Saving Seafood

HabCam loss during Northeast scallop survey raises concerns about survey management

June 18, 2019 — The loss of the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center “HabCam” (short for Habitat Mapping Camera) during a recent scallop survey has raised concerns from some groups about the transparency of the survey process.

The sea scallop survey of the U.S. Northeast scallop fishery performed by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center uses a combination of dredging and the HabCam to determine the densities of scallops at survey stations in the areas that are typically fished. Data from both the camera and the dredge, as well as data from a number of other surveys performed by colleges and other institutions,  are used to create a model that the various government organizations managing the resource – including the New England Fisheries Management Council (NEFMC) – use to set quotas for the coming year.

The HabCam is towed behind the research vessel on a long tether and is used to take detailed photos of the sea floor in order to get ideas on how dense and mature the scallop population is. According to the science center, during a survey of the Great South Channel on 6 June the HabCam struck an uncharted object in 130 feet of water, severing the tow cable.

“The weak link in the tow cable broke, as intended when tension is too great,” the science center wrote in a release. “This limits damage to both the instrument and the ship’s tow winch. The HabCam was separated from the ship, but a sound-emitting locator attached to it signaled its location.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NEFMC Initiates Monkfish, Skate Specs; Approves Monkfish RSA Priorities

June 13, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council covered several issues related to monkfish and skates during its mid-June meeting in So. Portland, Maine. Here’s a quick rundown:

Monkfish – The Council: (1) initiated Framework Adjustment 12 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which will include specifications for the 2020-2022 monkfish fishing years and any associated management measures that may be needed; and (2) approved 2020-2021 priorities for the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program.

Skates – The Council: (1) initiated Framework Adjustment 8 to the Northeast Skate Complex FMP, which will include specifications for the 2020-2021 fishing years and other measures if needed; and (2) received a progress report on Amendment 5, which is being developed to consider options to potentially limit access to the skate wing and skate bait fisheries.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Scallops: Amendment 21 Comments; Framework 32; RSA Priorities

June 13, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its June meeting in So. Portland, ME, the New England Fishery Management Council made several decisions related to the Atlantic sea scallop fishery.

Amendment 21: The Council reviewed summaries of both oral and written comments gathered during the public scoping process for Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council then cast several votes to help guide further work on the amendment.

Framework Adjustment 32: The Council is working on this action to develop: (1) specifications for the 2020 scallop fishing year; (2) default specifications for 2021; (3) measures to reduce impacts on Georges Bank yellowtail flounder; and (4) options to utilize the dense biomass of small scallops in the Nantucket Lightship South “Deep” Area.

Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program: The Council approved research priorities for the 2020-2021
scallop RSA award cycle.

Read the full release here

New England council calls for further curbs on herring catches

June 12, 2019 — Recommendations made by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) will further reduce Maine lobster harvesters’ access to herring as a baitfish.

According to the Associated Press, the council has recommended that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cut herring catch levels to 25 million pounds (11,400t) for 2020, down from 15,875t this year. Five years ago, herring catch limits were set at 90,718t, the news service said.

“Maine lobstermen will continue to identify new bait sources to further diversify our bait supply and develop efficiencies in our bait use,” Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, told the news service.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Lobster industry faces another deep cut in bait

June 12, 2019 — Lobster fishermen will likely have to contend with another deep cut to the availability of bait next year due to a Tuesday recommendation by a fishery management board.

Federal regulators have slashed the catch limits for Atlantic herring, which is an important source of bait for America’s lucrative lobster fishery, over the past year. The New England Fishery Management Council voted Tuesday to again reduce the catch limits, this time to a little more than 25 million pounds in 2020.

The cut would reduce the Atlantic herring catch to its lowest level in decades, and less than a quarter of the 2017 total. The reduction comes on the heels of an earlier cutback that reduced this year’s quota to less than 35 million pounds when the catch had been more than 200 million pounds just five years ago.

It remains to be seen how much of an impact the cut in bait supply will have on the lobster industry and consumers of lobster, but another reduction is “certainly not the news we want to hear,” said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

“Maine lobstermen will continue to identify new bait sources to further diversify our bait supply and develop efficiencies in our bait use,” McCarron said.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Gloucester Daily Times

Groundfishermen not hooked by monitoring alternatives

June 12, 2019 — For more than two years, the New England Fishery Management Council has worked on an intricate groundfish monitoring amendment that could have wide-scale economic and regulatory consequences for groundfishermen.

