Saving Seafood

Notice of Alaska Observer Requirements for the Partial Coverage Fleet Effective September 1, 2021

August 31, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Observers are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation. In response to widely available vaccines, increased transportation availability, and the removal of health and travel mandates in most communities, NOAA Fisheries has identified that most ports in Alaska have current travel and lodging conditions that allow observers to meet and maintain applicable health and travel advisories for deployment into the commercial fisheries.

NOAA fisheries will be expanding the deployment of observers to all ports throughout Alaska on September 1, 2021 to meet monitoring objectives for vessels in the Partial Coverage Category of the North Pacific groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries. This change is consistent with the June 29, 2021 updated NOAA Fisheries observer waiver policy which states that vessels are no longer eligible for release from observer coverage under the Emergency Rule if a fully vaccinated or quarantined/shelter-in-place observer is available.

To the extent possible, NOAA Fisheries will deploy observers to achieve coverage levels identified in the 2021 Annual Deployment Plan for the remainder of the year, which are designed to meet the monitoring objectives established by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries.

Consistent with existing regulatory authority at 50 CFR 679.51(a)(1), NOAA fisheries may release trips from observer coverage on a case-by-case basis for vessels in the Partial Coverage Category.  NOAA will use this authority when no observers are available for deployment.  We will continue to work with the contracted observer service provider, AIS, Inc., to implement adjustments to the logistics of deploying observers, ensuring that qualified observers are available as soon as safely possible.

NOAA Fisheries may modify the list of ports with available observers in the future in response to transportation availability and/or changes in health and travel advisories.  Any revisions to the deployment of observers due to changes in health and travel advisories will be published through an Alaska Region Information Bulletin.

NOAA Fisheries is committed to protecting the public’s health and ensuring the safety of fishermen, observers, and the communities in which they work, while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life.  We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates.

NOAA asks for help locating stranded sea turtles

August 30, 2021 — Federal ocean managers are asking beachgoers in New England and elsewhere to keep an eye out for stranded turtles.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office said several species of sea turtle will still be in the area for a few months. Healthy sea turtles normally should not be out of the water in the region, the office said.

The office asked anyone who sees a turtle on the beach to report it. Species that could be spotted include loggerhead, leatherback, green and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, the office said.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Stakeholder Engagement Meeting for American Plaice Stock Assessment

August 30, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Improving Assessments for American Plaice

The American Plaice Working Group will be hosting a stakeholder engagement meeting in Gloucester, MA, on Friday, September 24th, from 10 AM – 1 PM.  You can also participate through Webex. This meeting link will be sent to your email upon registration.

The meeting will begin with a presentation on the American plaice Research Track Assessment process with a focus on fishery data, survey data, and a review of previous stock assessments. An open discussion will follow with time for questions and comments on the fishery and survey data, research track process including methods and timeline, or any other input or questions. The working group is specifically interested in getting on the water experience from stakeholders.

If you would like to register for the stakeholder meeting (either virtual or in-person) please RSVP here no later than Thursday, September 23rd.

Fisheries Stock Assessments Research Track

Right Whale Use of Southern New England Wind Energy Areas Increasing

August 27, 2021 — Southern New England habitat is important to the North Atlantic right whale. With offshore wind energy development planned in the region, working with stakeholders to minimize potential impacts on right whales and other protected species is crucial.

Right whales are increasing their use of southern New England waters, including regions slated for offshore wind energy development, according to aerial survey data collected during the last decade. Offshore wind energy installations are proposed in waters off the south coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Understanding and minimizing the potential impacts from construction noise, increased vessel traffic, and habitat alteration will be crucial to protecting and conserving this endangered species. This research supports the Administration’s goal of deploying offshore wind while protecting biodiversity and promoting ocean co-use.

The study was published July 29 in Endangered Species Research. Marine mammal researchers from NOAA Fisheries and colleagues at the New England Aquarium and the Center for Coastal Studies examined aerial survey data collected between 2011–2015 and 2017–2019. The data was collected in offshore waters including the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Wind Energy Area. The data from these two time periods were used to quantify right whale distribution, residency, demographics, and movements in the region.

