Saving Seafood

Explore Essential Fish Habitats with our Updated Interactive Mapper

July 23, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We’re excited to launch an updated version of the Essential Fish Habitat Mapper with improved layout, navigation, and functionality. EFH is the habitat managed species need to complete their life cycles and it serves a foundational role in sustainably harvested U.S. seafood. The EFH Mapper is an interactive tool for viewing important habitats for managed fish species.

Users of the tool can discover where managed fish species spawn, grow, or live in a chosen location on the map. They can also generate a report with supporting documentation. They can access maps of EFH areas protected from fishing and habitat areas of particular concern; fishery management plans; and embedded NOAA nautical charts. They can also download GIS data.

The redesigned tool includes the following improvements and new features:

  • Simplified layout and menu options for easier navigation
  • Added ability to look at all data within a specific region, find locations by address or latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and control data layer visibility
  • Customized data filtering tool for the region of interest
  • Increased context and information provided in pop-up windows
  • Improved response time for accessing species information and generating reports of supporting materials

Read the full release here

Large vessels failing to obey speed limits to protect endangered whales, report finds

July 22, 2021 — Nearly 90 percent of large vessels traveling in some conservation areas along the East Coast violated mandatory speed limits established to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales, according to a new report.

The findings raised questions about the need for stricter enforcement of federal rules to protect right whales, whose numbers have fallen by about 25 percent over the past decade to roughly 360. Vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear have been the primary cause of death and serious injuries.

“Vessels are speeding, North Atlantic right whales are dying, and there’s not enough accountability,” said Whitney Webber, a campaign director at Oceana, an advocacy group, which released the report on Wednesday. “Oceana’s analysis shows that speeding vessels are rampant throughout North Atlantic right whales’ migration route, all along the East Coast, and in both mandatory and voluntary speed zones.”

Between 2017 and 2020, the report found that nearly 90 percent of vessels 65 feet or larger failed to reduce their speeds to 10 knots or less in the required speed zones along the coast from Wilmington, N.C., to Brunswick, Ga., near the whales’ calving grounds. Nearly 80 percent of the vessels also failed to comply with speed limits along the coasts of New York and New Jersey, while more than half of large vessels failed to comply near the entrance of Delaware Bay.

Read the full story at The Boston Globe

California Current Fish Surveys Resume with 3-Month Assessment of Sardine, Anchovy, and Mackerel

July 22, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has begun an ambitious assessment of small pelagic fish reaching from the Canadian border to the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, in cooperation with Mexico, which will help determine how many fish can be caught off the West Coast.

The COVID-19 pandemic had idled surveys for sardine, anchovy, and other species of small coastal pelagic species (CPS) off the West Coast since 2019. Small pelagic species are important ecologically and provide food for larger fish, such as tunas. The new assessment resumes regular CPS  surveys by collecting data from NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, commercial fishing vessels equipped with acoustic technology, and autonomous Saildrones.

The Lasker left San Diego on July 6, becoming the centerpiece of the 3-month survey. It will cover thousands of miles in U.S., and Mexican waters. NOAA Fisheries scientists are coordinating efforts with federal fisheries agencies in Mexico and Canada, providing a science foundation for future decisions on fishing levels and seasons.

“Organizing and coordinating this survey was a tremendous feat of collaboration,” said Kristen Koch, Director of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, which is leading the survey. “Collecting data across all three countries will provide a valuable foundation for management of these important transboundary species.”

The Lasker will survey coastal pelagic fish along transects in the California Current, quantifying the fish with echosounders. These instruments include an advanced new model that can for the first time also measure the velocities of fish as they swim relative to the ship. The measurements will help to understand whether and how fish respond to survey vessels and if those reactions affect the quality of data on the numbers and distributions of fish.

Read the full release here

Northeast US fisheries observer waiver fully ends

July 22, 2021 — An ongoing waiver of observer coverage for vessels in the U.S. Northeast has been terminated as COVID-19-related restrictions abate.

NOAA Fisheries initially released the observer waiver in June for vessels if an observer or monitor that is either fully vaccinated or has quarantined for the requisite amount of time is available. That waiver was put into place in March 2020 as COVID-19 became an increasing concern.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Lawsuit seeking to stop Vineyard Wind claims NOAA Fisheries opinion was faulty

July 22, 2021 — The Vineyard Wind project, an 800-megawatt offshore wind energy installation slated to be built off the coast of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is now facing a federal lawsuit.

The suit is challenging the permit for the Vineyard Wind offshore energy. It was filed by a solar energy generation company, but the potential impact on the commercial fishing industry is a cornerstone of the suit’s argument against the project.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Notice to Fishermen: 2021 Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Cost Recovery Tag Fees

July 22, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are announcing the 2021 cost recovery per-tag fees for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog individual transferable quota (ITQ) program.

2021 Cost Recovery Cage Tag Fees

Atlantic Surfclam: $0.88 per tag
Ocean Quahog: $0.70 per tag

The fee for each cage tag is calculated based on the number of ITQ cage tags that were used to land surfclams or ocean quahogs during the 2020 fishing year, and the costs associated with operating the program in 2020.  The fees are then multiplied by the number of tags used during the 2021 fishing year to determine the final bill amount. These cost recovery fees are separate from, and in addition to, the price ITQ permit holders currently pay to the tag vendor to obtain cage tags each year.

