Saving Seafood

Update: New Deadline and Submission Details for the 2020 Marine Endangered Species Art Contest

March 23, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Due to the recent developments of the COVID-19 virus pandemic, we understand that several of the schools across the nation are currently closed. Our office in Gloucester, Massachusetts also has restricted access to the general public and we have been encouraged to work from home.

Because we are not in the building, and we do not know when we will return, we can no longer accept any physical art entries this year. However, to keep the contest going and to encourage students to learn about marine endangered species while they are home, we will gladly accept any electronic pictures or scans of the students’ artwork for this year’s contest!

All students have to do is take a picture or scan their artwork and email it to edith.carson-supino@noaa.gov by no later than April 24. The revised art contest rules are located on our 2020 Marine Endangered Species Art Contest  webpage.

Artwork should highlight one or more marine endangered or threatened species from the New England/Mid-Atlantic region. Text highlighting why the animals are important and what people can do to protect them may also be included. Younger students, in grades K-2, who may not understand the threats to endangered species (i.e., pollution, fishing, etc.) are encouraged to portray the animals in their natural habitat instead.

Read the full release here

NOAA waives some observer requirements as COVID-19 concerns mount

March 23, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries announced on 20 March that it is waiving observer requirements for vessels with Northeast fishing permits until 4 April, with the new waiver being evaluated weekly as the COVID-19 outbreak continues.

The announcement comes as multiple fisheries in the Northeast U.S. are grappling with the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, which range from the aforementioned switch to no longer requiring observers to a the delay of fishing seasons.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Fisheries Announces Adjustments to the Inseason Possession and Trip Limit Increases for the Common Pool Groundfish Fishery

March 23, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Effective today, the common pool possession and trip limits for Georges Bank (GB) cod, Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, GOM haddock, Cape Cod(CC)/GOM yellowtail flounder, American plaice, and witch flounder are increased, as summarized in the table below. These increases are in effect through the end of the fishing year on April 30, 2020.

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

Read the full release here

Women’s History Month: Talking with Jennifer Goebel

March 20, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

What do you do as the Public Affairs Officer for NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region?

My primary job is to get the message out about what we are doing and why we are doing it. We do a number of different things here, from regulating fisheries to protecting vulnerable fish, sea turtles, and marine mammals, to restoring important habitat. I tell the stories of what we do here at NOAA Fisheries, and why it matters. I use a variety of tools, including emails, our website, traditional press, and social media.

What do you like best about your job?

My days are incredibly varied and often take unexpected turns. I might be helping to pull together a response to congressional staff on summer flounder. Or, I could be answering questions about Atlantic sturgeon critical habitat for a reporter. I might be editing a web story on dam removals, sending out emails about new fisheries regulations, or tweeting about right whale sightings. Sometimes I get calls from fishermen wanting to know what the latest regulations are or telling me why they don’t like them. No two days are the same. Keeps life interesting!

What’s the hardest part of your job?

I am the quintessential jack-of-all-trades and master of none. I rely on our wonderful staff here at GARFO to answer or help me answer the questions I get. Probably the hardest part of my job is actually tracking down the busy staff person I need to answer the question. It’s even harder if it comes in later in the day. You’ll see me roaming the halls to see who’s still here who might be able to fill me in.

Read the full release here

Temporary Waivers for Northeast Fisheries Observer Requirements

March 20, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NOAA Fisheries is temporarily waiving the requirement for vessels with Northeast fishing permits to carry a fishery observer or at-sea monitor. The waiver will be in effect through April 4, and future extensions of this waiver will be evaluated weekly. For details, please read the letter from the Regional Administrator (pdf, 1 page).

Text of the letter below:

Dear Partners and Stakeholders:

As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NOAA Fisheries is temporarily waiving the requirement for vessels with Northeast fishing permits to carry a fishery observer or at-sea monitor. The waiver will be in effect through April 4, and future extensions of this waiver will be evaluated weekly.

This action is consistent with agency authority to grant waivers for observer and at-sea monitoring requirements under certain circumstances. The availability and deployment of observers is becoming increasingly challenging. The action is also consistent with current federal and state health guidance. The health and well-being of fishermen, observers, and supporting staff is not only a human health concern, but also essential to securing our nation’s seafood production.

Through April 4, 2020, NOAA Fisheries will issue waivers for declared and incoming Northeast fishing trips. During this period:

  • All reporting and pre-trip notification call-in requirements remain in place.
  • Waivers will be issued for all current and newly selected fishing trips.
  • Port intercepts (i.e., observers selecting trips for coverage in the ports) will be temporarily suspended.
  • Trips that are currently at sea with an observer onboard are unaffected.
  • Vessels using Electronic Monitoring are unaffected, as this waiver applies to human observers only.

The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will evaluate the impacts of waivers on our fisheries and observer programs throughout this period:

  • We will monitor fishing activity in comparison to when observers have been deployed, to track continued compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • We will evaluate weekly observer availability, ability to travel, and level of fishing effort and landings.
  • We will monitor for changes in current health and safety guidelines that we expect would increase observer availability.
  • We will also monitor fishing effort and landings, which could be indicators that the temporary waiver of observer requirements could be ended.

