Saving Seafood

Court OKs limits on Maine lobster fishing amid challenge

November 18, 2021 — The United States can impose seasonal limits on lobster fishing methods in part of the Gulf of Maine while the fate of the restriction is being challenged, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.

The Tuesday ruling reverses a lower court decision that paused the new rule, which restricts the use of lobster fishing lines in an effort to protect North Atlantic right whales from deadly entanglement in the gear.

Alfred Frawley, a lawyer for a lobstering union and lobster harvesters who sued the National Marine Fisheries Service over its regulation, said the plaintiffs are analyzing the ruling.

Maine’s lobster industry is the biggest in the country. Its lobster fishery caught about $400 million worth of the sought-after crustacean last year, state data shows.

Read the full story at Reuters

NOAA, groups back adding climate mandates to fishing law

November 18, 2021 — The following was released by the office of Rep. Jared Huffman:

NOAA’s top fisheries official yesterday endorsed a plan that would require the agency for the first time in its history to add climate change requirements to its management of the nation’s fish stocks.

“Fisheries management must continue to adapt as our ocean ecosystem faces unprecedented changes due to climate change,” Janet Coit, the head of NOAA Fisheries, told a House Natural Resources panel.

Testifying before the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, Coit said NOAA appreciates “the overarching climate focus” of a proposed overhaul of the nation’s primary fishing law, the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Coit weighed in as the subcommittee heard testimony on a bill, H.R. 4690, sponsored by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), that would reauthorize the law and require NOAA to create plans for “climate ready fisheries.”

If approved, it would mark the first time that climate change received a mention in the federal fishing law, which Congress last reauthorized in 2006.

Read the full release from the office of Rep. Jared Huffman

NOAA, NFWF grant $39.5 million for coastal resilience

November 18, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and NOAA today announced $39.5 million in new grants from the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) that will support coastal resilience projects in 28 states and U.S. territories. The 49 grants announced today will generate more than $58.3 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of nearly $97.8 million.

The NCRF increases and strengthens natural infrastructure to protect coastal communities while also enhancing habitats for fish and wildlife. Established in 2018, the NCRF invests in conservation projects that restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, forests, coastal rivers and floodplains, and barrier islands that minimize the impacts of storms and other naturally occurring events on nearby communities. A complete list of the 2021 grants is available here.

NCRF is a partnership between NFWF, NOAA, Shell Oil Company, TransRe, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), AT&T, and Occidental, with additional funding support from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). This year marks the first year of participation from Occidental. 

“NOAA is proud to support critical projects in coastal communities, helping them to adapt to coastal change and better prepare for climate-driven hazards,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “NOAA is committed to improving the resilience of our nation’s coastline to mitigate the effects of climate change, protecting people and improving the environment.” 

“The grants announced today will help communities from Maine to Hawaii strengthen coastal landscapes, adapt to a changing climate, sustain local wildlife and harness the benefits of natural habitats to increase community resilience to future storms and floods,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Grants awarded through the NCRF will help reduce flooding by increasing water retention capacity through restored floodplains, mangroves and wetlands. Restored beach dunes, barrier islands and oyster reefs will provide living barriers to storm surge and wave intensity, all while providing habitat for fish and wildlife.”

NFWF, in partnership with NOAA and joined initially by Shell and TransRe, launched the NCRF in 2018 to support on-the-ground projects that engage communities and reduce their vulnerability to growing risks from coastal storms, sea-level rise, flooding, erosion and extreme weather through strengthening natural ecosystems that also benefit fish and wildlife. 

“In the wake of Hurricane Ida, investments like these underscore the importance of using nature’s ecosystems to improve the resilience of our working coast,” said Colette Hirstius, Shell’s Senior Vice President, Gulf of Mexico. “By working together, we can best preserve and protect our environment in a way that supports our local communities, businesses, and the place that we call home.”

“Since 2018 we have seen the positive results that are possible, and we believe that practical projects will continue to do good for the environment and for the communities they touch,” said Ken Brandt, TransRe’s President and CEO. “NFWF have shown effective leadership in the projects they select, fund and support, and we continue to support their efforts, and all the efforts of the communities involved.”

Increasingly severe hurricanes and erosion put coastal communities at far higher risk of flooding, storm damage, compromised infrastructure and loss of life. Coastal ecosystems and natural features that have historically provided a defense against the impacts of coastal storms and flooding are being lost to coastal development and sea-level rise.

