NOAA Fisheries Archives - Page 28 of 205

NOAA Veterans Corps Progress By The Numbers, 2021

November 11, 2021 — The NOAA Veterans Corps provides opportunities for military veterans to build their skills and work experience contributing to habitat and fisheries restoration projects.

Through strong partnerships, the months- to years-long paid training program for veterans includes marine and freshwater restoration for native fish and other natural resources. Veterans Corpsmembers’ experiences can also include:

Researching the effects of climate change on marine invertebrates
Tracking the status of habitat restoration projects and fish populations
Helping control invasive marine species

These efforts are helping a variety of threatened and endangered species recover, including:

Read the full story from NOAA Fisheries

Gulf Menhaden Population Continues to be Sustainably Harvested, According to Recent Scientific Stock Assessment

November 10, 2021 — The following was released by the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition:

The Gulf menhaden population has once again been confirmed to be sustainably harvested, based on the results of a recently approved stock assessment conducted by NOAA Fisheries biologists and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC). Managers at the GSMFC approved the final assessment at their annual meeting in late October.

The assessment, which is based on data from the Gulf menhaden fishery for 2018-2020, finds that Gulf menhaden are neither overfished, nor are they experiencing overfishing. This confirms the results of the last major Gulf menhaden assessment, released in 2019, which reached the same conclusions about the health of the species.

The assessment document went so far as to state that “In general, there is little risk of overfishing or of being overfished.” This statement truly drives home the point that this is a very healthy stock and responsible fishery.

“This latest assessment continues a long trend of positive information coming out about this fishery, which has long been healthy and sustainable,” said Ben Landry, Director of Public Affairs for Ocean Harvesters, which operates a fleet of menhaden fishing vessels.

“This positive assessment validates that the current Gulf menhaden fishing effort is at a level which is both responsible and sustainable,” said Francois Kuttel of Westbank Fishing.

In addition to its conclusions about the overall state of the Gulf menhaden stock, the assessment also finds several other positive indicators for the species. It found that menhaden abundance was particularly strong in 2018, and that fishing mortality is stable and well below historic highs. These indicators support the overall conclusion that overfishing is not an issue with Gulf menhaden.

Gulf menhaden has been internationally recognized as a sustainable fishery. Since 2019, the fishery has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the most prominent international seafood certification program. Much like this assessment, the MSC certification cited the long-term health of the menhaden population, as well as noting the limited environmental impact of the fishery.

UMaine research to bolster bluefin tuna industry

November 10, 2021 – A new study of western Atlantic bluefin tuna population data is expected to improve management practices and a valuable marketplace for fishermen from Maine to Texas.

Thousands of commercial and recreational fishermen capture the tuna, one of the strongest and fastest predators in the open ocean, off the East Coast each year.

The tuna is “among the most sought-after commercial fish in the world’s oceans,” University of Maine assistant professor Walt Golet said in a news release.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Golet, a research assistant professor with the School of Marine Sciences, more than $276,000 to lead a team of researchers who will collect and analyze updated the animal’s population data. The new data will help reduce uncertainties in assessment models that estimate the amount of fish in the fishery, which can help guide management practices and prevent overfishing, he said.

Golet was also awarded almost $300,000 from NOAA for a project to help bolster the industry. The research includes developing best practices for handling, particularly cleaning and chilling the fish, and outreach to improve consumer perceptions and markets.

Read the full story at Mainebiz

A court decision may help endangered orcas, but Alaskan fishermen are wary

November 8, 2021 — The southern resident killer whale population, three pods of orcas that ply the coastal waters between Monterey, California, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, has dwindled to only 73 members. Scientists believe this endangered species, which relies almost exclusively on Chinook — or king — salmon, which are also in steep decline, is basically starving its way to extinction.

This past September, however, the U.S. District Court in Seattle seemed to offer the marine mammals a lifeline when it issued a preliminary decision that might make more Chinook available to orcas. Responding to a lawsuit filed by the Wild Fish Conservancy, the court found that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the agency responsible for management of both fisheries and endangered marine species, had violated the Endangered Species Act when it determined that commercial harvest of Chinook off southeast Alaska would not jeopardize southern residents or endangered king salmon populations.

