Saving Seafood

Federal habitats to protect whales would reach to Alaska

November 12, 2019 — The National Marine Fisheries Service proposed creating critical habitat sites to protect humpback whales that will extend to waters off Alaska, officials said.

The habitats are focused on the feeding areas of groups of humpback whales and include the area off Juneau, The Juneau Empire reported Sunday.

A critical habitat does not establish a sanctuary or preserve, said Lisa Manning, an official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the fisheries service. Manning conducted a public presentation about critical habitats at the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau last week.

“It does not affect recreational activities. It does not affect private lands,” Manning said. “It only affects federal activities.”

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Washington Times

Even baby fish are eating plastics, Hawaii study finds

November 12, 2019 — Recent evidence has shown that adult fish are eating plastics in the ocean and suffering from perils such as malnutrition and toxicant buildup.

Now, for the first time, a study conducted in Hawaii shows baby fish are ingesting tiny plastics, too.

The research, published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that both young coral reef fish and open-ocean species are consuming plastic as early as days after they are spawned.

Working in the waters off West Hawaii, an international team of researchers focused on surface slicks — naturally occurring ribbons of smooth water at the ocean surface that are formed when underwater waves converge near coastlines, according to a NOAA news release. These biologically rich ribbons of water aren’t always visible to the eye but are commonly seen, especially if wind conditions are right.

Found in coastal waters around the world, the surface slicks accumulate high concentrations of plankton, a key food source that lures larval fish in huge numbers. These watery nurseries harbor an impressive variety of species from a range of habitats, ranging from the deep ocean waters to shallow-water reefs.

Read the full story at The Honolulu Star Advertiser

NOAA Fisheries Sets Management Measures for the Jonah Crab Fishery

November 12, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has approved federal measures for the Jonah crab fishery that complement the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah Crab.

Approved measures include:

Sector

Management Measure

Requirement

Commercial

Vessel permitting

Landing requires a federal lobster permit

Minimum size

4.75-inch (12.065-cm) carapace width

Broodstock protection

Prohibit retention of egg-bearing females

Incidental limit

Up to 1,000 crabs per trip

Incidental latch definition

Up to 50 percent of weight onboard

Dealer permitting and reporting

Federal dealer permit required and mandatory Federal dealer reporting

Recreational

Broodstock protection

Prohibit retention of egg-bearing females

Catch limit

50 crabs per day

Read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin available on our website.

Marine Heatwave in the Pacific Shrinks from “Blob” in Size, Retreats Farther Offshore

November 11, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The vast marine heatwave that spread warm temperatures across the northeast Pacific Ocean late in the summer and fall of 2019 has declined in size and pulled back from the West Coast, possibly reducing its immediate impacts on coastal ecosystems.

It has declined to about half the size and intensity it displayed in August. However scientists caution that the heatwave designated MHW NEP19a remains two to three times the size of Alaska and still retains enormous amounts of heat in the upper layers of ocean. It remains one of the top four or five largest heatwaves on record in the North Pacific in the last 40 years.

“What we are seeing now is a smaller heatwave that is farther offshore, but there is still a very large span of the Pacific Ocean that is much warmer than usual,” said Andrew Leising, a research scientist at NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in La Jolla, California. Leising has developed criteria to detect and gauge the size and magnitude of marine heatwaves. “The question is, where does it go from here? That’s what we’re watching now.”

The edge of the heatwave is now about 1,500 kilometers (about 930 miles) from the West Coast, but still envelops much of the Gulf of Alaska. It no longer so closely resembles the enormous earlier marine heatwave known as “the Blob” that affected much of the West Coast through 2014 and 2015, causing reverberations through the food web.

Low salmon returns to many West Coast rivers in the last few years have been linked to the Blob, which reduced the availability of food when the salmon first entered the ocean as juveniles.

Read the full release here

Pacific bird refuge struggles as ocean garbage patch grows

November 11, 2019 — Flying into the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Midway Atoll appears out of the vast blue Pacific as a tiny oasis of coral-fringed land with pristine white sand beaches that are teeming with life.

But on the ground, there’s a different scene: plastic, pollution and death.

With virtually no predators, Midway is a haven for many species of seabirds and is home to the largest colony of albatross in the world.

But Midway is also at the center of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vast area of floating plastic collected by circulating oceanic currents. The Hawaiian Islands act like a comb that gathers debris as it floats across the Pacific. A recent analysis found that the patch is accumulating debris at a faster rate than scientists previously thought.

Midway is littered with bird skeletons that have brightly colored plastic protruding from their decomposing bellies. Bottle caps, toothbrushes and cigarette lighters sit in the centers of their feathery carcasses.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

NOAA proposes humpback whale habitat protections

November 11, 2019 — NOAA’s fisheries division, the National Marine Fisheries Service, has proposed creating a number of critical habitat sites ranging from the Channel Islands in southern California to the Bering Sea, including the waters off Juneau.

The critical habitats, created with the aim of protecting the feeding areas of three separate groups of humpback whales, or Megaptera novaeangliae, will not affect anything except for federal agencies seeking to use those waters for other purposes, said Lisa Manning, an official with NOAA. Her presentation to the public on the proposed habitats was held at University of Alaska Southeast on Thursday evening, and was attended by more than 30 people.

“A critical habitat does not establish a sanctuary or preserve. It does not affect recreational activities. It does not affect private lands,” Manning said. “It only affects federal activities.”

