to save a vanishing species of whale.

The new rules, which have loomed over the profitable lobster industry for years and were announced Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are designed to protect the North Atlantic right whale. The whales number only about 360 and are vulnerable to lethal entanglement in fishing gear.

NOAA said it expects the new rules will result in a reduction in nearly 70% of the risk of death and serious injuries the whales can suffer from entanglement. The rules had long been expected to focus on reducing the number of vertical ropes in the water, and they will.

The rules reduce the number of rope lines that link buoys to lobster and crab traps, NOAA said. The rules will also require the use of weaker ropes so whales can more easily break free if they do become entangled, the agency said. NOAA said the rules also expand the areas of ocean where fishing with trap rope is prohibited or limited.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at WBUR

HAWAII: UH Sea Grant shares in award to address marine debris, protect wildlife

August 31, 2021 — To address the devastating impacts of marine debris in the coastal environment, one of the leading causes of injury and death for sea turtles, seabirds and Hawaiian monk seals, the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) and Hawaiʻi Marine Animal Response (HMAR), the largest Hawaiʻi-based marine species response and conservation nonprofit organization, received $50,000 from NOAA Sea Grant and the NOAA Marine Debris Program. This grant is matched by $50,000 from non-federal sources.

The funding is one of six new, creative projects to tackle marine debris challenges across the country awarded to Sea Grant programs in Hawaiʻi, Florida, Georgia, Illinois-Indiana, Puerto Rico and Wisconsin. These marine debris projects total $300,000 in federal funding and are matched by non-federal contributions, bringing the total investment to approximately $600,000.

“By preventing marine debris, we can reduce the impacts of this global problem,” stated NOAA Marine Debris Program Director Nancy Wallace. “We are pleased to partner with NOAA Sea Grant to provide support for projects that will help stop trash and fishing gear at their source.”

Read the full story at University of Hawaii News

NOAA Fisheries rules limiting lobstering draw harsh criticism from fishing, environmental groups

August 31, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries has announced a set of new regulations intended to protect the North Atlantic right whale from entanglement-related incidents. The regulations will cost the Northeast lobster fishery between USD 9 million and 20 million (EUR 7.6 million and 16.9 million) to implement.

The new regulations are in response to the ongoing decline of the highly endangered whale, of which only a few hundred remain in the wild. The species is currently undergoing what NOAA has dubbed an “unusual mortality event,” with 34 right whales having died since 2017.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Offers Online Webinars for Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagic For-Hire Permit Holders (Topic: Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program Vessel Monitoring System Requirements)

August 31, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office is in the process of implementing Phase 2 of the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program, requiring a position reporting device, or vessel monitoring system (VMS), to be permanently affixed to a vessel and transmitting at all times. A series of constituent webinars will be held in September 2021 in order to assist the public with preparing for the implementation of this requirement.

When:

Webinars:

Tuesday, September 7^th, 2021, 6:30-7:30 PM, ET
Thursday, September 16^th, 2021, 2:00-3:00 PM, ET
Wednesday, September 22^nd, 2021, 6:30-7:30 PM, ET
Tuesday, September 28^th, 2021, 10:00-11:00 AM, ET

To register for the webinars and access additional meeting information go to: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing-data/southeast-hire-electronic-reporting-program.

Why:

These webinars will provide program participants information about the new VMS requirement for the federally permitted Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagic for-hire participants. The webinars will include information such as timelines, approved VMS units, and reporting requirements. There will also be plenty of time for questions.

The position reporting requirement is essential for validating the information collected through the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program. The data collected from the VMS units are expected to result in enhanced tracking of recreational catch limits in the Gulf of Mexico; thereby, improving fisheries management.

Read the full release here

Pot/Trap Fisheries Regulations to Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales Announced

August 31, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding the North Atlantic right whale population, which is endangered, declining, and experiencing an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event.

Entanglement in commercial fishing gear is a primary cause of mortalities and serious injuries of North Atlantic right whales. Working with the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team—a group of advisors consisting of fishermen, scientists, conservationists, and state and federal officials—we have completed Phase 1 of the modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to continue to reduce whale entanglements.

Today, we are announcing the final rule to modify the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. The gear modifications required by the rule will go into effect May 1, 2022, which is the start of the American lobster/Jonah crab fishing year. The changes to the seasonally restricted areas will go into effect 30 days after the publication of this rule.

We would like to thank the many stakeholders who submitted more than 200,000 public comments on the proposed rule. The comments guided us in modifying the final rule to allow more flexibility for fishermen, while still achieving the necessary risk reduction to make a real difference for right whales. These measures will reduce the deaths and serious injuries to North Atlantic right whales due to entanglements in U.S. commercial fishing gear, and will contribute to the recovery of this endangered population.

