Saving Seafood

Scallops: NEFMC Receives 2021 Survey Season Overview; Updates on Framework 34 and Other Work Priorities

October 1, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received a high-level overview of the 2021 scallop survey season when it met by webinar for its September 28-30, 2021 meeting. It also received a progress report on Framework Adjustment 34 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan and short updates on: (1) the Scallop Survey Working Group’s recent meeting; and (2) a project to evaluate the scallop fishery’s rotational area management program.

Scallop survey coverage this year was extensive throughout the range of the resource. Several surveys were conducted on Georges Bank and in the Mid-Atlantic. These were done by three survey partners under the Scallop Research Set-Aside Program (RSA) and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Participating RSA partners included:

• Coonamessett Farm Foundation;
• UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST); and
• The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

SMAST and the University of Maine also conducted RSA surveys in the Gulf of Maine, including on Stellwagen Bank.

Overall, the survey groups discovered that biomass in the Mid-Atlantic Access Area is down substantially. While blips of pre-recruit scallops occasionally were found, the survey teams did not see signs of another strong incoming year class. Most of the remaining scallops in this area are nine years old, stemming from the exceptional 2013 year class, which has run its course. As such, 2022 fishing activity in the Mid-Atlantic Access Area is expected to be minimal, and the Scallop Plan Development Team (PDT), Scallop Committee, and Scallop Advisory Panel are discussing the possibility of reverting this area to open bottom.

Two Bright Spots

Survey teams did find evidence of recruitment in the New York Bight and Nantucket Lightship West areas. The Council is considering establishing rotational closures to protect concentrations of small scallops in both locations. Closures such as these are the premise behind rotational management. Areas with small scallops are closed to fishing activity to give the animals time to grow to a harvestable size. A few years down the road, the closure areas are reopened and fishing is allowed to take place on larger scallops.

The New York Bight area that’s under consideration for a closure (see blue box in map at right) contains multiple years classes, including many smaller scallops with growth potential that will not recruit to the fishery in fishing year 2022 (see closeup shots below at right). Establishing a rotational closure in the New York Bight would provide an opportunity to improve yields for all scallops, especially the smaller ones, and increase the potential for downstream recruitment to the Hudson Canyon and Elephant Trunk areas in the Mid-Atlantic, as recent research suggests is possible.

Surveys conducted by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Coonamessett Farm Foundation using a Habitat Camera Mapping System (HabCam) showed high densities of very small scallops – less than 35 millimeters in shell height – in the western portion of Nantucket Lightship (see graphics below). HabCam is a towed underwater camera that takes a constant stream of images along the seafloor. It is a survey tool that can help identify new beds of very small seed scallops, also referred to as spat. The Scallop Plan Development Team will analyze establishing a second rotational closure to cover Nantucket Lightship West in addition to the New York Bight. If the new year class of seed scallops in Nantucket Lightship West survives and continues to grow, these scallops should be ready to start contributing to the fishery several years down the road.

Current Biomass

The highest concentrations of harvestable biomass were found in Nantucket Lightship South and within Closed Area II on Georges Bank. These are the areas the PDT will analyze for possible access area fishing in 2022. Most of the scallops in Nantucket Lightship South will be 10 years old in 2022. These slow-growing scallops continue to be available in dense concentrations and, despite their smaller size, have drawn high prices on the market.

Survey teams saw some modest signs of recruitment in Closed Area II in the southeast portion, extension, and Habitat Area of Particular Concern (colored orange above).

As part of its work on Framework 34, the Scallop Plan Development Team is analyzing several possible configurations for Closed Areas II access area trips under two trip limit options – 18,000 pounds and 15,000 pounds – with trading allowed in 9,000-pound and 15,000-pound increments. The PDT also will provide a range of possibilities for open area fishing days. Biomass in Closed Area I is no longer high enough to support an access area trip for the limited access fishery. However, the PDT is looking at two options for this area: (1) reverting it to open bottom; and (2) reserving the area for LAGC IFQ access area fishing and RSA trips. LAGC IFQ is the acronym for the limited access general category individual fishing quota component of the fishery.

Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM)

In the Gulf of Maine, most of the biomass is located on Stellwagen Bank. The portion of the biomass that’s inside the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area, meaning north of 42ᴼ 20’, is protected by a closure that will remain in place until changed by Framework 34. The biomass on Stellwagen Bank south of 42ᴼ 20’ is open bottom and available for fishing by the limited access and LAGC IFQ components of the fishery.

