Saving Seafood

Fisheries Monitoring Operations in the Northeast

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

Northeast Fisheries Observer Program

Our observers collect catch, gear, fishing effort, and biological data over a range of commercial fisheries. These data are widely used throughout the region for a variety of scientific and management analyses. It’s especially key for estimating the annual bycatch of all federally managed species in the region, including protected species. Each year the Northeast Fisheries Science Center uses this information to report on the estimated discards for the previous year. The results are then used to determine the observer sea-day schedule for the coming year. The process is governed by regulatory requirements commonly referred to as the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology

All federally permitted vessels are required to carry an observer when selected. Vessels operating in state water fisheries may be required to carry an observer if they have a high likelihood of interacting with marine mammals.

Learn more about this program

At-Sea Monitoring Program

At-sea monitoring is an integral part of quota monitoring for groundfish sectors vessels. All groundfish catch by these vessels—landed or discarded—counts toward the quota. Catch data collected on commercial groundfish vessels by at-sea monitors is a primary source information used to monitor quotas throughout the year. It is also critical for estimating total discards by sector, gear type, and stock area. This information is critical for a host of applications from assessment to evaluating fishery management measures and ensuring regulatory compliance. The region’s at-sea monitoring requirements are detailed under Amendment 16 of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

Learn more about this program

Industry-Funded Scallop Program

Industry-funded scallop observers monitor catch from dredge and trawl gear aboard commercial sea scallop vessels as specified by the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. Data collected by these observers are used to identify key characteristics of the commercial Atlantic sea scallop fishery in the region. The observer data inform stock assessments, monitor commercial gear selectivity, aid in spatial management, and help support a sustainable sea scallop fishery.

Learn more about this program

Read the full release here

NOAA report sides with right whale activists

January 22, 2021 — A federal report released Thursday largely agreed with the concerns expressed by animal rights activists and conservation groups that voluntary speed limits intended to protect highly endangered North Atlantic right whales were not working, and that even mandatory restricted speed zones needed to be expanded.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s vessel speed rule assessment recommended that the vessel strike rule that was implemented in 2008 be strengthened. They want increased enforcement of speed limits, expansion of mandatory no speed zones and a rethinking of areas that have only voluntary speed restrictions that are routinely violated and where an increase in vessel collisions with whales have been seen.

NOAA also wanted to consider mandatory speed restrictions or some other protections for an area just south of Nantucket where right whales have been found year-round in recent years.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Fishing Business Phone Survey Underway

January 22, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries and the University of Florida are teaming up on a phone survey to continue assessing the impact of COVID-19 on commercial/for-hire fishing operations, and on seafood dealers and processors.

Phone survey participants were selected using carefully designed random sample. If you were selected, you will receive a phone call from the University of Florida with a 352 area code. Your response is very important to the success of this survey. It will take less than 10 minutes, and the information you provide is strictly confidential.

The phone survey is a follow-up to a survey conducted during July/August 2020 on economic impacts for the first half of 2020.  The upcoming survey will assist us in assessing  impacts on individual businesses over the entire calendar year.

The first reports using results from last summer’s survey as well as other data can be found here.

For more information on the phone survey, see this bulletin from NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Region.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries reaches out to fishermen by phone; conducting surveys for scientists to assess impacts on commercial/for-hire fishing operations and seafood dealers/processors related to COVID-19

January 22, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries and our partner, the University of Florida, are teaming up on a phone survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on commercial/for-hire fishing operations and on seafood dealers and processors. The phone survey is a follow-up to an earlier on-line survey conducted in July and August on economic impacts for the first half of 2020. The upcoming survey will assist us in assessing economic impacts over the entire calendar year.

Survey participants were randomly selected to participate. If you receive a phone call from the University of Florida with a 352 area code, your response is very important to the success of this survey. It will take less than 10 minutes, and the information you provide is strictly confidential.

PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY:

We are using this multi-region survey to inform NOAA Fisheries, the Department of Commerce, Congress, fishery management councils, state fishery managers, and stakeholders about the economic and social impacts that the recent economic downturn has had on the fishing industry.

NOAA Fisheries will draft reports for the public detailing the revenue losses and recovery of fishing-dependent businesses over the past year. Here is a look at what we have already been able to capture and release in a series of snapshot reports. You helped make this information available to us.

Read the full release here

Number of critically endangered North Atlantic right whale calves grows to 11 after 2 spotted off Florida coast

January 21, 2021 — Recent sightings of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale is giving conservationists new hope on the survival of the species.

Two more calves have been spotted off the coast of Amelia Island in Florida, increasing the total number of calves seen this season to 11, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The calves have been born to a 13-year-old whale named “Bocce” and a 20-year-old whale identified as “#3130.”

The news is welcome for conservationists, as only 22 births have occurred in the previous four calving seasons combined, and the first calf of the season washed up dead on a barrier island off North Carolina in November, according to NOAA.

