Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: CLF teleconference on Rafael agrees on one thing: More monitoring

September 14, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Less than two weeks remain until the Carlos Rafael trial is scheduled to wrap up with sentencing set for Sept. 25 and 26.

The Conservation Law Foundation held a teleconference Wednesday to discuss the evolution of Rafael’s actions to his guilty plea and potential fallout from sentencing.

CLF attorney Peter Shelley discussed the topic with Togue Brawn of Downeast Dayboat, a commercial scallop company, and Patrick Shepard of the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries.

“I think it’s fair to say all eyes on are NOAA fisheries and what’s it going to do,” Shelley said.

The answer at this point is no one really knows — at least until sentencing. NOAA has consistently told The Standard-Times it doesn’t comment on ongoing litigation.

However, the CLF teleconference provided recommendations on what can be done in the aftermath of Rafael’s sentencing.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

NOAA Fisheries: Ocean surveys show poor conditions for Columbia salmon

September 13, 2017 — Ocean conditions for salmon headed to sea this year are very poor, according to recent NOAA Fisheries research surveys, and have a high likelihood of depressing salmon returns to the Columbia River in the next few years.

The outlook is described in a recent research memorandum from NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center, which has been studying the ecology of young salmon entering the ocean for more than 20 years. The research has helped reveal how conditions in the ocean affect salmon survival and, ultimately, how many salmon complete their life cycle to return to their home streams and spawn a new generation of fish.

NOAA Fisheries researchers regularly survey ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest Coast, focusing especially on factors known as “ocean indicators” that can serve as barometers of salmon survival.

They also assess the number and condition of juvenile salmon along the Oregon and Washington coastlines, since the survival of the fish during their first months at sea helps predict how many are likely to survive over the longer term.

Read the full story at the Chinook Observer

NOAA Fisheries Announces Increase in Commercial Scup Quota and Possession Limits for Winter II Period (November to December 2017)

September 13, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA announces an increase in the commercial scup quota and possession limit for the 2017 Winter II Period (November 1-December 31).

Unused quota from the Winter 1 Period (January 1-April 30) is being rolled over into Winter II.

The revised Winter II commercial scup quota is 5,160,914 lbs, up 76 percent from 2,929,762 lbs.

The revised commercial scup possession limit for the Winter II season is 18,000 lb per trip, up 50 percent from 12,000 lbs per trip.

When state and federal possession limits are different, fishermen 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.

Questions? Contact Cynthia Hanson, 978-281-9180 or Cynthia.hanson@noaa.gov.

NEW JERSEY: Anglers Argue Over Fishing Limits

September 13, 2017 — STAFFORD, N.J. — A trip to Annapolis, Maryland might be what saves the 2018 New Jersey fishing season.

Saltwater anglers and their allies crowded the Stafford Township municipal chambers, where the Marine Fisheries Council held its regular Sept. 7 meeting. Although the first hour was filled with its usual reports and comments, the Council’s second hour saw passionate arguments and discussion from Council and audience members about what to do with the ever-shortening fishing season and its negative impact on commercial fishermen throughout the state and beyond.

Jim Hutchinson Jr.’s Sept. 8 article at TheFisherman.com quoted boat captain Adam Nowalsky that cuts felt in fish seasons and quotas for 2017 will be mild compared to what’s expected for 2018, based on the early returns from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries surveys. Those quotas and seasons are set annually.

Captain Victor Hartley III of Miss Ocean City explained to Jersey Shore Online that although regulations dictate what size fish may be kept, anglers must count all fish caught toward quotas.

“We don’t have enough quotas is one issue, and the other issue is we don’t have enough days,” Hartley explained. “We don’t have the time to catch anything.”

Read the full story at Jersey Shore Online

National Saltonstall-Kennedy Webinar & Training Thursday, September 14, 2017

September 11, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA published the 2018 Saltonstall-Kennedy Competitive Grants Solicitation on August 11, 2017. Pre-proposals are due through Grants.gov by October 10, 2017. Full applications are due by January 8, 2018.

In an effort to assist all potential applicants, NOAA Fisheries will be conducting an informal, national webinar to walk you through the online pre-proposal and full application process on Thursday, September 14, at 2:30pm Eastern.

To listen to the presentation, call 877-918-6629 and enter  participant code 4526000. To see the presentation, join the Webinar.

The presentation will include:

* The objective of the SK Program
* Solicitation timelines
* How to apply
* Priority areas
* Evaluation criteria
* Where to find more information
* Question and answer session

Established in 1954, the Saltonstall-Kennedy grants program is designed to address the needs of fishing communities, improve the economy by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries, and increase other opportunities to keep working waterfronts viable.

Questions? Contact National S-K Manager, Dan Namur at Dan.Namur@noaa.gov.

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2018/2019 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program Funding Opportunity

September 11, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council, is soliciting Atlantic Sea Scallop research proposals under the 2018/2019 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program.

Under this program, proceeds generated from the sale of set-aside scallops will be used to fund research activities and compensate vessels that participate in research activities and/or harvest set-aside quota.

