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Congress Should Remove Burdensome Seafood Provisions from America COMPETES Act, Write 55 Saving Seafood Coalition Members

February 2, 2022 — Today, 55 members of the Saving Seafood Coalition added their names in opposition to seafood import monitoring provisions in H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act, that would impose “a blizzard of paperwork and insurmountable compliance burdens on processors, distributors, restaurants, and grocery stores.”

Earlier this week, a diverse group of thirteen seafood organizations representing fisheries from across the nation wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking that these provisions be removed from the bill.

The provisions, Sections 70101 to 70131, would expand the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to include all seafood species regardless of risk of illegal fishing, and extend it down the entireS supply chain. These sections draw heavily from H.R. 3075, portions of which were opposed by nearly 120 commercial seafood industry stakeholders in a letter last September.

The letter points to testimony from Janet Coit, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, in its opposition to SIMP expansion. In a hearing last July, Ms. Coit testified, “The current risk-based approach to SIMP allows NOAA to target our existing resources on those fish and fish products most likely to come from IUU [illegal, unreported, and unregulated] fishing.” Proposed changes to SIMP “would require NOAA to shift resources and reprioritize activities,” Ms. Coit said.

H.R. 3075 has not been considered by the numerous committees of jurisdiction in the House and is not ready for inclusion in a legislative package being prepared for a vote by the entire House of Representatives, the letter states.

“We strongly urge you to remove Sections 70101 to 70131 from H.R. 4521 and enable their consideration through regular order,” the Saving Seafood Coalition members wrote.

The letter was delivered to Speaker Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

NOAA Fisheries Denies Petition For Emergency Action on Bering Sea Salmon Bycatch

February 2, 2022 — Four days after the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo approved eight fisheries in Alaska for official disaster determinations, including the 2020 Kuskokwim River salmon fishery and the 2020 and 2021 Yukon River salmon fisheries, NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit denied a petition for emergency action to lower the number of salmon caught incidentally in the Bering Sea.

The petitioners — the Association of Village Council Presidents, the Bering Sea Elders Group, Kawerak, Inc., the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, representing over 118 Alaska Tribes — saw significant salmon declines both years. The Yukon was particularly hard hit: the fishery had its lowest runs ever last summer. The commercial fishery remained closed. Yukon River families were not allowed to fish for subsistence salmon.

Th petition asked Raimondo for emergency action to eliminate Chinook salmon bycatch and set a cap on chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery in the 2022 season.

Coits letter of denial reached them a few days after news of the fishery disaster approvals was reported, opening the door for relief funds. Responding to the disaster declaration, which was requested by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, the state’s Congressional delegation issued a joint written statement that the federal funds could help compensate “crews, seafood processors, and research initiatives in the impacted regions.”

Read the full story at Seafood News

Cool Ocean Waters, Abundant Nutrients Provide Rosy Outlook for Washington Salmon

February 1, 2022 — Scientific markers used to predict the health and productivity of marine species such as juvenile salmon were positive in 2021, the second most favorable since 1998, according to analysis from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Fisheries biologists are cautiously optimistic that those conditions will persist into the near future, supporting the health of juvenile, ocean-run salmon off the coasts of Washington and Oregon.

The report looked at a number of oceanic health markers: atmospheric conditions, water temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, current movement, and biomass of Chinook and Coho salmon, along with food sources such as plankton and small crustaceans. Many of those indicators were more favorable than every year in the last 24, outside of 2008.

“Every once in a while, things are in alignment. … In 2021, everything from water temperatures to phytoplankton, zooplankton, and larval fishes were pointing in the same direction,” Brian Burke, a fishery biologist with NOAA, told MyNorthwest.

Burke attributes those conditions to a strong upwelling in the Pacific along the 45-degree parallel north, a term which refers to atmospheric and ocean conditions that bring cold, nutrient rich water from the deep ocean toward the surface.

Read the full story at Seafood News

New study zeros in on market squid increase off Oregon

January 31, 2022 — New research has found market squid populations increased fivefold off the Oregon and Washington state coasts in recent years, a population boom and an expansion north tied to several years of extremely warm ocean temperatures.

It is a glimpse of the possible future.

Mary Hunsicker, the co-author of the study and a research ecologist with NOAA Fisheries, said it is “what we might expect to see in Oregon waters with continued, long-term warming of ocean temperatures and more extreme warming events due to climate change.”

Hunsicker and her fellow researchers used survey data that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration collects every year from designated spots off the West Coast. The surveys are independent from fisheries and do not target squid, but squid kept showing up.

While researchers saw major increases in the squid population in the north, they did not see the same level of increase in California, the squid’s more traditional home. Market squid is a cornerstone of California’s commercial fishing industry, both in value and in pounds landed.