“We found that right whale use of the region increased during the last decade, and since 2017 whales have been sighted there nearly every month, with large aggregations occurring during the winter and spring,” said Tim Cole, lead of the whale aerial survey team at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and a co-author of the study.

Read the full story at Eco Magazine

NOAA Fisheries Names Kim Damon-Randall to Lead the Office of Protected Resources

August 27, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced Ms. Kim Damon-Randall as the director of the Office of Protected Resources. She will assume her new duties on August 29. Ms. Damon-Randall began her career with NOAA in 2001, serving in a series of positions at the Greater Atlantic Regional Office. Her roles have included heading the Endangered Species Branch and Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources. Most recently, she has served as GARFO’s Deputy Regional Administrator. She succeeds Ms. Donna Wieting who retired in March.

“Kim is a great choice for this position,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. “She has the right skills and experience to drive us forward in the conservation, recovery, and management of protected marine species, one of our core mission areas at NOAA Fisheries.”

In her new role, Ms. Damon-Randall will head the agency’s Office of Protected Resources, which focuses on:

  • Endangered Species Conservation and Recovery—Responsible for the conservation, protection, and recovery of more than 150 endangered and threatened marine species under the Endangered Species Act
  • Marine Mammal Conservation and Management—Responsible for the conservation, management, and protection of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act
  • Sea Turtle Conservation and Management—Leads the conservation and recovery of sea turtles in the marine environment for NOAA
  • Marine Life Health and Stranding Response—Responsible for coordinating networks of professional, authorized individuals and organizations to respond to reports of sick, injured, entangled, or dead marine animals
  • Permitting and Authorizations—Issues permits and authorizations for important activities that are compliant with the ESA and the MMPA
  • Consultations with Federal Agencies under the ESA—Conducts federal agency consultations on activities that may affect endangered and threatened species or their habitats are required under section 7 of the ESA
  • Funding and Grant Support—Manages several grant programs that fund projects that assist us with the agency’s mission, including Species Recovery Grants (to states and tribes) and the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program

Ms. Damon-Randall has extensive experience in the conservation, recovery, and management of protected species. She has worked on issues ranging from responding to petitions to list species under the Endangered Species Act to designating critical habitat. She has coordinated focused outreach efforts to raise awareness about threats to endangered species through initiatives such as the International Year of the Salmon and Species in the Spotlight campaigns.

“Kim has already helped us grapple with some of the most difficult species recovery issues the agency faces on a regional level, including North Atlantic right whale and Atlantic salmon. That experience will serve her well in her new job,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, Sam Rauch.

In her previous roles at the agency, she has managed budgets and worked to streamline the agency’s response to consultations under the Endangered Species Act. She is the Federal Commissioner and Head of the United States Delegation to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization. She is currently serving as the organization’s vice president.

“Serving as the Director of the Office of Protected Resources is my dream job. Protected species conservation and recovery has always been near and dear to my heart, and I am very much looking forward to working with the incredibly dedicated and talented staff in the office on the important issues and challenges facing species in the United States,” said Damon-Randall.

Before joining the agency in 2001, Ms. Damon-Randall worked on marine conservation and outreach at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs, both from the University of Rhode Island.

Ms. Damon-Randall is originally from Deep River, Connecticut. As a child, she used to visit the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, on a regular basis. She actually met her idol—the Shark Lady herself, Dr. Eugenie Clark—when she did a presentation on sharks at the Aquarium. Kim is married and has two children: her son is a U.S. Marine and her daughter is a freshman at Suffolk University in Boston.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Illex Squid Directed Fishery Closure

August 26, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Effective August 30

NOAA Fisheries is closing the directed Illex fishery in federal waters through the end of the fishing year, December 31, 2021.

Effective at 0001 hour on August 30, 2021, vessels are prohibited from fishing for or landing more than 10,000 lb of Illex squid per trip in or from federal waters through December 31, 2021. Vessels may not land Illex squid more than once per calendar day.

