Saving Seafood

Bottom-trawl gear to blame for most of this year’s fishery-related killer whale deaths, NOAA says

December 5, 2023 — A federal investigation into the unusually large number of Bering Sea and Aleutian killer whales found dead this summer determined that most but not all of the deaths were killed by entanglement in fishing gear.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center on Friday released some details about the deaths in the Bering Sea and Aleutians, which had spurred sharp criticism of seafood trawling practices.

Of the nine killer whales that were found ensnared in bottom-trawling gear, six were killed by those entanglements but two others were already dead before they were netted, the investigation found. The other whale was seriously injured by the gear entanglement but escaped alive, the agency said.

In addition to the nine whales found in bottom-trawl gear, there were two other cases of dead killer whales found entangled in other types of fishing gear.

Read the full story at the Alaska Beacon

Biden-Harris Administration makes $106 million available for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund as part of Investing in America Agenda

December 5, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA are announcing the availability of up to $106 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) for Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery and conservation projects. This funding — which includes funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — will support state and tribal salmon restoration projects and activities to protect, conserve and restore these fish populations and their habitats.

“Restoring Pacific salmon populations and their habitats is vital for communities on the West Coast and in Alaska,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This funding — supported  by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, a key pillar of Bidenomics — will power transformational, high-impact projects and support efforts by states and tribes to protect and conserve salmon populations.”

Read the full release from NOAA

Study points to concurrent marine heat waves as culprit in Western Alaska chum declines

December 5, 2023 — Successive marine heat waves appear to have doomed much of the chum salmon swimming in the ocean waters off Alaska in the past year and probably account for the scarcities that have strained communities along Western Alaska rivers in recent years, a newly published study found.

In the much-higher water temperatures that lingered in the 2014-19 period, juvenile chum salmon metabolism was super-charged, meaning they needed more food, said the study, by scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. But the food that was available was of low quality — things like jellyfish instead of the fat-packed krill and other prey they normally eat, the study said.

That means for the juvenile salmon trying to survive their first year at sea, “there’s not much gas in the tank,” said the study’s lead author, Ed Farley, manager of NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment Program.

Juvenile chum salmon that swam from spawning areas in the rivers suffered what was essentially a double hit, said Farley, who works in the NOAA Fisheries Auke Bay Laboratories in Juneau. They encountered one extreme heat wave in their critical first summer when they were in the northern Bering Sea and then, when they entered their wintering grounds in the Gulf of Alaska, swam into the tail end of another extreme heat wave, he said.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

Autonomous Vehicles Powered by Ocean Waves Support NOAA Fisheries Research

December 4, 2023 — Scientists from NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center are using autonomous surface vehicles called Wave Gliders to study ocean health in Hawaiʻi. Wave Gliders are circumnavigating each of the Hawaiian Islands. They’re collecting data on ocean conditions that will be used to help estimate the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems and fisheries across the state.

“We are primarily interested in measuring chlorophyll, which provides a good estimate of phytoplankton biomass in the ocean,” said Dr. Jamison Gove, an oceanographer with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and co-lead scientist on the project. “Phytoplankton are the basis for productive and healthy ecosystems, so knowing where and how much phytoplankton there are in the ocean aids in understanding the entire marine food-web,” added Dr. Gove.

The Building Blocks of Ocean Ecosystems

Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that live near the ocean surface. They are similar to land-based plants: They contain chlorophyll and require sunlight to live and grow. Phytoplankton are the base of the food chain. Their biomass—the total amount of them in a given region of the ocean—dictates fisheries yields and ecosystem productivity across the world.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

Long-Term Conservation Efforts Pay Off for Rockfish Along the West Coast

December 2, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Upcoming changes in fishery management regulations mark a milestone in the ongoing efforts to conserve and sustainably manage West Coast groundfish populations. The changes are outlined in an amendment to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. They reflect more than two decades of conservation work and will benefit both commercial and recreational fisheries.

Effective January 1, 2024, Amendment 32 opens fishing areas that have been closed since the early 2000s to protect several species of overfished rockfish. With the successful rebuilding of nearly all these species, reopening these areas will provide fishermen with greater access to healthy groundfish stocks.

However, some conservation challenges persist. Certain areas will remain closed to continue protecting more vulnerable fish species, as well as protect critical groundfish habitats like rocky reefs, corals, and sponges.

“This milestone is a testament to the success of long-term conservation efforts, and reflects a shared commitment to responsibly steward our marine resources,” says Jen Quan, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Administrator. “It marks a significant step toward a sustainable future for West Coast groundfish fisheries and the communities that rely on them.”

