Saving Seafood

Out at sea, under the watchful eyes of cameras, fishermen work as the government monitors catch

May 16, 2017 — Chris Brown has grown used to the five video cameras that record every move he and his two crew members make aboard the Proud Mary.

Since installing the equipment in January on the 45-foot otter trawler, whenever Brown steams out of Galilee in search of flounder and other groundfish in the Atlantic Ocean waters off Rhode Island, the electronic monitoring system kicks on.

And as Brown engages the boat’s hydraulics to haul in its nets, the cameras track everything he and his crew catch, all the fish they keep and all the fish they discard over the side.

The cameras may seem intrusive, but then Brown has an easy answer when asked about them.

“I’d much rather have a camera overhead than an observer under foot,” he said.

Brown is one of three Rhode Island fishermen who have signed on to a program that is testing out electronic surveillance as an alternative to human monitors that the federal government requires to be on board one in every seven fishing trips in the Northeast in an effort to stamp out overfishing.

The new program being led by The Nature Conservancy offers the potential for closer observation of commercial fishing, enhancing compliance with quotas and deterring misreporting.

Its supporters say it also provides more accurate data that will lead to better science and better regulations, all with the aim of supporting a fishing industry that is sustainable for years to come.

“There’s a mismatch between what fishermen say they see on the water and what the science says,” said Christopher McGuire, marine program director with The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts. “We’re trying to bridge that gap.”

Electronic monitoring on fishing boats is nothing new. It’s been in use in British Columbia, in Canada, for more than 15 years, was eventually adopted by American fisheries in the Pacific Northwest, and was tested by Cape Cod fishermen as far back as 2005.

Read the full story at the Providence Journal

Barry Myers, AccuWeather chief executive, emerges as front-runner for NOAA’s top job

May 15, 2017 — Nearly four months into his administration, President Trump has yet to name the next leader of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But several individuals in the weather community say Barry Myers, chief executive of AccuWeather in State College, Pa., is the leading candidate.

Myers, who holds business and law degrees, has served as AccuWeather’s chief executive since September 2007 and has overseen the company’s strategic initiatives and global expansion. His strong business background is viewed as a major asset for an administration that has placed a great deal of value on private-sector experience.

The job of NOAA administrator is seen as a critical for advancing the nation’s weather forecasts and understanding climate change. The agency runs the National Weather Service, conducts and funds weather and climate research, and operates a constellation of weather satellites as well as a climate data center.

NOAA also has enormous responsibilities in understanding and protecting the nation’s coasts, oceans and fisheries.

Members of the weather and climate community, aware of Myers’s likely selection, said they think that he would bring strong corporate leadership to the position. But others were worried about his nontechnical background and a rocky relationship with the National Weather Service.

Read the full story at the Washington Post

Proposed Federal Budget Would Eliminate Sea Grant Program

May 12, 2017 — In late March, President Trump proposed a budget that would slash the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s funding by 17 percent and eliminate several educational and research programs, if Congress approves. One of the proposed cuts would eliminate NOAA’s $73 million National Sea Grant College Program, which supports coastal research conducted through 33 university programs across the country, including every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, Lake Champlain and Guam.

The Sea Grant program, according to Trump’s budget plan, is a low priority that primarily has a state and local impact. “Mr. Trump is trying to eliminate us, but we are one of the solutions,” says Paul Anderson, director of Maine Sea Grant. “It’s pretty evident the process the administration has gone through to identify these cuts was not articulate. It was just line-item mathematics.”

Anderson says he is “mystified” by the Trump administration and feels its decision to cut the program puts the nation’s health and safety at risk. “The things we have created in this nation are through lessons learned — from creativity and mistakes,” he says. “You create electrical safety standards because someone was electrocuted. There’s a role government has. Trump’s approach is so naive to any of those structures that it puts our nation at risk for all kinds of things. Health, well-being and good, safe, clean domestic food and water are important.”

Read the full story at Soundings

Anticipated fish report shows Alaska volume up, prices flat

May 13, 2017 — The U.S. seafood industry’s contribution to the nation’s economy slipped in 2015, while Alaska’s output increased slightly and dollar values held steady.

An eagerly anticipated annual report released by the fisheries branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) measures the economic impacts of U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries. It highlights values, jobs, and sales for 2015, along with a 10-year look at comparisons. A second report evaluates the status of U.S. fish stocks for 2016.

The Fisheries Economics Report shows that, including imports, U.S. commercial fishing and the seafood industry generated $144 billion in sales in 2015, a 6 percent decline from the previous year, and supported 1.2 million jobs, a 15 percent decline.

“However, it’s important to consider these figures are still above the five-year average. In fact, 2015 represents the second highest level during that period,” Alan Risenhoover, acting deputy assistant administrator for regulatory programs, said in a May 9 teleconference.

Alaska commercial fishermen landed more than 6 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2015, up 6 percent from the prior year — even though the value held steady at nearly $1.7 billion.

Read the full story at Alaska Dispatch News

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD: Catching ‘The Codfather’ should just be first step

May 15, 2017 — Two years ago, Carlos Rafael let it be known that he was ready to sell his New Bedford, Massachusetts-based fishing fleet and wholesale seafood dealership, a business that had combined assets of about $20 million.

But in a meeting with a couple of potential buyers from Russia, Rafael said the real asking price was $175 million and he assured them it would be well worth it. Pulling a ledger labeled “cash” from his desk drawer, the fishing mogul showed how he was able to falsify records to get around both tax law and fishing regulations, netting him millions of dollars in unreported income derived from systematically violating conservation limits.

But the buyers turned out to be undercover agents. And that’s how the feds finally caught up with “The Codfather.”