Landings information analyzed by NOAA Fisheries projects the Illex squid fishery will meet 94 percent of the annual quota for the 2021 fishing year on August 30,2021.

If you have started a trip prior to August 30, 2021, you may offload and sell more than 10,000 lb of Illex squid from that trip, as long as the vessel entered port before 0001 hr on August 30, 2021.

For more information, please read the notice as filed in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.

Read the full release here

Six Ways Fishermen Keep Shark Fishing Sustainable

August 26, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

U.S. shark fisheries are among the most sustainably managed commercial and recreational fisheries in the world. Here are six things fishermen do to help help us maintain a sustainable shark fishery:

1. Have the Proper Permits

Fishermen need a federal fishing permit to fish for sharks. These permits, issued by NOAA Fisheries, help us communicate and enforce regulations and monitor how many sharks are caught.

2. Follow Bag and Size Limits

Commercial fishermen follow annual catch limits, gear restrictions, closed areas, and retention limits when fishing for sharks. The recreational shark fishery also has bag and size limits. These limits maintain the sustainability of the shark fishery by controlling the harvest. Minimum size limits protect many juvenile sharks from harvest and ensure they have the opportunity to mature and reproduce.

3. Use Circle Hooks

Fishermen use circle hooks when using their rod and reel or longline fishing gear to catch sharks. Circle hooks increase the chance of hooking a shark in the jaw instead of the gut. This reduces injury to the shark’s internal organs and increases their chance of survival when released. A shark that is hooked in the jaw is easier and safer to dehook. The only exception to using circle hooks is when recreational anglers are fishing with artificial lures or flies.

4. Fins Attached

Fishermen land sharks with their fins still attached. This prevents the cruel and wasteful practice of finning, which has been banned in the United States since 2000. Only sharks landed under the strict and sustainable commercial restrictions mentioned above may have their fins removed and sold after landing.

5. Identify Shark Species 

Commercial fishermen that use longline or gillnet gear are required to attend Handling and Release workshops where they learn which species they can keep and how to release those that are prohibited (including learning about the best ways to release sea turtles and marine mammals). Recreational fishermen are also trained in Catch and Release Best Practices so they know how to handle and safely release sharks. There are more than 20 prohibited shark species in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. If a fisherman accidentally hooks a prohibited species, they release them in a manner that enhances survival. Both commercial and recreational fishermen use shark identification guides to help identify which sharks they are catching

6. Report Catch

Fishermen report their catch through various programs, including:

Commercial landings are also reported through dealer reports.

Collecting information on catch and landings helps assure the sustainability of the shark fishery. The data from these programs are essential to support stock assessments that determine how much harvest a fishery can support and whether current harvest levels are within sustainable limits.

Slow Zone Extended South of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

August 26, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces an extension to a voluntary right whale Slow Zone South of Nantucket. On August 25, 2021, the New England Aquarium aerial survey team sighted the presence of right whales south of Nantucket, MA. The Slow Zone is extended immediately through September 9, 2021. Reminder there is another Slow Zone in effect Southeast of Nantucket through August 31. Please visit www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike for coordinates of all current Slow Zones.

Extension of VOLUNTARY Right whale “SLOW Zone”  

Mariners are requested to continue to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the following areas where persistent aggregations of right whales have been detected.

Slow Zone Coordinates

South of Nantucket Island, MA (EXTENSION)

41 24 N

40 40 N

069 32 W

070 30 W

Southeast of Nantucket Island, MA

41 05 N

40 26 N

069 11 W

070 04 W

Read the full release here

Analysis of New West Coast Swordfish Fishery Weighs Benefits of Increased Domestic Catch

August 25, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is proposing to approve a new means of catching West Coast swordfish that could increase the domestic supply of the species often featured in upscale restaurants.

