Saving Seafood

Essential Fish Habitat Consultation Protects Crab and Salmon from Mining Operations in Alaska

May 23, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently released for public comment a General Permit for Floating Mining Operations in Alaska State Navigable Waters, including marine waters. The permit includes new measures to protect red king crab and salmon which migrate through Norton Sound and into rivers to spawn. NOAA Fisheries reviews public notices and offers expertise to the USACE for the conservation of living marine resources.

Floating mining operations use a dredge in nearshore waters to ‘vacuum’ up gravel and sand substrates which are then sifted to retain gold. The new protections restrict mining operations during certain spring and summer months when juvenile red king crab settle to the seafloor. Mining operations will also be restricted in waters deeper than 30 feet and within one nautical mile of stream mouths to avoid areas where salmon concentrate.

An Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) consultation with NOAA Fisheries is required whenever a federal agency authorizes, funds, or undertakes activities in an area that will affect EFH. Together, the agency and NOAA determine how best to conduct the coastal activity while supporting fish habitat and minimizing or avoiding environmental damage. The science conducted through this consultation helped USACE make management decisions; balancing mining and fishery interests in the Norton Sound.

In recent years, researchers and scientists from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center used regular baseline sampling, analysis, monitoring, and new side-scan sonars technologies to inform studies on the benthic environment and red king crab in Norton Sound. Results showed that habitats deeper than 30 feet of water take more time to recover, while shallower habitats are routinely disturbed by natural events and recover quickly. Surveys also showed that crab larvae settle in nearshore substrates. These findings were used to better inform managers with the most recent science for the EFH consultation process.

NOAA Fisheries has provided USACE with EFH conservation recommendations relating to suction dredging operations in Norton Sound since 1999.

Read the full release here

Adak Groups, NOAA, and Secretary of Commerce Ross Appeal Decision to Rescind Amendment 113

May 22, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — On Friday the City of Adak, its regional development groups, and the Aleut Corporation filed an appeal to reverse a March 21 decision that vacated Amendment 113. Yesterday Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the National Marine Fisheries Service joined the Aleut groups to appeal the decision from three months ago.

That ruling was in response to a challenge from the Groundfish Forum to the Secretary of Commerce asserting that Amendment 113 did not meet the standards in the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Defendant-intervenors in that challenge were the City of Adak and the City of Atka, along with the Adak Community Development Corporation, the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association (APICDA), and the Aleut Corporation.

The May 17 filing by the Adak groups opens a 14-day window for other parties to join the appeal. Briefs from all appealers will be filed later this summer, likely before the end of June.

AM113 included a set-aside of Pacific cod for the plants in Adak and Atka. Golden Harvest Alaska Seafoods, the plant based in Adak, has relied on deliveries of Pacific cod in recent years as a significant part of their annual revenue.

“The Aleutian Islands Pacific cod landed over a few short weeks in February and March has become the economic engine that sustains the local economy and allows Golden Harvest Alaska Seafoods to invest in new products and markets and the development of year round fisheries for the Adak community,” said Steve Minor for Golden Harvest.

“Golden Harvest serves a variety of federal and state water harvesters and species — including pot boats, longliners, trawlers and jiggers operating in the crab, halibut and sablefish fisheries,” Minor said.

“The loss of Amendment 113 puts all of these shore-based fleets and fisheries at risk.”

In the March 21 decision, the judge noted that “Although the Court finds that the Service did not exceed its statutory authority in imposing a harvest set-aside with an onshore delivery requirement, it nonetheless determines that the Service failed to demonstrate that the amendment satisfied the requisite standards for such regulatory measures set forth by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

“Accordingly, and for the reasons explained below, Plaintiffs’ motion will be granted, and Defendants’ and Intervenors’ motions will be denied,” US District Judge Timothy Kelly wrote.

Kelly asked NOAA Fisheries to reconsider the amendment with some guidance on where changes were needed.

That process, or the work begun within the North Pacific Council addressing the Pacific cod set-aside, will not be done by January 2020, when the plant would be begin taking deliveries for the new season.

Minor noted that at least one of the original plaintiffs in the Groundfish Forum challenge has decided to join the appeal and that “several other entities” are in discussions on filing amicus briefs.

The North Pacific Council will hear a discussion paper at their June meeting, which will include a status report on Amendment 113 litigation, a description of the Council’s December 2018 revision to Amendment 113, and a summary of AI Pacific cod fishery conditions since the implementation of Amendment 113 in November 2016.

The discussion paper will also identify potential regulatory approaches that could be used to provide opportunities for trawl catcher vessels harvesting Pacific cod in the AI delivering to AI shoreplants.

This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

MASSACHUSETTS: Few herring, no eels coming to spawn

May 21, 2019 — It appears, at least for the time being, that Cape Ann largely has fallen off the list of favorite places to visit for river herring and American eels.

