Saving Seafood

Fishermen Raise Concerns About Costs, Effectiveness of Expanded At-Sea Monitoring

September 28, 2020 — The following was released by the Northeast Seafood Coalition:

As the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) considers adopting universal at-sea monitoring requirements for commercial groundfish vessels, a diverse group of fishermen and fishing organizations is raising concerns about the long-term negative impacts on the fleet of a drastic expansion of current monitoring mandates.

The groups, which include organizations like the Northeast Seafood Coalition and the Associated Fisheries of Maine, and several of the region’s organized seafood sectors, have raised issues about the cost and efficacy of expanded monitoring. Many submitted these concerns as public comments on the NEFMC’s Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan, which deals with changes to the monitoring requirements.

Specifically, these groups are concerned that many fishing vessels will be unable to take on the increased monitoring costs; that the cost will fall disproportionately on smaller vessels; and that the benefits of additional monitoring tools, and the effectiveness of electronic monitoring to reduce costs, have not been proven.

Read the full release here

GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES: Monitoring plan puts small businesses at risk

September 25, 2020 — Imagine trying to run a Main Street business — a restaurant or gift shop, maybe — during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cratered economy and the threat of disease make each day a challenge and the future uncertain. Now imagine the government dropping another $700 in fees on you every time you open your doors. There’s no way your mom-and-pop operation could survive.

Yet that’s just what the New England fishing industry is facing as regulators move closer to requiring that boat owners pay to have a government monitor on every trip. The monitors — the federal government calls them “observers” — assess the health of fish stocks and make sure fishermen are following the rules.

The New England Fishery Management Council, which essentially sets the rules for commercial fishing in the region, will meet next week to decide how often monitors will be required on fishing vessels — 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of trips. Early indications are that councilors will require a monitor on every trip, with the average cost of $700 to be borne by fishermen. Regulators have thus far turned their backs on industry pleas to have the government pay for the program, or develop less-intrusive electronic monitoring programs.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

RICK ROBINS & JEFF PIKE: Time for change in the Atlantic scallop fishery

September 23, 2020 — The Atlantic sea scallop fishery is a success story, at least in terms of stock rebuilding and biological sustainability. From an efficiency perspective, however, the fishery is off course.

The outdated management approach for the limited access scallop fleet of one boat-one permit-one allocation has tied the hands of vessel owners, increased operational costs, effectively barring captains and crews from the pathways to ownership that their predecessors enjoyed, and added unnecessary safety risks on the water. There are too many boats spending too few days on the water, leaving the scallop fleet hamstrung as it navigates the choppy waters of a global pandemic and lower predicted harvests.

A typical full-time limited-access scallop vessel harvests its annual scallop allocation in around 70 days, leaving vessels tied to the dock more than 80 percent of the year. The only growth option is to buy another permit, which means buying another vessel. This is a cost-prohibitive option for independent operators, since it forces them to take on steep capital costs and pay for ongoing maintenance expenses for a redundant vessel.

Although one vessel could easily harvest the allocation of two limited-access permits, the fleet has no flexibility to do so. With harvests predicted to decline, meaning even fewer days on the water, the lack of flexibility will only cost more and leave more boats tied to the dock for more days. What’s more, the current system means that if a captain or crew get sick (a serious possibility in the age of covid-19), a vessel breaks down, or some other calamity hits, there is no back-up plan to fish the allocation.

Read the full opinion piece at National Fisherman

NEFMC September 29-October 1, 2020 – By Webinar – Listen Live, View Documents

September 21, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting by webinar from Tuesday, September 29 through Thursday, October 1, 2020.  The public is invited to listen live and provide input during designated opportunities for public comment.  The Council still cannot hold a large, in-person meeting due to indoor gathering limitations, travel restrictions, and public safety considerations associated with the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic.

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.  The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

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

  • Here are instructions in the Remote Participation Guide for successfully joining and participating in the 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.  We’ll get right back to you.

