Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: Executive order calls for reducing aquaculture regs

May 12, 2020 — Around the same time last week that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released $300 million in coronavirus aid to the seafood industry, President Donald Trump issued an executive order “Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth.”

The major reasons given to issue the executive order were familiar objectives of the administration: reduce our dependence on imported seafood by decreasing the regulatory burden on fishermen and the aquaculture, while creating a level playing field with other countries.

“The Fisheries Survival Fund has long supported efforts to revise and streamline unnecessary regulations, an effort that is more important now than ever,” spokesman John Cooke wrote in a statement.

Trump ordered each of the country’s regional fishery management councils to submit a prioritized list of recommended actions to reduce regulatory burdens on fishermen and increase production within six months. But the Trump administration already asked NOAA and the New England Fishery Management Council three years ago to develop a list of unnecessary and duplicative regulations, which has already been submitted, and it may be much harder to find the regulatory fat this time around.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Peer Review Meeting, May 18-20, 2020 – Join the Webinar

May 11, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

An ad hoc sub-panel of the New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and outside scientists will meet May 18-20, 2020 via webinar to conduct a peer review of the Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Working Group’s report titled:  An Interdisciplinary Review of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) Stock Structure in the Western North Atlantic Ocean.

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. daily.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Register for the webinar HERE.

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 655-0052. The access code is 805-785-106.

PEER REVIEW PANEL:  The panel is made up of the following reviewers.

  • Jake Kritzer – chair
  • Yong Chen (SSC member)
  • Jeremy Collie (SSC member)
  • Richard Merrick (SSC member)
  • Ike Wirgin

WORKING GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE:  The Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Working Group was asked to inventory, summarize, and synthesize all relevant information to inform the most scientifically supported biological structure of Atlantic cod in U.S. waters using the following terms of reference (TORs).

  1. Inventory and summarize all relevant peer-review information about stock structure of Atlantic cod in NAFO Divisions 5 and 6 and interactions with 4X. Evaluate the relative importance of the information with respect to developing a holistic understanding of Atlantic cod stock structure.
  2. Identify and evaluate any new or existing data or information about the stock structure of Atlantic cod in NAFO Divisions 5 and 6 and interactions with 4X, and subject to a peer review by the working group. Integrate any additional information into the inventory developed in TOR 1.
  3. Using a holistic approach, synthesize all available information (TOR 1 and 2) and develop sets of possible biological stock structures and consider scientific support for each alternative. In developing alternative stock structures, consider the temporal stability of stock structure and how the available information can inform the knowledge of stock structure over time.
  4. Identify any major information gaps in data collection and the existing research with respect to cod stock structure. Develop a prioritized list of recommendations to address these gaps. Comment on the feasibility and time horizon (e.g., short-term, long-term) of the proposed research recommendations.

COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2020.  Address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org.  The address for mailing comments is:  New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill #2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

 

MATERIALS:  Meeting materials are posted on the Council’s website at May 18-20, 2020 Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Peer Review.  Here is the primary Technical Memo.

QUESTIONS:  Contact Council Deputy Director Chris Kellogg at (978) 465-0492 ext. 112; ckellogg@nefmc.org, Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org, or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

Public hearings on at-sea monitors move online

May 8, 2020 — The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled two more webinar public hearings on its draft groundfish monitoring amendment and extended the public comment deadline to the end of June.

The council, which voted in April to postpone final action on draft Amendment 23 beyond its June meeting, has set the webinar public hearings for May 12 and May 21.

Both are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and individuals may register through a link on the council’s website.

The council also said it plans to hold additional public hearings beyond those scheduled for May, with details to follow. The date for final action has not been determined.

“We’ve updated the public hearings document and the presentation,” said Janice Plante, council spokeswoman. “The executive committee also will meet at some point and talk about the next step.”

The executive committee is scheduled to meet in early June, but Plante said that wouldn’t preclude it from earlier discussions on the future path for Amendment 23 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23: Join the May 12 and May 21 Public Hearing Webinars

May 6, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled two more public hearings on Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23, which is being developed to improve the accuracy and accountability of catch reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery.

