Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Awards $2.2M to Support Bycatch Reduction Projects

September 9, 2021 —NOAA Fisheries has awarded approximately $2.2 million in grants to support 12 projects under our Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program. Out of the 12 awarded projects, 5 were awarded to the Greater Atlantic Region totaling $1.07 million. Bycatch reduction is a top priority for NOAA Fisheries, as outlined in our National Bycatch Reduction Strategy because bycatch can contribute to overfishing, can threaten endangered and threatened species and protected marine mammals, and can close fisheries, significantly impacting U.S. economic growth. This year’s projects focus on several priority bycatch issues related to a variety of species, including whales, turtles, sharks, sturgeon, and halibut.

Projects in the Greater Atlantic Region will focus on developing gears to reduce interactions between whales and turtles in vertical buoy lines, reducing the capture of Atlantic sturgeon in large mesh gillnets, and increasing our knowledge of porbeagle bycatch in the groundfish bottom trawl fishery.   

NOAA Fisheries’ Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program has resulted in innovative technological solutions to some of the nation’s top bycatch challenges. NOAA Fisheries is proud to continue to partner with fishermen, fishery managers, industry, and the environmental community to avoid and minimize bycatch.

For more information about this year’s recipients and selected projects visit our website.

NOAA awards $7.3 million for marine debris removal, prevention, and research

September 9, 2021 — Today, NOAA announced $7.3 million in fiscal year 2021 grants supporting 25 projects to address the harmful effects of marine debris on wildlife, navigation safety, ecosystem health, and the economy. With the addition of non-federal matching contributions, the total investment in these marine debris projects is approximately $14.7 million. The grants, selected after a rigorous and competitive review process, are spread across 14 states and territories, as well as 8 international regions.

“Marine debris harms our coastal communities every day,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “These grants fund critical clean-up, while also working to prevent the problem at the source and better understand the movement of marine debris. These types of projects will help us remove the most harmful types of marine debris and mitigate the most harmful effects.”

Among the projects selected are the removal of up to 17 abandoned and derelict vessels from the Hudson River Estuary, representing all known abandoned and derelict vessels in the estuary; the removal of more than 100 metric tons of debris, including derelict fishing gear, from Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, and Maui Islands; an assessment of how marine debris moves from the upstream areas of the Guánica Watershed to the nearshore coastal waters of southwest Puerto Rico; reduction of the amount of marine debris entering the Tijuana River from the Los Laureles Canyon tributary in Mexico; and the launch of the North American Net Collection Initiative to collect and transform end-of-life fishing nets into high-value consumer goods.

Approximately $1.8 million will support 10 removal projects in Alaska, California, Hawaiʻi, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Washington. The grantees will implement locally developed and cost-effective activities to remove marine debris, including derelict fishing gear and other medium- and large-scale debris. Projects will benefit coastal habitats, waterways, wildlife, and surrounding communities.

Approximately $1.4 million will support 5 marine debris research projects in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Puerto Rico. The grantees will investigate and identify the critical input pathways for marine debris introduction into the coastal zone.

Approximately $4.1 million will support 10 marine debris prevention and removal projects in the Great Lakes, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Mexican Caribbean, North America Pacific Ocean, Salish Sea, and Tijuana River estuary. The grantees will address common marine debris issues in Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada border areas that impact the U.S. marine environment, including preventing or reducing the occurrence of marine debris, or removing marine debris from the environment.

Marine debris is not only a threat to wildlife in our ocean, Great Lakes, and waterways, but can adversely affect navigation safety and the economy. To address this growing challenge, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is dedicated to identifying, determining sources of, assessing, preventing, reducing and removing marine debris and addressing the adverse impacts of marine debris in our nation’s marine environment and Great Lakes. The Marine Debris Act authorized the NOAA Marine Debris Program in 2006 as the lead federal program for addressing the problem. This program was reauthorized in 2018 through the Save Our Seas Act, and recently amended by the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act of 2020.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is currently accepting Letters of Intent for its Fiscal Year 2022 Marine Debris Removal funding opportunity. In mid-September, the NOAA Marine Debris Program will announce its Fiscal Year 2022 Marine Debris Prevention notice of funding opportunity. For more information, visit the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s website.

 

NOAA Fisheries rules limiting lobstering draw harsh criticism from fishing, environmental groups

August 31, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries has announced a set of new regulations intended to protect the North Atlantic right whale from entanglement-related incidents. The regulations will cost the Northeast lobster fishery between USD 9 million and 20 million (EUR 7.6 million and 16.9 million) to implement.

