Saving Seafood

Council may delay vote on at-sea monitor levels

April 13, 2020 — The final agenda for the New England Fishery Management Council’s webinar-only meeting Tuesday and Wednesday has several items of significant interest to local groundfishermen.

On Tuesday, the council will hear a recommendation from its Executive Committee that it postpone final action on the contentious groundfish Amendment 23 to set at-sea monitoring levels because of the impact of the spread of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. That council had anticipated taking final action at its June meeting.

“While it is possible that restrictions on public gatherings may be lifted and in-person meetings may be allowed by late May, it is not unreasonable to expect interested parties can devote their attention to commenting on this amendment over the next two-three months,” Council Chairman John Quinn wrote in a memo to council members.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Fishery management meeting goes online for first time

April 13, 2020 — In “The Godfather,” they go to the mattresses. In the age of COVID-19, we go to the webinar.

The New England Fishery Management Council will sail into uncharted waters Tuesday and Wednesday when it conducts its first-ever, full council meeting solely by webinar. All hands — council members, staff, stakeholders, media, and the public — only will be able to participate remotely.

The council was set to meet in Mystic, Connecticut, on April 14 to 16, but travel restrictions and other health precautions associated with the novel coronavirus and the spread of COVID-19 precluded using the usual on-site format. It also postponed less-pressing agenda items to condense the meeting into two days.

“It’s been hectic,” said Janice Plante, spokeswoman for the council. “We’ve been developing more ways for more people to participate in the webinar. We know that many fishermen probably aren’t used to attending meetings by webinar, as we’ve added extra instruction and help.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

NEFMC April 14-15, 2020 – By Webinar – Listen Live, View Documents

April 10, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a two-day meeting by webinar on Tuesday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 15, 2020. The public is invited to listen live and provide input during designated opportunities for public comment.

IMPORTANT:  This notice contains more information than usual.  Please read carefully and especially take note of:

WHY IS THE MEETING TAKING PLACE BY WEBINAR:  The Council cannot hold an in-person meeting due to travel restrictions and public safety guidelines associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

START TIME:  The webinar will be activated at 8:00 a.m. each day.  However, please note that the meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.  The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns on Tuesday and after the groundfish public hearing is concluded on Wednesday.

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

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (213) 929-4232.  The access code is 771-577-358.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

HELPFUL INSTRUCTIONS:  Here’s what you need to know to successfully join the webinar and provide public comment.

  • 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.
  • Here is the updated “Remote Participation Guide” with instructions for how to provide oral comments during the webinar meeting.
  • Having trouble with the webinar?  We have a Help Line!  Our staff is only a phone call or email away.  Click HERE for assistance once the Council meeting is underway.

PUBLIC TRAINING WEBINAR:  The Council will conduct a Public Training Webinar on Monday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m. in order to: (1) walk through the steps for how the full Council meeting will be conducted; and (2) show participants how to speak and be heard on the webinar during designated public comment opportunities.  Join us for this practice run!

AGENDA:  The detailed agenda and meeting materials are available on the Council’s website atNEFMC April 14-15, 2020 Webinar.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.
 
EMERGENCY ACTION:  In light of the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic and the economic, social, and public health consequences that are rapidly unfolding, the Council will be discussing several requests for emergency action during the meeting.  Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to implement emergency regulations to address fishery emergencies.
  • Scallops – The Council will consider requests for secretarial emergency action that involve potential carryover of certain fishing year 2019 allocations into fishing year 2020.
  • Groundfish – The Council will consider requesting secretarial emergency action to allow an increase in carryover of unused 2019 groundfish annual catch limits into the 2020 fishing year.
COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting was8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2020.
 
GROUNDFISH AMENDMENT 23 PUBLIC HEARING:  The Council will hold a public hearing on Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.  This amendment will adjust the groundfish monitoring program to improve the accuracy and accountability of catch reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery.  The Council will adjourn its regular meeting for the day on April 15 and use the same webinar information to conduct the groundfish public hearing.
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.

NMFS Approves Final Measures for Atlantic Sea Scallop Management Plan for 2020 Season

April 1, 2020 — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) approved Framework Adjustment 32 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan ahead of the season which is set to open on April 1, 2020.

The plan will help set scallop specifications and other measures for the 2020 and 2021 fishing seasons. The adjustments will help protect small scallops and reduce bycatch of flatfish, according to a notice on the Federal Register.

Read the full story at Seafood News

New England Council Operations: Current Status of Office, Staff, Mail, and Meetings

March 31, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has closed its Newburyport, MA-based office until further notice in response to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s order requiring all businesses and organizations “that do not provide COVID-19 Essential Services” to close their physical workplaces and facilities.  The Council also is abiding by additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on travel restrictions and social distancing.