This action impacts groundfish closures that span about 1,000 nautical miles from Oregon’s northern border to Mexico.

Action Highlights

  • Reopens part of the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area off California and Oregon, granting access to approximately 2,400 square miles of historically important fishing grounds that have been closed since 2002
  • Removes Cowcod Conservation Area restrictions for non-trawl groundfish fisheries areas off southern California, opening roughly 4,600 square miles of historical fishing grounds to non-trawl groundfish commercial and recreational fisheries, previously closed since 2001
  • Creates new closures to protect rebuilding yelloweye rockfish, groundfish essential fish habitat, and other sensitive areas, including abundant coral and sponges

Ocean Ecology and Rockfish

Groundfish play a vital role in West Coast marine ecosystems, serving as both predators and prey within marine food webs. Reproductive success in rockfish varies greatly from year to year and depends on highly variable ocean conditions. They have evolved to have long lifespans so that fish have several chances to reproduce. In some extreme cases, they may reach ages of 100 years or greater. With their slow growth rate, only a portion of the rockfish population are large enough to harvest at any given time. Their conservation is essential for maintaining ecological balance in these underwater environments.

The combination of overfishing in the 1980s and poor recruitment rates in the early 1990s led to the decline of many West Coast groundfish populations. In the early 2000s, large areas along the West Coast were set aside to promote the recovery of various species. The conservation areas allow fish stocks inside their boundaries to rebuild, and act as nurseries for rockfish along the entire West Coast.

“Rockfish young typically have a fairly broad dispersal,” says John Field, Supervisory Research Fish Biologist at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center. “Rockfish that were protected in conservation areas contributed substantially to the increase in recruitment, abundance, and productivity outside of those closed areas. In addition, a lot of these trends in recruitment are environmentally driven, and shifts in ocean circulation and source waters are thought to be key drivers of recent increased productivity for many rockfish stocks.”

When cool waters from the Gulf of Alaska move south, bringing nutrients and lipid-rich northern plankton with them, rockfish recruitment rates trend upwards. In 1999 and the early 2000s, this helped fuel the rebuilding of stocks, with the support of the conservation areas. Conversely, when warm southern water comes northward, as in El Niño years, recruitment drops significantly, slowing recovery rates. The El Niño Southern Oscillation occurs roughly every 2 to 7 years.

More frequent groundfish surveys over the entire coastline have also improved the availability of data to support rockfish stock assessments over the past two decades. These surveys include assessments of environmental conditions as well as capturing and measuring individual fish. “By looking at the temperature and oxygen conditions in the water column, and shifting ocean conditions, we can paint a much more accurate picture of rockfish population health and how these populations respond to environmental variability,” says Field. Onboard observers who count the number and species of fish caught in commercial and recreational fisheries have also added to the accuracy of the stock assessments.

Commercial and Recreational Fisheries

These regulatory changes are expected to provide a significant boost to both commercial and recreational fisheries along the West Coast. The commercial groundfish fishery contributes more than $158 million annually to the economy, supporting coastal communities through processing plants, support service businesses, markets, and restaurants. The recreational groundfish fishery generates approximately $161 million annually, further benefiting local coastal economies through tourism, bait and tackle sales, and other related commerce.

“This action is important for hundreds of fishermen on the West Coast, as it will provide much-needed access and opportunity to fish for abundant groundfish stocks,” says Harrison Ibach, commercial fisherman in Eureka, California. “After decades of closure, it should be noted that gaining access into the Rockfish Conservation Area with specific hook and line gears is a milestone in sustainable fisheries management.”

NOAA Fisheries, along with the Pacific Fishery Management Council and state and tribal co-managers, manage the groundfish fisheries off of the West Coast. Through a public process involving stakeholders, the Council develops rules governing groundfish fisheries. NOAA Fisheries implements those rules about when and where commercial and recreational fisheries can fish, and how many groundfish they can catch, to make sure enough fish remain in the ocean to support current and future fishing.

NOAA Fisheries Proposes 2024-2027 Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Quotas

December 2, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is proposing specifications for the 2024 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and a total allowable landings limit. We are also proposing projected quotas for 2025-2027.

The New England Fishery Management Council recommended a status quo quota of 2,000 metric tons for fishing years 2024-2027.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register today and the bulletin. The comment period is open through January 2, 2024. Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal.

NOAA extends marine mammal exemptions for seafood imports

November 30, 2023 — NOAA Fisheries has delayed implementing rules designed to bring seafood imports into compliance with U.S. marine mammal bycatch once again, extending the exemption for another two years.