Read the full story at ABC News

NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries COVID-19 Report Reveals Impact on Seafood Dealers and Processors

January 21, 2021 — The Southeast commercial fisheries were not immune to COVID-19. That’s according to a new report from NOAA that was released on Friday.

NOAA’s report was created to show the impacts from COVID-19 on Southeast Fisheries. In order to show the impact of the pandemic on the Southeast commercial fisheries, NOAA’s analysts reviewed data from January through June 2020. The analysts found that landings revenue for selected federally-managed species (excluding shrimp and menhaden) was down 23% during the first six months of the year when compared to the same period in 2019. According to the report, landings revenue declined 11% in January and February, but then dropped March through May, with April experiencing the largest monthly decline at 48%.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Saving Nassau Grouper by Protecting Spawning Aggregations

January 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

From December through March, Nassau grouper spawn in large breeding groups in the tropical waters of coastal Florida and the Caribbean. These groups consist of thousands of fish that collectively gather in predictable locations for the sole purpose of reproduction. Unfortunately since 1980, theys have been overfished, leading to an 80 percent loss in the population in some locations. NOAA Fisheries scientists, managers, and our partners collectively are implementing regional strategies for the protection and conservation of Nassau grouper. Two new videos—one for decision makers and one for local fishermen—promote the conservation of Nassau grouper spawning aggregations.

NOAA Fisheries listed Nassau grouper as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2016 and is dedicated to its conservation. Take and possession of Nassau grouper have been prohibited in U.S. Caribbean federal waters since 1990. NOAA Fisheries is a member of the Spawning Aggregation Working Group, which was created by the Western and Central Atlantic Fishery Commission. Nassau grouper travel hundreds of miles crossing international borders to breed in large spawning aggregations; therefore, recovery efforts must be a collaboration across their range. We support a harmonized regional approach to sustainably manage Nassau grouper.

These spawning aggregations are the only known period when Nassau grouper spawn. The working group advocates letting breeding fish “off the hook” by closing fishing and sales of Nassau grouper from December to March. Removing adults has a compound effect of losing reproductive output and a decline in abundance can lead to the long-term loss of the spawning aggregation. This no-take period protects the spawning adults and at the same time safeguards population replenishment and recovery.

Read the full release here

West Coast Gray Whales Declined During Unusual Mortality Event, Similar to Past Fluctuations in Numbers

January 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The population of gray whales that migrate along the West Coast has declined about 24 percent since 2016. It now stands at an estimated 20,580 whales, a new population assessment (PDF, 7 pages) has found. That is similar to previous fluctuations in the Eastern North Pacific population that has long since recovered from the days of whaling.

The decline coincides with an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event that NOAA Fisheries declared in 2019 for gray whales when strandings increased on the West Coast. It resembles a similar 23 percent decline documented after an unusual mortality event 20 years earlier, in 1999 and 2000. The gray whale population rebounded following that previous UME to greater numbers than before.

The continuing change in gray whale numbers “suggests that large-scale fluctuations of this nature are not rare,” scientists wrote in a NOAA Fisheries Technical Memorandum that reports the new estimate. “The observed declines in abundance appear to represent short-term events that have not resulted in any detectable longer-term impacts on the population.”

Read the full release here

Alaska sees nearly half-billion dollar loss in commercial fisheries revenue

January 20, 2021 — A federal agency has put some dollar amounts to the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic on commercial and charter fishing industries nationwide in the first part of last year.

On Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report on the economic impact on the seafood catch and recreational fishing nationwide through last summer. NOAA Fisheries deputy assistant administrator for operations Paul Doremus called the report a snapshot of an industry in transition.

“We’re trying to account in great detail with the data and information in this report on the bearing of COVID-19 on the sector as a whole and provide this in a way that can help businesses and communities understand what has happened, where the losses have been concentrated and to inform long-term recovery and resilient strategies,” Doremus said during a conference call with reporters.

Nationwide, the commercial fishing industry started off 2020 with increases in revenue from seafood sales. But as the pandemic hit in March, that income dropped off 19% compared to the most recent five-year average. Those declines swelled to 45% by July.

Read the full story at KTOO

Vessel Slow Zone Extended Off Atlantic City, New Jersey to Protect Right Whales

January 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

There are now 6 Slow Zones in effect.

NOAA Fisheries announces an extension to the Atlantic City, New Jersey Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) to protect right whales.

On January 19, 2021, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Atlantic City buoy acoustically detected the presence of right whales 20nm SE of Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Slow Zone was originally announced on January 9. Since protections in this area are set to expire in less than a week, the Slow Zone has been extended through February 3, 2021.

Mariners, please go around these slow zone areas or go slow (10 knots or less) inside these areas where right whales have been detected.

Slow Zone Coordinates:

Southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, January 19-February 3, 2021

39 25 N
38 44 N
073 44 W
074 36 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here