Saving Seafood

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell to NEFMC: Sector IX Closure Is Hurting New Bedford’s Economy

April 18, 2018 — The following statement was delivered to the New England Fishery Management Council today on behalf of New Bedford, Massachusetts Mayor Jon Mitchell. Mayor Mitchell also serves as Chairman of the New Bedford Port Authority:   

Thank you Chairman Quinn and Members of the Council for this opportunity to communicate about a matter of ongoing concern to the Port of New Bedford, namely the impact that the closure of Sector 9 of the Northeast Fishery is having on groundfishing operations in the Port.

The NOAA decision has had–and continues to have–troubling economic consequence for the Port of New Bedford and our local economy. It has triggered significant business losses among local companies that provide support services to the commercial fishing fleet, and has meant the loss of livelihood for dozens of local fishing families.

It is important for all parties to keep in mind the numerous New Bedford businesses and families who have played no direct role in the operation of Sector 9, but who now find themselves in severe financial distress as a result of the Sector’s closure.

While the significant human cost of the closure cannot be adequately measured, Professor Dan Georgiana of the School of Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts (SMAST) has used a standard NOAA economic impact model to estimate the economic damage being done to the Port of New Bedford. His analysis found that the Port suffered roughly $12 million in economic losses in just the first twenty-five days after the closure went into effort on November 20th of last year.

This week marks the fifth full month of the Sector 9 closure, and the losses continue to mount. If one extrapolates from Professor Georgiana’s original analysis, it is not unreasonable to suggest that the Port of New Bedford may now have cumulatively suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses in the last five months.

This figure includes the impacts on harvesting, processing, wholesale and retail market activity, but does not include the cost to the public of unemployment compensation or the impact on businesses that supply vessels or process groundfish.

None of this is to suggest that the one person at the center of the controversy should not be punished severely. Carlos Rafael should be held fully accountable for his actions. I emphasize rather that the Fisheries Service should undertake its rulemaking, as it is statutorily required, with the interests of the Port and its businesses in mind. At a minimum, this means that it should complete the rulemaking “expeditiously”–as NOAA’s notice of withdrawal said it would–so that the effected fishermen and businesses can get back to work without further delay.

The Service also noted it had to calculate the amount of “overage” to certain groundfish stocks caused by Rafael’s fraud before it completed its rulemaking. Yet the Service has had, for some time now, all the reasonably available information to complete this loss calculation. Again, I urge the Service to complete these calculations and its rule-making with all deliberate speed.

The clock is ticking against New Bedford fishermen and shore-side businesses. A resolution of this matter therefore cannot come soon enough for the Port of New Bedford. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Massachusetts: Lectures at New Bedford Whaling Museum will focus on restoring ocean health

April 18, 2018 — “Where the Land Meets the Sea,” a series of lectures at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in 2018, will feature projects, organizations and people who are working to restore and maintain ocean health and marine wildlife.

The series premieres April 26 with “Underwater Yellowstones.” Experts will explore marine sanctuaries off the coast and their associated benefits and challenges for fish, whales, scientists and humans. “Underwater Yellowstones” speakers are Benjamin Haskell, acting superintendent of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA ; Jenni Stanley, marine scientist with Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA; and Michelle Bachman, habitat coordinator for New England Fishery Management Council.

The lecture begins at 7 p.m. and will be preceded by a reception at 6. Tickets are $10 for museum members and $15 for nonmembers. To register call (508) 997-0046 (ext. 100) or visit whalingmuseum.org.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

New England Council to Take up Issue of New Bedford Sectors IX and VII on Wednesday

April 17, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The New England Fisheries Management Council will take up the issue of the operations plans submitted by sector IX and sector VII, which represent the majority of groundfish vessels in New Bedford.

Many of these vessels, which were formerly members of Sector IX, have been prohibited from fishing until Sector IX came up with an acceptable mechanism to account for the illegal fishing and overages done by vessels belonging to Carlos Rafael that were in the sector.

The sector was strongly criticized by NMFS for failure to have an adequate plan to account for overharvests, to do proper record keeping, and to then take necessary steps to payback fish that was illegally harvested.

Instead of coming to an agreement, on the last day for filing sector membership, the vessels in Sector IX decamped en masse to Sector VII, which otherwise would have been shut down.

Sector VII vessels that have come from Sector IX still won’t be able to fish until a plan to pay back illegal harvests has been approved, but the vessels hope that by moving to an operating sector they may be able to lease their quotas.

Sector VII has written the council to say that for many years they have shared a sector manager with sector VIII, another sector in New Bedford. They said that with reduced catches, it was no longer viable for them to operate as a stand alone sector.

Sector manager Linda McCann wrote that they have one vessel groundfishing, and six vessels fishing for monkfish, and this is too small an amount of activity to sustain a separate sector.

