Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Announces Additional Funding to Support Recovery Actions for North Atlantic Right Whales

December 20, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

This year, NOAA Fisheries will add an additional $1.6 million in federal funds to current funding levels to support additional recovery actions for the North Atlantic right whale. The $1.6 million will support reducing the risk of entanglement of right whales in fishing gear while assisting the lobster fishing industry in adapting to the impacts of new management measures that mitigate the effects of trap/pot gear on right whales. These funds will assist the lobster fishing industry in complying with pending regulations and help to defray costs to support fishermen broadly. NOAA Fisheries plans to work through its partner, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), to expend these funds.

The North Atlantic right whale is critically endangered and fisheries gear entanglements and vessel strikes are among the leading causes of mortalities in both the U.S. and Canada. NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding the North Atlantic right whale population.

For more information see our webstory.

Omega Protein says it will cooperate on Chesapeake menhaden cap

December 20, 2019 — Omega Protein said it will cooperate with interstate menhaden managers, after the Department of Commerce set a June 17, 2020 deadline for Virginia to come into compliance with the Chesapeake Bay cap on its reduction fishery or face a moratorium.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross formally concurred with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission finding of non-compliance, after the commission in October voted to insist the Reedville, Va.-based Omega Protein must adhere to the commission’s 51,000 metric tons bay cap.

Chris Oliver, the NOAA assistant administrator for fisheries, notified the commission Thursday of Ross’ decision.

“NOAA Fisheries also finds that this management measure is necessary for the conservation of the menhaden resource,” Oliver wrote in a letter to the commission. “The best available information shows that menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay are an important component of the overall health of the stock, and further that their role as forage for predator species in the Chesapeake Bay is critical to the marine environment.”

Omega officials, who faced off with critics for months before the commission vote, pledged Thursday to work toward solutions.

“Omega Protein will work with both the ASMFC and the Commonwealth of Virginia to lift the moratorium and bring the fishery back into compliance,” the company said in a prepared statement. “The company looks forward to working with the commission in the coming months as we move toward ecosystem-based measures, and will continue to support science-based fishery management and a healthy menhaden fishery.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

US commerce secretary Ross hands Virginia menhaden fishery its first moratorium

December 19, 2019 — Wilbur Ross, secretary of the US Department of Commerce, has agreed with Virginia governor Ralph Northam and placed the first-ever moratorium on the commonwealth’s menhaden fishery in the Chesapeake Bay — one of the two largest in the US — delivering a potentially nasty blow to Omega Protein.

But the moratorium doesn’t go into effect until June 17, 2020, giving the Houston, Texas-based division of Cooke Inc. plenty of time to work with the state to get into compliance.

The ruling follows Omega Protein’s admission in September of violating a federal cap set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in the area. The ASFMC cut the bay cap by 41% in 2017, in what it described as a precautionary measure, but without a finding of overfishing.

In October, during its week-long meeting in New Castle, New Hampshire, the ASMFC voted unanimously (15-0) to advance its finding of noncompliance against the state of Virginia to Ross.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Read Omega Protein’s Statement Here

Read the letter from NOAA here

Putting Endangered Species on the Map

December 19, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

In November, we launched Version 2.0 of the Section 7 Mapper, a new mapping tool that shows where threatened and endangered species are in New England and Mid-Atlantic waters. This tool helps people planning activities in our waters to understand where endangered marine species are and at what times of year.

Why did we build this tool?

Busy Oceans and Coasts

Coastal areas are humming with action. Ports, docks, piers, moorings, and marinas dot our shores and bays. Bridges span our rivers, barges sail up rivers to inland ports, and undersea cables criss-cross the ocean bottom. Vessels—ranging from enormous container ships and cruise ships to small recreational fishing boats and jet-skis—traverse our coastal and offshore waters daily.

People are constantly building structures, dredging shallow areas, restoring rivers and coastal habitats, replenishing beaches, and researching new sources of energy.

Underneath, around, and in between all these activities swim threatened and endangered fish, sea turtles, and marine mammals that live, feed, and grow there.

Projects Change Habitat

Human activities add noise, sediment, pollutants, and pressure to ocean habitats. They also displace these animals from spaces they use for breeding, egg-laying, nurseries, feeding, and other activities.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires federal agencies, like the Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Highway Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, the Navy, and even other parts of NOAA, to consult with NOAA Fisheries on projects or activities they are planning, funding, or permitting that may affect a threatened or endangered marine species or its critical habitat. This is called a “Section 7 Consultation.”

Read the full release here

Little-noticed document from US-China ‘phase one’ trade deal hints of positives for US seafood

December 19, 2019 — Language contained in a short, somewhat vague document included as part of the so-called “phase one” US-China trade agreement announced Friday — but not widely publicized — hints at some positive developments coming soon for US seafood harvesters, processors, wholesalers and exporters, Undercurrent News has learned.

But the seafood industry will likely have to wait another month for the details.

Under the heading of “expanding trade”, the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s two-page fact sheet, handed out to stakeholders, says China has committed to exceeding its 2017 purchase of US goods and services by no less than $200 billion, including “manufactured goods, food, agricultural and seafood products,” among other things.

It further adds that the increase should “continue on this same trajectory for several years after 2021 and should contribute significantly to the rebalancing of the US-China trade relationship.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Neil Jacobs, meteorologist and acting head of NOAA during a turbulent time, nominated to lead the agency

December 19, 2019 — Less than a month after Barry Myers, the controversial pick to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, withdrew from consideration, President Trump has nominated acting administrator Neil Jacobs to lead the agency.