Framework Adjustment 34 – What’s Next?

Framework 34 includes 2022 fishing year specifications, 2023 default specifications, and other provisions. It also is the vehicle that will put in place measures developed under Amendment 21, which is under review by NOAA Fisheries. The amendment and framework are expected to be implemented concurrently by the start of the new fishing year, which is April 1, 2022.

The Council will take final action on Framework 34 during its December 7-9, 2021 meeting. Between now and then, the Scallop PDT, Committee, and Advisory Panel will hold several meetings to prepare final recommendations for the Council’s consideration. Keep tabs on the Council’s scallop webpage for a list of upcoming meetings.

• Meeting materials used during the Council’s September scallop discussion are posted HERE.

• View the presentation for a quick overview of what’s in Amendment 21 and the timeline for implementation of the amendment and Framework 34.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

 

NEFMC Seeks Contractor to Develop and Conduct EBFM Public Information Workshops

October 1, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is looking for an independent contractor to develop and conduct a series of six public information workshops about Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM).  The deadline for submitting letters of interest and supporting materials is November 1, 2021.

The Council has been working on an EBFM conceptual approach for several years.  It developed an example Fishery Ecosystem Plan (eFEP) that shows how an EBFM approach might be carried out on Georges Bank.

The Council is now ready to fully engage the public in its EBFM work.  It will begin this process by conducting public information workshops, utilizing outreach materials that clearly explain EBFM both in general terms in the eFEP and as used in the worked example for 10 fish stocks on Georges Bank.  The Council will be communicating with fishermen, conservation groups, the research community, and many other stakeholders through the workshops as it continues to advance EBFM.

This is a short-term, temporary contractor role, commencing on or about December 13, 2021 and ending in April 2022.  The contractor will:

•Work at the direction of Council staff to develop public workshop agendas, plan workshop logistics, and coordinate with invited experts in EBFM;

•Utilize and leverage the communications materials that have been developed by the Council; and

•Provide on-site support and facilitate each of the six public workshops.

Note:  The scheduling and execution of in-person workshops will be contingent on the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 level of community transmission assessment.  This may cause delays in the execution of this work.

The workshop objectives are to: (1) engage with and educate fishery stakeholders about the concepts of Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management; and (2) promote stakeholder participation in the further development of EBFM.

Additional information about the statement of work, expected responsibilities and deliverables, desired experience and demonstrated skills, and application submission details can be found in the request for proposals.

Questions concerning technical aspects of this proposal should be directed to Andrew Applegate at aapplegate@nefmc.org.  Questions concerning the contracting process or Department of Commerce – NOAA grant regulations should be directed to Margaret Bernier at mbernier@nefmc.org.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

 

NEFMC Presents 2021 Award for Excellence to Frank Mirarchi

September 29, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council today presented its 2021 Janice Plante Award for Excellence to Frank Mirarchi of Scituate, MA. Frank has been involved in the fishing industry for over five decades, both as an active commercial fisherman and as a dedicated partner in cooperative research.

The award was established by the Council in 2015 to annually honor an individual who has produced exceptional work “to further the effectiveness of the fishery management process in New England.” In particular, the Council seeks to pay special tribute to people who have displayed an outstanding commitment to the Council fishery management system and contributed time and energy to the process.

This year’s award recipient more than fits that bill. Over the course of his career, Frank has served on many of the Council’s advisory panels and working groups, including the Groundfish Advisory Panel, the Research Steering Committee, the Electronic Monitoring Working Group, the Multispecies Monitoring Committee, and the Interspecies Advisory Panel. He continues to serve as one of the Council’s representatives on the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel, as well as on a steering committee that is working on issues related to Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management.

In the early 1990s, Frank was appointed to the Council as a sitting member, although his Council service is not the basis for this award. Rather, his dozens of years of concerted and selfless efforts to improve upon fishery management and the science that underpins it made him the Executive Committee’s top choice as the 2021 award recipient. Council Chairman Eric Reid said, “Frank always made decisions that were fair, equitable, and based on sound science. He never pulled back from doing what he thought was right, even when the resulting action would impact his own business.”

