Saving Seafood

Gulf of Maine scallop season resumes

April 24, 2025 — Regulators have reopened commercial scallop fishing in the Northern Gulf of Maine after the season was briefly paused when federal officials failed to approve recommended catch limits in time.

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) approved new quotas for the 2025 and 2026 scallop seasons in December 2024, setting a quota of 675,563 pounds for 2025 and a quota of 506,672 pounds for 2026 in the Northern Gulf of Maine federal fishery. However, the federal government still hadn’t approved those quotas before the 2025 season launched 1 April.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Mass. pushes feds for May 1 groundfish season start

April 17, 2025 — Massachusetts is calling on federal regulators to act swiftly to ensure the 2025 commercial groundfish season opens on time. On April 15, Tom O’Shea, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick urging immediate regulatory action to authorize the May 1 start date.

“Without fishing measures, federal fishing vessels from ports of Gloucester south to New Bedford will be tied up with no opportunity to sustain their businesses,” O’Shea wrote in the letter.

The Northeast multispecies (groundfish) fishery is jointly managed by NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. The plan governs thirteen species, including iconic New England stocks like Atlantic cod, haddock, halibut, and winter flounder. However, to legally land and possess these fish, federal regulations must be in place to start the fishing year on May 1.

If the Department of Commerce does not act in time, federal groundfish vessels in Massachusetts will be effectively shut out of the fishery, causing serious economic disruptions across the state’s fishing ports. “The impacts will be particularly acute in Gloucester, New Bedford, and Boston, where our federal groundfish permit holders are concentrated,” the Department of Fish and Game warned in a separate briefing.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NEFMC Solicits Contractor Proposals to Support Work on Climate-Resilient Fisheries Initiatives

January 16, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is issuing three separate requests for proposals (RFPs) to support projects that address climate-resilient fisheries through Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: The application deadline for all proposals is February 21, 2025.

WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS: The three RFPs are independent of each other but all aim to support the Council’s work in advancing fishery management under changing ocean conditions as follows.

  • Developing a Holistic Strategic Plan for Climate-Resilient New England Fisheries Management: The contractor will develop a holistic strategic plan to guide Council activities for climate-resilient fisheries management. The strategic plan will include a detailed implementation roadmap and performance metrics to ensure near-term and long-term Council activities are responsive to climate change and the risks and challenges within and across fishery management plans. Details are outlined in the RFP.
  • Portfolio Approach to Inform New England Fisheries Management: This project involves an evaluation of applying portfolio theory to inform climate-resilient fisheries management in New England. The contractor will focus on identifying harvest portfolios, including species managed on the East Coast, which may result in increased revenue and reduce the risk of foregone yield. Results from the portfolio analysis will be used to inform management approaches that increase flexibility, including possible changes to permit regulations and restrictions. Details are outlined in the RFP.
  • Evaluating the Council’s New Risk Policy and Development of Groundfish ABC Control Rules: The contractor will focus on integrating the Council’s revised Risk Policy with the groundfish acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rule.  The Council has initiated efforts to modify the current groundfish ABC control rule already. Details are outlined in the RFP.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Interested professionals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, current resume or CV, examples of similar work completed for other organizations or publications, and budget with expected expenses. Address materials to: Cate O’Keefe, NEFMC, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA  01950.

  • Email submissions are highly encouraged. Send to cokeefe@nefmc.org.
  • Questions about any of the requests for proposals should be addressed to Cate O’Keefe at cokeefe@nefmc.org.

New England scallopers face a tough 2025

December 18, 2024 — New England scallopers are looking at another tough year in 2025, as they prepare for a set of federal regulations to protect both their livelihoods and the Atlantic Ocean’s scallop populations.

If approved by NOAA Fisheries, the new rules, called Scallop Framework 39, will reduce the number of times that full-time vessels can go drag in some federally-managed scalloping grounds — called “access areas” — in the 2025 fishing year. But they will allow these vessels more time to scallop in the open ocean. The start of the access-area scalloping season will also be pushed back from April 1 to May 15, 2025. It will end on March 31, 2026.

These proposed regulations are meant to conserve the fishery resource as it goes through a period of low productivity, regional fisheries managers say. They were developed by the New England Fishery Management Council.

Surveys showed the overall weight of harvestable scallops in New England waters dropped from 2023 to 2024.

Local scallopers and industry representatives say the contents of Framework 39 are not a surprise. Landings have been shrinking over the past four years.

“We’re just tightening the belt, and taking a deep breath, and riding the storm out,” said New Bedford scallop vessel manager and owner Tony Alvernaz.

Read the full story at The New Bedford Light

Groundfish: NEFMC Takes Final Action on Framework 69 With Catch Limits for Four New Atlantic Cod Stock Units

December 10, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council took final action on Framework Adjustment 69 to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan when it met in Newport, Rhode Island December 3-5, 2024. The framework contains catch limits and management measures for the 2025 fishing year and beyond.