The Council held its first public hearing on April 15, 2020 by webinar. Given the continued restrictions on public gatherings due to COVID-19, the Council will hold the May 12 and May 21 public hearings by webinar as well. Here’s what you need to know to join in.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Discusses Red Hake Research Track Assessment, Rebuilding Measures

May 5, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its April 14-15, 2020 webinar meeting, the New England Fishery Management Council received a presentation from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center on preliminary results from the Red Hake Stock Structure Peer Review meeting. It then received a progress report on management measures that are under development to rebuild the southern stock of red hake. The Council is scheduled to take final action on this rebuilding package in June.

Currently, red hake is assessed as two distinct stocks – one northern and one southern (see map). As part of the research track assessment, a working group was established to evaluate whether it is appropriate to continuing using this two-stock assumption or whether an alternative approach would be better.

The working group was made up of scientists from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, state agencies, and academia. It met several times between November 2019 and February 2020 and examined red hake growth, maturity, spawning patterns, and other characteristics. The working group also was charged with evaluating how well the federal bottom trawl survey catches red hake and what that means for population assessments

Read the full release here

Reminder for Northeast Multispecies Vessels: Charter/Party Letters of Authorization

April 30, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries reminds you that vessels that are issued the groundfish charter/party Letters of Authorization (LOA) may not participate in the commercial fishery for any species managed by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils during the enrollment period. These vessels may not sell, barter, or trade fish that are harvested or possessed by the vessel on any trip, even if the trip was taken outside the closure area. The enrollment periods are as follows:

If you have questions regarding your 2020 LOA or to make changes, please call the Greater Atlantic Region Permit Office, (978) 282-8438.

For more information about the requirements and regulations pertaining to Letters of Authorization, please contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division,  (978) 281-9315.

NEFMC Addresses Recreational eVTRs, Chub Mackerel; Receives Ecosystem, Stellwagen, Whale Updates

April 29, 2020 — The New England Fishery Management Council met April 14-15, 2020 by webinar and covered a wide range of issues. In addition to the actions it took on Atlantic sea scallops, groundfish, Atlantic herring, and red hake, the Council also:

  • Discussed matters involving recreational electronic vessel trip reports (eVTRs) and Atlantic chub mackerel – see pages 2 and 3 for details;
  • Received a presentation from: (1) the Northeast Fisheries Science Center on the 2020 State of the Ecosystem report covering New England, and (2) the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee, which made recommendations on the report;
  • Received a short update on work being conducted by the Council’s Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Committee;

Read the full story from the New England Fishery Management Council

Atlantic Herring: NEFMC Receives Progress Report on Two Framework Adjustments

April 28, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received a progress report during its April 14-15, 2020 webinar meeting on two framework adjustments to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. Here’s what’s in the works.

Framework Adjustment 7 – This framework is being developed to protect Atlantic herring spawning on Georges Bank. Here’s the discussion document. During this meeting, the Council voted to clarify that:

  • The goal of this action is to “develop measures to protect spawning adults of Atlantic herring and/or Atlantic herring egg mats to increase overall herring biomass”; and
  • The objective is to “consider similar measures as in Area 1A – the inshore Gulf of Maine – for other spawning components of this resource,” namely on Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Council collaboratively manage the Area 1A fishery. The Council is discussing the role of state versus federal herring management with the Commission.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Approves Scallop Amendment 21 Range of Alternatives; Requests Emergency Action

April 22, 2020 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) confirmed on Monday that they have approved a range of alternatives in Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan.

The vision of Amendment 21 is a “fleet made up of relatively small vessels, with possession limits to maintain the historical character of this fleet and provide opportunities to various participants, including vessels from smaller coastal communities.” The Council said that they have approved a range of alternatives that will be further analyzed for consideration in Amendment 21. This includes Northern Gulf of Maine management area issues; the limited access general category (LAGC) individual fishing quota (IQF) trip limit; and the potential one-way transfer of IQF from limited access vessels that hold IQF to LAGC IFQ-only vessels. Preferred alternatives will be selected during the Council’s June meeting.

Read the full story at Seafood News

New England panel asks for emergency action to aid scallop fishermen

April 22, 2020 — A regulatory panel that oversees East Coast fishing is requesting the federal government take some emergency actions to benefit the scallop fishery.

Scallops are one of the most valuable seafood items in the U.S. The New England Fishery Management Council has voted to ask the National Marine Fisheries Service to take a series of steps because of the stress the outbreak of coronavirus has caused the scallop fishery.

The recommended changes are technical in nature and concern issues such as how fishing quota can be carried from one year into the next.

Read the full story at The Boston Globe