The proposed habitats, which cover 175,182 square nautical miles in total, are the traditional feeding areas of three of the 14 major humpback whale distinct population segments (DPS), Manning said. The three groups that come to Alaska and California to summer and feed spend the rest of their time west of Mexico, west of Central America and east of Taiwan respectively. These three groups are currently threatened, and protecting their feeding areas may help them to regain their footing, Manning said. Some of these groups may number 2,000 whales or less.

Read the full story at the Juneau Empire

$4 Million Available for New Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Projects

November 11, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA is committed to promoting healthy ecosystems and resilient coastal communities. We are announcing the availability of up to $4 million in Community-based Restoration Program funding for new coastal and marine habitat restoration projects in 2020. We are seeking proposals from non-federal partners for projects that will help recover threatened and endangered species and promote sustainable fisheries. We will also continue funding 19 projects selected in 2019.

Investing in habitat restoration and recovery projects leads to real, lasting differences for communities, businesses, and the environment. By removing dams and other barriers, restoring coral and oyster reefs, and rebuilding coastal wetlands, selected projects will not just support protected resources and sustainable fisheries. They will also yield community and economic benefits, such as increased coastal resilience and recreational opportunities.

This funding opportunity requires a pre-proposal. The pre-proposals will help determine if proposed projects are well-suited for this specific funding competition and if a full proposal is warranted. Pre-proposals are due January 8, 2019. Applicants who are successful in the pre-proposal process will be eligible to submit full proposals, with a deadline in April 2020.

NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $75,000 or more than $3 million over a three-year award period. For more information, view the Fiscal Year 2020 Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grants funding opportunity.

Since 1996, the Community-based Restoration Program has provided more than $196 million to implement more than 2,150 coastal habitat restoration projects. Partnering with more than 2,900 organizations, we have restored more than 90,000 acres of habitat for fish and opened 4,070 stream miles for fish passage.

Veterans Become Budding Marine Scientists through Washington Internship Program

November 8, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

In the Puget Sound region of Washington, Kate Rovinski helps study Dungeness crabs at NOAA’s Mukilteo Research Station, part of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The crabs are the target of a valuable West Coast fishery at high risk to the effects of ocean acidification. Rovinski got started in the lab through a promising new pathway for veterans in marine science: the NOAA Washington Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Conservation Corps Internship Program.

The internship program allows veterans to be part of marine science research teams. Work includes both lab and field experiences in a range of disciplines related to the health of Puget Sound, including salmon recovery and ocean acidification.

Field work in particular can provide the veterans with valuable “ecotherapy”—referring to the therapeutic benefits of interacting with nature. Ecotherapy can help veterans who are experiencing post-traumatic stress syndrome, or who are transitioning back to their communities following military service.

Rovinski is one of a number of veterans who have completed the internship. Many graduates of the program go on to work in fisheries with local tribes or to study marine science in graduate school. Rovinski didn’t have much field experience when she applied, but volunteer experience at a salmon hatchery and as an educator deckhand on the Schooner Adventuress made a difference.

“Don’t let perceived lack of experience hold you back from applying if you’re passionate about conservation, especially if ecotherapy resonates with you,” said Rovinski. She encourages veterans who have a strong interest in the marine environment to consider the opportunity.

Read the full release here

Senator Lisa Murkowski: Investing in fisheries pays off

November 8, 2019 — Alaskans know just how essential fisheries are to life in the 49th state. The seafood industry is the largest direct employer in our state, providing 60,000 jobs and generating over $5 billion for Alaska’s economy. Over 15 percent of Alaska’s working age rural residents are employed by the industry. And commercial fisheries are a cultural and economic cornerstone in small communities across the state’s 33,000 miles of shoreline.

Alaska’s seafood industry also provides for our nation. Catches in Alaska make up more than 60 percent of all seafood harvests in the United States, and millions of Americans can thank Alaska’s fishermen and processors for the wild-caught, healthy fish and shellfish they enjoy throughout the country. The science on the benefits of eating seafood, especially for children and pregnant women, continues to grow. Alaska fisheries help grow a healthy America. It’s as simple as that.

All the benefits provided by Alaska’s fisheries don’t come free, however. In addition to the hard work of our seafood harvesters, healthy fisheries need investment. We need strong science and management to ensure our fisheries are healthy and sustainable and that catches are the optimal size for our economy, communities, and marine ecosystems. This costs money — but the return on investment is huge. I find myself reminding my Senate colleagues of that fact each appropriations cycle, whenever federal funding to support our fisheries comes under threat.

Read the full story at The Juneau Empire

2019 Net Spread Study Targets Flatfish, Reveals Subtle Differences

November 7, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The 2019 twin-trawling experiment aboard the F/V Karen Elizabeth in late September tested scientific survey net performance at different “spreads”—or how widely the net is open.The differences in capturing fish at different water depths that can be attributed to that spread.They found subtle differences between the two options.

In a twin-trawl study, one vessel tows two trawl nets as closely together as possible through the same body of fish at the same time. This  makes the two samples comparable. In this study, one net had a constant opening while the other tested various openings.

Both nets were otherwise the same, and are the survey nets and rockhopper sweeps used on the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow twice-yearly bottom-trawl survey since 2009. “Sweeps” are the gears attached along the bottom of trawl net openings that help target different types of species on different types of bottoms. Rockhoppers are big rubber disks that help a trawl net more easily tow over rocky bottom.

The four fish targeted in the study were flatfish:

  • Gulf of Maine witch flounder and American plaice found in deeper waters.

  • Southern New England winter flounder and windowpane flounder found in shallower waters.

Fishermen and researchers want to know more about Bigelow net underspread (being open less widely than desired) in shallower water. They are also interested in net overspread (or being open more widely than desired) in deeper water, and how different spread affected flatfish catch.

Read the full release here