The new regulations are in response to the ongoing decline of the highly endangered whale, of which only a few hundred remain in the wild. The species is currently undergoing what NOAA has dubbed an “unusual mortality event,” with 34 right whales having died since 2017.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Offers Online Webinars for Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagic For-Hire Permit Holders (Topic: Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program Vessel Monitoring System Requirements)

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

Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office is in the process of implementing Phase 2 of the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program, requiring a position reporting device, or vessel monitoring system (VMS), to be permanently affixed to a vessel and transmitting at all times.  A series of constituent webinars will be held in September 2021 in order to assist the public with preparing for the implementation of this requirement.

When:

Webinars:

  • Tuesday, September 7th, 2021, 6:30-7:30 PM, ET
  • Thursday, September 16th, 2021, 2:00-3:00 PM, ET
  • Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021, 6:30-7:30 PM, ET
  • Tuesday, September 28th, 2021, 10:00-11:00 AM, ET

To register for the webinars and access additional meeting information go to: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing-data/southeast-hire-electronic-reporting-program.

Why:

These webinars will provide program participants information about the new VMS requirement for the federally permitted Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagic for-hire participants.  The webinars will include information such as timelines, approved VMS units, and reporting requirements.  There will also be plenty of time for questions.

The position reporting requirement is essential for validating the information collected through the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program.  The data collected from the VMS units are expected to result in enhanced tracking of recreational catch limits in the Gulf of Mexico; thereby, improving fisheries management.

Read the full release here

Pot/Trap Fisheries Regulations to Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales Announced

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

NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding the North Atlantic right whale population, which is endangered, declining, and experiencing an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event.

Entanglement in commercial fishing gear is a primary cause of mortalities and serious injuries of North Atlantic right whales. Working with the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team—a group of advisors consisting of fishermen, scientists, conservationists, and state and federal officials—we have completed Phase 1 of the modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to continue to reduce whale entanglements.

Today, we are announcing the final rule to modify the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. The gear modifications required by the rule will go into effect May 1, 2022, which is the start of the American lobster/Jonah crab fishing year. The changes to the seasonally restricted areas will go into effect 30 days after the publication of this rule.

We would like to thank the many stakeholders who submitted more than 200,000 public comments on the proposed rule. The comments guided us in modifying the final rule to allow more flexibility for fishermen, while still achieving the necessary risk reduction to make a real difference for right whales. These measures will reduce the deaths and serious injuries to North Atlantic right whales due to entanglements in U.S. commercial fishing gear, and will contribute to the recovery of this endangered population.

Final Rule Measures

The rule modifies regulations for the Northeast lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fisheries as follows:

  • Modify gear marking to introduce state-specific colors for gear marks and increase the number of gear markings and areas requiring marked lines.
  • Modify gear configurations to reduce the number of vertical lines by requiring more traps between buoy lines.
  • Require weak insertions or weak rope in buoy lines.
  • Modify existing seasonal closure/restricted areas to allow ropeless fishing.
  • Add two new seasonal restricted areas.
  • Following changes made by Massachusetts, extend the Massachusetts Restricted Area (MRA) to add state waters north to the New Hampshire border.

For More Information

For more information on the rule’s specific measures and to see outreach guides and videos please visit the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan website, or read our web story.

Questions?

Industry: Contact Marisa Trego, Take Reduction Team Coordinator, 978-282-8484

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

NOAA Fisheries Issues Final Rule to Reduce North Atlantic Right Whale Entanglements

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

NOAA Fisheries will host a video teleconference this afternoon to discuss a final rule, announced today, intended to reduce risk of mortality and serious injury to right whales caused by entanglement in Northeast lobster and Jonah crab trap and pot fisheries.

NOAA Fisheries and our partners, including members of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team that were instrumental in developing the rule, are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding the North Atlantic right whale population, which is critically endangered, declining, and experiencing an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event.

WHEN:

August 31, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. EDT

WHO:

  • Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
  • Dr. Marisa Trego, Marine Mammal Take Reduction Team Coordinator, NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
  • Kristy Long, National Coordinator, Marine Mammal Take Reduction Program , NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources

WHAT:

– Webinar

– Questions and Answers

HOW:

Please register for the video teleconference at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6612595288214527504

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The media briefing will be held from 1:30-2:30 p.m., but you will be able to log in up to 30 minutes early for technical support.

Following the call, a recording of the webinar will be posted shortly on the Press Release’s webpage.

Climate, weather, and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources. See how NOAA science, services, and stewardship benefit your community: Visit noaa.gov for our latest news and features, and join us on social media.

Read the full release here

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