While the Council’s award is in recognition of Frank’s extensive contributions to federal fisheries management and the Council process, he was extremely active on the state level as well. He was instrumental in the success of the Industry-Based Survey for Gulf of Maine Cod, overseen by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF). He was a 17-year member of DMF’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, serving as vice chair or chair for many of those years. In 1994, the state presented him with the prestigious Dr. David Belding Award for all he had done to “promote the conservation and sustainable use of the Commonwealth’s marine resources.” And, he continues to serve on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership.

A Witness to Change

Frank Mirarchi began fishing before the regional fishery management council system was created in 1976 under what is now known as the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. He attended a public hearing when the act was under development and therefore witnessed the establishment and evolution of the regional fishery management council system from the ground up.

He fished through a whirlwind of changes in vessel designs, gear modifications, and management measures. He saw the introduction of the Hague Line that divided Georges Bank between the U.S. and Canada through a 1984 World Court decision. At the start of his career, groundfish fishing meant throwing back small fish and staying out of closed areas. It then morphed to a new regime of daysat-sea and, eventually, groundfish sectors.

He firmly believed in research and was committed to contributing data to help sustainably manage the fisheries he had built his life around. He outfitted his last boat to make cooperative research more doable. He took part in a vast array of projects that ranged from Gulf of Maine cod spawning identification to spiny dogfish excluder devices in whiting trawls and so much more.

In presenting the Council’s 2021 award, Chairman Reid concluded, “Frank has rightfully earned his reputation for being well spoken and fair minded. He has a natural ability to listen to others and engage in respectful discourse. He is resourceful, persistent, and trustworthy. He continues to share his institutional knowledge and remains deeply committed to the betterment of fishery management. He truly is a remarkable person and a kind human being.”

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

 

NEFMC Elects Eric Reid as Chair, Rick Bellavance as Vice Chair; Welcomes Four New Members to the Table

September 28, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council held its annual election of officers at the start of its September 28-30, 2021 webinar meeting. It voted in Eric Reid as chairman and Rick Bellavance as vice chairman to lead the Council in the year ahead. Both are from Rhode Island.

Eric was the Council’s vice chair for the past two years and then became acting chairman in mid-August when Dr. John Quinn, who chaired the Council for the past five years, became ineligible for reappointment after serving three consecutive three-year terms on the Council.

Chairman Reid is a fisheries consultant based in North Kingstown, RI. Over his 47-year career in commercial and recreational fisheries, he has been actively engaged in all facets of the industry both at sea and shoreside. He previously owned and operated his own business, Deep Sea Fish of Rhode Island, for 11 years and worked for numerous other companies, including Seafreeze Shoreside Inc., Seafresh USA, and The Town Dock. He was the past president of the Rhode Island Seafood Council and the American Seafood Institute, and he was a founding member of both the East Coast Fisheries Association and the New England Seafood Producers Association. He served as the New England Council’s liaison to the MidAtlantic Council and has represented the New England Council on several MidAtlantic Council committees.

Chairman Reid also is on the board of directors of RODA, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, and serves as the alliance’s treasurer. He is a U.S. Commissioner to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and serves as Rhode Island State Senator Susan Sosnowski’s proxy on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

After being elected unopposed and by acclamation, Chairman Reid said of his new position, “I appreciate everyone’s support. It’s certainly an honor and a very humbling experience.”

Rick Bellavance is the owner/operator of Priority Charters, LLC, a charter fishing business located in Point Judith. A lifelong Rhode Island resident, he has engaged in a variety of recreational and commercial fishing industries for over 30 years. Rick currently serves as the president of the Rhode Island Party and Charter Boat Association. For more than a decade, he has represented the recreational for-hire fishing industry on state, regional, and federal panels, committees, and commissions. He has worked steadily to help develop electronic reporting tools that can improve recreational catch estimates, and he strongly supports improvements to the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Rick represents the Council on the NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section of ICCAT. He has represented the New England Council on several Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Council committees.

Read the full release here

 

NEFMC September 28-30, 2021 Webinar Meeting – Listen Live, View Documents

September 21, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, September 28 through Thursday, September 30, 2021.  The public is invited to listen live and provide input during designated opportunities for public comment.  Due to ongoing public safety considerations related to COVID-19, this meeting will be conducted entirely by webinar.

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. daily.  The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES:  The Council wants to hear from you.  Here’s how you can let the Council know what you think.