Jacobs, a meteorologist, has been the acting head of NOAA since 2018, but the agency has been without a permanent leader since Trump was inaugurated, the longest rudderless stretch in its history. The agency is tasked with a diverse range of duties, including forecasting the weather, conducting climate research, managing the nation’s fisheries and more.

Jacobs sailed through Senate confirmation to serve as the assistant secretary of commerce or, in his current official capacity, acting head of NOAA. However, to be confirmed as permanent NOAA administrator, he will require a new confirmation vote.

Read the full story at The Washington Post

NOAA Issues Final Rule to Require Turtle Excluder Device Use for all Skimmer Trawl Vessels 40 Feet and Greater in Length

December 19, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

In an effort to strengthen sea turtle conservation efforts, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to require all skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and greater in length to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their nets. A TED is a device that allows sea turtles to escape from trawl nets. The purpose of the rule is to aid in the protection and recovery of listed sea turtle populations by reducing incidental bycatch and mortality of sea turtles in the southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

Skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and greater in length that are rigged for fishing are required to install TEDs in their nets by April 1, 2021. For purposes of this rule, vessel length is the length specified on the vessel’s state vessel registration or U.S. Coast Guard vessel documentation required to be onboard the vessel while fishing.

NEW TED REQUIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

  • Skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and greater in length rigged for fishing will be required to install and use TEDs designed to exclude small turtles in their nets. Specifically, the space between the deflector bars of the new TEDs must not exceed 3 inches; escape openings must be oriented at the top of the net; and there are potential webbing restrictions on the escape opening flap depending on the type of TED grid and escape opening configuration. For purposes of this rule, vessel length is based on state fishery license or vessel registration information required to be onboard the vessel while fishing.
  • NOAA Fisheries originally published a proposed rule in December 2016 that would have required all skimmer trawl, pusher-head trawl, and wing net vessels to use TEDs in their nets. In response to public comment and further deliberation, however, the final rule was revised.
  • Additionally, NOAA Fisheries also amended the allowable tow time definition. The new definition requires all vessels operating under the allowable tow time limit (e.g., skimmer trawl vessels less than 40 feet in length, pusher-head trawl vessels, wing net vessels, live bait vessels, etc.) to remove and empty their catch on deck within the tow time limit (i.e., 55 or 75 minutes, depending on season). We believe the amended definition will improve the inspection of the net for potentially captured sea turtles and allow for their release unharmed.
  • The Gear Monitoring Team based out of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center Pascagoula Lab’s Harvesting Systems Branch will be conducting numerous workshops and training sessions for skimmer trawl fishers. Information on these sessions, as well as additional information (final rule, FEIS, FAQs) on the new TED requirements, will be posted on our website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/bycatch/turtle-excluder-device-regulations.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

NOTE: Please see the complete Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries for additional details, including Frequently Asked Questions and links to helpful documents.

Ocean Acidification Could Mean Smaller Scallops, Threatened Industry

December 19, 2019 — In a new experiment, scientists working at the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne are finding that ocean acidification may have a profound effect on juvenile sea scallops.

Scientists at the Academy, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are exposing sea scallops to three different levels of acidity, to see how they adapt to changing ocean chemistry.

Over the last 25 years, oceans have become increasingly acidic and that trend is expected to continue, as the water absorbs greenhouse gases produced by human activity.

“Research has shown that other bivalves [like oysters, clams, and quahogs] are affected by ocean acidification,” said Shannon Meseck, a research scientist at the NOAA Fisheries Millford Laboratory. “But to date, there’s no published research on the sea scallop, which is surprising because it is the second most important fishery in the Northeast. Second, to lobster.”

When Meseck started working toward her PhD more than two decades ago, she said, she learned the pH of the ocean—which measures its acidity—was 8.15. Today, the pH has dropped to 8.1, and in the next 100 years it could be as low as 7.8.

Read the full story at WCAI

New Mapping Tool Shows Endangered Marine Species and Critical Habitat

December 19, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are happy to announce that the newest version of our Section 7 Mapper is now available on our website. This user-friendly, GIS-based mapping application is geared toward federal action agencies that are required to consult with us on projects that may affect endangered marine species and their habitats in the Greater Atlantic Region.

The Section 7 Mapper allows users to draw their project action area (area encompassing all project effects) and generate a printable report that summarizes the ESA-listed species and critical habitat in that area. Beyond a list of species, the report also notes the life stages of those species, the essential behaviors we expect them to be undertaking, and the anticipated time of year they will be present.

Originally launched in April 2018, the new features in Version 2.0 include:

  • Updated species and critical habitat information.
  • A new “swipe” widget to easily slide back and forth between the basemap and Section 7 GIS layers.
  • Ability to toggle on/off individual GIS layers for listed species/critical habitat.

Find out more about the Section 7 Mapper.

Read the full release here

Cod could choke catch of other fish

December 19, 2019 — It’s been a long road to setting final groundfish catch limits for the next three years in the Northeast Multispecies groundfishery and the journey isn’t quite over yet.

The New England Fishery Management Council approved the management framework that sets Northeast multispecies groundfish catch limits for 2020-2022 earlier this month. And local groundfishermen are looking at significant increases in several flounder stocks, American plaice and haddock.

But the state of the cod fishery in the Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank remains a point of contention.

“Overall, it’s pretty rosy,” said Jackie Odell, executive director of the Northeast Seafood Coalition. “But the real issue is codfish, with catch limits that are going to be limiting and constricting when fishermen try to target other stocks.”

The council approved a 32% cut to Georges Bank cod to 1,073 metric tons per season and slashed the annual catch limit for Gulf of Maine cod by 24% to 275 metric tons per season.

Fishing stakeholders say those cuts reflect the continuing deep divide between what fishermen are seeing with cod on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine and what NOAA Fisheries scientists include in their projections and assessments.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times