Saving Seafood

America’s Got Scallops: Catch Is Up, Consumers Shelling Out

July 22, 2019 — America’s harvest of scallops is increasing to near-record levels at a time when the shellfish are in high demand and the value of the fishery has surged in recent years.

Sea scallops, harvested mostly by boats from the cold Atlantic Ocean, are the target of one of the most valuable fisheries in America. New data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the harvest topped 58.2 million pounds last year, the highest total since 2011 and the fifth-highest in history, according to federal statistics going back to 1945.

The availability of scallops for consumers hasn’t changed much as the U.S. harvest has long been supplemented by foreign sources. Prices to consumers have also held about steady.

The value of the fishery itself, though, is rising. American scallops were worth $532.9 million at the docks last year. That’s the third-highest figure on record and more than $100 million higher than the 2014 total.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at WBUR

Orca Action Month Inspires Local Action for Southern Residents

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

The story of Southern Resident killer whale J35 carrying her dead calf for two weeks last summer attracted worldwide attention, prompting Orca Network to rename June “Orca Action Month,” from the former “Orca Awareness Month,” signaling the immediate action needed to recover the critically endangered whales.

NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region applauds the change, and the collaboration between Orca Network and the Orca Salmon Alliance that brought advocates together to take even more action for the Southern Residents.

“Thirteen years ago Orca Network began celebrating Orca Awareness Month in Washington State and had recently expanded to Oregon and British Columbia,” said Cindy Hansen, Education and Events Coordinator for Orca Network. “Also adding to this momentum and expansion has been the partnership with the Orca Salmon Alliance for the past several years. This year we decided that since J35 raised so much awareness with her story, we would change the name from Orca Awareness Month to Orca Action Month.”

Read the full release here

Rock, Coral, Sponge: Does One Beat the Rest as Fish Habitat?

July 18, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Rockfish love structure. More seafloor structure means more rockfish. But while the amount of structure matters, the type doesn’t, a new NOAA fisheries study finds.

Rocks, corals, and sponges proved to be equally desirable real estate for individual rockfish, given a choice. However, rockfish were most frequently associated with sponges—the most commonly available structure in the Alaska study area.

These findings will help resource managers in their efforts to effectively manage rockfishes, deep-sea corals, and sponges.

“We found that Alaska rockfishes are more abundant when vertical structures such as rock, coral, and sponges are present. Corals and sponges add structure to areas with minimal rocky formations, creating a more complex habitat for rockfish,” explains Chris Rooper of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, who led the study. “Unfortunately, some human activities and potentially climate change can have negative effects on the survival of coral and sponge ecosystems, thereby impacting both the distribution and abundance of rockfish species in Alaska waters.”

Read the full release here

Preserving Poke in a Changing Climate

July 18, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Managing bigeye tuna in the Pacific is already challenging, and now a new study shows that climate change may affect our supply of this fish, used to make the deliciously popular ʻahi poke. The study projects the decline of catch in Hawai‘i’s bigeye tuna fishery as climate change continues to unfold. However, alternate scenarios could bolster ecosystem resilience and limit fishery declines.

Scientists from the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, the University of Hawai‘i, and the University of Tasmania teamed up to model the ecosystem in which Hawai‘i’s bigeye tuna fishery operates. Their model projected how increasing ocean temperatures and declining plankton would affect specific fish species. (Temperature and plankton values were from a suite of climate models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.) The model also predicted how different scenarios, such as decreased fishing effort, could change those effects.

The scientists found that climate change led to a decline in catch regardless of whether fishing effort increased, decreased, or remained the same. A decline in bigeye tuna catch means less ‘ahi poke at your local market. However, the study also revealed fishing scenarios that may allow the ecosystem to remain resilient in the face of climate change.

“Rather than seeing the results as a doom-and-gloom future for Hawai‘i’s fishery, I see them as encouraging. They show that local choices matter, that we can decide which future scenario we want to pursue,” says lead author Phoebe Woodworth-Jefcoats. She points to two future scenarios in particular:  In one, the fishery persisted with today’s fishing effort. In another, the fishery slowly reduced its effort to half. Both scenarios showed similar declines in bigeye tuna catch, but in the second scenario, the ecosystem was resilient despite the effects of climate change, and the biomass of each fish species increased.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Sets 2019 Management Measures for Northeast Groundfish

July 18, 2019 — We are approving Framework 58 and implementing new catch limits for seven groundfish stocks for the 2019 fishing year (May 1, 2019 – April 30, 2020), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2018.

In 2019, commercial groundfish quotas increase for four stocks from 2018: Georges Bank cod (+15%), Georges Bank haddock (+20%), Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder (+31%), and Acadian redfish (+2%); and decrease for three stocks: Gulf of Maine haddock (-5%), Georges Bank yellowtail flounder (-50%), and American plaice (-7%).

Framework 58 also:

  • Exempts vessels fishing exclusively in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Regulatory Area (i.e., in international waters) from the domestic groundfish fishery minimum fish sizes to allow them to better compete in the international frozen fish market.
  • Extends the temporary change to the scallop accountability measure implementation policy for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder to provide the scallop fishery with flexibility to adjust to current catch conditions while still providing an incentive to avoid yellowtail flounder.
  • Revises or creates rebuilding plans for five stocks: Georges Bank winter flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder, witch flounder, northern windowpane flounder, and ocean pout.

