Saving Seafood

HAWAII: Researchers return from expedition to Papahanaumokuakea with a sense of hope

August 25, 2021 — Scientists that recently returned to Oahu from a 20-day research expedition to Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument now have some valuable images and data — and a new sense of hope.

The group of scientists headed out on a rare trip from Aug. 1 to 20 aboard the charter vessel Imua for the second half of a two-part summer research project led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. This trip followed another one in July.

It was the first time a team was able to return to the French Frigate Shoals, or Lalo, to observe what has happened since researchers in 2019 discovered the devastating impacts on reefs due to Hurricane Walaka the prior year.

That year, researchers were shocked to discover Rapture Reef, previously one of the most beautiful, diverse reefs in the isles, turned into a wasteland of coral rubble, with no signs of fish or life, by the Category 3 hurricane that passed through in October 2018.

What they found two years later were exciting, promising signs of nature’s resilience.

“Researchers haven’t been able to get back up there until now because of COVID restrictions and limited ship time,” said chief scientist Jason Leonard. “So they were quite amazed an area totally devastated was making a slow recovery. “

Read the full story at the Honolulu Star Advertiser

Analysis of New West Coast Swordfish Fishery Weighs Benefits of Increased Domestic Catch

August 25, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is proposing to approve a new means of catching West Coast swordfish that could increase the domestic supply of the species often featured in upscale restaurants.

The fishery is based on their unique behavior. Swordfish are one of the few fish that spends long periods at great depths in the ocean. Increased swordfish landings would also help offset imports that now make up about 84 percent of the swordfish supply on the West Coast. They are often imported from countries with less protection for sea turtles and marine mammals.

NOAA Fisheries is evaluating the proposal to authorize fishing for swordfish in federal waters using deep-set buoy gear. This gear lowers baited hooks hundreds of feet beneath the surface, where they catch swordfish and little else. The selective gear poses little risk to protected species such as whales and sea turtles, which are not usually found at such depths.

The West Coast swordfish fishery has long relied on drift gillnets that, in their earlier years, entangled protected species. The drift gillnet fleet has since dramatically reduced its impact on marine mammals and turtles to meet strict U.S. environmental standards. However, restrictions on where and when they can fish has reduced the drift gillnet fishery from more than 100 vessels to fewer than 20 participating vessels.

Read the full release here

NOAA Open Invitation: Public Listening Sessions on Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful

August 25, 2021 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

NOAA invites you to a stakeholder listening session in response to Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful. This preliminary report, released by the White House in May, provides recommendations on how the United States should achieve the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030, as directed by President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crises at Home and Abroad.

NOAA wants to hear from the public at large and all interested stakeholders on how best to achieve the 30-percent goal, based on the principles and recommendations in the report. Below are meeting details for two upcoming listening sessions. You are welcome to share this announcement broadly.

Thursday, August 26: Stakeholder Listening Session
Time: 3:00-5:00 PM ET
Dial in: 888-323-9726, Passcode: 890-4233
Webinar: Join Here on the day of the meeting (Conference number: PWXW2317057, Audience passcode: 8904233)

Monday, September 13: Stakeholder Listening Session
Time: 3:00-5:00 PM ET
Dial in: 800-857-5743, Passcode: 727-5932
Webinar: Join Here on the day of the meeting (Conference number: PWXW2317058, Audience passcode: 7275932)

These calls will be recorded. The webinar is view only—all participants must dial in to the phone number above for audio. If you have any issues accessing the WebEx platform or would like to review the slides before/after the session, you can find the presentation and other resources on NOAA’s webpage for Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful.

John “Jack” Casey: Internationally Recognized Shark Researcher, Mentor, and Narragansett Lab Co-Founder

August 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

John “Jack” Casey was born and raised in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. Two days out of high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 4 years on the destroyer escort USS Raymond. Following his military service, he returned to Turners Falls and worked at a paper mill for about 18 months. Seeking more on his horizon, Casey returned to school. He spent 2 years at the University of New Hampshire and 2 years at the University of Massachusetts, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife management in 1960.

That same year, Casey started working at the U.S. Fish and  Wildlife Service’s Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife laboratory at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. He began to study sharks of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean in 1961, when sharks were unstudied and misinformation abounded.

Realizing just how much information could be obtained by working with sport and commercial fishermen, Casey initiated the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program in 1962 with less than 100 volunteer fishermen who were eager to help science. Since then, thousands of fishermen have stepped up to join forces with NOAA Fisheries to tag sharks all over the Atlantic.

Fishermen participating in the program have tagged more than 300,000 sharks and recaptured more than 18,000 of many different species. Data gathered through the program are a font of information on the distribution, movements, and migration of more than 30 shark species. The program has resulted in numerous publications, and served as the basis for undergraduate honors projects, master’s degree theses, and Ph.D. dissertations. Most well-known, however, are the two “shark atlas” publications showing the first detailed distributions and movements of tagged Atlantic sharks.

