Saving Seafood

New England cod fishermen face new cost, fear future

February 29, 2016 — PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Some of New England’s embattled cod fishermen say they might go out of business because of a new cost the federal government is about to impose on them on Tuesday.

Fishermen of important commercial species such as New England cod and haddock must pay the cost of fishing monitors under new rules scheduled to take effect Tuesday. The monitors, whose services can cost more than $700 per day, collect data to help determine future fishing quotas.

The federal government had been paying the bill, but fishing regulators say there isn’t enough money to do so anymore because of other obligations within the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Fishermen, advocates for the industry and a host of New England politicians have said the cost will sink a fleet already struggling with tight catch quotas and dwindling cod populations. Some fishermen also say a cutback in fishing by New England’s fleet could make popular food species, including flounder, hake and pollock, less available to consumers.

‘‘Somebody’s got to catch it,’’ said Terry Alexander, a Harpswell, Maine, fisherman who is trying to manage the new cost. ‘‘We’re going to have to figure our way around it. The law is the law.’’

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Boston Globe

Announcing 2016 Fishing Opportunities in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area

March 1, 2016 — We are announcing 2016 fishing opportunities in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area for U.S. fishing vessels.

Read the announcement as filed in the Federal Register.

Background

The United States is a Contracting Party to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization or NAFO. NAFO is an intergovernmental fisheries science and management body whose convention on Northwest Atlantic Fisheries applies to most fishery resources in international waters of the Northwest Atlantic. 

NAFO’s Fisheries Commission is responsible for the management and conservation of the fishery resources in its Regulatory Area.

What NAFO fishing opportunities are available to U.S. fishing vessels?

NAFO manages Atlantic cod, yellowtail and witch flounders, Acadian redfish, American plaice, Greenland halibut, white hake, capelin, shrimp, skates, and Illex squid. NAFO maintains conservation measures for these species (in its Regulatory Area), including catch limits that are allocated among NAFO Contracting Parties. 

Who can apply for these fishing opportunities?

Any U.S. fishing interests (e.g., vessel owners, processors, agents, others). 

How do I apply?

Send an expression of interest in writing to:

John K. Bullard

U.S. Commissioner to NAFO

NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930 

phone: 978-281-9315

John.Bullard@noaa.gov

For more information, read the Federal Register announcement, visit the NAFO website, or contact:

Michael Ruccio

NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930 

phone: 978-281-9104

fax: 978-281-9135

Michael.Ruccio@noaa.gov

The deadline is March 15.

Please Comment on the NOAA Fisheries Draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy

March 1, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Recently, we released a draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy for your review and comment.

NOAA Fisheries is committed to reducing bycatch in U.S. fisheries to ensure our fisheries remain sustainable and protected species are given their best chance to recover.

We created the strategy to better align our resources and authorities to track and minimize bycatch by encouraging cooperation and innovation. This draft was informed by the many groups and individuals who provided feedback during the scoping period this past summer.

You are invited to join us for either of two informational webinars on March 1 and March 2. You will find the draft strategy and other helpful materials that explain more about NOAA Fisheries’ role in reducing bycatch on our website. 

The comment period is open through June 3. Please submit your comments via email to nmfs.bycatch@noaa.gov

We welcome your feedback and ideas for improving the policy. 

Jersey Shore Fishing: Ray Bogan Appointed an ICCAT Commissioner

February 25, 2016 — Ray Bogan, who chose the law as his profession, rather than joining the famed family party boat business in Brielle, has been appointed as the U.S. recreational fishing commissioner to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

Ray Bogan, whose law office is in Point Pleasant Beach and is also a captain, has been involved for many years in all aspects of fisheries conservation. He’s well-qualified to handle the new position as he’s been monitoring ICCAT activities for decades. In some cases, the overfishing of tunas in Europe and Africa may also impact local abundance. Though the title implies that ICCAT only manages tunas, they also develop conservation plans for other highly migratory fisheries. Since most of the rest of the world is only concerned with commercial fishing, ICCAT had to be dragged into protecting species with lesser commercial value. After being appointed to the first Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, I became that council’s representative to the Southeast Council in establishing tuna regulations within our then new 200-mile limit before the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) later took over highly migratory species management. At one meeting, an U.S. marine biologist said ICCAT wouldn’t do anything to conserve blue marlin until there were only two left – and both were males!