She says the plan to merge with sector 8 was developed months ago, and communicated to NMFS.

She says “We didn’t realize we needed to justify to the fishing world why these internal decisions were made, or how we handle our internal business affairs.  However, we feel compelled to do so in sight of recent politics, attacks and mischaracterizations of facts. Let us be clear, the decisions made to merge sector 7 membership into sector 8 has nothing to do with the sector 9 situation of the Carlos Rafael situation. “

Another letter, from the Northeast Seafood Coalition urges the council to set clear goals.

“As many Council members are painfully aware, the 28 offenses to which Mr. Rafael pled guilty and is now incarcerated for have created enormous turmoil throughout the fishery and the region. Part of the turmoil concerns the broader fishery management implications of starting a new fishing year with such a significant portion of the fishery’s sub-ACL not being made available to the fishery.

NSC recommends that the Council provide the Agency with their primary objectives and request the Agency use their administrative authority to consult with the respective sector boards to achieve the stated objectives.

NSC recommends the following objectives:

  • ACE overages be identified and paid back to the system. The timing and result of the resolution shall be consistent with a result that would have been possible had the 2018 NEF Sector 9 roster been the same as 2017.
  • Conditional upon resolution of the NEF Sector IX overages, ensure the groundfish sector system has access to the ACE associated with permits that are enrolled in NEF Sector VII.
  • Work with the NEF Sector VII to ensure the conditions they’ve listed in their March 26, 2018 letter are met and upheld.”

This story was originally published by Seafood News, it is republished here with permission.

 

Fishermen fear fallout from proposed wind project

April 17, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Comments surrounding Vineyard Wind’s offshore wind projects filled the Waypoint Convention Room on Monday night and they came from a diverse group ranging from climate change deniers to environmentalists.

But the main discussion revolved around jobs.

Fishermen strongly criticized the process with one saying he feared Europeans would commandeer all the jobs associated with offshore winds.

Union workers stood in support of those jobs that they want to fill.

“Don’t tell me we’re going to have Europeans overrunning our workers,” one union member said. “It ain’t going to happen. We’ll train our workers.”

Vineyard Wind said it has created a $2 million workforce training fund. It proposed hundreds of jobs would be created from the project. The Port of New Bedford would be one of the homes for construction. Bristol Community College and UMass Dartmouth have also said they plan to invest in offshore wind programs in the future.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times   

 

Massachusetts: Series of Hearings on Offshore Wind Starts in New Bedford

April 17, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The waters off the coast of Massachusetts have been a popular topic of conversation as of late. From the ban of commercial fishing in nearly 5,000 square miles of coastal waters in 2016 to the ripple effect of the restrictions put on the industry following the indictment of “Codfather” Carlos Rafael, the area has procured the interests of the local, state, and federal government.

It’s also developed an interest in the offshore wind industry from the government as well as private enterprise, with companies already establishing a foothold in the area. One of those companies, Vineyard Wind, is planning to construct and operate turbines in an area just 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, if awarded a state contract.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) along with representatives of Vineyard Wind and the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board kicked off a series of public meetings in New Bedford detailing the project on Monday night.

At the meeting, held at the Waypoint Event Center along the city’s waterfront, the public was provided an overview of the plans for the project’s development in the federal waters off the coast of the state. Those in attendance also got the opportunity to either submit questions and comments to BOEM privately or speak out to them directly at the meeting.

Environmental Coordinator of BOEM Brian Krevor began the meeting with a presentation of the federal guidelines, laws, and construction operation plan for offshore wind development. Currently, two of the four areas designated for wind farms have been acquired by two companies, Bay State Wind and Vineyard Wind. The remaining two areas are still open for bidding.

Read the full story at WBSM

Fishing council to hear sectors’ post-Rafael plans

April 16, 2018 — The New England Fishery Management Council will be updated on the groundfish crisis involving several New Bedford-based fishing sectors when it convenes for three days of meetings next week in Mystic, Connecticut.

The groundfish presentation by staff from the Gloucester-based Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office will be the centerpiece of the groundfish report on Wednesday and is designed to provide “an overview of (Northeast Fishing) Sector IX’s steps to address its shortcomings, as well as a summary of Sector IX’s operations plan,” according to the agenda for the meetings.

“The New Bedford sector has submitted its operations plan to GARFO and this will be an overview of what they’ve done to address the problems and what they need to do to have a new plan approved,” said council spokeswoman Janice Plante.

Plante said the presentation will not include comment from officials with the New Bedford fishing sectors.

NOAA Fisheries shut down Sector IX last November, withdrawing its operation plan for the remainder of the 2017 fishing season and into the 2018 season set to begin May 1.

