Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Announces Interim Recreational Management Measures for the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery

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

NOAA Fisheries announces interim 2020 recreational management measures for the Atlantic bluefish fishery. These temporary measures are needed to prevent overfishing on the bluefish stock, which was declared overfished in late 2019.

The following interim regulations apply to all recreational vessels fishing for bluefish in federal waters from Maine through Florida effective February 28, 2020:

  • Private Recreational Vessels – Daily bag limit of 3 fish per person.
  • For-Hire Vessels (Party/Charter Permit) – Daily bag limit of 5 fish per person.

All other management measures and requirements, including minimum size and recreational seasons, remain unchanged.

For more details read the rule as published in the Federal Register and the bulletin posted on our website.

Submit Your Comments by March 30, 2020

Submit your comments either through the online e-rulemaking portal or by mailing your comments to: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA  01930.

Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Bluefish Interim Action.”

NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to Recreational Regulations for Snapper-Grouper Species in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Region

February 28, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE

NOAA Fisheries announces the final rule for Vision Blueprint Recreational Regulatory Amendment 26 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 26). The final rule will:

  • Remove the recreational minimum size limits for queen snapper, silk snapper, and blackfin snapper in the South Atlantic region;
  • Reduce the recreational minimum size limit for gray triggerfish in federal waters off east Florida; and
  • Modify the 20-fish recreational aggregate bag limit in the South Atlantic region.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

The rule will be effective on March 30, 2020.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES FOR THE RECREATIONAL SECTOR:

  • Deep-water Species (queen snapper, silk snapper, and blackfin snapper)
  • The final rule removes the 12-inch total length minimum size limit for queen snapper, silk snapper, and blackfin snapper.
  • Gray Triggerfish
  • The final rule reduces the minimum size limit in federal waters off the east coast of Florida from 14 inches to 12 inches fork length; and
  • Retains the minimum size limit of 12 inches fork length in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

20-Fish Aggregate Bag Limit

  • The aggregate bag limit applies to the following species: whitebone porgy, jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, saucereye porgy, scup, gray triggerfish, bar jack, almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack, white grunt, margate, sailor’s choice, and Atlantic spadefish.
  • The final rule maintains the 20-fish per person per day aggregate bag limit for the recreational sector. However, the rule limits the harvest of any one species within the aggregate bag limit to 10 fish.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 85 FR 11307, February 27, 2020.

A complete version of this Fishery Bulletin is available from NOAA Fisheries and includes a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and additional information.

NOAA: Secretary of Commerce allocates $65 million for fishery disasters

February 27, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the allocation of $65 million to communities in Alaska, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and the Yurok Tribe (California) that suffered fishery disasters between 2017 and 2019.

“These funds help impacted fisheries recover from recent disasters and make them more resilient to future challenges,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This allocation supports the hard-working American fishing communities suffering from impacts beyond their control.”

Fisheries play a critical role for coastal economies, providing jobs for fishermen, fish processors, and other related maritime industries. However, fisheries can experience natural disaster events and other circumstances beyond the control of fishery managers, resulting in sudden and unexpected losses within the fishery and leading to serious economic impacts to those who rely on them.

NOAA Fisheries used commercial revenue loss information to allocate funding among the eligible disasters. NOAA Fisheries also took into consideration traditional uses that cannot be accounted for in commercial revenue loss alone.

The allocated funds can be used to help the fishing community including commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, charter businesses, shore-side infrastructure, and subsistence users, as well as improve the fishing ecosystem and environment. These funds will improve the long term economic and environmental sustainability of the impacted fisheries. Activities that can be considered for funding include infrastructure projects, habitat restoration, state-run vessel and fishing permit buybacks, and job retraining.

In addition, some of the affected fishing communities may be eligible for assistance from the Small Business Administration or other Federal agencies.

ALASKA: Dutch Harbor stays on top among U.S. fishing ports

February 26, 2020 — Dutch Harbor remained the top fishing port in the U.S. for the 22nd year in a row with 763 million pounds crossing the docks in 2018 valued at $182 million. And Naknek ranked as the nation’s second most valuable port for fishermen with landings worth $195 million. (Naknek also ranked No. 8 for landings at 191 million pounds.)

Empire-Venice, Louisiana, held the second spot for fish volume (569 million). The “Aleutians” was close behind (539 million), thanks to Trident’s plant at Akutan, the largest processing facility in North America. Kodiak fell to fourth place with landings dropping from 530 million pounds to 391 million in 2018.

Those are just a few of the gems in the annual Fisheries of the U.S. Report, described as “a yearbook of fishery statistics on commercial landings and values, recreational fishing, aquaculture production, imports and exports and per capita consumption” by Cisco Werner, chief scientist at NOAA Fisheries, who gave highlights to reporters Friday.

“U.S. fishermen landed 9.4 billion pounds valued at about $5.6 billion, an increase of $150 million, or 2.8% from 2017. That’s on par with recent years with economic benefits both up and down depending on the seafood supply chain,” Werner added.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

NOAA Fisheries Announces Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Quotas for 2020

February 26, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces 2020 fishing year quotas in the Atlantic mackerel, longfin squid, Illex squid, and butterfish fisheries, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action maintains previously approved catch levels for 2020 for Illex squid, longfin squid, and butterfish, rolls over the 2019 catch level to 2020 for Atlantic mackerel, removes the initial 89 mt river herring and shad catch cap, maintains the 129 mt river herring and shad catch cap, and makes other minor adjustments to the management plan.