But while the court decision is expected to help orcas, it may be bad news for fishermen, as NMFS will likely need to rethink Chinook harvests.

Read the full story at FERN News

Directed Atlantic Herring Fishery Closure for Management Area 1A

November 8, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please note there has been a slight change to the notice below:

In order to prevent the waste of Atlantic herring, the closure time has changed from 6 PM to 9 PM today. Several vessels sent messages they had fish on-board when the closure notification was released and they would not make it back to port by 6 PM, thus, requiring them to dump fish without an extension.

NOAA Fisheries and the states of Maine and New Hampshire, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts project the Atlantic herring fishery will catch 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL by November 8, 2021. The Area 1A directed fishery will close effective 6:00 p.m. on November 8, 2021 and remain closed until further notice. Vessels that have entered port before 6:00 p.m. on November 8, 2021 may land and sell, from that trip, greater than 2,000 pounds of herring from Area 1A.

During a closure, vessels participating in other fisheries may retain and land an incidental catch of herring that does not exceed 2,000 pounds per trip or calendar day. In addition, directed herring vessels traveling through Area 1A must have all fishing gear stowed.

In accordance with the Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring, the fixed gear set-aside of 30 metric tons will continue to be available to fixed gear fishermen operating in Area 1A west of Cutler, Maine through December 31, 2021.

Please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0716 or efranke@asmfc.org for more information.

The closure announcement can also be found at http://www.asmfc.org/files/AtlHerring/AtlHerring1A_Closure_Nov2021.pdf

ASMFC Seeks Proposals for Regional Pilot Projects in Support of Sustainable Aquaculture – Proposals Due February 1, 2022

November 8, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission), in partnership with the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP), seeking marine aquaculture pilot projects focused on sustainable aquatic farming techniques and regional business practices to grow U.S. domestic seafood. The geographic scope of the proposed projects is the U.S. East Coast states from Maine to Florida. The primary location of the proposed projects must be in the marine/estuarine environment. Examples of the types of pilot projects being sought through the RFP follow:

• Research and development related to the production and distribution of shellfish seed stock.

• Finfish, shellfish (other than oyster*), and seaweed farming systems, especially for those species new to aquaculture in the region or that use novel production systems.

• Identification and development of Aquaculture Development Zones with pre-planning and pre-permitting for a range of aquaculture activities.

• Resolution of issues (e.g., enforcement, water quality, public trust concerns or impacts) related to open water finfish farming in state waters.

• Business incubators

• Regional market and economic impact studies

*Note: Proposals for oyster projects were already requested in a separate RFP (2019 Regional Oyster Aquaculture Research Consortia)

NOAA Fisheries, through the Commission, is planning on issuing approximately $600,000 for the funding period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Individual proposals should not exceed $200,000 or be less than $75,000. It is anticipated that approximately 3-5 projects will be funded. Eligible applicants include researchers at U.S. academic institutions, research laboratories, for-profit companies/firms, nonprofits, and state agencies. Proposals from foreign entities are not eligible. Proposals involving multiple investigators are welcome. U.S. federal government agencies, including Regional Fishery Management Councils, are not eligible to receive funding through this solicitation. Federal staff may be collaborators on proposed projects, as long as they are not compensated for their contribution to the project.

Applicants seeking to apply to the RFP must submit, as a single file, an electronic proposal by email no later than midnight on February 1, 2022. Please see the RFP for complete proposal details, qualifying requirements, and submission instructions. The RFP is available at.http://www.asmfc.org/files/RFPs/2022PilotAquacultureRFP_Nov2021.pdf.

For more information, please contact Pat Campfield and Lindsey Aubart at Aquaculture@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Alaska Aquaculture Permitting Portal and Guidance Document Now Available

November 8, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Navigating the aquaculture leasing and permitting process in Alaska is a barrier to development. To reduce this barrier to sustainable aquaculture growth, we have produced a new permitting portal and guidance document to aid prospective and established farmers.

