Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: Can Scituate’s last four fishermen stay afloat?

October 29, 2018 — SCITUATE — Frank Mirachi, a 75-year-old retired fisherman, still goes to town pier to look out over the water now and then. It’s still a nice view, he says, but it’s nowhere near the scene that existed 50 years ago, when 120-foot-long sword-fishing boats and dozens of commercial vessels fought for a spot at the dock.

“When I started, it was basically the Wild West, you could do anything you wanted, and people did,” Mirachi said. “You’d go out and there would be boats everywhere you looked — all fishing. . . I bet there were 100 jobs on this pier.”

Today, there are only four federally-permitted fishermen working in Scituate.

Read the full story at The Patriot Ledger

Whiting Amendment 22 Comment Period Reopens; Council to Host November 14 Informational Webinar

October 25, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has reopened the public comment period on Whiting
Amendment 22 and will host an informational webinar on Wednesday, November 14 at 3 p.m. The webinar will cover the amendment’s proposed alternatives, as well as pertinent information in the accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Written comments are welcome until November 23, 2018.

The Whiting Amendment – officially called Amendment 22 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan –proposes to limit access to the small-mesh multispecies fishery. The five impacted stocks are northern silver hake, southern silver hake, and offshore hake, which collectively are referred to as whiting, and northern and southern red hake. The draft amendment contains three sections, which cover:

  • Limited access qualification criteria;
  • Whiting and red hake possession limits by permit type; and
  • Permit conditions, which would apply only if the Council decides to approve a limited access program.

Read the full release here

ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Board Sets Quotas for 201 9-2021 Fishing Seasons

October 25, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Management Board approved the following coastwide commercial quotas for the 2019-2021 fishing seasons (May 1-April 30): 20,522,832 pounds for 2019/2020; 23,194,835 pounds for 202/2021, and 27,421,096 pounds for 2021/2022 (state-specific allocations are provided in table below). The quotas are consistent with the measures recommended to NOAA Fisheries by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The Board also established a 6,000 pound commercial trip limit for the northern region states of Maine through Connecticut, while New York through North Carolina have the ability to set state-specific trip limits based on the needs of their fisheries. The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters (0-3 miles from shore). The Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils will forward their recommendations for federal waters (3 –200 miles from shore) to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval.

The quotas are based on the 2018 Stock Assessment Update, which indicates that while the population is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, biomass has declined, requiring an approximate 46% reduction in the 2019-2020 quota to ensure that overfishing does not occur. The next benchmark stock assessment is currently scheduled for completion in 2021.

For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Barndoor Skate Now Sustainable Seafood Choice After Years of Prohibited Fishing

October 24, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Fifteen years after the New England Fishery Management Council crafted the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan, fishermen are now able to harvest barndoor skate.

According to NOAA, the species became depleted during the 1960s and early 1970s due to foreign fleets. Numbers of barndoor skates remained low until the Magnuson-Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which restricted foreign fleets from fishing 200 miles off the U.S. shore. The Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan was put in place in 2003 to rebuild the stock, and after several years of harvest being prohibited, commercial fishermen are once again allowed to catch limited numbers.

NOAA reports that fishermen in the directed skate fishery may now catch up to 650 pounds of barndoor skate wings per trip during the period of May 1 to August 21. From September 1 to April 30 fishermen are able to catch up to 1,025 pounds per trip.

This story originally appeared on Seafood News, it is republished here with permission.

 

NEFMC Seeks Contractor for Groundfish Catch Shares Program Review

October 22, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking the services of an independent contractor to assist the Council and its technical working group with conducting a review of the groundfish sector system, which is a catch share program under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Letters of interest and supporting materials must be received by November 30, 2018.

WHAT’S INVOLVED: The successful candidate’s primary role will be to support the technical working group conducting the Groundfish Catch Shares Program Review. The working group includes members from the Council, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, and Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office staff. The contractor will:

  • Facilitate working group meetings;
  • Research and summarize pertinent information and coordinate working group review documents;
  • Assist with developing and writing the draft Catch Shares Program Review document;
  • Present the draft document to the Groundfish Plan Development Team, Groundfish and Recreational Advisory Panels, Scientific and Statistical Committee, Groundfish Committee, and the full Council;
  • And, among other tasks, prepare the final review document and presentations.

FOCUS OF REVIEW: The evaluation period for this review is focused strictly on fishing years 2010 to 2015, spanning from May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2016. This period covers the first six years of the catch share program under Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. Information prior to program implementation also will be included for fishing years 2007 to 2009, covering May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2010.

TIMELINE: The contractor’s role is a short-term, temporary position that will begin on or about December 15, 2018 and end when the Council and the technical working group complete the review, tentatively in June 2019.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) catch share policy states that Councils periodically should review catch share programs to evaluate whether a program is meeting its goals and objectives. NOAA’s guidance is that “a formal and detailed review” should occur “no less frequently than once every seven years” for all limited access privilege programs (LAPPs) established after January 12, 2007. More information is available at NOAA Catch Share Policy.

APPLICATION DETAILS: Interested professionals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, current resume or curriculum vitae, examples of similar work completed for other organizations or publications, and a budget with expected expenses by November 30, 2018.

  • Interested candidates also should describe the approach that would be used to meet the requirements of the project, including deliverables.
  • NOTE: Candidates employed by advocacy organizations or by organizations that are parties in fishery lawsuits will not be considered.

SOLICITATION NOTICE: Additional information and application mailing/email addresses are contained in the full solicitation notice, which is available here and at announcement.

