Saving Seafood

Humpback Whale Disentangled Off New York All Thanks to a Team Effort

July 31, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries was notified by the U.S. Coast Guard of a distressed humpback whale in the Ambrose Channel of New York on Monday, July 27. One of our New York stranding network partners, the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS), immediately began working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) on plans to get a good look at the animal and confirm its location. AMSEAS reached out to the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) in Provincetown, Massachusetts, our lead authorized disentanglement partner for the area, to discuss the situation.

On Monday evening, AMSEAS went out with NYSDEC staff on one of their vessels to the location provided by the USCG. They determined the whale was still alive and able to breathe. It appeared to be anchored in place but staff could not see any entangling material.

After reviewing the initial photos from Monday, AMSEAS and NYSDEC returned to the whale on Tuesday and were able to secure better images confirming the entanglement and its configuration, which were holding the whale’s tail down. After relaying this information back to CCS and NOAA and further assessing the urgent situation, we worked together to plan for a disentanglement attempt.

On Wednesday morning, USCG verified that the whale was still anchored in the same position. CCS disentanglement staff were flown from Massachusetts to New York on a flight donated by our partners at Turtles Fly Too. By Wednesday afternoon, the disentanglement team was able to remove multiple buoys and make cuts through pieces of entangling gear around the whale’s flukes. Despite their best efforts, the whale was still anchored in place, and the team had to leave the whale when it got too dark to continue safely.

Early Thursday morning, the NYSDEC vessels with the AMSEAS and CCS teams were back on the water. The research vessel Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe, from Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute, transported a team member from NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s (NEFSC) Sandy Hook lab to the whale. Working with the R/V Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Drift Collection Vessel HAYWARD, crews used heavy equipment to secure and haul some of the heavy gear, which allowed the CCS team to make cuts that relieved pressure on the whale’s body. Around 4 p.m., final cuts were made releasing the whale from a very large and complicated entanglement.

This event demonstrated the need for a deliberate approach with patience and endurance, and the collaboration of local resources and expertise to support a skilled and experienced disentanglement team.

We are extremely grateful to all of our partners who were involved in what turned out to be one of the most complex whale entanglements we have encountered. Because of them, this whale was given a second chance at life.

Read the full story on our website, including quotes from our partners and a listing of all the organizations involved and their roles.

Read the full release here

NOAA establishes national-level criteria for observer waivers in wake of criticism

July 31, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries announced on 30 July that it has identified national-level observer waiver criteria, and that the redeployment of observers in the Northeast U.S. will begin 14 August.

The national criteria comes in the wake of Seafood Harvesters of America calling on NOAA Fisheries earlier this month to develop more consistent policies regarding observer waiver criteria. A letter sent by Seafood Harvesters of America called NOAA’s policy regarding at-sea coverage “inconsistent and unequal.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Fisheries Awards ~$4 Million in Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants

July 31, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today NOAA Fisheries announced almost $4 million of grants awarded through the FY 2020 Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants program.

These Prescott Grants support a core mission of NOAA Fisheries— the conservation and recovery of protected marine species—by helping to improve our national marine mammal stranding response capabilities. Through this program, we have provided $63.8 million over the past two decades, and our stranding network partners have provided an additional $24.8 million in matching funds, to build a strong network of over 100 trained, professional partners. These trained professionals and volunteers provide valuable environmental intelligence as they respond to marine mammals in distress, helping NOAA establish links among the health of marine mammals, coastal ecosystems, and coastal communities.

For FY 2020, NOAA Fisheries awarded 43 grants to 40 recipients in 19 states and one tribe, representing marine mammal stranding network partners from every NOAA Fisheries Region. In the Greater Atlantic Region there were 12 awards in 8 states.

Read our web story for more information about this year’s awardees.

Additionally, NOAA is announcing that the application deadline for FY 2021 Prescott grants is October 13, 2020.

NOAA Fisheries Identifies National-Level Observer Waiver Criteria; Will Begin Redeployment in Northeast

July 30, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA:

Providing seafood to the country remains an essential function even in these extraordinary times, and adequately monitoring United States fisheries remains an essential part of that process.

