Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to Management of Red Grouper in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Region

February 6, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries announces the final rule for Regulatory Amendment 30 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 30). This final rule revises the rebuilding schedule for red grouper based on the most recent population assessment, extends protections to red grouper during spawning season in federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina, and establishes a commercial trip limit.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

Regulations will be effective March 9, 2020.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES FOR RED GROUPER:

  • The final rule revises the rebuilding schedule for red grouper to 10 years, which is equal the maximum time period allowed to rebuild. The rebuilding schedule begins in 2019 and ends in 2028.
  • The final rule extends both the commercial and recreational red grouper spawning season closures (January through April) through the month of May, in federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina.
  • The final rule establishes a commercial trip limit for red grouper harvested in the South Atlantic federal waters of 200 pounds gutted weight.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 85 FR 6825, published February 6, 2020.

Clarification: Southern Red Hake Commercial Possession Limit Reduction

February 5, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

On February 3, 2020, we sent an email notifying the industry that the southern red hake commercial per-trip possession is reduced to 400 lb per day for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year, through April 30, 2020.

The reduced possession limit is 400 lb per trip total, not per day, for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year, through April 30, 2020.

For more information read the bulletin or the notice published in the Federal Register.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Modifications to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan

February 5, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Framework 8 includes 2020-2021 Specifications and increased seasonal possession limits for the wing and bait fisheries to provide additional flexibility to fishermen. We propose to:

  • Increase the annual catch limit for the skate complex to 32,715 mt from 31,327 mt in 2019.
  • Increase total allowable landings of skate wings to 11,879 mt from 10,499 mt in 2019.
  • Increase the total allowable landings of skate bait to 5,984 mt from 5,289 mt in 2019.
  • Increase the bait fishery Season 3 possession limit to 25,000 lb from 12,000 lb.
  • Increase the wing fishery Season 1 possession limit to 3,000 lb from 2,600 lb.
  • Increase the wing fishery Season 2 possession limit to 5,000 lb from 4,100 lb.
  • Increase the barndoor skate possession limit in the wing fishery from 650 lb to 750 lb in Season 1, and from 1,025 lb to 1,250 lb in Season 2.

To get all the details on these proposed modifications, read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register today.

We are accepting comments through March 6, 2020.

Please submit comments either through the online e-rulemaking portal or by mailing your comments to:

Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator
National Marine Fisheries Service
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA, 01930.

Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Proposed Rule for Skate Framework 8.”

Introducing the Fish Stock Sustainability Index 3.0

February 4, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The Fish Stock Sustainability Index is a quarterly index that measures the performance of certain fish stocks. To make sure the index continues to focus on the most important commercial and recreational stocks, we’ve revised the list of included stocks.

The index allows for a quick, clear snapshot of the performance of U.S. fishery management. When the status of a commercially or recreationally important stock improves (e.g., no longer subject to overfishing, not overfished, or rebuilt), the total index score increases.

The index tracks a total of 175 fish stocks, down from 199 stocks in the previous version. The stocks in the index—selected for their importance to domestic fisheries—represent more than 80 percent of total U.S. fishing catch.

NOAA Fisheries tracks the status of all international and domestic stocks contained in federal fishery management plans whether or not they meet criteria for inclusion in the FSSI.

When we developed the index in 2005, it included 230 fish stocks and the maximum index score was 920 points. In 2015, we trimmed it to 199 stocks and a maximum score of 1,000.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Announces Southern Red Hake Commercial Possession Limit Reduction

February 3, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The southern red hake commercial per-trip possession is reduced to 400 lb per day for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year, through April 30, 2020.

This action affects federally permitted vessels fishing for southern red hake. This reduction is required by regulation because as of January 14, 2020, the southern red hake fishery was projected to reach or exceed 90 percent of the total allowable landings (TAL) on or around February 2, 2020.

For more information read the bulletin or the notice filed in the Federal Register.

Updated Shark Tagging Atlas Provides More than 50 Years of Tagging and Recapture Data

February 3, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

A 52-year database of the distribution and movements of 35 Atlantic shark species revealed new information on some of the least known species. It also uncovered a few surprises about where sharks go and how long they live.