In 1970, NOAA was created by executive order. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bureau of Commercial Fisheries and the saltwater labs of its Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife were combined and moved to NOAA to form the National Marine Fisheries Service, now informally known as NOAA Fisheries. Casey was instrumental in setting up the new NOAA marine fisheries laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The Apex Predators Program he founded moved from the Sandy Hook Laboratory (which was by then also part of NOAA’s new fisheries service) to the Narragansett Laboratory. It remains there to this day.

Casey founded the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program and changed the course of knowledge on Atlantic shark movements and distribution. That alone is enough to make him a NOAA Fisheries science superhero. But Casey simultaneously started a life history program on sharks encompassing age and growth, reproduction, and food habits. His team produced groundbreaking science on all aspects of shark biology. Collaborations between Casey’s team, its successors, and experts at other institutions have led to widespread use of program data. They have exponentially increased our knowledge of sharks in the Atlantic. These lines of research continue to provide direct support for maintaining sustainability of these species.

Jack Casey is recognized nationally and internationally among his peers. He has been an invited speaker at scientific meetings around the world. He has appeared on several sportfishing shows, and authored or co-authored numerous scientific and popular articles. He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Department of Commerce bronze medal and the bronze medal awarded by the Morski Institute (Poland’s national marine fisheries service). He was also named a distinguished fellow by the American Elasmobranch Society. Through his outreach and public education work, he helped turn the public perception of sharks from “the only good shark is a dead shark” to the conservation-oriented value placed on sharks today.

As a pioneer in shark research, Jack Casey‘s influence is global and has proliferated through generations of students he has mentored and who have chosen careers in shark research. His contribution to shark science has been aided by his fighting spirit and determination. His excitement for sharks and his charismatic personality helped him forge a diverse group of volunteers into a team of collaborators dedicated to furthering shark research.

NOAA Fisheries Offers Additional TED Tuesday Webinars to Assist Skimmer Trawl Fishermen with Turtle Excluder Device (TEDs) Installation

August 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Message:

Fishing gear specialists with NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fishery Science Center’s Gear Monitoring Team will host additional question and answer webinar sessions summarizing skimmer trawl Turtle Excluder Device (TED) requirements and assist participants with program information and compliance. In a continued effort to reach as many fishermen as possible, these additional webinars were added, following previous events hosted in May, June, and July.

Due to questions coming into our gear monitoring team, below the webinar information you will find a list of skimmer trawl TED manufacturers. These have been identified, but are not endorsed by NOAA Fisheries.

When:

Additional Information:

  • NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center’s Harvesting and Engineering Branch staff will host the webinars to summarize TED requirements that went into effect on August 1, 2021, for skimmer trawl vessels 40 ft or greater in length. These Tuesday webinars will provide a comprehensive summary of the new regulations, gear requirements, and research results. Question and answer sessions will be conducted at the end of each webinar.
  • These webinars are for anyone with an interest in the new TED requirements for skimmer trawls, and specifically for any captains, owners, or crew of skimmer trawl vessels that are 40 ft or greater in length that will be impacted by the regulation.
  • This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

What you need to know before registering:

  • Each webinar will be recorded. See below for the NOAA Privacy Act Statement.
  • Trouble joining the webinar? Please call our Service Desk (Available from 7:00AM to 11PM EDT): 1-888-219-9228

Turtle Excluder Device Manufacturers (updated 8-13-21)

  • Due to questions coming into our Southeast Fishery Science Center’s Gear Monitoring Team, we also want to provide a list of skimmer trawl TED manufacturers. NOAA Fisheries is not recommending any specific manufacturer. The list below is intended to inform the industry and public of existing skimmer trawl TED manufacturers. The list is not exhaustive and will be updated if additional manufacturers are identified.

Read the full release here

ASMFC & NOAA Fisheries Select Coonamessett Farm Foundation to Conduct Components of the At-Sea Monitoring Training Program

August 24, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), has selected the Coonamessett Farm Foundation to conduct components of the At-Sea Monitoring (ASM) Training Program for NEFSC. Training will include identifying target and bycatch species in Atlantic groundfish fisheries, collecting and reporting fisheries-dependent data following federal guidelines, and instruction in offshore safety and survival.

At-sea monitors collect data aboard commercial fishing vessels that are used to manage and monitor annual catch limits in the Northeast groundfish sectors. A sharp increase in the required ASM coverage rate (up to 100%) and observer attrition during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the need for approximately 140 new at-sea monitors. Coonamessett Farm Foundation will take on the majority of the training with support from NEFSC. ASM training by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation will start this year and extend at least through 2022.