The Council received three reports before beginning its decision-making on Framework 69:

  • The Northeast Fisheries Science Center presented the peer-reviewed results of 2024 Management Track Stock Assessments for American plaice, pollock, witch flounder, Atlantic halibut, Georges Bank haddock, and Gulf of Maine haddock;
  • The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) presented overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for each of those newly assessed stocks; and
  • The Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) presented recommendations for U.S./Canada shared groundfish resources on Georges Bank.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

Council advances plan to cut Northeast US scallop quota 28 percent

December 6, 2024 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) voted to enact Framework 39 for the 2025 scallop fishing season – which includes a significant drop in the scallop allowable catch.

The Fisheries Survival Fund – which was established to advocate for the long-term sustainability of the Northeast U.S. scallop stock – supported the council’s decision and advocated for it to select Framework 39 before the council meeting. The organization said the allocations “reflect the need for pragmatic balancing” of fishing effort in the region to ensure the continued success of the fishery.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell also wrote to the council in support of Framework 39. New Bedford, Massachusetts is consistently ranked among one of the top ports by value in the U.S. – in part thanks to the high value of the scallop fishery.

“The scallop industry is a cornerstone of New Bedford’s economy, supporting not only fishermen and their families, but also the numerous shoreside businesses that rely on its success,” Mitchell wrote.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Scallops: NEFMC Signs Off on Framework 39 with Measures for Fishing Year 2025; May 15th Delayed Opening for Access Areas

December 5, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council took final action on Framework Adjustment 39 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan when it met December 3-5, 2024 in Newport, Rhode Island. The framework contains specifications and measures to guide the 2025 scallop fishing year, which begins on April 1. The action also includes default measures for fishing year 2026.

The framework must be reviewed, approved, and implemented by NOAA Fisheries before taking effect. Here are the Council’s recommended measures.

FULL-TIME LIMITED ACCESS VESSELS: The Council supported allocating full-time permit holders two access area trips in 2025 – one trip to Scallop Access Area I and the other trip to Scallop Access Area II. The Council endorsed a 12,000-pound trip limit, equating to 24,000 pounds total per vessel, as well as 24 open-area days-at-sea for this component of the scallop fishery.

PART-TIME LIMITED ACCESS VESSELS: Part-time permit holders would be allocated one access area trip into either Scallop Access Area I or Scallop Access Area II with a 9,600- pound trip limit, as well as 9.6 open-area days-at-sea.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

New England fishers protest proposed changes to region’s cod management plan

December 4, 2024 — Commercial fishers in the U.S. region of New England are protesting a new cod management plan under consideration by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), claiming the changes will destroy the region’s historic cod fishery.

“These restrictions are going to be the end of the trawlers and anyone else buying fish,” New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) CEO Jerry Leeman said in a statement. “Everyone in the fisheries expects Addendum 25 to torpedo their businesses.”

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Vacancy Announcement: NEFMC Seeks Candidates for Public Affairs Officer

October 28, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) seeks candidates for the position of Public Affairs Officer (PAO). This is a highly visible, dynamic position. The PAO is responsible for managing communications with the public and media. These responsibilities include developing working relationships with media representatives, coordinating communications with other fisheries management and government agencies, keeping the Council informed on pertinent issues, and leading the Council’s social media outlets.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 15, 2024

PUBIC AFFAIRS OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Serve as the first point of contact for the public and press and respond to inquiries appropriately;
  • Serve as the primary source of information about the Council process;
  • Develop and distribute Council communications, including press releases, general announcements, news updates, requests for proposals, vacancy solicitations, and reminders for upcoming meetings;
  • Develop and manage the Council’s social media outlets;
  • Maintain communications with NOAA Fisheries, partner agencies, and other management bodies;
  • Serve on regional and national communications groups and participate in group projects and communications tasking;
  • Support content on the Council website in coordination with the Council’s Webmaster;
  • Develop Council meeting agendas with input from staff and external presenters;
  • Collaborate with outside presenters on materials and logistics for Council meetings;
  • Monitor news coverage involving issues of relevance to the Council and staff;
  • Assist the Council’s technical staff as needed;
  • Support the Council’s administrative staff with Council meeting preparations;
  • Report directly to the Council’s Executive Director and conduct assigned tasks.

QUALIFICATIONS: A complete list of educational requirements, professional requirements, and needed analytical skills is available in the vacancy announcement.

HIRING DATE: The anticipated hiring date is January 2025.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Applications must include a cover letter, at least two writing examples, and a resume detailing education and experiences. Address the submission package to Council Executive Director Cate O’Keefe and submit it by November 15, 2024:

  • Via email (preferred) to sgoutier@nefmc.org; or
  • Via U.S. mail to the New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950

SPECIAL CONDITIONS: This is a non-federal position. Upon hiring, the selected applicant will enter an initial probationary period of one year during which performance will be evaluated by the Executive Director.

MASSACHUSETTS: Statement from New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell on NEFMC decision on Northern Edge

July 3, 2024 — The following statement was released by New Bedford, Massachusetts Mayor Jon Mitchell:

“I am disappointed by the New England Fishery Management Council’s decision last week after scant public notice to reverse itself and halt further discussion of the opening of the Northern Edge scallop access area. The decision comes less than three months after the Council voted to advance the opening of the Northern Edge, which was grounded in more than a decade of research showing that scallops are abundant in the area. Halting work on the Northern Edge so abruptly is an affront to scallop fishermen who were given every reason to believe that the council was working toward a fair, long-term solution.”