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

Fisheries of the United States, 2018: New Bedford by the Numbers

February 25, 2020 — According to NOAA’s Fisheries of the United States report for 2018, New Bedford is once again the port with the highest value of seafood landed. This is the 19th consecutive year that the Massachusetts port has held the title.

For 2018, New Bedford’s value of seafood landed totaled $431 million. The port truly leads the pack when it comes to value. In the number two spot is Naknek, Alaska, with an overall value of 195 million pounds, which isn’t even half of the value of New Bedford – and Naknek lands 77 million more pounds of seafood than New Bedford.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Reminder: SAFMC March Meeting Begins Next Week

February 25, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Federal fishery managers will gather next week in Jekyll Island, GA to address a number of topics including proposed management measures for dolphin and wahoo, Spanish mackerel, shrimp, and species within the snapper grouper management complex. Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will also discuss regulatory actions proposed for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, allocation issues, and receive reports from NOAA Fisheries on the status of the 2020 red snapper season as well as shark depredation.

The meeting will take place March 2-6, 2020 at the Westin Jekyll Island, 110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA, 31527. The meeting week begins Monday at 1:30 p.m. with a series of committee meetings and concludes with a meeting of the Full Council on Thursday afternoon and Friday. The meetings are open to the public. Briefing book materials for each committee meeting, as well as a meeting of the Full Council are now available.

A formal public comment session will be held on Wednesday, March 4th beginning at 4:00 PM. An online comment form for agenda items is also now available. The meeting is available via webinar as it occurs. Registration is required and can be completed in advance for each meeting day.

Webinar Registration Links:

Additional information for next week’s meeting, including briefing book materials with committee agendas and overviews, is available at: https://safmc.net/march-2020-council-meeting-details/.

NOAA Fisheries Announces New For-Hire Electronic Reporting Requirements in the Atlantic

February 25, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE

NOAA Fisheries is implementing the final rule for the South Atlantic For-Hire Reporting Amendment. The final rule establishes electronic reporting requirements for vessels with a federal charter/headboat permit for Atlantic coastal migratory pelagics, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper and modifies the reporting deadline for headboats.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

The rule will be effective on September 1, 2020.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

  • The final rule requires weekly electronic reporting for charter fishermen and modifies the reporting deadline for headboats starting September 1, 2020.
  • The requirements for weekly electronic reporting apply to charter vessels with a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics, or Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper species.
  • Charter fishermen must report information such as trip start and end dates and times, species kept and discarded, fishing location, depth fished, hours fished, and charter fee.
  • Electronic reports from charter fishermen are due by Tuesday following the end of each reporting week, which runs from Monday through Sunday.
  • Charter fishermen can report using their computer, smartphone, and tablets with access to the internet. Reporting must be through software approved by NOAA Fisheries. NOAA Fisheries will send information on how to download the software in a future Fishery Bulletin.
  • No action is required by charter fishermen at this time. NOAA Fisheries will send more information in the spring/summer of 2020. If you have questions, please call 727-209-5950
  • Headboat vessels with a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics, or Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper species will continue to submit reports to the Southeast Headboat Survey but will be required to submit electronic fishing reports by Tuesday following a reporting week, rather than by Sunday.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 85 FR 10331, published February 24, 2020.

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

A complete version of this Fishery Bulletin is available from NOAA Fisheries and includes a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and additional information.

Why Do Whales Migrate? They Return to the Tropics to Shed their Skin, Scientists Say

February 24, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Whales undertake some of the longest migrations on earth, often swimming many thousands of miles, over many months, to breed in the tropics. The question is why—is it to find food, or to give birth?

In a research paper in Marine Mammal Science, scientists propose that whales that forage in polar waters migrate to low latitudes to maintain healthy skin.

“I think people have not given skin molt due consideration when it comes to whales, but it is an important physiological need that could be met by migrating to warmer waters,” said Robert Pitman, lead author of the new paper and marine ecologist with Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute. He was formerly with NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California.

More than a century ago, whalers recognized that most whales that forage in high latitudes migrate to the tropics for calving. Scientists have never agreed on why. Because of their size, large whales should be able to successfully give birth in frigid polar waters. Due to reduced feeding opportunities in the tropics, most whales fast during their months-long migrations.

So why go to the trouble?

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries report: 2018 production down, but value up

February 24, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries has released the “Fisheries of the United States 2018” report, and it indicates that the production of both wild-capture and aquaculture was down in the U.S. in 2018, while the value of both sectors increased.

U.S. commercial fishermen combined to land 9.4 billion pounds (4.3 million metric tons) of seafood, a 5.3 percent decrease of 531 million pounds over the 2017 total. The value of those landings, however, increased by 2.8 percent, or USD 150 million (EUR 138 million), to USD 5.6 billion (EUR 5.1 billion).

Read the full story at Seafood Source