Final Rule Measures

The rule modifies regulations for the Northeast lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fisheries as follows:

Modify gear marking to introduce state-specific colors for gear marks and increase the number of gear markings and areas requiring marked lines.
Modify gear configurations to reduce the number of vertical lines by requiring more traps between buoy lines.
Require weak insertions or weak rope in buoy lines.
Modify existing seasonal closure/restricted areas to allow ropeless fishing.
Add two new seasonal restricted areas.
Following changes made by Massachusetts, extend the Massachusetts Restricted Area (MRA) to add state waters north to the New Hampshire border.

For More Information

For more information on the rule’s specific measures and to see outreach guides and videos please visit the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan website, or read our web story.

Questions?

Industry: Contact Marisa Trego, Take Reduction Team Coordinator, 978-282-8484

Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

NOAA Fisheries Issues Final Rule to Reduce North Atlantic Right Whale Entanglements

August 31, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries will host a video teleconference this afternoon to discuss a final rule, announced today, intended to reduce risk of mortality and serious injury to right whales caused by entanglement in Northeast lobster and Jonah crab trap and pot fisheries.

NOAA Fisheries and our partners, including members of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team that were instrumental in developing the rule, are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding the North Atlantic right whale population, which is critically endangered, declining, and experiencing an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event.

WHEN:

August 31, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. EDT

WHO:

Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
Dr. Marisa Trego, Marine Mammal Take Reduction Team Coordinator, NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
Kristy Long, National Coordinator, Marine Mammal Take Reduction Program , NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources

WHAT:

– Webinar

– Questions and Answers

HOW:

Please register for the video teleconference at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6612595288214527504

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The media briefing will be held from 1:30-2:30 p.m., but you will be able to log in up to 30 minutes early for technical support.

Following the call, a recording of the webinar will be posted shortly on the Press Release’s webpage.

Climate, weather, and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources. See how NOAA science, services, and stewardship benefit your community: Visit noaa.gov for our latest news and features, and join us on social media.

Read the full release here

Notice of Alaska Observer Requirements for the Partial Coverage Fleet Effective September 1, 2021

August 31, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Observers are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation. In response to widely available vaccines, increased transportation availability, and the removal of health and travel mandates in most communities, NOAA Fisheries has identified that most ports in Alaska have current travel and lodging conditions that allow observers to meet and maintain applicable health and travel advisories for deployment into the commercial fisheries.

NOAA fisheries will be expanding the deployment of observers to all ports throughout Alaska on September 1, 2021 to meet monitoring objectives for vessels in the Partial Coverage Category of the North Pacific groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries. This change is consistent with the June 29, 2021 updated NOAA Fisheries observer waiver policy which states that vessels are no longer eligible for release from observer coverage under the Emergency Rule if a fully vaccinated or quarantined/shelter-in-place observer is available.

To the extent possible, NOAA Fisheries will deploy observers to achieve coverage levels identified in the 2021 Annual Deployment Plan for the remainder of the year, which are designed to meet the monitoring objectives established by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries.

Consistent with existing regulatory authority at 50 CFR 679.51(a)(1), NOAA fisheries may release trips from observer coverage on a case-by-case basis for vessels in the Partial Coverage Category. NOAA will use this authority when no observers are available for deployment. We will continue to work with the contracted observer service provider, AIS, Inc., to implement adjustments to the logistics of deploying observers, ensuring that qualified observers are available as soon as safely possible.

NOAA Fisheries may modify the list of ports with available observers in the future in response to transportation availability and/or changes in health and travel advisories. Any revisions to the deployment of observers due to changes in health and travel advisories will be published through an Alaska Region Information Bulletin.

NOAA Fisheries is committed to protecting the public’s health and ensuring the safety of fishermen, observers, and the communities in which they work, while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life. We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates.

NOAA asks for help locating stranded sea turtles

August 30, 2021 — Federal ocean managers are asking beachgoers in New England and elsewhere to keep an eye out for stranded turtles.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office said several species of sea turtle will still be in the area for a few months. Healthy sea turtles normally should not be out of the water in the region, the office said.

The office asked anyone who sees a turtle on the beach to report it. Species that could be spotted include loggerhead, leatherback, green and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, the office said.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Stakeholder Engagement Meeting for American Plaice Stock Assessment

August 30, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Improving Assessments for American Plaice

The American Plaice Working Group will be hosting a stakeholder engagement meeting in Gloucester, MA, on Friday, September 24th, from 10 AM – 1 PM. You can also participate through Webex. This meeting link will be sent to your email upon registration.

The meeting will begin with a presentation on the American plaice Research Track Assessment process with a focus on fishery data, survey data, and a review of previous stock assessments. An open discussion will follow with time for questions and comments on the fishery and survey data, research track process including methods and timeline, or any other input or questions. The working group is specifically interested in getting on the water experience from stakeholders.

If you would like to register for the stakeholder meeting (either virtual or in-person) please RSVP here no later than Thursday, September 23rd.