Saving Seafood

Rep. DeFazio increases fishermen catch limit

February 21, 2017 — The following has been released by the office of Representative Peter DeFazio:

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) today cut through bureaucratic red tape in the Trump Administration and helped to secure an increased catch limit for groundfish species caught in the Pacific Northwest Region.

Every two years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sets a biennial catch limit for several groundfish species, such as canary and widow rockfish, caught in the Pacific Northwest region. Because of overfishing, the industry had not had access to healthy rockfish markets in decades.  Thanks to the efforts of Oregon fishers, the population has been rebuilt.  Due to the recovery of the species, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) substantially increased the catch limits for the 2017-2018 season.

Unfortunately, NMFS did not finalize the implementation prior to January 1, 2017. When President Trump took office, he instituted a 90-day freeze on all new federal regulations made after January 1, suspending the groundfish catch limit at the lower 2015-2016 levels.

Congressman DeFazio intervened with the Trump Administration and urged them to provide a waiver exempting the catch limit from the regulatory freeze. As a result of his efforts, after the Federal Register is published next week, groundfish fishermen in Oregon will immediately be able to fish at the higher 2017-2018 catch limit.

“Unfortunately, Oregon’s fishermen got caught in the Trump Administration’s blanket regulatory freeze, so I jumped in,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio.  “I’m happy that the White House provided an exception so we could help a critical industry in the Pacific Northwest.”

Read the full Press Release here

For fisheries regulations, a Trump edict signals uncertainty

February 21, 2017 — New England fishermen and conservationists fear one of President Trump’s executive orders will have disruptive effects on fisheries management, although it will not affect routine seasonal fisheries regulation, as some had initially feared.

The ambiguously worded Jan. 30 order requires that two regulations be effectively eliminated for each new one promulgated by most federal agencies. The order prompted a fiery letter three days later from two prominent Democratic congressmen pointing out it could have “devastating impacts on commercial and recreational fisheries and the businesses and communities they support.”

However, on Feb. 2 the acting head of OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs issued an advisory memo that clarified that the president’s order applied only to “significant regulatory actions” as defined under a 1993 executive order issued by President Bill Clinton. The memo is posted at the White House’s website, suggesting it has presidential approval.

The good news for fishermen: The vast majority of federal fisheries regulations do not meet this standard, meaning routine closures and assessments should proceed as they always have.

However, NOAA Fisheries has several regulations currently under consideration that OMB does consider “significant regulatory actions” and therefore are expected to run afoul of Trump’s order, according to OMB’s official “reginfo” database. These include a proposed update to ensure consistent application of rules at federal marine sanctuaries and an effort to combat the spread of illegally caught or fraudulently identified seafood in U.S. markets.

In recent years, numerous fisheries regulations were also treated as “significant” actions by the OMB, including the 2013 overhaul of the framework for managing 16 commercial groundfish off New England and the mid-Atlantic states; a 2013 rule to better protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale from ship strikes; and a 2016 regulation that protected critical spawning habitat for Atlantic sturgeon in the Gulf of Maine and New York Bight.

Drew Minkiewicz, a Washington, D.C., lawyer representing larger Eastern Seaboard scallop fishermen, says fishermen need not be concerned about most regulations. “This executive order has zero impact on 99.9 percent of the fishing regulations going out, so people who are wondering if the fishing season will be delayed don’t need to,” he says. “It’s much ado about nothing.”

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Fishermen say sanctuary status a risky proposition for them

February 16, 2017 — Some fishermen are relieved the nomination of the Baltimore Canyon as a national marine sanctuary was pulled from consideration, saying that designation could have restricted fishing in the rich area about 73 miles southeast of Delaware Bay.

“It’s in the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, and that is what has always been a concern for us as users of the area,” said John Depersenaire, Fisheries Researcher at the Recreation Fishing Alliance in New Gretna. “It says unlawful acts include injuring or harming any sanctuary resource.”

The sanctuary program is set up to protect resources, said Reed Bohne, regional director of the sanctuary program for the Northeast and Great Lakes for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

How Good Data Keeps America Fishing

February 13, 2017 — There are many ways to have a good day out on the water. The ocean gives us endless opportunities to find joy, exhilaration and happiness—playing on the beach, snorkeling, diving and fishing. Most recreational fishermen I know measure their good days by the number and size of fish they’ve reeled in. But it turns out those numbers are important for another reason, too—that’s critical data that ensures there are plenty of fish left for not just for your next trip but also for your kids’ and their grandkids’ trips.

Recreational fishing is a big deal in areas like the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic. That means a lot of folks are out on the water and those coolers of fish start to add up. In 2015, 8.9 million saltwater anglers took 61 million fishing trips in U.S. waters. This industry is responsible for driving $60 billion in sales impacts into coastal communities through purchases like fishing trips and equipment, spending in hotels and restaurants.

With so much riding on the line, it’s important that we manage our fish sustainably, which means having reliable, accurate data of how many fish we’re taking out our ocean each year. That task falls on the Marine Recreational Information Program or MRIP (em-rip). It is housed in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) but works closely with state and local wildlife programs.

Read the full story at the Ocean Conservancy

Fifth Circuit sides with commercial fishermen in Gulf red-snapper case

February 12, 2017 — In a dispute pitting recreational anglers against commercial fishermen in the management of red snapper in Gulf waters, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has sided with the interests of the Charter Fisherman’s Association.

The Coastal Conservation Association and other private fishermen sued the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries and others in federal court in New Orleans in April 2015 challenging a rule that regulates the recreational sector of Gulf of Mexico red snapper.