NCRF supports projects that restore or enhance natural infrastructure in ways that benefit both wildlife populations and coastal communities. By investing in these nature-based solutions to increasing environmental stressors, the NCRF seeks to increase the resilience of both human and wildlife communities to coastal flooding events.

“EPA is proud to support community-driven projects that strengthen resilience and climate adaptation strategies in the Gulf of Mexico region,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “With this funding, we will advance efforts to identify hazards and better protect Gulf communities—especially low income neighborhoods and communities of color that are often hurt first and worst by the climate crisis.” 

“The Department of Defense views climate as a real and existential national security threat and as such is developing new plans and strategies to combat the climate crisis and sustain military readiness” said Ron Tickle, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Real Property). “The recently released Climate Adaptation Plan, for example, lays out key activities and actions DoD will take to preserve operational capabilities and ensure the Military Services can operate under changing climate conditions. Through our partnership with NFWF and the NCRF, DoD advances multiple strategic priorities in the Plan, including enhancing adaptation and resilience through collaboration and creating resilient natural infrastructure. By promoting natural infrastructure solutions and leveraging our shared interests, DoD and NFWF will advance resilience projects at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey. Together, these projects will restore coastal habitats near the installations to protect our training lands, critical infrastructure, and neighboring communities from climate change impacts.”

While the NCRF prioritizes direct restoration projects to increase natural infrastructure function, the projects supported by the 49 grants announced today span activities from community engagement in planning and prioritization to building capacity for coastal engineering and design development to help communities understand their best options. The National Coastal Resilience Fund employs a ‘pipe-line’ approach to investments to meet communities where they are in the process of increasing their resilience and working with them through the implementation of high impact projects to meet their goals. 

“Network planning for extreme weather is critical for the millions of people who rely on the connectivity we provide,” said Shannon Carroll, director of global environmental sustainability at AT&T. “Contributing to the NCRF allows us to support resilience projects that will help protect our network, the communities we serve, and fish and wildlife habitats. This is important work, especially for underserved neighborhoods that are often most vulnerable to flooding and storms.”

A short video about the National Coastal Resilience Fund can be viewed here. 

Lobstermen’s group launches $10 million fundraising push to ‘save’ industry jobs

November 17, 2021 — The Maine Lobstermen’s Association announced a three-year, $10 million fundraising campaign Tuesday to raise money for the fishery’s fight against impending regulations that industry members say could “eliminate the fishery and end Maine’s lobstering tradition.”

It named the fundraising campaign “Save Maine Lobstermen” and created a website at savemainelobstermen.org.

Earlier this year, the National Marine Fisheries Service released a 10-year plan, known as a biological opinion, to help protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale from deadly entanglements in fishing gear.

The first phase of the plan, released in August, adds requirements that include state-specific gear marking, weak points in rope to allow entangled whales to break free, and a 967-square-mile seasonal closure off the coast of Maine to reduce risks to whales by 60 percent this year and 98 percent over 10 years.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Preserving Genetic Diversity Gives Wild Populations Their Best Chance at Long-Term Survival

November 16, 2021 — A new paper shows that genetic variation is crucial to a population’s short- and long-term viability. The paper, by a NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center researcher, examined decades of theoretical and empirical evidence. It was published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.

Genomics Revolution

The genomics revolution has made it possible to quickly and cheaply sequence entire genomes. These rapidly advancing technologies have expanded our understanding of wild populations like salmon and their interactions with the environment.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

 

NOAA analyses to inform aquaculture siting in the Gulf of Mexico and Southern California

November 16, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA released two Atlases compiling the best available science to inform the identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in the Gulf of Mexico and Southern California. NOAA previously identified these regions for their potential to host sustainable commercial aquaculture development in the United States. Areas in the Atlases will have characteristics expected to support multiple types of aquaculture industries including finfish, shellfish, seaweed, or some combination.

“The aquaculture Atlases apply the latest ocean data and information to advance sustainable business development,” said Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce. “This will help us continue to sustainably support the blue economy, which provides clear benefits for our country, our economy, and the planet.”

“These are the most advanced spatial analyses ever performed for any U.S. ocean regions,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, Assistant Administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “The Atlases are powerful scientific tools that will help advance food security for all Americans and improve sustainable food production, which is critical for the economic and environmental resilience of our coastal communities.”

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science developed each Atlas using more than 200 data layers accounting for key environmental, economic, social, and cultural considerations, including fishing interests and marine protected areas. The studies identified nine areas in the Gulf of Mexico and 10 areas in the Southern California Bight that may be suitable for aquaculture, while also reducing conflicts with other ocean uses. 