And no one really seems to know the reason why the river herring have been so sparse at the West Gloucester alewife fishway and American eels have been absent from the eel trap set up at Millbrook Pond in Rockport.

“Officially, I’d say we’ve spotted fewer than 10 in our fish counts of river herring making their way up to the Lily Pond,” said Eric W. Hutchins, a fisheries biologist for NOAA Fisheries and the Gulf of Maine restoration coordinator. “Without a doubt, it’s significantly down this year and there isn’t much time left.”

The city, in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries, organizes volunteer fish counters at the alewife fishway to document the number of river herring making their way out of the Little River, up the fishway and into the Lily Pond to spawn. Three to six weeks later, they head back to the ocean.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Awards announced by NOAA, NEFMC

May 22, 2019 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) recently announced its awards for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program for the 2019-2020 cycle, addressing resource studies, dredge efficiencies, bycatch reduction, fishery impacts on loggerhead turtles, and potential offshore energy impacts on early lifecycle scallop transport.

Thirteen projects will be supported by the program that centers on scallop research priorities identified by the NEFMC, which ranked resource surveys as the highest priority.

Collectively, these awards are expected to generate more than USD 14 million (EUR 12.5 million), according to the council. This includes an estimated USD 2.8 million (EUR 2.5 million) to fund the research and USD 11.4 million (EUR 10.2 million) to compensate industry partners who harvest set-aside quota. No federal money is involved, making this an entirely industry-funded program, the NEFMC said.

The NEFMC approved research priorities last summer for the 2019-2020 projects announced this month. The council will develop a new list at next month’s meeting for 2020-2021 projects. The organization established the scallop RSA Program to address research questions that support management of the scallop resource. Each year during the specification-setting process, the council “sets aside” 1.25 million pounds of scallops to carry out RSA projects.

The work is a collaborative effort between fishermen and scientists.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA names Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to host cooperative institute

May 20, 2019 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) selected Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to host NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for the North Atlantic Region (CINAR).

Cooperative Institutes are NOAA-supported, non-federal organizations that have established outstanding research and education programs in one or more areas that are relevant to the NOAA mission. Cooperative Institutes’ expertise and facilities add significantly to NOAA’s capabilities, and their structure and legal framework facilitate rapid and efficient mobilization of those resources to meet NOAA’s programmatic needs.

CINAR will carry out innovative, multidisciplinary research that will help inform decisions for sustainable and beneficial management of the U.S. Northeast continental shelf ecosystem.

“CINAR research seeks to provide a better understanding of the physical, biological, and chemical processes that enable forecasting conditions within the North Atlantic region as a tool for effective, ecosystem-based management and protected-species management,” said CINAR Director Don Anderson. “An important aspect of this approach includes interdisciplinary research to understand and forecast climate change, and the associated impacts to natural systems and communities.”

The partners working with WHOI include the University of Maine, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Rhode Island, Rutgers University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

Read the full story at the EurekAlert

GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES: NOAA fixes proposed haddock rules

May 20, 2019 — Gulf of Maine haddock: NOAA Fisheries is recommending an increase in the daily bag limit to 15 from 12 in 2018, with the minimum size remaining at 17 inches. The recommendation for the open season is May 1 to Feb. 29 and April 15-30;

Gulf of Maine cod: NOAA Fisheries is recommending partially reopening the fishery that has been closed for several years to all fishing by allowing recreational fishermen to catch one GOM cod per day during the limited seasons of Sept. 15-30 and April 15-30. The recommended minimum size is 21 inches.

Georges Bank cod: NOAA Fisheries is recommending a status quo daily bag limit of 10, but with the proposed 2019 minimum size shrinking two inches to 21 inches. The fishery would be open to recreational fishing all year.

Interesting negotiating tactics

You know how it is with bosses and employees. They don’t always get along, but Forrest Broyles may have taken employer-employee animus to a new level.

Broyles, from the Hawaiian island of Kauai, has pleaded no contest in court “after telling police he was under the influence of a hallucinogenic when he used a machete to wreak havoc on his former boss’ home because of a fish dispute,” according to story by the Associated Press.

Broyles was angry at his boss, claiming he didn’t get his share of the choke ahi they caught together. So, on Dec. 3, while cruising at altitude on the hallucinogenic brew of ayahuasca (apparently a local favorite along the Amazon River), Broyles broke into his ex-boss’ abode and made his case in high-charged fashion.

“Broyles ex-boss told police he was at home watching football with his wife when he heard a horn honking and then a loud bang,” according to the report. “He then heard glass shattering from his front door and saw Broyles headed to the living area carrying a machete.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

WASHINGTON: Lawmakers hopeful for Puget Sound funding from Congress

May 20, 2019 — Optimism, as related to a possible increase in funding for Puget Sound recovery, permeated discussions last week, when 80 officials from the region met with lawmakers in the nation’s capitol.