To improve transparency in our approach to observer deployment, we have established national-level criteria for vessels to be waived (released) from observer or at-sea monitor coverage. Going forward, observer or monitor coverage may be waived, for both full and partial-coverage fisheries, on a trip-specific basis if one of the following two criteria are met:

(1) Observers or at-sea monitors are not available for deployment; or

(2) The observer providers cannot meet the safety protocols imposed by a state on commercial fishing crew or by the vessel or vessel company on its crew. Within our limited authority, our efforts are intended to ensure observers and monitors are following the same safety protocols that fishermen are following.

We recognize that there are differences for observer and at-sea monitor deployment across fisheries, and have heard the concerns expressed about how observer coverage varies regionally, and even within regions. Given the diversity in our fisheries, from the composition of the fleets to how the fisheries are prosecuted, regional flexibility will continue in the detailed implementation of the two waiver criteria. We believe this adaptable approach will allow us to be transparent with stakeholders as well as responsive to ever-evolving changes on the ground. We also continue to encourage the use of electronic monitoring, as appropriate, as an additional option.

On August 14, we will resume deployment of observers and at-sea monitors in the Northeast partial-coverage fisheries. We are maintaining existing observer and monitor, both at-sea and shoreside, coverage throughout our other regions. Vessels should continue to seek observer and monitor coverage waivers through their regular regional process.

NOAA Fisheries has been working with the regional observer and monitor providers to enact safety protocols that match those that are in effect for vessel operators and crew, during this continually evolving situation. The contractual relationships between industry, NOAA Fisheries, and observer providers vary by region and sometimes within a region.

Observers and monitors, at-sea and shoreside, are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation during this time. We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for updates. We are committed to the health and safety of fishermen, observers, and others while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life.

Chris Oliver
NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator

Read the announcement here

NOAA: number of US stocks on the overfishing list reach record low in 2019

July 30, 2020 — Ninety-three percent of the 321 US fishing stocks where a determination can be made are not subject to overfishing, according to figures released Tuesday by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its Fisheries Economics of the United States 2019 report.

The report outlines the status of managed stocks or stock complexes in the US to determine which stocks are subject to overfishing, are overfished, or are rebuilt to sustainable levels.

NOAA Fisheries manages 461 stocks or stock complexes in 46 fishery management plans. Each year, it determine the status of fish stocks and stock complexes through stock assessments. Of 461 stocks and stock complexes, 321 have a known overfishing status and 244 have a known overfished status.

At the end of 2019, there were 22 stocks on the overfishing list and 46 on the overfished list.

Read the full story at IntraFish

New research plan sets the course for NOAA’s ocean acidification science

July 30, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, NOAA unveiled its new 10-year research roadmap to help the nation’s scientists, resource managers, and coastal communities address acidification of the open ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes.

“Ocean acidification puts the United States’ $1 billion shellfish industry and hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk,” said Kenric Osgood, Ph.D., chief of the Marine Ecosystems Division, Office of Science and Technology at NOAA Fisheries Service. “Understanding how ocean acidification will affect marine life and the jobs and communities that depend on it is critical to a healthy ocean and blue economy.”

The research plan sets out three major objectives for ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes acidification research, and includes regional chapters for coastal zones around the U.S., Great Lakes, territories – including Puerto Rico and American Samoa – and deep ocean regions. The three national research objectives are:

1) Expand and advance observing systems and technologies to improve the understanding of and ability to predict acidification trends and processes;

2) Understand the ways acidification is impacting ecologically and economically important species and the ecosystems they live in, and improve our ability to predict how these ecosystems and species may respond to acidification and other stressors; and

3) Identify and engage stakeholders and partners, assess needs, and generate products and tools that support management decisions, adaptation, and resilience to acidification.

Read the full release here

Massachusetts Lawmakers Call for Observer Waiver to Continue Past July 31

July 28, 2020 — With just days left before the redeployment of observers will begin in the Greater Atlantic Region, Massachusetts lawmakers called on NOAA Fisheries to extend the waiver of fishery observers as long as is necessary.

In a letter to NOAA leadership, the delegation asked for a delay of the at-sea monitoring requirement for the Northeast groundfish fishery citing rising cases in coastal areas in the region including Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Virginia communities.