IS THE COUNCIL STAFF STILL WORKING:  Yes.  The Council staff is teleworking full time.  All staff members are responding to emails and phone calls from home.  Phones calls that come into the Council’s telephone system are being forwarded to staff members.  Here is the Staff Directory.
 
WHAT ABOUT MAIL:  The U.S. Postal Service continues to deliver mail.  During this period of teleworking, designated Council staffers will pick up and monitor mail every few days.
 
IS THE COUNCIL HOLDING MEETINGS:  Yes.  The Council held several advisory panel and committee meetings in March by webinar and will continue to do so in April and beyond if needed based on state and federal guidance.  Visit the Council’s calendar to see the schedule.
 
FULL NEW ENGLAND COUNCIL:  The full Council will meet April 14-15, 2020 by webinar.  Here is the detailedagenda, and here is the Council Members Directory.
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:  The Council and its partners will continue to closely monitor important developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Visit the CDC’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 website at What’s New for the latest government reports.

Groundfish: New England Council CANCELS April 2-3, 2020 GAP and Committee webinars

March 24, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is CANCELING two groundfish-related meetings: the April 2, 2020 Groundfish Advisory Panel (GAP) webinar meeting and the April 3, 2020 Groundfish Committee webinar meeting.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING: The Council originally scheduled these meetings to give the GAP and Groundfish Committee an opportunity to review and discuss the Groundfish Catch Share Program Review final report. The working group conducting the review has requested additional time to prepare the final report, and the Council granted this request. Therefore, the GAP and Groundfish Committee meetings are no longer necessary.

WHEN WILL THE CATCH SHARE REVIEW BE DISCUSSED: The Council will discuss the report on April 15, 2020 during its two-day meeting, which now will be held April 14-15, 2020 by webinar.

  • Don’t forget to Register for the webinar.
  • A draft copy of the Catch Share Program Review report will be posted here shortly.
  • The Council is encouraging its groundfish advisors and the public to comment on the report either by: (1) providing oral comments at the appropriate time during the webinar; or (2) submitting written comments in advance of the written comment deadline, which is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2020.

WHO WILL REVIEW THE REPORT: Once the report is available, the Groundfish Plan Development Team and a sub-panel of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will review the report and provide feedback.

ALSO HAPPENING – AMENDMENT 23 PUBLIC HEARING: The Council will hold its first public hearing on Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 4:00 p.m., shortly after the discussion on the Groundfish Catch Share Program Review is over.

  • Here is the public hearing notice.
  • All related documents, including the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, are available on the Council’s Amendment 23 webpage.
  • A public hearing document will be available soon.
  • The Council is in the process of scheduling additional public hearings.

QUESTIONS: Contact Janice Plante, the Council’s public affairs officer, at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

NEFMC Skate, Scallop, EBFM, and SSC Webinars: Join-In, Listen Live, Get Documents

March 23, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold several advisory panel (AP) and committee meetings via webinar in late-March to discuss issues related to skates, scallops, and ecosystem-based fishery management (EBFM). The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee also will meet by webinar.

Here are three important notes that apply to all of the webinar meetings.

  • Anyone who wants to provide oral comments during one of the webinar meetings MUST register for the webinar. The telephone call-in option by itself will not let you speak unless you register first. When you register, you will be given a PIN number that you’ll need to enter when prompted after you dial-in with your phone. Many participates simply use the microphone and speaker options on their computers instead of calling in after registering for the webinar. Please be aware that if you dial-in, your regular phone charges will apply.
  • Instructions for how to provide oral comments during webinar meetings can be found in the Council’s “Remote Participation” guide.
  • The Council has a deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at its meetings. Individual deadlines are listed below, but the submission address is the same for all meetings. Address comments with an appropriate subject line 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.

Here’s what’s in the queue for the rest of March.

SKATE ADVISORY PANEL AND SKATE COMMITTEE: The Skate AP and Skate Committee will meet jointly via webinar on Thursday, March 26, 2020 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

SKATE WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Register Now for the Skate AP/Committee webinar.

SKATE CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (562) 247-8321. The access code is 346-538-257.

AGENDA: The Skate AP and Skate Committee will discuss issues related to potential limited access, skate fishing communities, and Council research priorities. Details are available in the meeting notice and agenda.

SKATE COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

MATERIALS: Meeting materials are posted on the Council’s website at Skate AP/Committee March 26, 2020 webinar documents.