  • TALK TO THE COUNCIL:  You’ll be able to address the Council directly through two different avenues:
  1. By commenting on motions at the discretion of the Council chair (raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon); and
  1. By speaking during the open period for public comment.  Here are the Guidelines for Providing Public Comment.
  • OPEN PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:  On Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 1:30 p.m., the Council will offer the public an opportunity to provide comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda.  Given the Council’s busy meeting schedule, we ask that you limit remarks to 3-5 minutes.
    • SIGN UP NOW:  Interested in speaking?  Email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org to get on the list. 

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

  • THIS IS KEY!  If you want to speak during opportunities for public comment, you need to: (1) register for the webinar; and (2) actually “join” the webinar.  People who call in by telephone without joining the webinar will be in listen-only mode.  Those who take both steps – register and then join the webinar – will see the meeting screen and be able to click on a “raise hand” button, which will let the meeting organizer know you want to be unmuted to speak.
  • We have a Help Desk in case you get stuck joining the webinar or have trouble along the way.  Phone numbers are listed on the Help Desk Poster, or just email helpdesk@nefmc.org and we’ll get right back to you.

WEBINAR CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (914) 614-3221.  The access code is 906-934-652.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA:  All meeting materials and the agenda are available on the Council’s website at NEFMC September 28-30, 2021 meeting.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

THREE MEETING OUTLOOK:  A copy of the New England Council’s Three Meeting Outlook is available HERE.

COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS:  Anyone with questions prior to or during the Council meeting should contact Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

 

Fishery regulators ponder how climate change will affect ocean management 

September 7, 2021 — Fishery regulators up and down the east coast met in a series of remote meetings last week to help them address how fishery management needs to evolve to handle an era of climate change in the coming decades.  

“We’re likely going to have to approach things differently in order to cope with these new and very uncertain conditions ahead,” said Deirdre  Boelke, a fishery analyst with the New England Marine Fisheries Council, at the first meeting, which included participants from several organizations and other members of the fisheries community.  

The “East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning” series was done to rethink how the fisheries are governed, the different structures of management and how the different regulating bodies on the Atlantic coast would collaborate going forward at a time where species may be moving outside of their traditional range.   

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander

 

Sea Scallop Research Program Seeks Proposals

August 20, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries is soliciting proposals for the 2022-2023 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council.

Approved applications are awarded pounds of scallops that have been set aside to pay for research experiments.

No federal funds are provided for research.

The New England Fishery Management Council sets the priorities for the research, and NOAA Fisheries administers the competition, oversees awarded projects and set-aside harvest activities.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

Sea Scallop Research Program Seeks Proposals

August 19, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries is soliciting proposals for the 2022-2023 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council.

Approved applications are awarded pounds of scallops that have been set aside to pay for research experiments.

No federal funds are provided for research.

The New England Fishery Management Council sets the priorities for the research, and NOAA Fisheries administers the competition, oversees awarded projects and set-aside harvest activities.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

NOAA Fisheries Announces Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock Recreational Regulations for 2021

August 18, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is announcing that current Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod and haddock recreational measures will remain in place for the remainder of fishing year 2021, which ends April 30. 2022.

The recreational fishery for GOM cod and haddock is managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (Plan). The Plan includes a proactive recreational accountability measure, which allows the Regional Administrator, in consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council, to develop recreational management measures for the fishing year to ensure that the recreational quotas are achieved, but not exceeded. We project that current measures for GOM cod and haddock should prevent the recreational fishery’s quotas from being exceeded.

Read the full release here

Scallop RSA Program: Time to Submit Applications for 2022-2023 Awards Based on Council Research Priorities

August 18, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

NOAA Fisheries has begun soliciting proposals for research projects to be carried out under the 2022-2023 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. The submission deadline is October 22, 2021.

Proposals should respond to the research priorities established by the New England Fishery Management Council. During its June 2021 webinar meeting, the Council determined that resource surveys should be the highest priority for the next round of RSA awards. The Council also identified two “high priority” and three “general research” categories, which are summarized in the table below and described in more detail in this letter to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

The Scallop RSA Program is a joint effort between the Council, which manages the scallop fishery and sets research priorities, and NOAA Fisheries, which administers the competition, oversees awarded projects, and monitors set-aside harvest activities.

Read the full release here