Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Evaluates Role of Opt-in Angler Reporting Apps in Recreational Fisheries

October 11, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

In a new report, NOAA Fisheries describes how electronic technologies, including web and app-based data collection programs, may improve the agency’s estimates of marine recreational catch. The report finds “opt-in,” or non-mandatory, angler reporting apps to be appropriate for collecting qualitative data that support citizen science-based studies. But for these apps to produce population-level estimates of recreational catch, a large proportion of anglers would have to consistently use them to report accurate information about their fishing trips, and a statistically valid probability-based sampling survey would have to validate self-reported data, monitor the extent of reporting, and account for unreported trips.

The report (PDF, 12 pages) is part of the MRIP Action Plan on Implementing Electronic Reporting. Its recommendations are based on an external review of electronic reporting options for recreational fishing surveys, as well as our own assessment of two projects that evaluate the use of iAngler and iSnapper to collect recreational fisheries data.

Electronic reporting is a method of data collection that can include smartphones, tablets, and other technologies used to record, send, and store data. When electronic reporting is part of a probability-based sampling survey design, it has the potential to reduce data collection costs and improve the quality of reported information. But when recreational catch estimates are produced with only those data collected through an opt-in website or mobile app, the estimates are likely to be biased.

Read the full release here

West Coast Rockfish Boom with the Blob

October 4, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The high temperatures that came with the marine heatwave known as the Blob led to unprecedented mixing of local and subtropical species. There were, often with new and unpredictable outcomes. Out of that mix came one unexpected winner: West Coast rockfish. These bottom-dwelling species, which that had previously collapsed in the face of overfishing during the 2000s, thrived under the new conditions.

Scientists from Oregon State University and NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center recount the boom in young rockfish in a new research paper in the journal Fisheries. It examines the effects of the Blob as documented by NOAA Fisheries offshore surveys. Scientists have been conducting the surveys for more than 20 years. The Blob years brought some of the most dramatic changes in marine life off the West Coast they’ve ever seen.

Unexpected interactions may have also altered the abundance of some species, from plankton that support the food web to fish that depend on them, the researchers wrote.

In the waning months of the Blob in 2016, juvenile rockfish increased over a large area from California to Alaska. Since juvenile rockfish are very difficult to distinguish from one another, scientists could not tell which species benefited. They could not tell what specifically drove the boom in their numbers and or whether they will support fisheries in future years.

Read the full release here

New Online Course for Spotting and Reporting Entangled Whales in Alaska Waters

October 3, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The foundation of responding to entangled whales is the on-water community. NOAA’s Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network depends on recreational and commercial boaters and other ocean users for spotting and reporting entangled whales off Alaska’s coast. That’s one reason NOAA Fisheries has teamed up with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to develop a new online training course to help them report entanglements.

Most often, fishermen, tour boat operators, and whale researchers are the ones to first report entanglements. The course will prepare them, and others, to report entanglements in Alaska.

Responding to whale entanglements can be dangerous. Only highly trained and experienced teams with the proper equipment should attempt to disentangle whales.

Boaters who come across entangled whales can still help in the response without getting too close. They can collect information and monitor the whale until trained teams arrive. By knowing what information to collect, and taking and sharing photos with the disentanglement team, boaters can help marine mammal responders. These teams have advanced training to understand the extent of the entanglement before mounting a response. This enables them to respond with the right gear.

“Fishermen and other boaters are our eyes on the water,” said Jon Kurland, head of the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region Protected Resources Division. “Countless times the information they have provided about a whale entanglement has been the key factor in our response network’s ability to locate the animal, assess its condition, and attempt to disentangle it if the conditions are right.”

Read the full release here

Voicing the Stories of Women in Alaska Fisheries

October 2, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Alaska women’s experience and knowledge are fundamental to the social, cultural, economic, and ecological sustainability of Bristol Bay salmon fisheries, a new NOAA Fisheries study finds.

This study used oral history and visual ethnography methods to provide a means for women to voice their stories about the importance of fishery resources in their communities. We used this approach to capture their knowledge to inform fisheries management, preserve cultural diversity, and share with communities. The interview audio and video shorts are available on NOAA’s new Voices from the Fisheries website.

The study, a collaboration with the Bristol Bay Native Association (BBNA), is focused on the daily life and fishing practices of Alaska Native fisherwomen in the Bristol Bay area.

“Bristol Bay is an ideal place to explore women’s roles in fisheries because women are highly engaged in its salmon fisheries,” said Anna Lavoie, a scientist with NOAA Fisheries who led the research. “Women own over 30% of commercial set net permits there. In Alaska women are very proactive in promoting conservation and sustainability. There should be avenues for incorporating women’s knowledge into resource management. They are actively engaged in fisheries but there is very little information available about their experience and contributions.”

Read the full release here

NOAA Offers Reward for Information Regarding Unreported/Misreported Landings of Summer Flounder

October 2, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The NOAA Office of Law Enforcement is offering a reward of up to $20,000 in exchange for information leading to the successful prosecution of individuals suspected of being involved in significant unreported or misreported landings of summer flounder (fluke) in New York and New Jersey.