While informed by the Atlases and other relevant information, the decision to identify an AOA will only be made after completion of the National Environmental Policy Act Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which will assess the impacts of siting aquaculture facilities in different potential locations. Proposed aquaculture development must go through the appropriate permitting process. Though the information delivered in these Atlases is tailored to inform the AOA selection process, the method used to conduct these analyses could also benefit other ocean planning and coastal management. 

“Aquaculture Opportunity Areas will foster development of U.S. aquaculture as a needed complement to our wild capture fisheries resources,” said Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Using a combination of scientific analysis, aquaculture opportunity Atlases, and public engagement, NOAA is identifying defined geographic areas that are environmentally, socially, and economically appropriate for commercial aquaculture.” 

NOAA will continue to work with Regional Fishery Management Councils, Marine Fisheries Commissions, states, tribes, and other stakeholders to identify areas to be considered in further depth for sustainable aquaculture. Public input is vital to shaping an open and transparent AOA process.

Lawsuit over whale protections off Maine’s coast to proceed

November 15, 2021 — A federal judge has declined to throw out a lawsuit against the federal government seeking tougher rules to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from collisions with ships.

The lawsuit, filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation and other environmental groups in 2012, seeks to force the National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) to take aggressive steps to protect the right whale population by setting a speed limit for vessels to prevent collisions.

The groups filed a new petition to the court last year accusing the federal agency of dragging its feet on responding to their request for new whale protection rules.

The Biden administration had asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, but U.S. District Court judge Amit Mehta ruled on Wednesday that the federal agency “cannot ignore its obligation to fully and properly consider a petition for rulemaking.”

Read the full story at The Center Square

Seabirds, Fishing Vessels Supplied Data to Support Ocean Research During Pandemic

November 15, 2021 — The COVID-19 pandemic curtailed daily life for millions and idled much of NOAA Fisheries’ marine research. Scientists turned to unusual collaborators: seabirds in the isolated Farallon Islands off the California Coast near San Francisco.

With most NOAA ships at the dock, the researchers realized that their nearly 40-year time series of conditions off the California Coast was in jeopardy. However, they also realized that long-term surveys of seabird diets could help validate what little other data they had. The birds sampled the same anchovy, rockfish, and other forage fish populations that research vessels do in normal times. Crews from longtime NOAA collaborator Point Blue Conservation Science have logged what fish the birds were catching as they returned to the islands to feed their chicks.

Leveraging Help From Fishermen

Scientists at NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center realized as the pandemic set in during early 2020 that their offshore surveys faced long odds. They contracted a commercial fishing vessel and trained fishermen on how to use their specialized research net and sample the catch. The fishermen then delivered those samples to the survey team. They analyzed the catch in open lab spaces wearing masks and other protective gear as required for social distancing during the pandemic. That turned out to be one of very few fisheries surveys on the West Coast in 2020.

Between pandemic limits and harsh weather, however, the vessel collected only about 25 percent of the data that researchers would typically get from such surveys. They also needed other data to help fill out and confirm the rest of the picture.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

Alaskan Fishermen Sue NMFS, Department of Commerce Over Cook Inlet Salmon Fishery Closure

November 15, 2021 — A trio of Alaskan fishermen has sued the National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS)’s Assistant Administrator Janet Coit and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo for a recently announced rule change that will close commercial salmon fishing in the federal waters of Cook Inlet, as SeafoodNews covered on November 4.

The fishermen, Wes Humbyrd, Robert Wolfe and Dan Anderson, argue that the rule, which implemented Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska (Salmon FMP), was unconstitutional.

“This casually destructive rule must be vacated, however, because it violates the Constitution’s Appointments Clause and Take Care Clause. These “essential” structural provisions of the Constitution are accountability-preserving mechanisms,” the complaint from the fishermen wrote. “Their basic function is to ensure presidential control over the agents who exercise executive power on his behalf.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Researchers look at direct seafood sales

November 15, 2021 — A team of researchers is looking to learn about the direct seafood market across the country in order to strengthen local food systems and coastal communities.

“Currently, there is a gap in national-level data on the domestic seafood system,” said Joshua Stoll, a marine policy professor at the University of Maine and one of the lead investigators for the project.

The collaboration between the school, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will help better understand how fishermen in the U.S. market their catch.

The agriculture sector has collected this kind of data for decades but the scale of the direct market, where fish is sold from fishermen directly to customers, isn’t clear.

Read the full story at the Ellsworth American