Saving Seafood

Federal judge rules ‘pocket-veto’ provisions of MSA violate US Constitution in partial victory for NEFSA

January 6, 2025 — U.S. District Court Judge John Woodcock determined some of the authority granted to those council members was violating the U.S. Constitution, specifically a portion of the MSA which meant the NFMS was unable to repeal certain fisheries management procedures without council approval. By refusing to assent to decisions made by the NFMS, the council could effectively “pocket veto” decisions made by federal authorities.

“In severing these limited provisions, the Court addresses both the Appointments Clause and constitutional removal claims, as, without these provisions, the Council Members do not exercise any significant authority, and thus, do not constitute officers of the United States,” Woodcock wrote. “This resolves the constitutional issues presented without invalidating an entire statutory scheme that has effectively governed the United States for decades or a regulation that did not involve either of the constitutional provisions identified in the case at bar.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Genetic Diversity in Alaska Red King Crab May Provide Resilience to Climate Change

January 3, 2024 — Maintaining genetic diversity within and among populations is vital to ensure species are resilient to challenging conditions. Without it, a single disease or set of conditions—such as a prolonged change in ocean acidification—could drive a species to extinction. Fortunately, new research has revealed more genetic diversity across Alaska’s red king crab populations than originally documented. This suggests that the species will be more resilient in the face of changing conditions like ocean warming. However, any efforts to enhance red king crab populations need to be careful not to affect this genetic diversity.

King Crab in Alaska

Historically, the red king crab fishery was Alaska’s top shellfish fishery. It’s embedded in the culture of Alaska’s working waterfronts and king crabs have been the centerpiece of holiday feasts around the world. However, the red king crab fishery collapsed in the 1980s. Since 1983, most populations have been depressed statewide and the Gulf of Alaska fishery remains closed.

Wes Larson is co-author of the new research and the genetics program manager at the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center. He reflects, “When it comes to understanding crab biomass declines and how to recover populations, we need to better understand population structure and local adaptation. There are a lot of concerned and invested fishermen, processors, and community members getting more engaged in these issues and it’s propelling new and innovative research.”

To dig into this need, Larson and a team of collaborators embarked on a study to generate whole genome sequencing data on red king crab in different locations across Alaska. The benefit of whole genome sequencing over previous methods is that it’s akin to reading the full story of an organism’s makeup instead of just a chapter or two. This holistic approach offers more robust analysis in order to tease apart similarities and differences between locations. Collaborators on the research included:

  • Cornell University
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Alaska Department of Fish and Game
  • NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

New England scallopers face a tough 2025

December 18, 2024 — New England scallopers are looking at another tough year in 2025, as they prepare for a set of federal regulations to protect both their livelihoods and the Atlantic Ocean’s scallop populations.

If approved by NOAA Fisheries, the new rules, called Scallop Framework 39, will reduce the number of times that full-time vessels can go drag in some federally-managed scalloping grounds — called “access areas” — in the 2025 fishing year. But they will allow these vessels more time to scallop in the open ocean. The start of the access-area scalloping season will also be pushed back from April 1 to May 15, 2025. It will end on March 31, 2026.

These proposed regulations are meant to conserve the fishery resource as it goes through a period of low productivity, regional fisheries managers say. They were developed by the New England Fishery Management Council.

Surveys showed the overall weight of harvestable scallops in New England waters dropped from 2023 to 2024.

Local scallopers and industry representatives say the contents of Framework 39 are not a surprise. Landings have been shrinking over the past four years.

“We’re just tightening the belt, and taking a deep breath, and riding the storm out,” said New Bedford scallop vessel manager and owner Tony Alvernaz.

Read the full story at The New Bedford Light

NOAA closes US Atlantic mackerel fishery for the rest of 2024

December 10, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries has closed the U.S. Atlantic mackerel fishery for the rest of 2024 after determining that 100 percent of the allowable annual harvest has already been caught.

The closure comes amid concern over the sustainability of the Atlantic mackerel stock, which is listed as overfished by NOAA Fisheries and has been managed under a rebuilding program since November 2019.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Global Extinction Risk for Sharks and Rays Is High, United States may Provide Haven

December 9, 2024 — Overfishing of sharks and rays has depleted many populations, causing widespread erosion of ecological function and exceptionally high extinction risk. NOAA Fisheries coauthored a study in the journal Science that quantifies the extinction risk for the world’s 1,199 sharks and ray species over 50 years. They found that while sharks and rays are at high risk of extinction and biodiversity loss globally, this risk differs by habitat and region. There are some “bright spots” that could help species survive.

Sharks Are In Rough Shape Globally

We found that sharks and rays globally are in a worse conservation state than all other vertebrate groups, apart from amphibians. We also demonstrated the “fishing down” of shark and ray biodiversity and ecosystem function. This shows that the largest species declined first and most rapidly.

Most sharks and rays have slow population growth rates, which makes them highly vulnerable to overfishing and subsequently takes populations longer to rebuild. Around the world, sharks and rays are targeted for their fins, meat, gill plates, and liver oil. They are also caught incidentally—as bycatch—in other fisheries.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

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.