It’s not quite that bad now, but recreational fishing still takes a back seat at ICCAT. The bluefin tuna “conservation” regulations result in such minimal quotas for school bluefins that the cost of pursuing that recreational fishery can hardly be justified, while spawning giants are targeted with high commercial daily boat limits in order to fill quotas.

Read the full story at NJ.com

Groundfishermen worry looming $600 cost shift could hurt industry

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — February 24, 2016 — New England fishermen say that they have already been gutted by limits set by the National Marine Fisheries Service over how much of certain species of groundfish remain off our shores. Now, a looming cost shift is threatening the industry entirely.

Back in 2000, there were about 100 groundfishermen in New Hampshire, using small commercial boats catching the cod, haddock and flounder that we equate with New England seafood.

In 2016, most have switched over to lobster and scallops. Many of them were forced out by limits and quotas.

David Goethel is one of only nine groundfishermen left in the state. But he’s worried something else could wipe out groundfishing completely.

“I lost 95 percent of my cod quota in the last four years and I’m fishing for things that are less value and then I’m going to have to pay for these monitors on top of that. It simply does not add up,” said Goethel.

Read the full story from WMUR

CFRF Completes Three Multi-Year NOAA Awards

February 24, 2015 — The following was released by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF):

The CFRF is proud to announce the successful completion of three major multi-year NOAA awards spanning the past seven years. The awards were issued through the National Marine Fisheries Service with the funding secured through efforts made by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (RI-D). The work completed under these awards focused on supporting collaborative fisheries research projects important to the sustainable management of fisheries resources in the southern New England region, and involved some 151 members of the commercial fishing industry, 108 researchers and students, and 25 fisheries managers from Rhode Island and across the region. Anna Malek Mercer, CFRF Executive Director, noted that “the projects that CFRF supported and conducted through these awards demonstrate the importance of implementing a collaborative approach to fisheries research to produce applicable results and build trust between the fishing industry, science community, and management system.”

During the seven years of work, the CFRF administered $5.8 million that supported over 30 research projects covering subjects such as conservation gear engineering, bycatch reduction, lobster settlement and recruitment, spiny dogfish stock dynamics, discard mortality estimation, fish habitat characterization, shellfish larval dynamics, industry based biological data collection, underutilized species processing, state fishery profiles, and supplementary trawl and trap surveys, among others. Fred Mattera, CFRF Vice President and owner of the Northeast Safety Training Company, noted that “CFRF has been extremely successful in conservation engineering research, establishing a rich dialogue between fishermen and gear experts that has resulted in a number of new tools to minimize bycatch and promote sustainability”.

All of the supported projects are prime examples of collaborative research, as each was carried out by teams of scientists and members of the fishing industry working together through all phases of research, from the development of the research idea, to the execution of research protocols, analysis and sharing of results, and application to management. The results of these projects were far reaching, with the Lobster and Jonah Crab Research Fleet contributing to the 2015 lobster stock assessment and development of the Jonah Crab Fishery Management Plan, quahog and whelk research projects feeding data into state stock assessments and guiding management efforts, the development and distribution of modified fishing gear to reduce bycatch and improve selectivity in the small mesh trawl and dredge fisheries, and the advancement of fish habitat characterization in an area slated for offshore wind energy development. David Spencer, CFRF President and owner of the F/V Nathaniel Lee out of Newport, RI, further remarked that “The CFRF played a critical role in facilitating discussions between fishermen and scientists to develop research ideas, and ultimately in carrying those ideas through to project completion and management application.”

The CFRF will continue working to implement a collaborative approach to fisheries research, engaging the commercial fishing industry in research to address key issues in science and management. For more information about the CFRF and the projects conducted as part of the multi-year NOAA awards, please visit www.cfrfoundation.org.

ALASKA: Scientists draft fish management plan as Bering Sea changes

February 17, 2016 — The North Pacific Fishery Management Council heard a draft plan for addressing climate change in the eastern Bering Sea earlier this month.

The plan was put together by scientists at the Seattle-based Alaska Fisheries Science Center, which is part of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Mike Sigler, program leader for the habitat and ecological processes research program at the science center, said the plan pulls together work scientists there are already doing, and research they’d like to undertake.

“We have a clear understanding of species like walleye Pollock, northern rock sole, red king crab, what will happen to them, and we can make quantitative forecasts of where they’re going. They’re not completely certain, but we have some good ideas of ecological processes,” Sigler said. “But then, we don’t have such good understanding for other species, like yellowfin sole, and we’re making a qualitative assessment of their vulnerability to climate.”