WEBINAR CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (631) 992-3221.  The access code is 352-930-778.  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 29-October 1, 2020 Webinar Meeting.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

JOIN THE USITC ROUNDTABLE:  At 6:00 p.m. or shortly following the close of Council business on Tuesday, September 29, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) will host a virtual roundtable to gather input from New England fishermen and other industry stakeholders on two topics:

  • The impacts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on the U.S. fishing industry; and
  • The impacts of seafood imports on U.S. products and markets.
All stakeholders are encouraged to join the discussion.  No preregistration is needed.  Just join HERE.  Additional information can be found in the USITC roundtable flyer.

COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at the New England Council’s webinar meeting is Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.

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

HAPPENING THIS WEEK! COMMITTEE AND ADVISORY PANEL MEETING LINEUP:  Here’s what’s on the calendar leading up to the Council meeting.  Details are available at each respective link.

Scallop scuffle: Council set to vote on future for small-boat fleet

September 18, 2020 — On Thursday, Oct. 1, the New England Fishery Management Council will take up an issue critical to the survival of dayboat scallop fishermen in the Gulf of Maine.

Among other issues, Amendment 21 to the Scallop FMP addresses how scallops in the Northern Gulf of Maine will be allocated between permit categories, specifically General Category NGOM and trip-boat Limited Access boats.

At issue is the size of the NGOM set-aside — scallops “taken off the top” and made available exclusively to General Category vessels, and the subsequent distribution of scallop catch amongst all permit categories.

As you’d expect, those who own General Category NGOM permits and those who own the trip-boat Limited Access permits are at odds over how large the set-aside should be. Passionate arguments from both sides have complicated what is actually a very clear choice. That choice is to honor the forward-thinking decision the council made back in 2008 when they chose to preserve and protect a diverse scallop fishery in the Gulf of Maine.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NEFMC to decide on at-sea monitoring levels later this month

September 16, 2020 — Now two years and change in development, the New England Fishery Management Council measure that could determine the fate of the Northeast groundfish fishery is set for final action on the middle day of the council’s upcoming three-day meeting.

The agenda for the council’s Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 meeting, originally scheduled for Gloucester and now consigned to a webinar, sets aside all of Sept. 30 for groundfish-related issues — including the highly contentious Amendment 23, which will set future monitoring levels aboard sector-based Northeast commercial groundfish vessels.

The council is considering four alternatives: Putting monitors on 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of all sector-based groundfish vessels trips. It has designated 100% coverage as its preferred alternative.

In January, NOAA Fisheries set the target level for 2020 at-sea monitoring at 40% of all sector-based groundfish trips. It’s highly unlikely the agency will hit that target this year after the COVID-19 pandemic kept monitors off boats for about five months.

The council’s preferred choice of 100% monitoring levels helped establish an obvious and stark divide between the fishing industry and conservationists, as if they needed the help.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Fishermen, Dealers, Processors – Join USITC Roundtable on Impacts of Imports and Illegal Fishing

September 15, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

Dear fishermen, seafood dealers, processors, and other fishing industry stakeholders,

This message is about an important discussion you may want to participate in.  A flyer for the event is attached.

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT:  The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) will host a virtual roundtable to gather input from New England and Mid-Atlantic fishing industry stakeholders on two topics: (1) the impacts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on the U.S. fishing industry; and (2) the impacts of seafood imports on U.S. products and markets.

WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN:  The roundtable is being held alongside the New England Fishery Management Council’s next meeting.  The roundtable itself will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. or shortly following the close of Council business that day.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE:  All stakeholders are encouraged to join the discussion.  Anyone who fishes for, sells, or processes seafood in New England or the Mid-Atlantic region may be able to provide helpful information to the USITC as it works to brief Congress on IUU fishing and impacts of imports on U.S. fisheries.