Projects funded under the Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program must enhance the understanding of the scallop resource or contribute to scallop fishery management decisions. Priority is given to funding research proposals addressing the list of 2018 and 2019 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Priorities listed in the Funding Opportunity.

Read the complete 2018/2019 Atlantic Sea Scallop Federal Funding Opportunity.

To apply for this NOAA Federal Funding Opportunity, go to Grants.gov, and use the following code: NOAA-NMFS-NEFSC-2018-2005322.

Complete proposals/applications must be received on or before 5 p.m. EDT on November 6, 2017.

For proposals submitted through Grants.gov, a date and time receipt will be the basis of determining timeliness. The proposal must be validated by Grants.gov in order to be considered timely. PLEASE NOTE: It may take Grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please keep this in mind in developing your submission timeline.

If you prefer to mail your application, please send one signed original and two hard copy applications postmarked by November 6, 2017 to Cheryl A. Corbett, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, ATTN: 2018/2019 Atlantic Scallop Research Set-Aside Program.

Find out more about Northeast Research Set-Aside Programs.

Questions? Contact Cheryl Corbett at 508-495-2070 or Cheryl.Corbett@noaa.gov.

Now Open: NOAA Marine Debris Prevention Grant Opportunity for 2018

September 11, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to announce our Marine Debris Prevention federal funding opportunity.

The Marine Debris Program offers funding that supports locally driven, community-based marine debris prevention and removal projects. These projects benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and wildlife including migratory fish.

This opportunity provides funding to support eligible organizations for activities to prevent the introduction of marine debris into the marine and coastal environment. Applicants requesting funding for projects to address a specific marine debris issue, and that will actively engage these groups in hands-on personal participation, are welcome to apply. Projects focused on efforts to prevent marine debris from entering the environment through targeted behavior change will be given priority.

To apply for marine debris prevention funding through this opportunity, applicants must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), via email, to grants.marinedebris@noaa.gov.

The deadline for LOI submission is September 28. After NOAA reviews all submitted LOIs, only those invited to submit a full proposal will be considered for funding.

Applicants will be notified by November 1 if they have been invited to submit a full proposal.

Questions? Contact marinedebris.web@noaa.gov.

Sturgeon habitat in focus

September 6, 2017 — ELLSWORTH, Maine — Federal fisheries managers have taken a significant step toward promoting the recovery of the nation’s depleted Atlantic sturgeon resource.

Last week, NOAA Fisheries designated a vast area along the Atlantic coastline as critical habitat for the Atlantic sturgeon. The critical habitat designation will require federal agencies to consult NOAA Fisheries if they operate or fund activities that may affect designated critical habitat in more than 3,968 miles of important coastal river habitat from Maine to Florida.

Atlantic sturgeon was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 2012.

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander

2017 Northeast Groundfish Operational Assessment Meeting Materials Available

September 1, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center is carrying out routine, regularly scheduled stock assessments for New England groundfish. The peer review will be September 11-15, and the NEFSC is sending the draft assessment reports and supporting information to the peer reviewers and making the information available to the public this Friday, September 1. At this stage the results are preliminary until they are vetted by the peer review panel.

You may now access the 2017 draft groundfish operational assessments and a range of additional materials through our data portal link here:

https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/groundfish/operational-assessments-2017.

For each species stock, we will also include models, model inputs, maps, figures, tables, and other background materials that will be used by peer reviewers. We hope this will help you prepare for the assessment meeting if you plan to attend and to better understand the draft assessment results, recognizing that the results are not final until confirmed by the peer review panel.  Please let us know your thoughts on how we can continue to improve access to information for future assessment meetings.

The 2017 peer review of 19 Northeast groundfish operational stock assessments will occur September 11-15 in Woods Hole, MA.  The meeting will also be available by webinar and teleconference.

Questions? Contact Teri Frady at 508-495-2239 or teri.frady@noaa.gov.

Commercial Harvest of Atlantic Group Cobia (Georgia to New York) Will Close in Federal Waters on September 5, 2017

August 31, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • Commercial harvest of Atlantic group cobia (Georgia to New York) will close in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2017.  Commercial harvest will reopen in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2018.

WHY IS THIS CLOSURE HAPPENING:

  • The 2017 commercial annual catch limit is 50,000 pounds round or gutted weight. NOAA Fisheries projects the 2017 cobia annual catch limit for the commercial sector has been reached based on reported landings to date and landings that are expected to be reported by dealers that do not have a federal dealer permit.
  • This closure is necessary to protect the Atlantic cobia resource by minimizing the amount that commercial landings exceed the commercial annual catch limit.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

  • The operator of a vessel that is landing cobia for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such cobia prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, September 5, 2017. The prohibition on sale and purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of cobia that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2017, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • The possession limit for recreational Atlantic migratory group cobia in federal waters is zero for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year.

NOAA Fisheries closed the recreational sector for Atlantic migratory group cobia in federal waters on January 24, 2017.