To learn more about becoming an at-sea monitor, contact one of the companies that provides at-sea monitors to the NEFSC’s Northeast Fisheries Observer Program. A list is posted here:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/fisheries-observers/sea-monitoring-northeast

For more information on Coonamessett Farm Foundation ASM training award, please contact Tania Lewandowski (Tania.Lewandowski@noaa.gov), Tasha O’Hara (tohara@cfarm.org), or Quinn McWatters (qmcwatters@cfarm.org).

Analysis of New West Coast Swordfish Fishery Weighs Benefits of Increased Domestic Catch

August 23, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is proposing to approve a new means of catching West Coast swordfish that could increase the domestic supply of the species often featured in upscale restaurants.

The fishery is based on their unique behavior. Swordfish are one of the few fish that spends long periods at great depths in the ocean. Increased swordfish landings would also help offset imports that now make up about 84 percent of the swordfish supply on the West Coast. They are often imported from countries with less protection for sea turtles and marine mammals.

NOAA Fisheries is evaluating the proposal to authorize fishing for swordfish in federal waters using deep-set buoy gear. This gear lowers baited hooks hundreds of feet beneath the surface, where they catch swordfish and little else. The selective gear poses little risk to protected species such as whales and sea turtles, which are not usually found at such depths.

The West Coast swordfish fishery has long relied on drift gillnets that, in their earlier years, entangled protected species. The drift gillnet fleet has since dramatically reduced its impact on marine mammals and turtles to meet strict U.S. environmental standards. However, restrictions on where and when they can fish has reduced the drift gillnet fishery from more than 100 vessels to fewer than 20 participating vessels.

Read the full release here

NMFS announces draft EIS available for deep-set buoy gear authorization, Amendment 6 to the HMS FMP

August 23, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

NOAA Fisheries announces the release of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, which includes an analysis of the potential short- and long-term impacts of the proposed action to authorize fishing with deep-set buoy gear (DSBG) in federal waters off the U.S. West Coast, on the human (biological, physical, social, and economic) environment.

Please see the public notice on the Council’s website for a link to the Draft EIS and additional details.

For further information, please contact:

  • NOAA Fisheries:  Amber Rhodes at (562) 477-8342, Amber.Rhodes@noaa.gov
  • Pacific Council staff officer Dr. Kit Dahl at 503-820-2422; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

Save the date, agenda & register: Sept 1-2, 2021, NOAA HSRP virtual public meeting

August 23, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA:

The NOAA HSRP Federal Advisory Committee will have a virtual public meeting via webinar to focus on NOAA’s navigation, observations, and positioning services, data and products. A draft agenda is attached – updates to the agenda and meeting materials will be posted at: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/hsrp.html

PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Public comments directed to the HSRP members and NOAA on the HSRP related topics are encouraged. All comments on the topics of the meeting will become part of the public meeting record. Due to the condensed nature and time limit of the meeting, comments can be submitted in advance via letter or email, should be approximately 2 minutes, and should not repeat other comments. As time allows, public comments will be read into the public record during the meeting. Advance comments will be collated and posted to the meeting website.

Please submit advance comments to: hydroservices.panel@noaa.gov , Lynne.Mersfelder@noaa.gov and Virginia.Dentler@noaa.gov

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5627376790601178124

Receive HSRP email notices and additional information:
You can sign up for the email list for HSRP meetings and we’ll provide infrequent HSRP updates including the final meeting agenda. The meeting is public and all are welcome. Email your request to: Virginia.Dentler@noaa.gov and Lynne.Mersfelder@noaa.gov.

NOAA HSRP TOPICS and BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The HSRP is a Federal Advisory Committee that provides NOAA with independent advice on improving the quality, efficiency, and usefulness of NOAA’s navigation-related products, data, and services. The HSRP advises the NOAA Administrator about its navigation (i.e. nautical charts and ENCs), physical oceanographic (i.e. tides & water levels), geospatial, positioning, and shoreline programs, products, and services. There are two public meetings each year in different port regions at which NOAA seeks public comments from stakeholders and partners.

AGENDA and MEETING DOCUMENTS:
Attached is a draft agenda. The times and speakers are subject to change. The meeting agenda is updated and additional information is available at: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/hsrp.html

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
HSRP WEB: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/hsrp.html
HSRP Meetings: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/meetings.html
HSRP Recommendations: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/recommendations.html
HSRP Panel member bios: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/panel.html

Hope to “see you” on September 1-2. 2021.

NOAA Fisheries Cancels 2021 Belugas Count!

August 23, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

After careful consideration regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, NOAA Fisheries and partners have decided to cancel the 2021 Belugas Count! event.

Belugas Count! is a citizen science opportunity and festival event usually held in September, when viewing of endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales near Anchorage and Kenai is optimal.

“Belugas Count! is a family-focused event that brings together people of all ages,” said Jon Kurland, director of NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region’s Protected Resources Division. “Regrettably, due to the status of the pandemic, NOAA Fisheries and our partners decided to cancel the 2021 Belugas Count! event, as we did in 2020, out of an abundance of caution.”

Read more.