The extraordinary move came in the wake of the conviction and sentencing of New Bedford fishing kingpin Carlos Rafael on charges of tax evasion, money laundering and bulk smuggling.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

 

Jon Mitchell: Wind Developers Must Take Fishermen Seriously

April 12, 2018 — Earlier this week, fishing industry officials sent a letter to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker asking for a larger role in the decision making when it comes to granting the state’s first offshore wind contract.

The letter particularly asked for the New Bedford Port Authority to act as the mediator between commercial fishing and wind energy, and in his weekly appearance on WBSM, Mayor Jon Mitchell said that request makes “all the sense in the world.”

“The place where these two industries intersect more than anywhere else will be New Bedford,” he said, noting he agrees that the fishermen haven’t been given enough of a voice. “That’s why we’re prepared to do something about it.”

Mitchell, who as mayor is also chair of the Port Authority, says the fishermen have valid concerns that he feels may have fallen on deaf ears.

“It has to do with safe navigation through wind farms, and with the siting of new wind farms that might intrude on traditional fishing grounds,” he said. “Wind developers have to do a better job of taking fishermen seriously, and we’re going to work on that. We’re going to make sure that they are taken more seriously.”

Read the full story at WBSM

Massachusetts: Hoping for a state contract, Bay State Wind offers more than $2 million in environmental research grants

April 11, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — In what could be the final weeks before Massachusetts awards its first offshore wind contract, Bay State Wind has announced more than $2 million in grants it would provide for fisheries research and whale protection, contingent upon Bay State Wind winning a contract.

The grants include:

• $1 million for a marine science grant program to be administered by Bay State Wind. It would fund research in the Bay State Wind lease area designed to address specific questions and concerns raised by the fishing industry.

• $500,000 to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for a multi-year grant to develop advanced whale detection systems.

• $250,000 each to the New England Aquarium right whale research project and the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts to prevent gear entanglement of the North Atlantic right whale.

The deadline for the state and electric companies to announce one or more winners of offshore wind contracts is April 23, but the decision could be delayed, State House News Service reported last week.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Massachusetts: AHA! celebrates ‘Sustainable SouthCoast’

April 11, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Spring has sprung, bringing with it new life, warmer weather and longer days. This month AHA! Night— just in time for Earth Day— pays homage to the “Sustainable SouthCoast.”

Join in celebrating the earth and explore how the community can create a sustainable environment for ourselves and others. Plus new art, live music, kids activities, film screenings and more.

AHA! (Arts, History and Architecture!) is a free family-friendly event held rain or shine on the second Thursday of each month from 5 to 9 p.m. in historic downtown New Bedford.

Here’s just a sample of the night’s events. For a full list, visit ahanewbedford.org.

  • Celebrate Earth Eve with the largest people-powered parade in New England. Marchers, including eco-floats — anything a person or group can wear, roll or carry — convene at 5 p.m. in front of the New Bedford Public Library. Parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Part of the Earth Eve festivities will be the crowing of mother earth and father ocean. Selected by the Greater New Bedford Earth Eve Committee for their exceptional stewardship towards our natural environment, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and Lorraine Perry of New Bedford are mother earth and father ocean 2018. Perry and Mitchell will be bestowed with unique crowns created by former Mother Earth Diana Painter at 5:20 p.m.
  • There’s loads of fun at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park (33 William St.), including:

– Upcycle many small plastic bags into one larger, stronger tote to keep plastic bags out of the ocean.
– Watch and discuss “A Plastic Ocean” in the park theater.
– As artist Andy Tedesco demonstrates printmaking, try cutting your own linoleum prints. The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center (38 Bethel St.) presents “Sustaining New England’s Wild Seafood,” a conversation with Eating with the Ecosystem.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Massachusetts: Gov. Baker vows to hear voice of fishermen regarding offshore wind

April 11, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Gov. Charlie Baker sat about 1,000 feet from the city’s waterfront as he discussed various aspects of the state with The Standard-Times on Tuesday. The proximity to the most valuable port in the United States wasn’t lost on him.

“I do not want (the fishing industry’s) voice to get lost, period,” Baker said. “And it won’t be.”

Through the National Coalition for Fishing Communities, scores of fishermen and organizations sent a letter to Baker on Monday to emphasize their concerns regarding the implementation of offshore wind facilities in areas where they make a living.

“Based on the past several months of interaction with the offshore wind industry, we do not have confidence that our interests are being adequately taken into account, nor will be in the future,” the letter said.

The letter also calls for the New Bedford Port Authority to take on the role of a central facilitator in discussion between the industries.

“I’m happy to have them as part of the mix, but there are a lot of people at the state and federal level who have an oar in this water as well, but, yeah, happy to have them as part of the mix,” Baker said.

The letter addressed to Baker outlined three aspects of concern held by the fishing industry: the project side and number of turbines; a lack of plan/process to study impacts; and no coordination or communication among projects.

Read the full industry letter here

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times