The fishery is based on their unique behavior. Swordfish are one of the few fish that spends long periods at great depths in the ocean. Increased swordfish landings would also help offset imports that now make up about 84 percent of the swordfish supply on the West Coast. They are often imported from countries with less protection for sea turtles and marine mammals.

NOAA Fisheries is evaluating the proposal to authorize fishing for swordfish in federal waters using deep-set buoy gear. This gear lowers baited hooks hundreds of feet beneath the surface, where they catch swordfish and little else. The selective gear poses little risk to protected species such as whales and sea turtles, which are not usually found at such depths.

The West Coast swordfish fishery has long relied on drift gillnets that, in their earlier years, entangled protected species. The drift gillnet fleet has since dramatically reduced its impact on marine mammals and turtles to meet strict U.S. environmental standards. However, restrictions on where and when they can fish has reduced the drift gillnet fishery from more than 100 vessels to fewer than 20 participating vessels.

Read the full release here

John “Jack” Casey: Internationally Recognized Shark Researcher, Mentor, and Narragansett Lab Co-Founder

August 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

John “Jack” Casey was born and raised in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. Two days out of high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 4 years on the destroyer escort USS Raymond. Following his military service, he returned to Turners Falls and worked at a paper mill for about 18 months. Seeking more on his horizon, Casey returned to school. He spent 2 years at the University of New Hampshire and 2 years at the University of Massachusetts, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife management in 1960.

That same year, Casey started working at the U.S. Fish and  Wildlife Service’s Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife laboratory at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. He began to study sharks of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean in 1961, when sharks were unstudied and misinformation abounded.

Realizing just how much information could be obtained by working with sport and commercial fishermen, Casey initiated the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program in 1962 with less than 100 volunteer fishermen who were eager to help science. Since then, thousands of fishermen have stepped up to join forces with NOAA Fisheries to tag sharks all over the Atlantic.

Fishermen participating in the program have tagged more than 300,000 sharks and recaptured more than 18,000 of many different species. Data gathered through the program are a font of information on the distribution, movements, and migration of more than 30 shark species. The program has resulted in numerous publications, and served as the basis for undergraduate honors projects, master’s degree theses, and Ph.D. dissertations. Most well-known, however, are the two “shark atlas” publications showing the first detailed distributions and movements of tagged Atlantic sharks.

In 1970, NOAA was created by executive order. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bureau of Commercial Fisheries and the saltwater labs of its Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife were combined and moved to NOAA to form the National Marine Fisheries Service, now informally known as NOAA Fisheries. Casey was instrumental in setting up the new NOAA marine fisheries laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The Apex Predators Program he founded moved from the Sandy Hook Laboratory (which was by then also part of NOAA’s new fisheries service) to the Narragansett Laboratory. It remains there to this day.

Casey founded the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program and changed the course of knowledge on Atlantic shark movements and distribution. That alone is enough to make him a NOAA Fisheries science superhero. But Casey simultaneously started a life history program on sharks encompassing age and growth, reproduction, and food habits. His team produced groundbreaking science on all aspects of shark biology. Collaborations between Casey’s team, its successors, and experts at other institutions have led to widespread use of program data. They have exponentially increased our knowledge of sharks in the Atlantic. These lines of research continue to provide direct support for maintaining sustainability of these species.

Jack Casey is recognized nationally and internationally among his peers. He has been an invited speaker at scientific meetings around the world. He has appeared on several sportfishing shows, and authored or co-authored numerous scientific and popular articles. He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Department of Commerce bronze medal and the bronze medal awarded by the Morski Institute (Poland’s national marine fisheries service). He was also named a distinguished fellow by the American Elasmobranch Society. Through his outreach and public education work, he helped turn the public perception of sharks from “the only good shark is a dead shark” to the conservation-oriented value placed on sharks today.

As a pioneer in shark research, Jack Casey‘s influence is global and has proliferated through generations of students he has mentored and who have chosen careers in shark research. His contribution to shark science has been aided by his fighting spirit and determination. His excitement for sharks and his charismatic personality helped him forge a diverse group of volunteers into a team of collaborators dedicated to furthering shark research.