NOAA officials seek information from anyone who may have details of these incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to please call OLE’s Northeast Division at 908-339-1148, or the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964.

Tips may be anonymous, however anyone providing information must leave their name and contact information to be eligible for the reward.

Effective today, the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office has a new website

October 1, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are very pleased to announce that as of today, we are formally launching a new website for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, and our old website is offline.

What about my bookmarks to your website?

Everyone will be automatically redirected to our new homepage or associated topic page. We looked at our website analytics and created automatic redirects from frequently visited pages on our old website to the corresponding pages of our new website. For example, if you have our Atlantic spiny dogfish page bookmarked, you will automatically be sent to the Atlantic spiny dogfish species profile on our new site. However, be sure to update your bookmarks and links as you navigate through the new site.

Why are we making this transition?

NOAA Fisheries launched a new and improved website two years ago that was developed based upon feedback from our customers and taking a hard look at our website analytics. The goals of the new site are to captivate our visitors, make it easier for users to search for information and navigate through our website, make our website mobile friendly, and improve the quality of our content.

Not sure where to start? Check out this video tutorial.

Although the bulk of the work is done, we are still transitioning some lesser viewed pages. So please be patient with us! We appreciate continued feedback, and want to know if you have suggestions for improvement, find broken links, or simply can’t find something you’re looking for.

Comments or questions?

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

Serving Up Seafood: National Seafood Month

October 1, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

October is National Seafood Month, and a fitting time to celebrate that the United States is recognized as a global leader in sustainable seafood—both wild-caught and farmed. U.S. fishermen and fish farmers operate under some of the most robust and transparent environmental standards in the world.

NOAA Fisheries works to advance and export sustainable management practices internationally, establish and maintain a level the playing field for our fishermen and fish farmers, and maintain confidence in U.S. seafood products and access to the global marketplace. The recipe for sustainable seafood includes strong science, responsive management, and enforced compliance.

FishWatch is the go-to source for up-to-date information on the science, status, and management of U.S. seafood

Read the full release here

Temporary Increase in Atlantic King Mackerel Commercial Trip Limit in the Atlantic Southern Zone Beginning October 1, 2019

September 30, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

  • NOAA Fisheries announces a temporary rule to increase the commercial king mackerel trip limit from 50 to 75 fish in the Atlantic Southern Zone during Season 2 (October 1, 2019, through February 29, 2020).
  • The commercial trip limit will increase in federal waters in the areabetween the Flagler/Volusia County, Florida, boundary and the Miami-Dade/Monroe County, Florida, boundary.

    WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

  • This change to the commercial trip limit will be effective on October 1, 2019.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

  • At their June 2019 meeting, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested an emergency rule to increase the commercial trip limit for king mackerel in the Atlantic southern zone during Season 2 (October-February) of the 2019/2020 fishing year.
  • From October 1, 2019, through February 29, 2020, the commercial trip limit for Atlantic king mackerel will be 75 fish in federal waters between the Flagler/Volusia County, Florida, boundary and the Miami-Dade/Monroe County, Florida, boundary.
  • The temporary rule will also remove the potential for a trip limit reduction in February 2020 from 75 to 50 fish when 70 percent of the quota is reached.
  • There are no changes to the Season 2 trip limit in federal waters north of Volusia County, Florida.
  • The increase in trip limit is necessary to prevent unnecessary economic losses and will substantially increase the likelihood of achieving optimum yield for king mackerel in the 2019/2020 fishing year.
  • The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently developing a framework amendment to consider changes to the commercial king mackerel trip limits in Season 2 in the Atlantic Southern Zone in future years.

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

For more information on the emergency rule, you may contact the following:

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

By Mail: Karla Gore

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505

By Phone: (727) 824-5305, By FAX: (727) 824-5308

NOAA Fisheries announces an increase in the commercial scup quota and possession limit for the 2019 Winter II Period (October 1-December 31)

September 27, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are rolling over the unused quota from the Winter I Period (January 1-April 30) to the Winter II period (October 1-December 31).

Only 51 percent of the 10,820,000 lb Winter I quota was harvested in 2019, leaving 5,267,671 lb available for transfer to the Winter II quota. As a result, the revised Winter II commercial scup quota is raised to 9,090,487 lb. The revised commercial scup possession limit for the Winter II season is 27,000 lb, per trip, up from 12,000 lb.

When state and federal possession limits are different, fishermen with both state and federal permits are required to abide by the more restrictive of the two.

For more details, read the Federal Register notice as filed today, and the Permit Holder Bulletin on our website.

Read the full release here

Recreational Fishermen: Gulf of Maine Cod Season Closes September 30

September 26, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The Gulf of Maine cod season closes after September 30, 2019.

Beginning on Tuesday, October 1, possession of Gulf of Maine cod is prohibited for the remainder of the fishing year (October 1-April 30). Recreational anglers can still fish for and retain Gulf of Maine haddock, up to 15 fish per person per day.

If you have a mobile device, you can use the FishRules app to check recreational fishing regulations.

Read the full release here