It has been a thorny, winding path that involves a host of groundfish committees, plan development teams and assorted staff within the far-flung fisheries regulatory landscape. Now a group of groundfishermen are weighing in. And they are not pleased.

Today, the council, meeting for the second of its three days in Portland, Maine, is expected to finalize the range of alternatives for revising monitoring programs when the amendment — named Amendment 23 — goes out for public comment, probably late in the fall.

In a letter to the council, groundfishermen from across New England criticized the process for developing the amendment by framing the issue within a simple cost/benefit analysis.

They claim the process for fashioning the amendment still has not identified what the revised monitoring programs will cost the groundfish industry that ultimately will be responsible for paying for it.

“That’s an extremely important issue, since they’re the ones paying for it,” said Jackie Odell, the executive director of the Gloucester-based Northeast Seafood Coalition. “These are industry-funded programs.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Habitat: NEFMC Discusses GSC HMA Research, Offshore Energy, New Model

June 11, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council covered a wide range of habitat-related issues during its June meeting in So. Portland, ME. These fell into three categories.

  • Great South Channel Habitat Management Area (HMA) Research Planning: This work is a follow-up to the Council’s Clam Dredge Framework, which was approved in December 2018 and is currently under review by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS/NOAA Fisheries). The framework proposes to allow hydraulic clam dredge and mussel dredge fishing within three exemption areas of the HMA, and it also proposes to create two large research-only areas to investigate whether surfclam and mussel dredging could occur within the areas without harming sensitive habitat.
  • Offshore Wind Updates: The Council received an overview of the status of offshore wind development in the Northeast region.

Read the full release here

Atlantic Herring: NEFMC Approves Framework 6 with 2019-2021 Specs

June 11, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has approved Framework Adjustment 6 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which contains 2019-2021 specifications for the fishery and a new overfishing definition for herring that is more consistent with the 2018 benchmark stock assessment.

The Council took several steps during its April meeting that helped guide the development of Framework 6. Here at its June meeting in So. Portland, ME, the Council made three additional decisions to complete the package:

  • Overfishing Limit (OFL) and Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC): The Council voted to set OFL and ABC based on the ABC control rule that’s proposed in Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring FMP while using the original projections made by its Scientific and Statistical Committee. This was referred to as “Alternative 2 Original” in the draft framework.

Read the full release here

Maine’s fishing community braces for new wave of catch limits and monitoring

June 6, 2019 — Setting fishing limits for Atlantic herring for the next two years, further discussions about how to monitor the groundfish catch, and proposals for regulating and setting catch limits for scallops are among the topics the New England Fishery Management Council will discuss during three days of meetings beginning June 11 in South Portland.

The council, charged with managing New England’s fisheries, is made up of 18 voting members including the regional administrator of the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region, the five principal state officials with marine fishery management responsibility or their designee, and 12 members nominated by governors of New England coastal states and appointed by the secretary of commerce.

Among the topics of most interest to Maine fishermen are setting Atlantic herring catch limits for 2020 and 2021.

Final numbers won’t be available until they are discussed Tuesday, but Janice M. Plante, public affairs officer for NEFMC, said, “The catch limits at best will be about the same as this year or a little bit lower.”

The 2020 numbers will be set, but 2021 numbers may be updated following a stock assessment update, she said.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

NEFMC June 11-13, 2019, So. Portland, ME, Listen Live, View Documents

June 4, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, June 11 through Thursday, June 13, 2019.  The public is invited to listen-in via webinar or telephone. Here are the details.

MEETING LOCATION:  DoubleTree by Hilton, 363 Maine Mall Road, So. Portland, ME 04106; DoubleTree by Hilton.

START TIME:  The webinar will be activated at 8:00 a.m. each day.  However, please note that the meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.  The webinar will end at approximately 6:00 p.m. EST or 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.

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (914) 614-3221.  The access code is 620-932-086.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA:  The agenda and all meeting materials are available on the Council’s website at June 11-13, 2019 NEFMC So. Portland, ME.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

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.