In this rule, we are also announcing:

  • Reductions to the 2019 commercial quota for Gulf of Maine cod by 29.2 mt because the quota was exceeded in 2017.
  • A permanent extension of the annual deadline to submit applications to lease groundfish days-at-sea between vessels from March 1 to April 30 (the end of the fishing year); and
  • Changes to the regulations to clarify that vessels must report catch by statistical area when submitting catch reports through their vessel monitoring system.

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

Read the full release here

Sea Scallop Camera-Based Survey Expanded on Georges Bank

July 18, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology will add the Northern Flank and Closed Area II North to this year’s planned survey work around Georges Bank to track sea scallop aggregations.

The survey, which uses a drop-camera array, is also covering the Great South Channel, Nantucket Lightship, and the Closed Area I Access Area.

“Taking on this additional work while in the middle of a busy survey season exemplifies the School for Marine Science and Technology’s dedication to supporting the scallop fishery,” said Jon Hare, director of NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “It’s also a great example of the importance of our strong partnerships in the region that provide science to support management of this valuable resource.”

The University’s survey is funded by the sale of sea scallops that are set aside from the annual catch limit through the Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program. The New England Fishery Management Council established this unique program to address research questions that support management of the sea scallop resource.

Awards are made in pounds, not dollars, and no federal funding is provided. Instead, proceeds generated from the sale of set-aside scallops are used to fund research activities and compensate participating vessels.

Read the full release here

AWEA names new lead on offshore wind sector

July 17, 2019 — With momentum building for East Coast wind power, the American Wind Energy Association announced that Laura Smith Morton will lead policy and regulatory efforts on behalf of the U.S. industry’s offshore wind sector.

Morton assumed her new role on July 8 as AWEA’s senior director for policy and regulatory affairs for offshore wind, as Vineyard Wind, Ørsted and other developers push to obtain permits and begin developing their federal leases off New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.

In a statement from AWEA, Morton said she is happy to be working again on offshore wind, after more than 10 years of experience in the field as a lawyer and in senior roles at the federal Department of Energy, Council on Environmental Quality and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“It’s immensely gratifying to be back working on offshore wind issues. As this new American energy industry scales up, we must strike the right balance with policies that encourage development, job creation, and the revitalization of coastal infrastructure while also engaging with other ocean users to ensure all can prosper,” said Morton.  “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work so this industry can put more steel in the water.”

Morton contributed to the original National Offshore Wind Strategy published by the DOE and Department of the Interior, which charted a course to build the U.S. offshore wind industry, and led multiple interagency teams charged with creating efficiencies in the permitting process for clean energy projects.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

CORRECTED: Regional fishery council moves toward mandatory e-reporting

July 17, 2019 — The digital age of vessel reporting is on the line and the New England Fishery Management Council is trying to make sure fishermen under its purview answer the call.

The council has embarked on a management strategy that ultimately will require all commercial fishermen holding federal permits for New England council-managed species to file their vessel trip reports electronically rather than by the traditional paper reports.

“The goal is to go to a mandatory electronic reporting system,” said Janice Plante, spokeswoman for the council. “But we also know that this is going to present a challenge for some fishermen used to filing paper reports. We’re going to need an extended implementation period. NOAA Fisheries and both the Mid-Atlantic council and our council agree on that.”

The New England council is joining the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in working toward a fully digital format — known as eVTRs — for filing the vessel trip reports that provide regulators with catch data on every fishing trip, including each chart area, gear type and/or mesh size fished.

The current vessel reporting regulations require fishermen to complete their paper VTR prior to landing. Plante said that will continue under electronic filing. However, she said, the timeline for submitting the reports remains under consideration and will be finalized before the new regulations take effect.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

NOAA Scientists Receive Presidential Early Career Awards

July 16, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

What do a fisheries scientist, a seal veterinarian, and a whale acoustician have in common? They are all recipients of one of the most prestigious awards given to scientists early in their careers.

President Donald Trump announced the recipients of Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers on July 2. Awardees included NOAA Fisheries scientists Dr. Elizabeth Siddon (Alaska Fisheries Science Center), Dr. Michelle Barbieri (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center), and Dr. Melissa Soldevilla (Southeast Fisheries Science Center). Additionally, five NOAA scientists in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research were honored. All award recipients will receive their awards at a ceremony on July 25 in Washington, DC.

The awards recognize exemplary efforts in the field of science and technology and represent the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Government to outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their independent research careers.

“I’m very proud of our award recipients and all their impressive accomplishments,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Chris Oliver said. “They’ve become some of the most respected members of their field in only a short amount of time, and they embody the core values and goals of NOAA Fisheries, both in the workplace and in their communities.”

Read the full release here

MAINE: Governor pushes back at feds on protection for rare whales

July 15, 2019 — A directive for new protections for endangered right whales represents an “absurd federal overreach” that places an unfair burden on Maine’s signature lobster fishery, Gov. Janet Mills said.

She ordered the state Department of Marine Resources to draft an alternative plan that would reduce the impact on lobstermen.

“My administration will not allow any bureaucrat to undermine our lobster industry or our economy with foolish, unsupported and ill-advised regulations,” she wrote in a letter this week to the lobster industry.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wants the state to present a plan in September for reducing the lobster industry’s threat to right whales by 60%.

The plan would mean reducing by half the number of lobster trap lines that could entangle whales. It would also require weaker rope for traps in federal waters.

But the Democratic governor says that Maine’s lobster industry isn’t the “primary problem” and that there’s a “disturbing lack of evidence” connecting it to recent right whale deaths. Six have died in recent weeks in Canadian waters.

Read the full story at the Associated Press