Eventually, the group wants to provide fisheries managers, like the North Pacific council, with a better look at what might be coming in 10 years – or even farther down the road. One of the first parts of the plan is just putting together that qualitative assessment for more than a dozen species, which he expects to happen this year.

Read the full story at KDLG

NORTH CAROLINA: Proposed closure of Cobia fishing season has many concerned

February 17, 2016 — WILMINGTON, NC – Fisherman packed into the Blockade Runner on Wednesday night to voice their concerns and frustrations about the possibility of closing the recreational Cobia fishing season in June.

Louis Daniel, the director of the Division of Marine Fisheries, said the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is responsible for managing Cobia from the Florida Keys up through New York.

The Fishery Management Plan for Cobia sets an allowable recreational catch limit and if that limit is exceeded, then the council has to shorten the season to keep the harvest rates below the catch limit. Daniel said that is a federal law that they have to follow.

“We don’t really have a choice in whether or not there is a closure,” said Daniel. “Their only option would be to go against the federal regulation.”

The federal proposal is to close the season on June 15. The National Marine Fisheries Service, however, is waiting to see if North Carolina drops the Cobia bag limit from two fish to one fish.

If the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries votes to drop the bag limit, Daniel is hopeful the National Marine Fisheries Service will do some more calculations and be able to extend the season a little longer.

Read the full story at WECT

To Combat Illegal Fishing, Feds Propose Seafood Traceability Program

February 15, 2016 — The National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing a new program meant to improve record keeping about seafood imported to the United States.

In early February, the agency announced a new traceability plan that’s meant to help combat illegal fishing and seafood fraud. NMFS Director of Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspections John Henderschedt said the federal government wants a better record of who is catching seafood and where it’s landed before it shows up in U.S. stores.

The proposed program would apply to about 13 types of fish, including Pacific cod, red king crab, shrimp, sea cucumber and others. Importers would be required to track where it was caught, who caught it, the type of gear that was used and where it was landed.

“In instances where the data is absent, or instances where there are other issues with the quality or the completeness of the data, we would then move to an investigation stage,” Henderschedt said. “As this international trade data system develops and once we’ve been able to identify what the key chain of custody data elements are, we anticipate establishing additional reporting elements associated with the chain of custody, but I’ll reiterate that for now, those are a record-keeping requirement.”

Henderschedt said that NMFS already has that information for domestic seafood, so fishermen and processors here won’t be asked to do anything differently. But it would add information that isn’t tracked right now for international imports.

“We do not have laws that allow us to gather the data to ensure that we can carefully examine the legality of catch and the chain of custody of that product as it makes its way to the U.S.,” he said.

Read the full story at Alaska Daily News

Omega Protein Upholds ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’, Avoids Fishing Near Virginia Beach

January 29, 2016 — The following was released by the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition:

In July of last year, Menhaden Fisheries Coalition member Omega Protein met with recreational fishermen from the Virginia Beach area to discuss and resolve potential issues arising from menhaden fishing in the area. At the summer meeting, the two groups reached an informal agreement, whereby Omega Protein would not fish within three miles of shore of an area extending from Cape Henry Lighthouse to the Sandbridge fishing pier, some of Virginia Beach’s most popular tourist areas (See the image below, taken from this WAVY report).

 

Since then, Omega Protein has kept its promise to avoid these areas. The images below are maps of menhaden fishing activity in the Virginia Beach area, provided by the Beaufort Laboratory of NOAA’s National Marine Fishing Service.

Press accounts in December 2015 referenced sightings of Omega Protein vessels fishing offshore in the vicinity of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in Virginia Beach as evidence that the agreement was violated. In fact, any sightings of fishing vessels in that locale would have been outside the agreed-upon area, and well within legally regulated fishing zones.
The image on the left shows fishing activity through July 2015, before the agreement was reached. The image on the right shows activity from the end of July through remainder of the 2015 fishing season. Since the agreement was entered into, there has been no menhaden fishing in the Virginia Beach three-mile buffer zone; all menhaden fishing activity in southern Virginia has taken place outside of the agreed-upon off-limits area. As shown in these maps, Omega Protein vessels adhered to the “Gentlemen’s agreement” for the remainder of the fishing season.