“It’s the first time in several years that we’ve actually been in a position to direct more money to Puget Sound programs,” said U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, during one of many “Puget Sound Day on the Hill” meetings.

With Democrats now in control of the House, they can draft a budget that fits their priorities for a host of projects — from civil rights legislation to funding for climate change. Of course, the challenge will be to get their issues through the Senate.

“It is really heartwarming to see the optimism that they are expressing, almost to a member,” said Stephanie Solien, vice chair of the Leadership Council, the oversight board for the Puget Sound Partnership. The partnership coordinates the wide-ranging efforts to restore Puget Sound to ecological health.

Kilmer said he was sworn to secrecy about the actual numbers in the soon-to-be-released House appropriations bill, “but when it comes to fish funding and Puget Sound funding, we did very well.”

When Republicans controlled both the House and Senate, funding was substantially reduced for environmental programs, including money for the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operate specific funds for improving salmon habitat and restoring major estuaries throughout the country.

The Trump administration’s proposed budget the past two years “zeroed out” funding for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, which supports salmon-restoration efforts throughout the Northwest. But Republicans and Democrats worked together to restore the levels to $65 million, which is spread across five states.

Read the full story at the Kitsap Sun

Patrols underway to enforce federal striped bass regulations in New Jersey

May 20, 2019 — As striped bass arrive in New Jersey waters, the U.S. Coast Guard is ready to issue fines to anglers who catch striped bass outside of the allowable boundary, officials say.

Striped bass are federally protected within the “Exclusive Economic Zone,” which begins three miles offshore. The prohibition allows striped bass “to grow and prevent overfishing,” said Lt. Matthew Kahley, an officer who deals with fisheries enforcement at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia.

The fine is $500 per fish, and anglers caught with more than five fish could face even larger fines, according to NOAA spokesperson Kate Brogan. NOAA assists the Coast Guard with enforcing the regulation.

Read the full story at WHYY

6 Reasons Why Alaska’s Aleutian Islands are a Hot Spot for Sea Life

May 17, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

  1. The Aleutian Island ecosystem supports a rich diversity of species found in few other places in the world. Such intense biodiversity, more typically associated with tropical rainforests or coral reefs, is especially rare at high latitudes.
  2. A convergence of seas, storms, and volcanoes create the dynamic environment that supports incredible biodiversity. The Aleutians separate the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. They are whipped by notorious winds and battered by 50 foot waves. They form the 1,200-mile northern arc of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
  3. NOAA Fisheries scientists continue to discover new species of fish and invertebrates in the Aleutians. Some Aleutian species show promise in medicine, including a potential treatment for cancer.
  4. Whales, porpoises, sea otters, seals, sea lions, and seabirds live and feed in the Aleutian ecosystem. Some islands are important rookeries for seals and sea lions. Passages between islands are critical migration routes for endangered whales.
  5. Not only a great diversity, but a great abundance of life thrives in seas surrounding the Aleutians. Overall Alaska is responsible for more than half of the nation’s seafood harvest.
  6. The Aleutian Islands are home to Dutch Harbor, America’s biggest and busiest fishing port. Alaska Pollock is the highest volume fishery, but other important harvests include halibut, cod, rockfish, and crab.

Read the full release here

College Students Head to Woods Hole for Summer of Science

May 17, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Sixteen students from colleges and universities around the country will arrive in Woods Hole on June 1 for the summer. All will be members of the 11th class of the Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP), which was started in 2009.

PEP is a project of the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative, founded in 2004 by the six scientific institutions in Woods Hole to attract and retain a more diverse workforce, one that reflects the changing demographics of the nation and the world. This year PEP is also celebrating its 10th anniversary with a workshop and weekend of activities June 27-29.

“We’re starting our second decade this summer, and we’re really excited about the students who are coming to join us,” said George Liles, director of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s academic programs and PEP. “Once again, we have students coming from every corner of the country, from large research universities and small liberal arts colleges, and from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. PEP brings a diversity of talent that makes the Woods Hole community a better place to live and work.”

Each year PEP staff travel to campuses and conferences during the winter months to meet and talk with students from minority groups that are under-represented in marine and environmental sciences. The program recruits college juniors and seniors who have had some course work in those sciences, and provides housing, a food allowance, a stipend, and intensive mentoring and career-building opportunities.

PEP students earn four college credits from the program’s academic partner, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Students first complete a four-week course focused on global climate change, taught by research scientists from the Woods Hole science institutions. Then for the next six weeks they work on individual research projects under the guidance of a research mentor from one of the PEP member institutions, culminating in a public presentation of their research results on August 9.

Outside of their academic pursuits, students spend five days aboard the Sea Education Association sailing school vessel Corwith Cramer. At sea, students are both scientists and crew members, learning oceanographic research techniques, sail handling, and ship’s navigation. A variety of career and social activities are also offered, often in the company of other college students spending the summer at laboratories in the village.

Read the full release here