Saving Seafood

Temporary Increase in Vermilion Snapper Commercial Trip Limit in the South Atlantic and Atlantic King Mackerel Recreational Bag Limit in the Atlantic Beginning September 17, 2020

September 16, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGE:

  • NOAA Fisheries announces a temporary rule to increase:
    • The commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper from 1,000 pounds gutted weight to 1,500 pounds gutted weight in federal waters of the South Atlantic Region (Virginia/North Carolina boundary south to the Florida Keys in the Atlantic).
    • The recreational bag limit for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel (Atlantic king mackerel) from: (1) 3-fish per person to 4-fish per person in federal waters from the Connecticut/Rhode Island/New York boundary to the Georgia/Florida boundary, and (2) 2-fish per person to 4-fish per person in federal waters from the Georgia/Florida boundary south to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County, Florida boundary.
  • These changes are being made to address economic losses to the commercial and recreational fishing communities and industries that have resulted from recent unforeseen events such as disruptions to market, restricted access to ports, closures of harbors and boat ramps, and disruptions to fishing supplies.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

  • This change to the commercial trip limit and recreational bag limit will be effective on September 17, 2020.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

  • At their June 2020 meeting, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested an emergency rule to increase the commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper and the recreational bag limit for Atlantic king mackerel starting as soon as possible in 2020.
  • The change to the commercial trip limit and recreational bag limit will be effective from September 17, 2020, through March 16, 2021:
    • The commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper will be 1,500 pounds gutted weight in federal waters of the South Atlantic Region (Virginia/North Carolina boundary south to the Florida Keys in the Atlantic).
    • The recreational bag limit for Atlantic king mackerel will be 4-fish per person in federal waters throughout its management area, from the Connecticut/Rhode Island/New York boundary south to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County, Florida, boundary.
  • The increase in commercial trip limit and recreational bag limit is necessary to prevent unnecessary economic losses, increase fishing opportunities, and to increase the likelihood of achieving optimum yield for vermilion snapper and Atlantic king mackerel.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

NEFMC to decide on at-sea monitoring levels later this month

September 16, 2020 — Now two years and change in development, the New England Fishery Management Council measure that could determine the fate of the Northeast groundfish fishery is set for final action on the middle day of the council’s upcoming three-day meeting.

The agenda for the council’s Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 meeting, originally scheduled for Gloucester and now consigned to a webinar, sets aside all of Sept. 30 for groundfish-related issues — including the highly contentious Amendment 23, which will set future monitoring levels aboard sector-based Northeast commercial groundfish vessels.

The council is considering four alternatives: Putting monitors on 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of all sector-based groundfish vessels trips. It has designated 100% coverage as its preferred alternative.

In January, NOAA Fisheries set the target level for 2020 at-sea monitoring at 40% of all sector-based groundfish trips. It’s highly unlikely the agency will hit that target this year after the COVID-19 pandemic kept monitors off boats for about five months.

The council’s preferred choice of 100% monitoring levels helped establish an obvious and stark divide between the fishing industry and conservationists, as if they needed the help.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management Strengthens Resilience to Climate Change

September 15, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) has been applied in Alaska for decades with great success. Alaska’s valuable commercial fisheries are among the most productive and sustainable in the world. However, current EBFM policies were not designed to address climate change.

A new study evaluates the future performance of EBFM in the eastern Bering Sea. The innovative experiment projects that EBFM can forestall climate-driven collapse of key Alaska fisheries better than other management policies. This management approach considers the impacts on fish stock productivity from environmental variables, such as changing ocean conditions, and socio-economic factors. It can help fishery managers and fishermen in planning for the future.

“Ecosystem-based management doesn’t just help fish, it helps fishing communities. It is the best strategy we have to provide harvest stability in the coming years. It buys time for Alaska fisheries and fishing communities to prepare and adapt. EBFM is going to be a vital tool for us under climate change,” said Kirstin Holsman, biologist at NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Fisheries Science Center. “But no matter how effective management is, by mid-century—maybe sooner—Alaska fisheries may reach a tipping point of rapid decline in the eastern Bering Sea if climate change continues on the current trajectory and fish and fisheries are not able to adapt to these changing conditions. To guarantee long-term success, we need to couple EBFM with global climate change mitigation.”

Read the full release here

NORTH CAROLINA: DMF’s CARES Act Spending Plan Approved

September 15, 2020 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries has approved the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries’ spending plan for federal coronavirus fisheries assistance.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act is a more than $2 trillion economic relief package. The  next step is for the state to be notified by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that the $5.4 million has been awarded.

The Marine Fisheries spending plan details how the funding will be disbursed through direct payments to eligible commercial fishermen, charter businesses, seafood dealers and processors and qualified marine aquaculture operations.

The division was notified May 7 that NOAA Fisheries had allocated $5.4 million in CARES Act fisheries assistance to North Carolina. Receipt of the funding, which passes through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, was contingent on federal approval of the spending plan, which was received Sept. 9.