Read the full story at The Daily Astorian

National Working Waterfront Network, Urban Harbors Institute set to Host 2022 Conference in Boston

January 31, 2022 — The following was released by the National Working Waterfront Network:

The National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN), a nationwide network of organizations committed to preserving and enhancing waterfronts and waterways, will be holding its 6^th national conference in Boston from July 19 to July 21, 2022. The conference will be titled Working Waterfronts: Traditions and Transitions, and will be held on UMass Boston’s oceanfront campus.

For the event, the NWWN will be partnering with the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) at UMass Boston, a research institute focused on promoting thriving ocean and coastal communities and sustainable natural resources. Working together, their goal is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to address the sustainability, resiliency, and future growth of working waterfront communities at the local, regional, and national levels.

“The NWWN conference is an important event that promotes information exchange among people involved in all aspects of working waterfronts, from commercial interests to waterfront research, planning, and management, to policymaking,” said Kristin Uiterwyk, Director of the Urban Harbors Institute. “We are excited to bring the conference back to New England where working waterfronts have been and continue to be so central to our culture and economy.”

Co-hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and Maine Sea Grant, the event will include keynote speakers and a series of presentations, panel sessions, roundtable discussions, and art installations. Session themes will cover the resilience of commercial fishing communities, developing waterfront industries, the threats of climate change, workforce development pertaining to maritime activities, and the impacts of COVID-19 on working waterfronts and new innovations for recovery.

“Coastal communities face many different challenges, such as how to protect our waterfronts from increased coastal hazards and guarantee space for industrial uses, how to balance old and new uses to include aquaculture and offshore renewable energy, and how to engage more young people in commercial fishing,” said Nicole Faghin, Chair of the NWWN, “This conference will bring together people to share tools, resources and connect with others interested in creating and maintaining healthy working waterfronts.”

In addition to a speaking program and discussions, the conference will include an evening at the New England Aquarium for a welcome reception, field trips for attendees throughout the conference, highlights of other NWWN initiatives including a podcast and webinar series, the NWWN internship, and a pre-conferencetraining by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Those interested in registering for the event, submitting an abstract, sponsoring the conference, and/or looking for more information can visit the conference website.

About the National Working Waterfront Network

The National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) is a nationwide network of businesses, industry associations, nonprofits, local governments and communities, state and federal agencies, universities, Sea Grant programs, and individuals dedicated to supporting, preserving, and enhancing our nation’s working waterfronts and waterways. Participation in the NWWN is open to all individuals and organizations involved in working waterfront issues at the federal, state, and local level. Our mission is to increase the capacity of coastal communities and stakeholders to make informed decisions, balance diverse uses, ensure access, and plan for the future of their working waterfronts and waterways.

About the Urban Harbors Institute at UMass Boston

Founded in 1989, the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI), an institute within the School for the Environment at the University of Massachusetts Boston, advances ocean and coastal management through collaborative research and planning at the local, regional, state, federal, and international level. Working closely with governments, marine industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and members of the public, UHI develops solutions to issues confronting coastal communities, marine-based industries, and activities, and reduces human impacts on the environment. Additionally, UHI’s position within the University of Massachusetts Boston allows the Institute to draw from the legal, economic, policy, and scientific expertise within the University.

Disaster declarations approved for Alaska fisheries

January 21, 2022 — U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced Friday, 21 January, 2022, her office has approved disaster declarations for eight Alaska fisheries.

The rulings means those fisheries are now eligible to federal assistance through NOAA. No funding total was mentioned in the NOAA release, with the amounts to be determined at a later date.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

Maine lobstermen can’t find gear to comply with new federal regulations

January 19, 2022 — Chebeague Island lobsterman Jeff Putnam has been on the hunt for small plastic links that will meet new requirements set to go in effect this spring to help protect right whales.

Starting on May 1, lobstermen, depending on where they fish, will have to add inserts that will weaken their ropes or use ropes that are rated to break at 1,700 pounds of force to comply with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regulations to help protect the endangered species.

The links are designed to weaken the fishing ropes that run between his buoys and lobster traps. But Putnam and other lobstermen say that they can’t find the gear they need to comply with the new rules, leaving them uncertain how they will proceed.

“I haven’t seen them at any stores yet,” Putnam said.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

NOAA Requests Comments on a Proposed Rule to Revise the Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper Catch Limits and Catch Targets

January 19, 2022 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Messages:

•NOAA Fisheries is requesting public comments on a proposed rule for Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 53) to revise the Gulf of Mexico red grouper sector annual catch limits and sector annual catch targets.

•Amendment 53 would also:

◦ Modify the allocation of Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) red grouper catch between the commercial and recreational sectors,

◦ Specify a new overfishing limit and acceptable biological catch.

•NOAA Fisheries requests your comments regarding the changes the proposed rule would make to Gulf red grouper management in federal waters. Comments are due by February 18, 2022.

•NOAA Fisheries also published a notice of availability for Amendment 53 and is requesting comments on the amendment.

•Comments on both the proposed rule and amendment will be considered in the final rule.

