Saving Seafood

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Seafood industry to get federal relief, leaders question where the money will go

May 8, 2020 — Fishermen and those in the seafood industry in New Hampshire are set to receive $2.7 million in federal assistance but some leaders who have a deep understanding of what is happening on the ocean have questions about how the money will be spent.

On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., announced that the money will be made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

“New Hampshire fishermen and our seafood industry play an important role in the Seacoast economy and the economic well-being of our state, and they have been hit hard by this crisis,” Shaheen said in a statement.

Shaheen recognized that New Hampshire fishermen were operating on razor-thin margins before COVID-19, which is why she fought for relief for the seafood industry, according to a news release.

In order to qualify, fishermen and processors need to show a 35% loss in business. It will be up to state officials to submit a plan for how the money will be distributed, according to one of Shaheen’s staff members.

Read the full story at The New Hampshire Union Leader

Coronavirus lockdown turns seafood into boat-to-table service

April 27, 2020 — U.S. seafood is floundering under coronavirus pressure due to the disruption in China trade and low market demand, according to New Hampshire Community Seafood General Manager Andrea Tomlinson.

For fishermen to continue distributing their product, Tomlinson told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo that New Hampshire fisheries are allowing customers to purchase fresh catches right off the dock while following all safety precautions.

“What we’re primarily doing is promoting lobstermen who are selling directly from their boat,” Tomlinson said. “But what we’re talking about is… a product that’s really only touched one gloved hand, which would be the hand of the sternman… And then it’s going directly to the consumer. So, you know, when you think about the amount of hands that a typical piece of food has traveled through, the risk here as far as safety is minimal.”

Read the full story at Fox Business

RODA request pause in offshore wind development amid COVID-19 pandemic

April 15, 2020 — The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance – a lobbying group formed in January 2018 to represent the East Coast fishing industry in discussions over offshore wind energy development – has called for all a six-month pause in the regulatory process pertaining to offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The call for a delay came via a letter sent to governors of New England states, including Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Janet Mills of Maine, and Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. The letter was also sent to Walter Cruickshank, the acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The letter sites the importance of public participation in regulatory decisions, which is hampered by measures many states are taking to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

ASMFC Atlantic Herring Area 1A Days Out Meeting Scheduled for May 12

April 9, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Atlantic Herring Management Board members from the states of Maine, New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will meet on May 12, 2020 from 10 a.m. to Noon, to discuss days out measures for the 2020 Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) fishing season. Days out measures can include specification of the number of consecutive landings days, weekly landings limits, and restrictions on at-sea transfers. This meeting will be held via webinar and conference call. The call and the webinar information are included below:

Atlantic Herring Days Out Meeting
May 12, 2020
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Webinar link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6623839982257804812
Phone: 1-888-585-9008 followed by the Conference Room: 853-657-937

Federally-permitted Herring Category A vessels must declare into the Area 1A fishery at least 45 days prior to the start of the fishing season. Small-mesh bottom trawl vessels with a federal Herring Category C or D permit must declare into the Area 1A fishery by June 1, 2020. States will send additional correspondence regarding the notification procedure.

The 2020 Area 1A allowable catch limit (ACL) is 3,344 metric tons. In October 2019, the Board established the following allocations for the 2020 Area 1A ACL: 72.8% available from June 1 – September 30 and 27.2% available from October 1 – December 31. Fishermen are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per day harvested from Area 1A until June 1, 2020.

Please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0723 or krootes-murdy@asmfc.org for more information.

The attached announcement can also be found at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/AtlHerring_DaysOutMtgMemo_May2020.pdf and the draft agenda is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/AtlHerringDaysOutAgenda_May2020.pdf.

NH lobstermen trying to keep afloat in COVID-19 economy

April 6, 2020 — With international and local restaurant sales drying up because of COVID-19, Seacoast lobstermen are relying more on direct sales to individual buyers.

Linda Hunt is the general manager at Yankee Fishermen’s Cooperative in Seabrook. She said that at this time of year, lobster prices should be $8.50 a pound.