NOAA Fisheries issued a final rule in 2016 that would require U.S. trade partners to secure a “comparability finding” showing that their wild-caught commercial fishing operations align with U.S. conservation standards for marine mammals. Nations that do not have a comparability finding would be banned from exporting those seafood products to the U.S.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Large Whale Entanglement Response a Success Thanks to Metlakatla Indian Community Team

November 30, 2023 — The following was released as NOAA Fisheries:

The call came in to NOAA’s Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network 24-hour hotline the morning of July 19. A whale-watching company near Ketchikan had spotted a humpback whale entangled in line and dragging unmarked buoys. NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement in Ketchikan responded,  verified the whale’s location in Blank Inlet on the south side of Gravina Island, and monitored the entangled whale. The NOAA Large Whale Entanglement Response Program at the Alaska Regional Office in Juneau reached out to the Metlakatla Indian Community Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).

“When we receive a report of an entangled whale, we immediately start thinking about the trained and authorized responders who are closest to the location,” said NOAA Alaska Large Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator Sadie Wright.

In this case, the Metlakatla Indian Community had done a lot to be prepared to safely respond to entangled whales. Metlakatla’s DFW had seen a need years ago to have responders in their community trained to use specialized equipment to disentangle whales. “They emphasize personal safety, and work hard to help whales while keeping their team and their community safe,” Wright said.

The Metlakatla team had participated in NOAA Large Whale Entanglement Response program trainings in the past and had recently participated in a refresher training. Wright said, “We knew they were a terrific team who had the right skills and right equipment.”

The group of trained and authorized large whale entanglement responders at the Metlakatla DFW was perfectly positioned to assist the entangled humpback whale in Blank Inlet.

Dustin Winter, DFW Director, coordinated his team, including Kevyn McKeehan, Spencer Guthrie, and Gabe Nathen, for the entanglement response. They met NOAA’s Law Enforcement team at the whale’s location. They were able to gather underwater video that showed the whale was caught through the mouth by a thick line, and dragging unmarked buoys behind it.

Indigenous Scientists on St. Paul Island, Alaska Work To Protect Marine Mammals

November 30, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

For Native American Heritage Month, NOAA Fisheries celebrates the Indigenous scientists who help make our work in marine mammal conservation possible. The Tribal Government of the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island conducts high-level science and management of their marine resources. They work independently and in partnership with NOAA through a formal co-management agreement authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

St. Paul is a small community of about 400 people located in the Pribilof Islands, 300 miles from mainland Alaska in the Bering Sea. Unangan—which means “The People of the Sea”— live on St. Paul, and neighboring St. George. Russian fur traders captured their ancestors from the Aleutian Islands and relocated them to the Pribilof Islands in the 1700s. They were enslaved there for the commercial fur harvest of laaqudan (the Unangam tunuu word for northern fur seals, pronounced “lah-koo-thawn”). Their deep cultural connection to and subsistence reliance upon laaqudan and other marine mammals, such as qawan (Steller sea lions, “ka-wahn”), has persisted for millennia and remains strong to this day.

 

Coral Reef Fish Predictably Change With Depth, Except When People Are Present

November 29, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

New research, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, supports the long-held understanding that reef-fish communities follow certain patterns along different depths. However, this is only true in reef areas that have historically remained free from human activity. These patterns were altered or lost at islands where humans live and where impacts like fishing and habitat loss are present. The study was led by researchers at Bangor University in the United Kingdom in close collaboration with the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.

Recognizing patterns in reef-fish communities is important for coral-reef management. Testing these long-held understandings as conditions change through time is key to evaluating suitable management approaches.

Revisiting Our Understanding of Reef Ecosystems

One of the oldest described ecological patterns is zonation, which is the distribution of organisms across space. In bodies of water, depth zonation explains how organisms are found at specific depths due to different conditions and interactions with other organisms.

Testing whether and how these patterns are universal in nature is important for developing conservation and management strategies. If these patterns hold true in various places with different groups of organisms, we can use them as trusted guidelines in conservation planning. The ability to test the universality of depth zonation in marine organisms was limited in the past by the lack of standardized observations collected across large areas and the necessary analytical tools.

Lead author, Dr. Laura Richardson of Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, explains, “Science is cumulative, building on past work. Now that we have greater computing capabilities, we should be testing these widely accepted but spatially under-validated theories at scale. Human impacts on the environment have increased to the point where these models may no longer predict current-day ecological distribution patterns. Up until recently, our ability to test these core theories was limited by a lack of spatially comprehensive data. Consistent, rigorous, and long-term monitoring from NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program made our analyses possible, revealing globally relevant insights into our ‘natural’ world under human pressures, and highlighting the critical role of well-maintained monitoring programs.”