Saving Seafood

German utility sets sights on New York Bight offshore wind

October 23, 2019 — The EnBW Group, a German utility company and offshore wind developer, is preparing to bid on an anticipated next round of federal energy leases in the New York Bight, and joined a partnership with commercial fishing advocates.

Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, joined EnBW North America as its fisheries liaison, the company announced Wednesday.

Casoni is well known in the Northeast industry, where she has served on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, seafood marketing boards, and herring advisory panels to the New England Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Her job is to get fishermen’s input “on offshore wind related issues and developments and conveying to them timely information about EnBW North America’s offshore wind planning and future on-water activities,” according to a statement from the company. “Among other duties, Casoni will inform and develop best management practices and strategies that support the coexistence off offshore wind and fishing.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

New England Council Seeks Scientific and Statistical Committee Nominees

October 15, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).  The three-year appointments begin January 1, 2020 and run through December 31, 2022.  Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by others.  All application materials must be received by 8 a.m. on December 20, 2019.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:  The Council is seeking to fill several upcoming vacancies on the committee.  In general, SSC nominees should have expertise in statistics, fisheries biology, marine ecology, economics, sociology, anthropology, or other social sciences as they apply to fisheries management.

SSC RESPONSIBILITIES:  SSC members are expected to provide independent, scientific advice to the Council.  The purpose of the SSC is to assist the Council in the development, collection, and evaluation of statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information relevant to the development of fishery management plans.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  More information about SSC responsibilities, current committee composition, and upcoming/past meetings can be found at SSC activities.  The notice requesting nominations, which contains application details, is available on that page under “Related News” or at announcement.  Members with expiring terms who wish to continue serving on the SSC are encouraged to resubmit their curriculum vitae (CV) or resume with a letter expressing continued interest in remaining on the committee.

QUESTIONS:  For more information contact Council Deputy Director Chris Kellogg at (978) 465-0492, ext. 112; ckellogg@nefmc.org.

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – October 17-18, 2019 – Groundfish and Scallops

October 10, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet on Thursday, October 17 and Friday, October 18, 2019.  The public is invited to attend in person or listen live via webinar or telephone.  Here are the details.

LOCATION:  Hilton Garden Inn – Boston Logan Airport.

START TIME:  10:00 a.m. on Thursday and 8:30 a.m. on Friday.

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

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 655-0060.  The access code is 335-319-803.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA:  The SSC will meet to:

  • Review recent information from the 2019 Groundfish Management Track Assessments, as well as information from the Council’s Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT), and provide overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for the 2020-2022 groundfish fishing years for the following stocks: Georges Bank (GB) cod; Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod; GB haddock; GOM haddock; Cape Cod/GOM yellowtail flounder; Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder; GB winter flounder; American plaice; witch flounder; pollock; white hake; Atlantic halibut; northern windowpane flounder; and southern windowpane flounder;
  • Review information provided by the Council’s Scallop PDT and recommend OFLs and ABCs for Atlantic sea scallops for the 2020 and 2021 fishing years with 2021 being default specifications; and
  • Discuss other business as necessary.
COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.  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 will be posted on the Council’s website at SSC October 17-18, 2019 documents.
 
QUESTIONS:  Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817,jplante@nefmc.org.

New England council closes in on new herring limits

October 4, 2019 — Years of debate over New England herring are culminating in new fishing limits and an inshore midwater trawl restricted area to reduce user conflicts.

With an Oct. 21 deadline for public comment, fishing and environmental groups are pushing for NMFS approval of Amendment 8 to the New England Fishery Management Council’s herring plan.

If approved by the agency, Amendment 8 would prohibit the use of midwater trawl gear inshore of the 12-mile territorial sea limit, from the Maine-Canada border south to the border of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Off eastern Cape Cod, the restricted area would bump out to 20 miles, within 30-minute squares 114 and 99.

John Pappalardo, CEO of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance that pushed hard for the changes, said the future impact is uncertain.

“The first and most obvious thing is what we won’t see: the lights of midwater trawlers, factory boats working in pairs, wiping out schools of forage fish like herring close to shore,” Pappalardo wrote in the association’s Sept. 25 newsletter.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

US to get a little more fish in catch pact with Canada

October 3, 2019 — American fishermen are expected to get a little more fishing quota under terms of an agreement with Canada.

The countries are home to fisheries for economically important species that cross international boundaries, such as cod and haddock. They reach agreement every year about how to divide catch on eastern Georges Bank, a critical fishing area off New England and Canada.

