Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries agrees to make decision on tope shark protections by August 2025

December 9, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries has agreed to determine whether tope sharks deserve protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by August 2025 following a lawsuit from conservation legal groups Defend Them All and the Center for Biological Diversity.

“We’re optimistic that long-overdue protections for the tope shark are finally on the horizon,” Defend Them All attorney Lindsey Zehel said in a statement. “As compounding threats to the species continue to intensify, immediate action is necessary to halt the tope shark’s decline and preserve the integrity of our coastal ecosystems.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Scallops: NEFMC Signs Off on Framework 39 with Measures for Fishing Year 2025; May 15th Delayed Opening for Access Areas

December 5, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council took final action on Framework Adjustment 39 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan when it met December 3-5, 2024 in Newport, Rhode Island. The framework contains specifications and measures to guide the 2025 scallop fishing year, which begins on April 1. The action also includes default measures for fishing year 2026.

The framework must be reviewed, approved, and implemented by NOAA Fisheries before taking effect. Here are the Council’s recommended measures.

FULL-TIME LIMITED ACCESS VESSELS: The Council supported allocating full-time permit holders two access area trips in 2025 – one trip to Scallop Access Area I and the other trip to Scallop Access Area II. The Council endorsed a 12,000-pound trip limit, equating to 24,000 pounds total per vessel, as well as 24 open-area days-at-sea for this component of the scallop fishery.

PART-TIME LIMITED ACCESS VESSELS: Part-time permit holders would be allocated one access area trip into either Scallop Access Area I or Scallop Access Area II with a 9,600- pound trip limit, as well as 9.6 open-area days-at-sea.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA makes $99 million available for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund

December 4, 2024 — Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries announced up to $99 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) for conservation and recovery projects focusing on Pacific salmon and steelhead. This funding — which includes $34.4 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) — will advance state and tribal efforts to restore salmon populations and habitats, and bolster climate and economic resilience in surrounding communities.

“Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has been committed to salmon recovery along the West Coast and this new funding will help NOAA boost efforts to aid Pacific salmon survival and recovery,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This investment, made possible thanks to President Biden’s commitment to investing in America, will help get Pacific salmon populations closer to the healthy and abundant levels our West Coast ecosystems and communities need, and help create new jobs that enhance climate resilience along our coasts.”

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

Biden announces USD 148 million for climate-ready fisheries

December 3, 2024 — The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has dedicated USD 148 million (EUR 141 million) to improving NOAA’s data collection and analysis to support “climate-ready fisheries.”

The money will be used to modernize the agency’s science enterprise, providing the tools and information necessary to help the nation’s fisheries adapt to rapidly changing marine ecosystems.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA announce $2 million for partnerships to support red snapper recovery

October 16, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration and NOAA announced they will award approximately $2 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds to collect data and improve modeling through partnerships with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami. These partnerships are critical to NOAA Fisheries’ work to improve scientific data and management decisions for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.

Collecting more fisheries data will enable NOAA Fisheries and state partners to better understand and adapt to the impacts of climate change, increase data reliability and adjust management decisions that will support red snapper populations. 

“This $2 million investment, made possible thanks to President Biden’s historic Inflation Reduction Act, will boost NOAA’s ability to support red snapper populations by expanding scientific partnerships that improve data collection and help us understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on fisheries in coastal regions nationwide,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. 

Approximately $1 million of this funding will go to the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to expand the for-hire at-sea program into the western Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Fisheries and the Commission will deploy at-sea samplers in the Louisiana and Texas for-hire fishery, extending the coverage of at-sea data collection programs. This effort will enhance recreational discard data, a key priority for NOAA Fisheries, and for the first time in history all five Gulf states will have active at-sea data collection programs for for-hire fisheries in federal waters.

Additionally, approximately $1 million will be distributed to NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami to develop next-generation surveys using acoustic technology to improve red snapper detection. This research will focus on leveraging advanced technology and artificial intelligence to enhance red snapper surveys and abundance estimates in the Gulf of Mexico. Harnessing the power of advanced technology and artificial intelligence is pivotal to improving the clarity and credibility of fisheries data. 

“NOAA Fisheries’ collaborations with state and academic organizations are a critical part of strengthening scientific rigor and improving data collection for recreational fisheries, leading to more timely and accurate information for managing red snapper and other reef fish,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Greater data certainty will enable NOAA Fisheries and state partners to better address the effects of climate change on fisheries and fishing communities.”