HOW DO I JOIN THE ROUNDTABLE:  To participate:

  • Visit this link and select “join from your browser.”  You will be asked to provide your full name and an email address.
  • If you are accessing the videoconference via a Webex application, copy and paste 199 705 4058into the box for the meeting number/access code and Y7Byi8h6Hu2 for the password.
  • Also, if you think you may join the roundtable discussion, email the USITC’s Daniel Matthews at daniel.matthews@usitc.gov to let him know you’re interested.
WHAT DOES THE USITC WANT TO KNOW FROM ME:  Anything related to impacts on U.S. fishermen from seafood imports or illegal fishing!  Here are some examples of questions the commission is interested in. 
  • Competition with Imports:  How is the squid fishery off the East Coast impacted by squid imports?
  • Demand Trends:  Have groundfish buyers, whether sourcing supply for U.S. markets or key export markets, required increased traceability in recent years?
  • Pricing Trends:  Do imported scallops directly compete with U.S. markets and influence the price U.S. fishermen receive for their product
  • Substitutability:  Do Atlantic cod and haddock imports reduce demand for U.S.-caught cod and haddock?
  • Supply Chains: Do U.S. squid processors process both domestic and imported product?

QUESTIONS:  Email the USITC’s Dan Matthews at daniel.matthews@usitc.gov with any questions you have about the upcoming roundtable.  He is happy to help.

MORE USITC INFORMATION:  At the request of Congress, the USITC is conducting the following investigation.  All related documents are available at the links below.

Cities take council to task over monitoring recommendation

September 8, 2020 — You may have noticed that we’ve written a bit lately about the monitoring measure — Amendment 23 — being considered by the New England Fishery Management Council to set future monitoring levels for sector-based groundfish vessels.

It’s a hot item. Conservationists are all for it. Local fishermen say it could spell the death knell for the industry. The council is expected to take final action on the measure at its September meeting.

The cities of Gloucester and New Bedford — the state’s historic commercial fishing fiefdoms — weighed in. Not surprisingly, they are fervently against the council’s preferred option, which would put monitors on every trip by every sector-based groundfish vessel — at an average cost of about $700 per day per boat.

“Monitoring in any fishery is an important component to fisheries management,” the city of Gloucester stated in its comments to the council. “But the New England Fishery Management Council’s preferred alternative of 100% at-sea monitoring on the groundfish sector program is excessive and in complete disregard of the socio-economic disruptions and extreme hardships that will be imposed on fishermen, their groundfish sectors and their communities.”

And it goes on from there.

So there you go. The battle lines are drawn.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Lawmakers Oppose 100% At-Sea Monitoring Plan for Fishing Boats

September 4, 2020 — In a new letter to regulators, a group of Massachusetts lawmakers say a proposal to require at-sea monitors on every commercial groundfishing boat for every trip could put independent fleets and vessel owners out of business.

“We should be supporting this industry. Not drowning it in burdensome increased costs and regulations. I stand with our local fishermen, and urge the Council to reject this ill-advised proposal,” said Senator Mark Montigny today.

The New England Fisheries Management Council is considering Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. It would require groundfishing vessels to implement 100-percent at-sea monitoring or a blend of at-sea and electronic monitoring. The goal is to improve catch accountability, but fishermen argue the proposal would be too costly without accomplishing the stated goal.

Since the commercial groundfishery was declared a federal disaster in 2012, revenues have declined, the letter states. Businesses do not have the revenues to absorb the added costs. Piling more costs on the industry at this time will favor larger vessels and those with larger catch allocations, forcing smaller vessel owners out of business, the lawmakers argue.

Read the full story at WBSM

At-sea monitor meeting to be held online, not in person

September 2, 2020 — The New England Fishery Management Council dispensed with the suspense on Monday when it announced its September meeting, initially set for Gloucester, will be conducted online via webinar.

The three-day meeting, scheduled for Sept. 29 to  Oct. 1, is expected to include the council’s final action on the highly contentious measure — Amendment 23 — to establish future monitoring levels for sector-based vessels in the Northeast multispecies groundfish fishery. The council hopes to post the remainder of the agenda by the end of this week.

The September meeting was scheduled for the Beauport Hotel Gloucester on Commercial Street. But that was before the dawning of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent indoor and outdoor gathering restrictions that have forced all but one of the council’s public meetings and hearings online.

The current Massachusetts indoor gathering restrictions call for no more than eight individuals per 1,000 square feet of space, with the gathering not to exceed 25 individuals in any single enclosed space.

Those restrictions would have limited an in-person meeting to the council’s 18 voting members, a handful of non-voting members and legal counsel. The public and even some council staff presenters would have been forced to participate via online webinar.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times