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

Drastic cut to herring quota puts Maine lobstermen over the bait barrel

October 22, 2018 — The threat of a huge cut in next year’s herring catch quota has Maine bait dealers scrambling to find alternative ways to satisfy the voracious appetite of the state’s $1.4 billion lobster industry.

The New England Fishery Management Council voted last month to set the 2019 herring quota at 3.2 million pounds – about 78 million pounds less than what the East Coast herring fleet is permitted to catch this year – to help the population recover from a record-low number of juvenile herring. To put the cut in context, that is about 2,000 tractor-trailer trucks of the industry’s favorite bait that won’t be showing up in New England lobster ports next year.

“We knew we’d be losing a lot of herring quota since we first heard about the bad stock assessment, so we’ve had some time to prepare,” said Mary Beth Tooley, who oversees government and regulatory affairs for O’Hara Corp. in Rockland, Maine’s largest bait dealer. “We have someone out on the West Coast right now looking for new sources of frozen bait. But I don’t think people understand how bad it’s going to be.”

Some fishermen have told Tooley they aren’t worried about the bait shortage because they don’t use herring. Some have switched to pogy or rockfish because it fishes better for them, while others have weaned themselves off herring, or found ways to conserve bait use, because they saw the collapse coming. But as more fishermen look to other bait species, the prices of those species are likely to rise and their availability shrink, Tooley predicted.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

New England Council Seeks Scientific and Statistical Committee Nominees

October 19, 2018 — 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, 2019 and run through December 31, 2021. Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by others. All application materials must be received by 5 p.m. on December 20, 2018.

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.

Commerce Department Announces Appointments to 3 Regional Fishery Management Councils

October 18, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA:

The U.S. Commerce Department today announced the reappointment of one and appointment of two new members to three regional fishery management councils. The new members will fill at-large seats that were recently vacated on the Western Pacific and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. These seats became vacant in July 2018. The new members will serve through August 10, 2020. For the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the tribal member will fill an obligatory seat that was made vacant after the expiration of the term on August 11, 2018. The reappointed member will serve through August 10, 2021.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act established the councils as stewards of the nation’s fisheries resources through the preparation of fishery management plans for their regions. NOAA Fisheries works closely with the councils through this process and then reviews, approves, and implements the plans. Council members represent diverse groups, including commercial and recreational fishing industries, environmental organizations and academia. They are vital to fulfilling the Act’s requirements to end overfishing, rebuild fish stocks, and manage them sustainably.

The Secretary selects members from nominations submitted by the governors of fishing states, territories, and tribal governments. Council members are appointed to both obligatory (state-specific) and at-large (regional) seats. Council members may be reappointed to serve three consecutive terms.

*Asterisks preceding a member’s name indicate a reappointment.
South Atlantic Council

The South Atlantic Council includes members from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The appointee will a vacant at-large seat.

At-Large seat:

Joseph D. Whitaker (South Carolina)

Pacific Council

The Pacific Council includes members from California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The Pacific Council also includes one Tribal seat. The appointee will fill a vacant Tribal seat.

Obligatory seat:

Joseph Y. Oatman* (Tribal)

Western Pacific Council

The Western Pacific Council includes members from American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The appointee will fill a vacant at-large seat.

At-Large seat:

Frederick McGrew Rice (Hawaii)

Read the full release here

New England fishery staff optimistic about another big scallop year

October 9, 2018 — As amazing as the 2018 New England scallop harvest has been, the 2019 season could be just as great.

That’s what the staff at the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) is saying following multiple dredge and high-resolution drop camera surveys taken to evaluate scallop biomass and help inform coming recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“From a biological perspective – the outlook is good for next year,” Jonathan Peros, the NEFMC’s lead fishery analyst for Atlantic sea scallops, told Undercurrent News in an email sent Friday. “The fishery could achieve a harvest similar to 2018 levels in the coming year.”

Speaking of the 2018 scallop season, it’s been one for the books. Based on the estimate of nearly 39 million pounds of scallops landed as of Sept. 13, the NEFMC staff has conservatively projected the fishery will finish the year with 56m pounds, Peros told the council at a meeting late last month. And counting the carry over and scallops harvested for research and observer purposes, the volume of landings could climb to 60m, Peros told Undercurrent.

That would be an improvement of nearly 13% over the 53.4m lbs landed in 2017.

Despite the abundance of scallops, the price at the Buyers and Sellers Exchange, the seafood auction in New Bedford, Massachusetts, appears to have ratcheted way up at the end of the year.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Scallops: NEFMC Receives 2018 Survey Overview; Framework 30 Progress Report

October 5, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its late-September meeting in Plymouth, MA, the New England Fishery Management Council was presented with positive news about both the status of the Atlantic sea scallop resource and the outlook for the 2019 scallop fishing year. The Council:

  • (1) Reviewed results from the 2018 benchmark stock assessment for scallops;
  • (2) Received a summary of this year’s scallop surveys, which were conducted by five different research groups
  • (3) Reviewed the list of management measures under development in Framework Adjustment 30 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan; and
  • (4) Discussed the Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) trip limit.

2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment

The latest stock assessment for Atlantic sea scallops was conducted through the 65th Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee (SAW/SARC). In short, assessment scientists concluded that in 2017:

  • The stock was not overfished and overfishing was not occurring;
  • Spawning stock biomass was at its highest level ever in the 1975 to 2017 time series;
  • Spawning stock biomass was (1) well above its “threshold” level, which is the lowest point allowed before the stock is deemed to be overfished, and (2) well above its biomass “target” level, which is the more desirable stock condition;

Read the full release here