“I’m lucky enough, because we do have the retail store. I’m trying to get our boats $5.50 a pound,” Hunt said.

Hunt said that in the past few weeks, more people have been coming into the market, which is open Monday to Thursday from noon until 6 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’ve had a very, very good turnout lately from locals and even people from, I would say probably up to half an hour, 45 minutes away,” Hunt said.

Read the full story at The New Hampshire Union Ledger

REVISED: States Schedule Hearings on Atlantic Herring Draft Addendum III (NEFMC hearing added to schedule)

February 11, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic coastal states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum III. The details of those hearings and the public hearing webinar follow:

Maine Department of Marine Resources

  • March 9, 2020 at 6 PM
  • ME DMR Augusta Office 32 Blossom Lane, Room 118 Augusta,
  • Maine Contact: Megan Ware at 207.624.6563

New Hampshire Fish and Game

  • March 3, 2020 at 6 PM
  • Urban Forestry Center 45 Elwyn Road Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  • Contact: Cheri Patterson at 603.868.1095

Read the full release here

New Hampshire fishing fleet seeks support from 2020 Democrats

February 10, 2020 — This is a rush transcript from “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” February 7, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Airtime for Fox News Sunday. We will be heading out to New Hampshire tomorrow. We’ll be there Monday for Special Report. Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That’s it for this Special Report. Fair, balanced and still unafraid. Here’s Martha. Have a great weekend. Hey, Martha.

MARTHA MACCALLUM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I’ll see you in New Hampshire.

BAIER: You bet.

MACCALLUM: All right. So, one hour from now, Joe Biden will be center stage at the New Hampshire Democratic debate tonight. That center spot reserved for the candidate with the best polling averages and that is still Joe Biden in New Hampshire tonight.

But Pete Buttigieg will be two to the left of him. He comes into New Hampshire with some growing momentum. Look at this brand new Suffolk University poll of the Granite State shows a surge from the former Mayor of South Bend who is now well within the margin of error to topple Bernie Sanders who has to be wondering how to deflect Mayor Pete’s advance at this point, practically on his home turf in New Hampshire next door to Vermont.

Joe Biden is fourth in that poll, but Biden is trying to fight his way back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have great respect for Mayor Pete and the service of this nation. But I do believe, it’s a risk to be just straight up with you, for this party to nominate someone who’s never held high office higher than mayor of a town of 100,000 people in Indiana.

Read the full story at Fox News

NEFMC Views Scallop Video, Honors Dr. Weinberg, Receives Updates on Data Portal, Market Development

January 30, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received a number of updates and reports on the first day of its January 28-30, 2020 meeting in Portsmouth, NH. Here’s a quick rundown of the day’s highlights.

The Council received a presentation on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal, which contains over 5,000 maps showing a variety of ocean uses, including fishing activity, and provides a wide range of information related to marine life, habitat, offshore wind, aquaculture, and more.

During the presentation, representatives from the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) informed the Council that they, along with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), are working collaboratively to update commercial fisheries data on the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portals and engage industry through focus groups and other outreach efforts in the development of data products. The groups have federal funding for 2020 to advance regional data sharing to help in management decision making.

Read the full release here

After Years Of Slow Action On Climate Change, What Sets Offshore Wind Apart For N.H.?

January 22, 2020 — Most New England states have been investing in alternative energy sources for years. But New Hampshire has been slower to act in response to climate change.

Now, the Granite State is looking to be a leader in a major new source of renewable energy: offshore wind.

Turnout exceeded all expectations at the first meeting, last month, of a federal task force on wind development in the Gulf of Maine. One state legislator was heard saying the line to get in rivaled the line for the women’s bathroom at Fenway Park.

Governor Chris Sununu welcomed hundreds of people who filled up a huge meeting hall and overflow rooms at UNH.

“Good morning,” he said, to a mild response, then: “Come on! Look what we’re kicking off, this is exciting!”

Read the full story at New Hampshire Public Radio