The New England Fishery Management Council says the U.S is scheduled to get 29% of the 1.4 million pound total allowable catch of cod on eastern Georges Bank in 2020. It’s also slated for 54% of the 66 million pound total allowable catch of haddock in the area.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

NEFMC Groundfish Summary from September 2019 Meeting

October 1, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council: 

The New England Fishery Management Council spent an entire day on groundfish-related issues during its late-September meeting in Gloucester, MA. In addition to receiving a progress report on the Council’s Groundfish Catch Share Program Review and an update on the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel’s recent activities, the Council:

  • Discussed and approved comments on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS/NOAA Fisheries) Draft Policy Directive on Electronic Monitoring Video Retention Periods;
  • Received recommendations from its Enforcement Committee on a variety of groundfish topics;
  • Received a report from the U.S. co-chair of the Transboundary Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC), which provided catch advice to the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) for three resources on Georges Bank that the U.S. shares with Canada (see table below);
  • Accepted the TMGC’s recommendations for 2020 U.S./Canada total allowable catches (TACs);
  • Reviewed the list of items under development for Framework Adjustment 59 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; and
  • For several hours discussed the range of alternatives under development for Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 and provided further direction to the Groundfish Committee.

Read the full release here

MASSACHUSETTS: Cape herring fishery could rebound with new regs

October 1, 2019 — Fatter trophy fish, and a healthier ecosystem overall, are in the offing if the public supports recently approved regulations.

“After 10 years of debate, the New England Fishery Management Council has finally accepted the proposals favored by Cape communities and what would keep midwater trawls off our coast year round. It will have benefits for all our commercial and recreational fisheries and the nearshore ecosystem,” said John Pappalardo, chief executive officer of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, in a press release.

The protections were vetted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and were recently published on the Federal Register for final comment.

“This is it,” said Pappalardo. “We need people to speak out for herring one more time to make sure these important rules become a reality.”

Read the full story at Wicked Local

Scallops: NEFMC Receives 2019 Survey Overview, Framework 32 Progress Report

September 30, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its late-September meeting in Gloucester, MA, the New England Fishery Management Council received a presentation on 2019 scallop survey results and a progress report on the alternatives that are under development for Framework Adjustment 32 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The framework contains: (1) specifications for the 2020 fishing year; (2) default specifications for 2021; and (3) measures to mitigate impacts on Georges Bank yellowtail flounder. The 2019 surveys found noteworthy recruitment in the southern portion of Closed Area II and, to a lesser extent, directly south and to the west in areas known as the Closed Area II Extension and Southern Flank. The map above shows aggregations of small scallops with shell heights of less than 60 millimeters (mm).

Six institutions were involved in five different surveys in 2019 that collectively covered the range of the resource. Here are the key take-aways from the survey results.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Approves 2020-2023 Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Specs; TAL Increase by 12.7 Percent

September 27, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The New England Fishery Management Council voted on new specifications for the Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery. The total allowable catch landings will increase by 12.7 percent for the next four fishing years.

The typically stable fishery also saw a 225 metric ton increase, jumping to a TAL of 2,000 mt. Previously, the cap sat at 1,775 mt for the last three spec cycles.

The decision was supported due to recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), which provided the best possible information for a stock that is considered, “data-poor.”

The SSC cited that the fishery, even under the previous catch limit was operating under quota and it has not hurt the population. It also found that economic performance of the fishery wouldn’t be impact and the increase should be accompanied by “precautionary monitoring for a negative response.”

Now, NOAA must review and approve the new specs before the landings limit can be implemented.

The red crab fishing season begins on March 1.

The council’s spec package said: “While the proposed 12.7% increase in the TAL is likely to increase landings, a review of recent fishery information and long-term trends point to a stable fishery. Further, this is a small, cooperative fishery with four active vessels … (that have) supported industry-funded research to improve data available for this fishery.”

This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

MASSACHUSETTS: Fleet: Increased monitoring would be final nail in coffin

September 26, 2019 — Regional groundfishermen delivered a unified and dire message to the New England Fishery Management Council on Wednesday, testifying that any radical increases to at-sea monitoring coverage will bankrupt the multispecies groundfish fleet beyond repair and without benefit.

The council, meeting for the third day at the Beauport Hotel Gloucester, dedicated much of Wednesday’s agenda to groundfish issues — including the highly contentious Amendment 23, which will set future monitoring coverage levels and — ultimately — define the economic ability of commercial groundfishermen to continue fishing.

The four alternatives included in the draft amendment call for monitoring coverage levels of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of all commercial groundfish trips.

Groundfishermen, speaking Wednesday afternoon during the public comment period, drew a straight line from the increased monitoring costs to the economic collapse of the fishery.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times