Read the full story at Seafood News

NOAA reports indicate U.S. fisheries sustainable, robust economically

July 28, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries on 28 July released an annual report, and gave a preview of a report slated for release later this year, that both indicate U.S. fisheries are robust and in many cases improving  – both in terms of sustainability and revenue.

NOAA Fisheries has released the 2019 Status of U.S. Fisheries Report, an annual publication that outlines the status of the country’s 461 managed stocks or “stock complexes” in the U.S., to showcase which stocks are overfishing, overfished, or have been rebuilt.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Fisheries Sets Management Measures for Northeast Groundfish

July 28, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are approving the previously proposed Framework 59 and implementing new catch limits for groundfish stocks for the 2020 fishing year (May 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2019.

Framework 59 is adjusting the allocations of the total quota between the commercial and recreational fishery for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. The proportion of quota allocated to the recreational fishery is increasing from 33.7 percent to 37.5 percent for Gulf of Maine cod, and is increasing from 27.5 percent to 33.9 percent for Gulf of Maine haddock. Management measures for the recreational fishery will be announced in a separate rulemaking.

Read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin available on our website.

Request for Comments: Proposed Rule to Modify the Requirements for Federally-Permitted For-Hire Vessels Multi-Day Trip Possession Limits in the Gulf of Mexico

July 28, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGE:

  • NOAA Fisheries requests your comments on a proposed rule that would modify the on-board multi-day possession limit of fish species on for-hire trips by federally-permitted vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • The rule would increase the required trip duration to greater than 30 hours, but would allow anglers to retain the second daily bag limit at any time after the federally-permitted for-hire vessel leaves the dock.
  • The rule would also require that the receipt issued to passengers specify the date and time of both the departure and return of the trip, and would clarify that the entire trip must occur on days when the harvest and possession of the applicable reef fish species are allowed.
  • Comments are due by August 27, 2020.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES:

  • In response to concerns by some for-hire captains, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council developed an amendment to modify the requirements to retain the possession limit of fish species on for-hire trips by federally-permitted vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Current regulations allow anglers to retain two bag limits of most reef fish or coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) species on multi-day trips, but prohibit anglers from possessing the second bag limit until 24 hours of the trip have passed. CMP species to which this possession limit applies are king mackerel and Spanish mackerel.
  • The possession of Gulf of Mexico cobia is limited to two per person per day regardless of the duration of a trip and this proposed rule would not revise the cobia possession limits.
  • Speckled hind and warsaw grouper have daily bag limits of one fish per vessel per day; therefore, the possession limit is two vessel limits, or two fish per vessel.
  • The rule would require a multi-day trip duration be greater than 30 hours in length to allow anglers to retain the possession limit, but would allow the retention of the possession limit any time during the trip, versus having to wait until the first 24 hours have passed after the federal for-hire vessel leaves the dock.
  • The existing requirements would remain the same for the vessel to have two licensed operators aboard, and each passenger issued and have in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the length of the trip. However, the receipt would need to specify the date, time of departure, and length of trip.
  • For the purpose of the possession limit, the entire trip duration must coincide with an open fishing season for the applicable species.
    • For example: if anglers on a federal for-hire vessel intend to retain the possession limit of red snapper, which has an open season beginning on June 1, the vessel cannot depart before 12:01 AM on June 1.
  • The rule is expected to promote efficiency in the utilization of the reef fish and CMP resources and a potential decrease in regulatory discards by providing the owners and operators of federally-permitted for-hire vessels greater flexibility in determining when to allow passengers to retain the possession limit on multi-day trips.

HOW TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED RULE:

The comment period is open now through August 27, 2020.  You may submit comments by electronic submission or by postal mail.  Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 85 FR 45363, published July 28, 2020.

Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.

  1. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=NOAA_FRDOC_0001-5568
  2. Click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields.
  3. Enter or attach your comments.

Mail: Submit written comments to Rich Malinowski, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

  • Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

By Mail: 

Rich Malinowski
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505

By FAX: (727) 824-5308

By Phone: (727) 824-5305