SCALLOP ADVISORY PANEL: The Scallop AP also will meet via webinar on Thursday, March 26, 2020 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

SCALLOP AP WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Register Now for the Scallop Advisory Panel webinar.

SCALLOP AP CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 930-5321. The access code is 924-004-372.

AGENDA: The Scallop AP will receive an update on Framework Adjustment 32 and work to finalize the range of alternatives in Amendment 21. Details are available in the meeting notice.

SCALLOP AP COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

MATERIALS: Meeting materials will be posted on the Council’s website at Scallop AP March 26, 2020 webinar documents.

SCALLOP COMMITTEE: The Scallop Committee will meet via webinar on Friday, March 27, 2020 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

SCALLOP COMMITTEE WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Register Now for the Scallop Committee webinar.

SCALLOP COMMITTEE CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (872) 240-3311. The access code is 502-063-709.

AGENDA: The Scallop Committee will receive an update on Framework Adjustment 32 and work to finalize the range of alternatives in Amendment 21. Details are available in the meeting notice.

SCALLOP COMMITTEE COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

MATERIALS: Meeting materials will be posted on the Council’s website at Scallop Committee March 27, 2020 webinar documents.

EBFM COMMITTEE AND PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM (PDT): The Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Committee and EBFM PDT will meet jointly via webinar on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 beginning at roughly 11:00 a.m. or as soon as the State of the Ecosystem Report* discussion at the simultaneous Scientific and Statistical Committee meeting is finished.

EBFM COMMITTEE/PDT WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Register Now for the EBFM/PDT webinar.

EBFM COMMITTEE/PDT CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 655-0052. The access code is 933-669-071.

AGENDA: In addition to the State of the Ecosystem Report*, the EBFM Committee and PDT will discuss issues related to public outreach related to EBFM and the Council’s example Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Georges Bank. Details are available in the meeting notice.

EBFM COMMITTEE/PDT COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Friday, March 27, 2020.

MATERIALS: Meeting materials will be posted on the Council’s website at EBFM Committee/PDT March 31, 2020 webinar documents.

SCIENTIFIC AND STATISTICAL COMMITTEE (SSC)*: The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will meet via webinar on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 beginning at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to listen live.

SSC WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Register Now for the SSC webinar.

SSC CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (631) 992-3221. The access code is 157-256-431.

AGENDA: The SSC will receive a presentation on the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s State of the Ecosystem 2020 report and provide recommendations on suggested revisions. The SSC also will discuss other business as necessary.

SSC COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Friday, March 27, 2020.

MATERIALS: Meeting materials are posted on the Council’s website at SSC March 31, 2020 webinar meeting documents.

GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE WEBINAR MEETINGS: Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

Sale of monkfish will pay for science to study them

March 20, 2020 — An Arizona university will be able to use about money generated from the sale of monkfish to study the monster-like sea creatures.

Monkfish are harvested as food off the East Coast, where they are brought to land in states such as Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. The New England Fishery Management Council said a program called the “research set-aside” will allow Arizona State University to use new tagging technology to investigate the movements of the fish.

The university will collaborate with the New England Aquarium on the project, which is valued at about $4.2 million. The research set-aside program generates money for science from the harvest and sale of fish that are “set aside” for this purpose.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

NOAA closes Gloucester office to public, takes meetings to web

March 19, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries is restricting access to its Gloucester office and the New England Fishery Management Council is converting many of its meetings to webinars as precautions against further spread of the novel coronavirus.

NOAA Fisheries said its Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office in the Blackburn Industrial Park continues to operate, but it is limiting access to the building to employees, as well as to visitors and deliveries deemed essential to its mission.

“This measure is taken out of an abundance of caution and our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our employees and constituents during the COVID-19 virus pandemic,” NOAA Fisheries said in a statement. “The majority of our staff are teleworking to the maximum extent possible, and we also have a few staff working in the buildings to keep critical functions and operations moving. Feel free to call or email GARFO staff as you normally would, but please be patient if their response time is delayed.”

NOAA Fisheries said all meetings and events scheduled for March — and several for April — have been canceled or postponed. It said it will continue to provide updates via email, as well as on the events portion of its website.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

New England scallop, groundfish regulatory meetings to continue via web

March 18, 2020 — Important meetings that could help shape future stock assessments, quotas and other regulatory conditions in the waters off the US New England coast will continue in the next few months via the internet due to concerns over the coronavirus, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) announced this week.

“Due to federal and state travel restrictions and updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the new coronavirus, COVID-19, the April council meeting will be conducted by webinar,” NEFMC has now declared on its website.

The event, which was scheduled to take place in Mystic, Connecticut, April 14-16, will be held online, April 14-15.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News