This funding is part of NOAA Fisheries’ red snapper recovery efforts first announced in October 2023. These investments are part of the historic $3.3 billion in Inflation Reduction Act investments first announced in June 2023, which are focused on ensuring America’s communities and economies are ready for and resilient to climate change.

Visit the Inflation Reduction Act website to learn about current and future funding opportunities.

Wind power construction noise doesn’t destroy whale habitat, feds find

August 27, 2024 — The federal government issued a new “biological opinion” on the offshore wind power project off Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, finding that pile-driving noise associated with Vineyard Wind 1 is likely to adversely affect, but not likely to jeopardize, the continued existence of whales, fish or sea turtles listed under the Endangered Species Act.

“It will have no effect on any designated critical habitat,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said in a statement. “NOAA Fisheries does not anticipate serious injuries to or mortalities of any ESA listed whale including the North Atlantic right whale.” The agency said that with mitigation measures, “all effects to North Atlantic right whales will be limited to temporary behavioral disturbance.”

NOAA Fisheries said Friday it was issuing its new opinion to the “federal action agencies” including Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which approved the Vineyard Wind 1 Project in 2021 and oversees offshore wind power development in federal lease areas.

Read the full story at WBUR

NOAA Fisheries grappling with fisheries management in the face of climate change

August 3, 2024 — The impacts of climate change are already being felt in fishing communities across the U.S. – to sometimes devastating results.

In January 2024, two massive storms in the northeastern U.S. region of New England sunk vessels, damaged docks, and flooded coastal communities. Janet Mills, the governor of the U.S. state of Maine, claimed in a request for federal aid in the wake of the storms that the weather caused USD 70.3 million (EUR 64.3 million) in public infrastructure damage in the state of Maine alone.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Biden-Harris Administration announces more than $105 million for West Coast and Alaska salmon

August 2, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced more than $105 million in recommended funding for 14 new and continuing salmon recovery projects and programs. Located along the West Coast and in Alaska, these state and tribal efforts will be funded through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). The funds include Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations as well as $34.4 million under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $7.5 million under the Inflation Reduction Act, and will aid programs and projects in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington that include habitat restoration, stock enhancement, sustainable fisheries and research and monitoring.

“This $105 million investment, made possible thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, will build on decades of salmon recovery work, while helping Pacific coast Tribes and Alaska Natives sustain their communities and cultural traditions in the face of climate change,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This is a result of the most ambitious climate agenda in history, and I am proud that nearly half of all funds in this announcement are being awarded to Tribal applicants.”

These investments will supplement state and tribal programs that provide demonstrable and measurable benefits to Pacific salmon and their habitat. They will aid in the recovery of 28 Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed salmon and steelhead species, as well as non-listed ESA salmon and steelhead that are necessary for native subsistence or tribal treaty fishing rights, and for those in the Columbia River Basin, these efforts will help meet the President’s goal of restoring healthy and abundant salmon, steelhead and other native fish in the Basin.

“The PCSRF program has benefited fish populations and their habitats in so many ways,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “The value of these investments goes far beyond recovering Pacific salmon and steelhead and their habitats, to also provide community and economic benefits, such as jobs and climate resilience.”

Read the full release at NOAA

Advancing Recreational Fishing Priorities Together

June 6, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries is making important progress implementing the updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy with the support of fishers and other partners. The updated policy, revised with substantial public input, included climate and social equity goals for the first time. We also developed national and regional implementation plans, which are comprehensive roadmaps outlining projects and plans for the next several years.

Making Progress Toward our Policy Goals

Support, Maintain, and Recover Sustainable Saltwater Recreational and Non-Commercial Fisheries Resources, Including Protected Species, and Healthy Marine and Estuarine Habitats

NOAA Fisheries recognizes that sustainable, enjoyable recreational fisheries depend upon healthy fishery resources. In May, announced that just 6 percent of assessed stocks are identified as undergoing overfishing and 18 percent are considered overfished. Some important recreational stocks were removed from the overfishing list, including Atlantic mackerel and Gulf of Mexico jacks.

But, our work isn’t done: Those stocks still require rebuilding. And, two important recreational stocks were added to the list of overfished stocks—including some Chinook salmon runs and quillback rockfish along portions of the West Coast.

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress has provided a historic opportunity to improve the habitats upon which our fish stock rely. In 2023, NOAA provided $480 million to improve habitats across the nation supporting 109 different projects. In May, we were pleased to announce $240 million of FY24 funding and an additional $38 million in future year funding for 46 fish passage projects. They will reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish across the country.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries