Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Releases New Species in the Spotlight Priority Action Plans

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

Today, NOAA Fisheries released nine new Species in the Spotlight Priority Action Plans, two of which are for species in the Greater Atlantic Region. These plans highlight the most vital actions that NOAA Fisheries and our partners can take to reverse the declining populations of nine endangered marine species that are most at risk of extinction. Building on the successes of the past five years, NOAA Fisheries is renewing the initiative through 2025 to sustain momentum toward recovery.

GARFO’s two Species in the Spotlight are:

  • Atlantic Salmon Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment (DPS)
  • North Atlantic Right Whale (added in 2019)

NOAA’s seven other Species in the Spotlight are:

  • Central California Coast Coho Salmon Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU)
  • Cook Inlet Beluga Whale DPS
  • Hawaiian Monk Seal
  • Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
  • Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook Salmon ESU
  • Southern Resident Killer Whale DPS
  • White Abalone

Established in 2015, the Species in the Spotlight initiative has since helped us achieve important milestones toward recovery. Watch the video.

We invite you to review the Species in the Spotlight Action Plans for 2021-2025 and learn more about our partners and what we have accomplished in the past 5 years. We appreciate all of our current partners and collaborators, as the steps we need to take to stabilize these species would not be possible without them.

Read our webstory to learn more.

Read the full release here

Extended Slow Zone East of Boston to Protect Right Whales

April 19, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces the extension of a Slow Zone set to expire east of Boston, MA. On April 17, 2021, residents of Nahant, MA observed (and photographed) the presence of right whales east of Boston, MA. This Slow Zone is in effect through May 2, 2021.

Mariners are requested to route around this or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

Slow Zone Coordinates:

East of Boston, MA, April 8 – May 2, 2021 *Extended*

42 39 N
41 54 N
070 08 W
071 06 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Active Seasonal Management Areas 

Mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less (50 CFR 224.105) are in effect in the following areas:

Cape Cod Bay, January 1 – May 15

Off Race Point, March 1 – April 30

Great South Channel, April 1 – July 31

November 1 – April 30

Block Island Sound

Ports of New York/New Jersey

Entrance to the Delaware Bay
(Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington)

Entrance to the Chesapeake Bay
(Ports of Hampton Roads and Baltimore)

Ports of Morehead City and Beaufort, NC

Within a continuous area 20-nm from shore between Wilmington, North Carolina, to Brunswick, Georgia.

Find out more and get the coordinates for each mandatory slow speed zone.

Read the full release here

SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting April 27-29 and May 3, 2021

April 19, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will hold a multi-day meeting via webinar later this month to review recent stock assessments for Red Snapper, Tilefish and Gag Grouper and provide recommendations for consideration by the Council. Each of the eight regional fishery management councils in the U.S. has a Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) responsible for developing fishing level recommendations and reviewing the scientific basis of council management plans and actions.

The latest stock assessment for South Atlantic Red Snapper was completed through the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment process and made available in March 2021. During its meeting, the SSC will review the assessment and consider whether the results are useful for providing management advice and developing fishing level recommendations for the Council.

An SSC may use the information from the Stock Assessment Report as the basis for providing fishing level recommendations or request additional analyses be conducted.

Fishing level recommendations include an Overfishing Limit and the Acceptable Biological Catch. An overview of the Red Snapper Stock Assessment will be provided to the SSC by NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center on Tuesday, April 27th.

In addition to Red Snapper, the SSC will review stock assessments and provide fishing level recommendations for Tilefish (golden Tilefish) and Gag Grouper. The SSC will also provide guidance on the Council’s “Decision Tree” approach to allocations, the South Atlantic Research and Monitoring Plan and other agenda items.

Recommendations from the SSC will be provided to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council during its June 14-18, 2021 meeting scheduled via webinar.

The briefing book materials for the April 27-29 and May 3, 2021 SSC meeting, including the meeting agenda and overview, presentations, reports, webinar registration information and an online public comment form are now available from the Council’s website.

Click here to register now for the meeting via webinar and receive email reminders as the meeting dates approach.

Rep. Graves Statement on Today’s Gulf Fishery Management Council Red Snapper Decision

April 16, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA):

Congressman Garret Graves (R-South Louisiana) released the following statement today following the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s decision to ​delay implementing calibration of Gulf State’s allocation of red snapper until January 2023:

“The Gulf Council decision today is absolutely the right one and shows that they realize that it would be virtually impossible to explain to the public how in the world you could have the assessment that just came out – the latest assessment using the best science – showing that there is triple the Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico, then in the same breath go and cut the amount of fishing days available to our recreational fishers. I’m glad that they listened to the message of our letter urging them toward this correct and defendable resource management decision.”

Background:

In March, Congressman Graves sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the NOAA Fisheries Acting Regional Administrator, and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to avoid an unnecessary recalibration. Read the letter.

North Atlantic Right Whales On the Move in the Northeast

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

On March 21, 2021, 89 North Atlantic right whales were spotted by scientists from the Center for Coastal Studies in Cape Cod Bay. Just a few days later, on March 30, scientists spotted 57 North Atlantic right whales off Southeast New England in and around the wind energy development areas. They were seen by scientists from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center flying a sighting survey. Three mother/calf pairs have been sighted there to date.

Right whales have typically appeared in Cape Cod Bay during spring, but in recent years have been arriving sooner and staying longer. Right whale use of areas south and west of Nantucket Shoals has been documented in just the last 10 years. In recent years, the right whales appear to be staying in these waters in greater numbers and for longer periods than in the past.