On March 30, Rafael pleaded guilty in federal court to a 28-count indictment that included charges of tax evasion, falsifying fishing quotas and conspiracy. He is facing up to six years in prison at his sentencing next month, but how much time he will spend behind bars is only one of the many questions that need to be resolved.

What will happen to his fishing fleet and its associated permits? Thirteen boats were connected with the indictment, and they are subject to seizure. But what about the rest of his 40-vessel fleet and wholesale business, which is still operating?

Read the full opinion piece at the Portland Press Herald

NOAA Fisheries – FB17-027: Commercial Closure for Vermilion Snapper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on May 17, 2017

May 12, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

WHAT/WHEN:The commercial harvest of vermilion snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m. on May 17, 2017. During the commercial closure, harvest or possession of vermilion snapper in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational fishery is open.WHY IS THIS CLOSURE HAPPENING:

  • The 2017 January – June commercial catch limit is 431,460 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are approaching the commercial catch limit and harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.  The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for vermilion snapper does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. on May 17, 2017, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor. 

The second vermilion snapper season in the South Atlantic will open on July 1, 2017, with a 431,460 pounds whole weight catch limit, and a 1,100-pound whole weight or 1,000-pound gutted weight trip limit.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or by clicking here.

Chris Oliver Was Offered and Accepted Top NOAA Position – Now Vetting Process Begins

May 11, 2017 — The following was written by Peggy Parker and published today by Seafoodnews.com:

Chris Oliver, Executive Director director of the Alaska-based North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, has been offered and has accepted the position of Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A tentative start date is Monday, June 19, 2017.

Oliver notified members of the NPFMC and staff by email yesterday, explained that “this appointment is still subject to the White House vetting and approval process, which may take a few weeks, so it is NOT final yet.”  

He said that recent industry rumors, plus the need for transition planning, led to his email.

Only the Commerce Department or the White House can make any official announcement on the position, and that cannot happen until the process is complete.

“I, and Commerce, would have preferred to keep this information close until the full appointment process is indeed finalized, but given the timing involved, and the necessary transitional aspects involved, I feel it is incumbent upon me to let everyone know the status of this,” Oliver wrote.

It is widely believed that Oliver’s appointment will give NMFS needed stability and deep experience at a time of significant budget and regulatory review.

There were two other contenders for the job — Robert Barham, who served as wildlife and fisheries secretary under former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R),  and LaDon Swann who heads up the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

Reports Show Positive Trend for U.S. Fishing Industry

May 11, 2016 — Two reports released this week show the nation’s continued progress in managing marine resources.

NOAA’s Fisheries Economics of the United States report shows that commercial and recreational fishing generated $208 billion in sales in 2015 and supported 1.6 million full- and part-time jobs, along with contributing $97 billion to the gross domestic product. The figures were all above the country’s five-year average.

“These 2015 figures are very close to the record setting year the U.S. had in 2014 and reflect an overall positive trend in economic impacts between 2011 and 2015,” said Alan Risenhoover, NOAA’s deputy assistant administrator.

Including imports, commercial fishing in the U.S. and the seafood industry generated $144 billion in sales in 2015, which was a 6 percent decline from 2014. Commercial fishing supported 1.2 million jobs, a 15 percent decline from the previous year.

“It’s important to remember these figures are still above the five-year average,” Risenhoover said. “In fact, 2015 represents the second highest level during that period.”

Recreational fishing generated a 5 percent increase in sales to $63 billion. Jobs resulting from recreational fishing remained steady at 439,000 jobs.

“Saltwater recreational angling remains a substantial contributor to tourism and the economy,” Risenhoover said.

Risenhoover said there are some challenges in New England with stocks overfished or subject to overfishing.

Read the full story at Cape Cod 

US fishing industry retracted a bit in 2015; $208B in sales

May 11, 2016 — America’s fishing industry declined slightly in 2015 as fishermen contended with environmental and market forces, the federal government says.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday released its “Fisheries Economics of the United States” report for 2015, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The report says U.S. fisheries contributed a little less than $208 billion in sales, a decline from nearly $214 billion in 2014, which the government stressed was a “banner year.”

The number of fisheries jobs was also down 12 percent, to 1.6 million. But the NOAA noted the 2015 totals were better than they were four years earlier and were the second best year in the period from 2011 to 2015.

The NOAA said environmental factors included marine toxins; El Nino, a naturally occurring worldwide climate phenomenon that starts with unusually warm water in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific and then changes weather worldwide; and the Pacific Ocean’s “warm blob,” an area of relatively warm water off the West Coast. Those factors drove down the value of crab, squid, hake and salmon, the agency said.

Environmental factors have also been felt on the East Coast, where warming ocean waters are among the factors blamed for the collapse of the Atlantic cod fishery.

“In New England in particular, we’re seeing some of these environmental changes,” said Alan Risenhoover, an administrator with NOAA. “That affects some stocks.”

The NOAA’s report mentioned one of the strongest fisheries in the country was the Maine lobster fishery. The value of all the lobster caught in Maine has climbed from $237 million in 2009 to more than $500 million in 2015.

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

Trump administration moves to protect endangered sharks

May 10, 2017 — The Trump administration is adding new shark species to the Endangered Species List.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) said Tuesday it will add daggernose sharks, striped smooth-hound sharks, spiny angel sharks and Argentine angel sharks to the list.

The NMFS is also moving to list Brazilian guitarfish as endangered species, while the narrownose smooth-hound shark will be listed as a threatened species, according to the agency.

Though the NMFS is moving to protect these sharks and guitarfish, the agency cannot designate a critical habitat, which would serve as somewhat of a “safe zone,” because the endangered and threatened populations of these species live outside of U.S. jurisdiction.

The shark and guitarfish protections stem from a 2013 petition from WildEarth Guardians. Two years later, the Obama administration proposed to add these species to the Endangered Species List.

Read the full story at The Hill