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

Study aims to find indicators of resilience in American lobster fishery

September 15, 2020 — A new study by the University of Maine, Orono – funded in part by NOAA Fisheries’ Sea Grant American Lobster Initiative – is aiming to find indicators of the industry’s resilience.

The study – lead by UMaine Assistant Professor of Marine Policy Joshua Stoll – aims  to collect data to find indicators of the health of the lobster industry. Currently, several different monitoring programs keep track of the health of the lobster resource itself, but there are no equivalent monitoring programs to determine the health of the industry.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Fisheries Announces Closure of the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area for the Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota Fleet

September 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is closing the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area to all federally permitted limited access general category individual fishing quota (LAGC IFQ) scallop vessels effective 0001 hr, on September 13, 2020.

As of September 13, 2020, no scallop vessel fishing under these regulations may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the Closed Area I Access Area. The scallop regulations require that we close this area once we project that the LAGC fleet has fished all of the 571 trips allocated for this area.

Vessels that have complied with the observer notification requirements, have declared a trip into the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area using the correct Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) code, and have crossed the VMS demarcation line before 0001 hr, September 13, 2020, may complete their trip and retain and land scallops caught from the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area.

For more details, read the notice as filed in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin.

Read the full release here

NOAA Announces an Increase in the Commercial Scup Quota and Possession Limit for the 2020 Winter II Period (October 1-December 31)

September 11, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As authorized by the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, we are transferring 4,850,963 lb of unused quota from the Winter I commercial scup fishery to the Winter II fishery. This results in a revised Winter II commercial scup quota of 8,394,299 lb.

We are also increasing the commercial scup possession limit for the Winter II season to 24,000 lb, per trip (from 12,000 lb), based on the amount of quota being rolled over from Winter I to Winter II.

When state and federal possession limits are different, fishermen with both state and federal permits are required to abide by the more restrictive of the two.

For more details, read the Federal Register notice as filed today, and the bulletin on our website.

NOAA Fisheries Awards $2.3M to Support Bycatch Reduction Projects

September 10, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Bycatch reduction is a top priority for NOAA Fisheries and this week the agency announced over $2.3 million in grants to support 13 projects under our Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program. This year’s projects focus on priority bycatch issues related to a variety of species, including whales, turtles, sharks, sablefish, and flounders. Left unaddressed, bycatch can contribute to overfishing, can threaten endangered and threatened species and protected marine mammals, and can close fisheries, significantly impacting U.S. economic growth. Three projects in the Northeast were chosen for funding.

NOAA Fisheries’ Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program has resulted in innovative technological solutions to some of the nation’s top bycatch challenges. We are proud to continue to partner with fishermen, fishery managers, industry, and the environmental community to avoid and minimize bycatch.

For more information about this year’s recipients and selected projects visit our website.

Atlantic King Mackerel Trip Limits Double in the Atlantic Southern Zone

September 9, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule to implement Framework Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (Framework Amendment 8), which increases the Atlantic king mackerel trip limit in federal waters off Florida.

Effective Date: September 9, 2020

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:

  • The rule increases the Season 2 (October-end of February) Atlantic king mackerel trip limit in Federal waters of the Atlantic Southern Zone, beginning on October 1, 2020.
  • For Season 2 between the Flagler/Volusia, Florida county line and the Miami-Dade/Monroe, Florida county line, the trip limit is 100 fish.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 85 FR 55592, published September 9, 2020.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

Computers Now “See” Animals on the Ocean Bottom

September 8, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s annual sea scallop research survey uses a towed sampling device called the HabCam. It collects approximately 5 million images of the ocean bottom off the Northeast United States. Scientists and volunteers then manually examine an astonishing 100,000 of these images, roughly 2 percent of the number gathered. They focus on identifying just four targets: sea scallops, fish, crabs, and whelks.

So, a wealth of data is going uncollected owing to the sheer volume available and just how labor-intensive pulling it out of images can be.

Researchers have turned toward finding ways for machines to help identify sea life in these images, faster and more efficiently than humans can. This would improve population data for sea scallops. By more thoroughly examining each image, all kinds of information about other sea life and their habitats can also be captured.

Enter Dvora Hart, an operations research analyst at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Hart has been at the forefront of estimating sea scallop populations numbers from images taken by devices like the HabCam. The upcoming 2020 sea scallop assessment will once again use improved population data collected from images.

“HabCam gives us photos of animals in their natural environment without disturbing them; however, much of the information in the images is not collected because human annotators can only mark a small percentage of the available images,” said Hart. “Automated annotators can mark all the images and, given proper training, can identify a multitude of different targets—not just sea scallops, fish, crabs and whelks.”

Hart is part of an interdisciplinary team that developed the world’s first advanced automated image analysis software for the marine environment. The Video and Image Analytics for the Marine Environment, VIAME for short, uses convolutional neural networks—a recent advance in artificial intelligence. These networks  teach computers to recognize species and features of their habitats in the images taken by the HabCam.

The work is so significant that Hart and her team won a 2019 Department of Commerce gold medal for their work. This recognition is the highest honor award offered to department employees.

Read the full release here