What gives? To find out, we track when and where these whales are found throughout the year, using sighting surveys and passive acoustic listening devices.

“A very small portion of the right whale population heads south to the waters off northern Florida and Georgia in the winter—mostly just the moms—to give birth,“ said Tim Cole, a marine mammal researcher and lead of the center’s aerial whale survey team. We try to determine where the rest of the population is and have found them so far this year in large numbers on Nantucket Shoals south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and in Cape Cod Bay.”

Read the full release here

For-hire Vessels and Tilefish Anglers: Reporting Requirements Reminder

April 14, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As the recreational fishing season gets going, we remind all GARFO permitted vessel operators about the current reporting requirements:

  • For-hire (party and charter) vessels that hold federal permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council must submit their Vessel Trip Reports (VTR) electronically.

  • Vessels issued only a Northeast multispecies (groundfish) charter/party permit may report on paper or electronic VTRs, until later this fall when e-VTRs will be required. You are encouraged to start reporting electronically as soon as possible.

  • Tilefish anglers on private vessels must submit their VTRs electronically for trips targeting or catching golden and blueline tilefish.

All fishermen can choose from several smart devices and web-based apps to report electronically.

Read the full release here

NOAA to reimburse monitoring costs

April 13, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries has set its electronic monitoring reimbursement policy for Northeast groundfish sector vessels in the 2021 fishing season and is urging fishermen to purchase and install the systems now while federal funds are available.

“For fishing year 2021, groundfish sector vessels may use either electronic monitoring or human at-sea monitors to meet the monitoring requirements, provided the sector has a corresponding monitoring program as part of its approved operations plan,” the agency stated. “Vessels that choose to use electronic monitoring will be eligible for reimbursement, while government funding is available.”

The agency said sector vessels employing electronic monitoring should submit receipts for reimbursable costs to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, using the same process they use for human at-sea monitoring reimbursements.

It said costs eligible for reimbursement largely fall within six areas: equipment, technical support, video review, operational costs, training and COVID-19 protocols.

The equipment category covers the purchase and installation of equipment necessary “to outfit a vessel with one fully functioning electronic monitoring system.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Biden administration proposes record $6.9 billion budget for NOAA

April 13, 2021 — President Biden’s administration has proposed a budget increase for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that would be the biggest in the agency’s history if approved by Congress.

The proposed budget would provide $6.9 billion in funding for the agency, a $1.4 billion increase from the budget enacted for 2021 and nearly $2.3 billion above the amount proposed by Donald Trump’s administration, or roughly 50 percent more.

The increase would infuse a massive amount of resources to support the agency, whose responsibilities include weather forecasting, climate research and services, ocean research, the health of the nation’s fisheries and protection of endangered marine species.

“These additional funds would allow NOAA to expand its climate observation and forecasting work and provide better data and information to decision-makers, support coastal resilience programs that would help protect communities from the economic and environmental impacts of climate change, and invest in modern infrastructure to enable these critical efforts,” according to the Biden administration’s budget document, released Friday.

Read the full story at The Washington Post

Recruitment Announcement – SAFMC Quantitative Fisheries Scientist

April 12, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a Quantitative Fisheries Scientist to provide data and analytical support to the Council’s Science and Statistics and Fisheries Management Programs. The Council is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit along the Atlantic coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to Key West.

This position is responsible for providing data summaries, assessment summaries, and analyses of management actions and alternatives for Fishery Management Plan (FMP) amendments; staffing the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC); and participating in Southeast Data Assessment and Review (SEDAR) workshops. Completing these tasks requires working with a wide range of partners and participants including industry participants (recreational and commercial), NOAA Fisheries, non-governmental organizations, researchers, resource managers, state marine fisheries agencies, and universities.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide staff support to the SSC. This includes scheduling, organizing, and facilitating meetings of the SSC and SSC workgroups, compiling briefing materials, and producing summary reports.

Compile, analyze, and interpret biological, ecosystem, stock assessment, citizen science, and other technical data to support the Council and its advisors.

Serve on Interdisciplinary Plan Teams for preparing FMPs and amendments. Contribute data summaries, assessment summaries, and evaluations of management alternatives as needed and conduct technical review of analyses conducted by NMFS staff.

Attend SEDAR assessment project activities related to Council managed species.

Communicate and interpret results of stock assessments and other related analyses to Council members, other staff, Advisory Panel and SSC members, and the public.

Interact with the public, state and federal agencies, and other scientists on a wide variety of fisheries science and data and assessment issues.

Perform other duties as assigned.

See the complete recruitment announcement available from the Council’s website for additional information and application instructions. Closing date is April 26, 2021.

Extended and New Slow Zones to Protect Right Whales

April 12, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces the extension of two Slow Zones set to expire south of Nantucket and establishes another Slow Zone southeast of Chatham, MA. On April 9, 2021 several aggregations of right whales were detected south of Nantucket, MA by the NOAA North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey and southeast of Chatham, MA by the Center for Coastal Studies survey team. These three right whale Slow Zones are in effect immediately through April 24, 2021.

Mariners are requested to route around these areas or transit through them at 10 knots or less.

Slow Zone Coordinates:

Southeast of Chatham, MA, April 9 – April 24, 2021 *NEW*

41 56 N
41 15 N
069 23 W
070 16 W

South of Nantucket, MA, February 26 – April 24, 2021 *Extended*

41 23 N
40 40 N
069 39 W
070 35W

South of Nantucket, MA, March 30 – April 24, 2021 *Extended*

41 01 N
40 19  N
069 50 W
070 46 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here