These processing barriers were identified by both the Alaska Mariculture Task Force and the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Mariculture Workshop Summary Report.

The mariculture industry in Alaska has great economic potential, and the Governor’s Mariculture Task Force set a goal of growing it into a $100 million industry in 20 years. However, one hindrance included the complex leasing and permitting process. The Task Force noted that farmers are required to file multiple permits with at least four different state and federal agencies—sometimes more, depending on the project. This results in a confusing and time-consuming process.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Final 2022 Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Specifications

November 5, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is setting 2022 commercial harvest quotas for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs. The final quotas, which have remained unchanged since 2004, are:

• Atlantic surfclams: 3.4 million bushels

• Ocean quahogs: 5.36 million bushels

• Maine ocean quahogs: 100,000 Maine bushels

In addition, the Atlantic surfclam minimum size limit will be suspended for the 2022 fishing year, as it has been every year since 2005. There is currently no minimum size for ocean quahogs.

For more details, read the final rule as published in the Federal Register and the bulletin.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Laura Hansen, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9225

Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

NOAA requesting input on Biden administration’s “30 by 30” goals

November 4, 2021 — NOAA is asking the public for input on additional steps it should take regarding a Biden administration initiative to conserve 30 percent of the country’s lands and waters by 2030.

The U.S. agency that includes NOAA Fisheries announced via the Federal Register that it will accept written comments through 28 December on the government’s Federal eRulemaking Portal for the next two months. In addition, NOAA leaders will host two virtual public forums for individuals to comment. Those virtual events will take place on Monday, 8 November, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET and Tuesday, 16 November, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Registration and participation details are available at NOAA’s website.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

The South Atlantic Bite – Newsworthy Notes – November 3, 2021

November 4, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Proposed Changes to Atlantic King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel Management

There was good news for Atlantic migratory group King Mackerel as the most recent stock assessment update (SEDAR 38) shows the stock continues to not be overfished or undergoing overfishing. Atlantic group King Mackerel are managed in federal waters from the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line in Florida north to the New York/Connecticut/Rhode Island state line.

Based on the latest assessment update, annual catch limits, optimum yield, and allocations for Atlantic King Mackerel must be revised and these additional measures are being considered through Amendment 34 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan:

•Increase the daily Atlantic King Mackerel bag limit in federal waters off the east coast of Florida to 3 fish per person (currently 2 fish to match FL state regulations)

•Decrease the minimum size limit for Atlantic King Mackerel for both recreational and commercial sectors from 24-inches fork length to 22-inches fork length

•Modify the recreational requirement for Atlantic King and Spanish Mackerel to be landed with heads and fins in tact (options to allow retention of cut/damaged fish due to shark predation)

Public hearing documents, including a video presentation and an online public comment form are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

•Monday, November 15, 2021 at 6 PM

•Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 6 PM

Written comments are due by 5 p.m. on November 17th.

Reminder! Apply Now for Open Seats on the Council’s Advisory Panels and System Management Plan Workgroup

Applications due November 12th

The South Atlantic Council is currently seeking applicants for open seats on several of its advisory panels or to serve as a fishing representative on the System Management Plan (SMP) Workgroup. The SMP Workgroup addresses the needs of managed areas in federal waters in the South Atlantic. Advisory panel members provide recommendations for the Council’s consideration at the grassroots level. They provide advice on trends in fisheries, environmental concerns relative to fishery ecosystems, enforcement issues, and management impacts on fishermen and fishing communities.

See the news release for details, including a list of open seats. Application forms are available online and due by Friday, November 12, 2021 for consideration by the Council during its December meeting.

SAFMC Seminar Series

Red Porgy Distribution

The Council’s seminar series continues this month with a presentation scheduled for Tuesday, November 9th from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Red Porgy and changes in distribution of the stock. The presentation will be given by staff from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is part of an ongoing seminar series hosted by the Council, featuring scientific studies relevant to fisheries in federal waters of the South Atlantic.

The seminars are open to the public and a Q&A session will be held following the presentation. The presentations are for informational purposes only and no management actions will be taken. Registration is required.