Sincerely,

Michael Pentony

Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Saw Signs of Recovery in 2019

March 19, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The Hawaiian monk seal population has shown some signs of recovery over recent years. The size of the monk seal population in 2019 was about the same as in 2018, with slightly more than 1,400 seals. Most of the population (about 1,100 seals) reside in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Just about 300 seals call the main Hawaiian Islands home. While the population size hasn’t really changed since last year, the population trend remains positive in recent years. It has been growing at an average annual rate of 2 percent since 2013.  The potential for our continued conservation efforts to make such a positive impact is part of what makes Hawaiian monk seals one of NOAA’s Species in the Spotlight.

NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program closely tracks these year-to-year population trends, thanks to a robust, long-term dataset. During the 2019 field season, dedicated field biologists lived and worked on remote islands in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for 3 to 5 months (depending on the site). In the main Hawaiian Islands, we rely on volunteers, members of the public, and agency partners who contribute to citizen-based seal monitoring.

Read the full release here

NOAA closes Gloucester office to public, takes meetings to web

March 19, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries is restricting access to its Gloucester office and the New England Fishery Management Council is converting many of its meetings to webinars as precautions against further spread of the novel coronavirus.

NOAA Fisheries said its Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office in the Blackburn Industrial Park continues to operate, but it is limiting access to the building to employees, as well as to visitors and deliveries deemed essential to its mission.

“This measure is taken out of an abundance of caution and our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our employees and constituents during the COVID-19 virus pandemic,” NOAA Fisheries said in a statement. “The majority of our staff are teleworking to the maximum extent possible, and we also have a few staff working in the buildings to keep critical functions and operations moving. Feel free to call or email GARFO staff as you normally would, but please be patient if their response time is delayed.”

NOAA Fisheries said all meetings and events scheduled for March — and several for April — have been canceled or postponed. It said it will continue to provide updates via email, as well as on the events portion of its website.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Reminder: Current Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock Recreational Measures

March 19, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

This is a reminder that current recreational fishing measures for the Gulf of Maine cod and haddock remain in place until we implement Fishing Year 2020 measures.

Gulf of Maine Cod

The recreational Gulf of Maine cod fishery is closed until September 15, 2020.

Gulf of Maine Haddock

Open Season: April 15, 2020-February 28, 2021
Minimum Size: 17 inches
Possession Limit: 15 fish per day

We are developing the proposed rule for the 2020 measures, and expect to have the new rules in place in early summer 2020.

For more, read the bulletin posted on our website.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Spencer Talmage, Regional Office, 978-281-9232

Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175

Status of Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Buildings and Operations

March 19, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Under guidance from the Department of Commerce, NOAA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) has adjusted its facilities and operating procedures. This is a rapidly evolving situation that we are monitoring closely.

Effective immediately and until further notice, access to all GARFO buildings is restricted to employees, and to visitors and deliveries that are deemed essential to our mission. This measure is taken out of an abundance of caution and our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our employees and constituents during the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

Despite restrictions on building access, we are continuing to operate. The majority of our staff are teleworking to the maximum extent possible, and we also have a few staff working in the buildings to keep critical functions and operations moving. Feel free to call or email GARFO staff as you normally would, but please be patient if their response time is delayed.

All meetings and events for March and several in April have been canceled or postponed. We will continue to provide updates through email and on the Events page on our website.

Permit Questions?

If you need a permit, we encourage you to use our new online portal.  Permit Office staff are available to assist you over the phone at (978) 282-8438 or by email at NMFS.GAR.Permits@noaa.gov.

Other Inquiries

Please call 978-281-9300 or email nmfs.gar.garfo@noaa.gov if you have any questions or need further information.

Alaska Halibut Season Opens March 14

March 18, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

From Southeast Alaska to the Bering Sea, Alaska fishermen are heading out to catch halibut with the March 14 opening of the 2020 halibut season.

This season’s regulations were adopted at the annual meeting of the International Pacific Halibut Commission last month and are included in a Final Rule NOAA Fisheries filed with the Federal Register. They go into effect immediately.

Included in this season’s federal regulations are the catch limits established by the IPHC, and basic regulations for the commercial and sport halibut fisheries. Overall, the 2020 catch limits for the combined commercial and charter halibut fisheries in Alaska are 9 percent lower than the 2019 limits.

This final rule also implements management measures for the charter halibut fisheries in Areas 2C and 3A. These measures are necessary to keep charter harvests to within their respective allocations under a catch sharing plan with the directed commercial fishery.

Charter management measures in Area 3A (Gulf of Alaska) are more restrictive than 2019. All Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be closed to halibut retention in Area 3A. There is a daily bag limit of two halibut, but one fish must be no greater than 26 inches.

In Area 2C (Southeast Alaska), charter anglers are restricted to one halibut per day, with a reverse slot limit where retained halibut must be less than or equal to 40 inches, or greater than or equal to 80 inches.

Unguided halibut sport fishers in Alaska will continue to observe a daily bag limit of 2 fish of any size per person per day.

Alaska commercial IFQ halibut season dates are March 14 through November 15, 2020 for all IPHC management areas in Alaska.