Scientists collected data for sharks tagged and/or recaptured between 1962 and 2013. The sharks were found in the Atlantic Ocean and associated areas, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Participants tagged a total of 229,810 sharks of 35 species and recaptured 13,419 sharks of 31 species in that time span. The scientific journal Marine Fisheries Review recently published the data.

This new atlas updates an earlier version covering 1962 to 1993 and adds information on 22 species. Detailed profiles are provided for 14 shark species, including bull and tiger sharks and smooth dogfish. The updated data significantly extended their known ranges and movements.

The Cooperative Shark Tagging Program is the largest and longest-running in the world. The program is a collaborative effort among recreational anglers, the commercial fishing industry, biologists, and NOAA Fisheries. Its goal is to study the life history of sharks in the Atlantic Ocean.

Initiated in 1962 by biologist and shark researcher John “Jack” Casey at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the original group of 74 volunteer anglers began participating in the project in 1963. Since then the program has expanded to include thousands of participants along the entire North American and European Atlantic coasts, including the Gulf of Mexico.

“The program’s long-term data has shown the importance of tagging large numbers of each species and recording information in a database to determine shark movements,” said Lisa Natanson, a shark researcher in the Apex Predators Program at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Narragansett Laboratory in Rhode Island. For example, until the tagging program was 34 years old, no one knew that tiger sharks cross the Atlantic.

Read the full release here

NOAA Implements NEFMC’s Monitoring Amendment Alongside New Herring Fishery Requirements

January 31, 2020 — NOAA Fisheries announced the implementation of a New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) amendment to allow industry-funded monitoring in any fishery under its management.

The monitoring will better assess catch and reduce uncertainty around catch estimates. The amendment also establishes monitoring in the Atlantic herring fishery, which is faced with a significant quota cutback.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Pacific Coast Plan Identifies Ways to Improve Regional Recreational Fishing Data Collection Efforts

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

The Pacific Coast Recreational Fisheries Information Network (Pacific RecFIN) has completed its Marine Recreational Information Program Regional Implementation Plan. These plans represent a significant shift for the program. They clearly establish that regional partners will have a direct role in determining which survey methods are most suitable for their science, stock assessment, and management needs.

The plan (PDF, 30 pages) was created in response to Pacific Coast regional needs to enhance data for regional fishery management and science.

Prioritized Activities

The Pacific RecFIN identified the following seven prioritized needs:

  1. Maintain and restore base level funding for sampling saltwater recreational anglers and for-hire operators.
  2. Implement and support enhanced electronic data collection.
  3. Expand on-board sampling of commercial passenger fishing vessels or recreational charter boats.
  4. Explore new, high tech hardware and software to improve current, round-the-clock monitoring of recreational fishing vessels as they exit harbors to fish the ocean.
  5. Stratify party charter sampling by trip type and sampling period for Southern California highly migratory fisheries.
  6. Provide improved access to the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey database.
  7. State calibration of historical catch.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Measures for Private Recreational Tilefish Vessels

January 29, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries seeks comments on proposed measures for private recreational tilefish vessels that were approved in Amendment 6 to the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan. Proposed measures include requiring private recreational vessels that intend to target golden or blueline tilefish north of the Virginia/North Carolina border, to obtain a federal private recreational tilefish vessel permit through an online application on the Greater Atlantic Regional Office website. Proposed measures also include a requirement for private recreational tilefish vessels to fill out and submit an electronic vessel trip report within 24 hours of returning to port for trips where tilefish were targeted and/or retained.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. You may also submit comments through regular mail to: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930

The comments due date is 02-28-2020.

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2020 At-Sea Monitoring Coverage Levels for Groundfish Sector Fishery

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

NOAA Fisheries announces that for fishing year 2020, the total target at-sea monitoring coverage level is 40 percent of all groundfish sector trips subject to the at-sea monitoring program. For more information, please read our letter to the New England Fishery Management Council and the Summary of Analysis Conducted to Determine At-Sea Monitoring Requirements for Multispecies Sectors FY 2020.

Per direction in 2020 appropriations, we have funds allocated for reimbursing industry for its at-sea monitoring costs. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will continue to administer the reimbursement program for 2020 as in prior years.

Read the full release here