New Review of the Atlantic Shark Fishery Includes Section on Depredation

Webinar for the Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE) scheduled for December 8, 2021.

Does this photo look familiar? Take note: NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division (HMS), the agency responsible for shark management in the U.S., recently released a draft of their Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE). While there are no proposed changes to current regulations or management measures associated with SHARE, the document does include a section on shark depredation. Concerns about shark depredation have continued to increase from fishermen along the Atlantic coast and members of the South Atlantic Council have provided letters to NOAA Fisheries outlining those concerns in the past.

NOAA Fisheries HMS Division has scheduled a webinar and conference on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. to review SHARE and allow public comment. “We encourage anyone affected or otherwise interested in the general management of the Atlantic shark fishery to review the draft document,” said Karyl Brewster-Geisz, HMS Coordinator with NOAA Fisheries.

Additional information, including webinar registration information, a copy of the draft document, and instructions for providing written comment is available from the NOAA Fisheries website. Written comments are being accepted until January 3, 2022. Questions? Contact Karyl Brewster-Geisz at (301) 427-8503.

Additional Snippets:

How Does Catching Fish Support Fisheries Science?

AFS Symposium offers unique opportunity for fishermen to tune in

Anglers play an important role in providing scientists and managers with valuable data about the state of our fisheries. As new forms of electronic reporting come online, providing high resolution data that could barely have been imagined just a few decades ago, anglers are becoming ever more important to fisheries research.

See how anglers are making a difference in fisheries across the U.S. and Canada by joining a symposium on Sunday, November 7, 2021 for a live-stream event highlighting projects ranging from Florida’s Trophy Catch program to how anglers have been contributing for over 20 years to the management of sturgeon on the Fraser River in British Columbia. The live-stream event is open to the public and anglers are encouraged to participate. Register now. The Symposium is part of the American Fisheries Society’s annual conference taking place in Baltimore, MD November 6-10, 2021. For more information about the symposium contact Sean Simmons at 250-613-7727 or email sean@anglersatlas.com.

Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful – NOAA Soliciting Public Comment

Public comment sessions scheduled for November 8th and 16th

President Biden has challenged Americans to join together in an inclusive and locally led effort to conserve at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030. On May 6, 2021, the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Commerce, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality released a preliminary report on Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful. Learn more about the report and NOAA’s efforts to gather public input on this initiative, including links to virtual listening sessions scheduled for Monday, November 8th from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and Tuesday, November 16th from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. https://www.noaa.gov/america-the-beautiful.

Heavy Lift Barge Departs Golden Ray Site After Yearlong Wreck Removal

For those of you following the saga of the 656-foot Golden Ray cargo vessel salvage, after more than two years of salvage work, the port community of Brunswick, Georgia has finally recovered its scenic seaside view! The giant heavy lift barge used as part of the salvage effort departed St. Simons Sound earlier this week, bringing its long tenure at the wreck site of the Golden Ray to an end. Read more from the Maritime Executive newsletter. See how GA DNR’s Coastal Resources Division used parts of the salvaged ship, including the propeller, to enhance artificial reefs off the coast of Georgia.

The Queen of Kings…King Mackerel That Is

Today, more and more women are becoming a part of the competitive landscape. The world of fishing is no exception. See how 65-year-old Brenda Cooper of Topsail Island, NC is breaking stereotypes as part of the Back-Lash Fishing Team in this recent article by Captain Tim Wilson with Saltwater Angler online.

Mark Your Calendar

Keep track of meetings scheduled by the Council from the website and register for meeting webinars as information becomes available. Register early and receive email reminders as the meeting date(s) approach!

November 9, 2021

SAFMC Seminar Series – Red Porgy Distribution
1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Webinar Registration

November 15 and 16, 2021 at 6 p.m.

King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel Public Scoping Meetings
(Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 34)
Monday, November 15 – Webinar Registration
Tuesday, November 16 – Webinar Registration

November 18-19, 2021

Outreach and Communications Advisory Panel Meeting
Webinar Registration

December 6-10, 2021

SAFMC Meeting
Beaufort Hotel
Beaufort, NC