In early 2022, we will issue bills to quota shareholders based on these tag fees and the number of their 2021 cage tags that were used to land surfclams or ocean quahogs. The initial quota shareholder who first received the allocation of cage tags is responsible for the fee even if the tag is leased, sold, or otherwise used by someone else.

For more information read our bulletin.

Read the full release here

Low-Fat Diet Possible Culprit in Poor Survival of Young Pollock Born 2013

July 21, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

In summer 2013,  the number of juvenile Alaska pollock in the Gulf of Alaska was the largest on record by far. A year later, those fish were mostly gone.

A new NOAA Fisheries study explores what happened to the pollock born in 2013,  focusing on the interaction between juvenile fish and their prey. Results suggest that a diet high in low-fat food may have kept fish from gaining the weight they needed to survive over winter.

“Our results point to poor diet as a contributing factor,” said NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center biologist Jesse Lamb, who led the study with colleague David Kimmel. “But there is probably not just one answer. Cannibalism and wind-driven transport to inferior habitat likely also played a role. With that combination, the 2013 year class had the deck stacked against them.”

Read the full release here

2021 Species Recovery Grant Awardees Announced

July 21, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries just announced $6.3 million in funding for 9 new projects and the continuation of 19 multi-year projects under the 2021 Species Recovery Grant Program. From these funds:

  • $1.3M will support 9 new awards to 5 states (Alaska, Maine, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington), 2 territories (Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) and 1 federally recognized tribe (Penobscot Indian Nation).
  • $5M will support the continuation of 19 multi-year projects that were approved in prior grant cycles.

The Species Recovery Grants Program is a long-standing, successful grant program that supports high-priority recovery actions for listed species. The funding provided this year will support our state and tribal partners in a range of activities, such as removing barriers to spawning  and rearing habitat, assessing and monitoring species presence and status, and collecting genetic information to improve understanding of population distribution, habitat use, vital rates, and impacts of anthropogenic threats, developing new aging techniques for use in population models, engaging stakeholders in conservation of ESA-listed species, and evaluating the effectiveness of regulations to inform adaptive management of these threatened and endangered species.

We identified projects that would benefit the species identified in our “Species in the Spotlight” initiative as a priority in our funding decisions. Four “Species in the Spotlight” – Cook Inlet beluga whale distinct population segment (DPS), southern resident killer whales, white abalone, and Atlantic salmon Gulf of Maine DPS – will be addressed through new and ongoing projects supported this year.

Read the full release here

Newly Funded Awards in the Greater Atlantic Region

  • State of Maine Department of Marine Resources: Walton’s Mill Dam Removal Project
  • Penobscot Indian Nation: Atlantic Salmon Management and Outreach Project
  • Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources: Sustaining Sea Turtle Stranding Response in Virginia

To learn more about these and all awardees read our web story.

Read the full release here

Final Rule to Implement Modifications to Fishing Access in Eastern Gulf of Mexico Marine Protected Areas

July 21, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Message:

  • NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule that will prohibit fishing in the Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps Marine Protected Areas throughout the year, and prohibit the possession of Gulf of Mexico reef fish, with no exception for vessels in transit unless the vessel has an operating vessel monitoring system, a valid federal commercial Gulf of Mexico reef fish permit, and fishing gear appropriately stowed.
  • These prohibitions do not apply to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.

When Will the Rule Take Effect:

  • Regulations will be effective August 20, 2021.

What This Means:

  • The rule would prohibit all fishing, except for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species, year-round in the Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps Marine Protected Areas.
  • The rule would prohibit the possession of Gulf of Mexico reef fish in these areas unless a vessel has a valid Federal commercial permit for Gulf of Mexico reef fish, which requires an operating satellite-based vessel monitoring system, and is in transit with fishing gear that are appropriately stowed.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: 86 FR 38418, published July 21, 2021.

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

Where can I find more information on the rule?

  • Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

            By Mail: Rich Malinowski

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505

By FAX: (727) 824-5308

By Phone: (727) 824-5305

NOAA Fisheries Announces Final Rule for the 2021-2023 Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Specifications

July 21, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is finalizing the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish quotas for the 2021-2023 fishing year and reaffirms 2021 chub mackerel specifications as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

This action:

  • Maintains the 2020 specifications through 2022 for Atlantic mackerel (19,184 mt acceptable biological catch (ABC)), through 2021 for Illex squid (30,000 mt ABC), and through 2023 for longfin squid (23,400 mt ABC).
  • Reduces the butterfish allowable catch by 72 percent, from the current 22,752 mt to 6,350 mt in for the remainder of 2021. Given recent catch trends, this reduction is not expected to negatively impact the commercial fishing industry.
  • Maintains the 3,884 mt butterfish catch cap in the longfin squid fishery.
  • Implements 48-hour Illex reporting after July 15 for commercial dealers for the remainder of the fishing year. Tthe current requirement is weekly reporting.
  • Increases the Illex squid ABC from the 30,000 mt ABC in the proposed rule to 33,000 mt in the final rule.
  • Changes the Illex closure threshold to 94 percent from 95 percent.
  • Reaffirms the previously approved 2021 through 2022 chub mackerel specifications.

For more information, read the final rule as filed today in the Federal Register and our bulletin.

Read the full release here