Known as Amendment 40 to the Reef Fishery Management Plan, the rule adopted earlier in 2015 calls for “increased flexibility in future management of the recreational sector in order to reduce the likelihood of recreational-quota overruns, which could negatively impact the rebuilding of the red-snapper stock,” the opinion stated.

Read the full story at the Louisiana Record

NMFS fisheries regulation potentially affected by Trump executive order

February 8, 2017 — President Donald Trump’s executive order directing all federal agencies to repeal two existing regulations for each new one is affecting the ability of the National Marine Fisheries Service to regulate the U.S. fishing industry, according to industry groups and two Democratic U.S. representatives.

According to a letter sent to President Trump by House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva and Water, Power, and Oceans Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman, the executive order will prevent NMFS from opening or closing commercial and recreational fishing seasons in federal waters; making in-season adjustments to conservation and management measures; or implementing new or revised fishery management plans without first seeking a waiver from the Trump administration.

“All fisheries that take place in federal waters require regulatory action to open and close season, set catch limits, modify conservation and management measures, or adjust participation eligibility requirements,” the letter said. “In many cases, multiple regulations must be enacted each year for a single fishery and that is a good thing – American fishermen depend on active, science-based management to ensure that their individual operations and their industry are economically and environmentally sustainable.”

Read the full story at SeafoodSource.com

Marine Resources Education Program (MREP) Southeast Soliciting Applicants

February 9, 2017 — The following has been released by Marine Resources Education Program:

The Marine Resources Education Program (MREP) Southeast is formally inviting applications for all individuals interested in attending the 2017 Fisheries Science and Management workshops in Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida.  

MREP Southeast is for anyone with a vested interest in federally managed marine fish from Texas to North Carolina. The workshop-based program specifically runs through the fisheries science and management processes, demystifies the acronyms and vocabulary, and equips fishermen with the tools to engage with tough issues facing the managers of our offshore fisheries. MREP provides a neutral setting away from contentious management issues for fishermen to work through the ‘how’ of the whole process, meet the people behind agency jobs, and share important feedback from the fishing community.

The program is offered as a series of workshops that build upon each other: a three-day Fishery Science Workshop followed by a three-day Fishery Management Workshop:  

  • Fishery Science Workshop       May 2-4, 2017 
    • Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
    • St. Petersburg, FL
  • Fishery Management Workshop      September 19-21, 2017
    • Westin Tampa Bay
    • Tampa, FL

Workshop presenters include NOAA Fisheries Regional Office and Science Center, the Fishery Management Councils, research institutions, and the fishing community. Workshops are designed and held as a collaborative effort, and they always provide for an industry moderator to help inject questions and keep the discussion real. Participants leave the workshops prepared to engage confidently in fishery management and better understand the science affecting their fishery.   

Apply Now! Interested individuals can find more information, including the application, at www.gmri.org/mrepsoutheast and by viewing the flyer (PDF) below.

Hope After Tragedy: New Stranded Marine Mammal Plan Coming After Humpback Whale Euthanized

February 7, 2017 — Hope was born from tragedy at a community meeting to discuss the stranding, and eventual euthanization of a humpback whale in Moriches Bay that left hearts broken and fueled residents to ignite a fire for change.

More than 100 residents turned out Tuesday at a community meeting organized to present information related to the November 2016 stranding of a humpback whale in Moriches Bay, which took place at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville.

“We were really pleased to see such a strong turnout and to hear from so many people. We look forward to working with the passionate Long Island community and our local stranding partners to develop new resources and new capacity for marine mammal stranding response,” said Jennifer Goebel, media relations, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

Read the full story at the Westhampton Patch

Fisheries scientists teach science of marine mammals to Woods Hole-area elementary students

January 26, 2017 — New England has a rich maritime tradition, with the livelihood and leisure activities of many residents associated with the ocean in some way. The NOAA Outreach and Education on Protected Species (NOEPS) program strives to build connections between NOAA Fisheries science and local communities, enriching and supplementing the current science program. In order to achieve a significant impact in nearby small communities, the NOEPS program targeted all K-4th grade classrooms in the Falmouth Public School District.

In its third year, NOEPS gave classroom presentations to 10 schools in the New England area. The program, based out of NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, reached 1,790 students in 95 classrooms from preschool to high school in the 2015-16 school year. Educators had expressed a need for hand-on activities to engage students so the Northeast Fisheries Science Center designed a program to enrich and supplement the current science program as well as bring in marine science at the elementary level. Presentations focused on key marine mammal species and research conducted by NEFSC scientists, offering free one-hour lessons with hands-on activities, presentations, and projects on marine mammals for K-6 classrooms, and emphasizing the conservation and stewardship goals behind the science. In 2015-16, the program expanded to include K-3 classes in the Mashpee School District. In addition, NOEPS lessons and core educational materials are available for download by teachers.

Read the full story at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

MASSACHUSETTS: A civil exchange of fish numbers

February 5, 2017 — Every now and then, the discussion of fisheries management breaks the stranglehold of graphs and numbers and jargon and entries into the Federal Register that read as if they were compiled by a computer whose native tongue is Drone-on.

Now and then, the discussion distills into rational conversation between two people who find themselves on opposite sides of the regulatory equation. It may happen in person or by email. It doesn’t matter. They are moments to be celebrated.

One such moment happened last week, when life-long (and highly respected) Gloucester fisherman Rick Beal penned a letter ostensibly to the New England Fishery Management Council, but really meant for all fisheries regulators.

He thanked the council for its Jan. 25 action nearly doubling the grey sole quota for 2017 and said he was “particularly encouraged” by comments of NOAA Regional Administrator John K. Bullard and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Director David Pierce regarding the importance of industry input.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times