•Although the most recent red grouper population assessment did not show red grouper was undergoing overfishing (too many fish being caught) or being overfished (the populations is too low), the assessment did find the population was below a level that could support the optimal harvest.

•Additionally, there is evidence the red grouper population was hurt by recent red tide events along the west Florida shelf.

Summary of Proposed Changes in Proposed Rule and Amendment 53:

•Revise the Gulf red grouper allocation from 76% commercial and 24% recreational, to 59.3% commercial and 40.7% recreational.

•Revise the recreational annual catch target buffer from 8% to 9%.

•Revise the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, sector annual catch limits, and sector annual catch targets as indicated in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Current and proposed overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), population annual catch limit (ACL), sector ACLs, and sector annual catch targets (ACT) in million pounds gutted weight. Note that current recreational ACLs and ACTs are in Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Coastal Household Telephone Survey (CHTS) units and the proposed recreational ACLs and ACTs are in MRIP Fishing Effort Survey (MRIP-FES) units. The reduction shows the percent change in the proposed commercial and recreational ACLs and ACTs (recreational values are in MRIP-FES units).

OFL

ABC

Population ACL

Commercial ACL

Recreational ACL

Commercial ACT (quota)

Recreational ACT

Current

14.16

13.92

4.16

3.16

1.00

3.00

0.92

MRIP-FES equivalent

(5.26)

(2.10)

(1.93)

Proposed

4.66

4.26

4.26

2.53

1.73

2.40

1.57

Reduction

19%

20%

18%

20%

19%

How to Comment On the Proposed Rule:

The comment period for the proposed rule is open now through February 18, 2022. You may submit comments by electronic submission or by postal mail. Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.

Formal Federal Register Name/Number: 87 FR 2737, published January 19, 2022.

Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.

1.Go to: https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2021-0098-0037

2.Click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields.

3.Enter or attach your comments.

Mail: Submit written comments to Peter Hood, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is NOAA Fisheries announcing today?

•NOAA Fisheries is announcing a public comment period for a proposed rule to revise the Gulf red grouper sector annual catch limits and annual catch targets.

•The comment period is open from January 19, 2021, through February 18, 2022.

•This action sets the red grouper sector specific annual catch limits and annual catch targets consistent with the Gulf Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee’s recommendations.

What are the proposed sector catch limits and catch targets and how were they determined?

•The sector annual catch limits were determined by applying the new allocation of 59.3% commercial and 40.7% recreational to the population annual catch limit.

•For the commercial sector, the annual catch target was maintained at 5% below the commercial annual catch limit to allow for red grouper and gag multi-use shares to be used in the individual fishing quota program.

•For the recreational sector, the buffer between the annual catch target and annual catch limit was determined by the Gulf Council’s annual catch limit and annual catch target control rule.

◦ The control rule uses a number of factors about recreational harvest to develop an appropriate buffer between the annual catch limit and annual catch target.

◦ The control rule recommended the buffer be changed from 8% to 9%.

Why does this action propose that the recreational sector should have a higher percentage of the annual catch limit?

•The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) population assessment for red grouper used updated recreational catch and effort data from the MRIP Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS) and FES, which collectively estimate larger than previously calculated catch and effort for the recreational sector.

•Because MRIP-FES was used in the red grouper SEDAR population assessment, estimates of historic recreational landings were greater than in previous assessments.

•Therefore, when comparing recreational and commercial landings, recreational landings were proportionately larger than past comparisons.

Why did the Gulf Council recommend changing the allocation between the commercial and recreational sectors?

•A Gulf red grouper population assessment was completed in late 2019 through the SEDAR process.

•The Gulf Council decided to use landings from1986 through 2005 to set the new sector allocations. These are the same years of landings used to set the current allocation of 76% commercial and 24% recreational and represent historic participation in the reef fish fishery.

•The Gulf Council used a new recreational survey to estimate 1986 through 2005 landings (see question above).

•This new survey was used in the population assessment and estimates higher recreational effort and landings than previous surveys.

•Using the new survey led to proportionally more red grouper being caught by the recreational sector.

•The resulting allocation is 59.3% commercial and 40.7% recreational.

What are the next steps?

•The public comment period for the proposed rule is open for 30 days, from January 19, 2022, through February 18, 2022.

◦ NOAA Fisheries is also soliciting public comment on Amendment 53 through a notice of availability. This comment period is open for 60 days, from December 9, 2021, through February 7, 2022.

•NOAA Fisheries will prepare the final rule and address comments received during the proposed rule and notice of availability comment periods.

•NOAA Fisheries will issue a fishery bulletin alerting constituents to any regulatory changes being implemented and advising of a 30-day cooling off period providing time to prepare for the new regulations.

What is the difference between the recreational surveys used to estimate recreational landings?

•NOAA Fisheries created Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS) in 1979 to estimate recreational landings and MRFSS collected recreational data on catch and effort, including red grouper, beginning in 1981.

•MRFSS included both telephone surveys and interviews at marinas and other points where recreational anglers fish.

•In 2008, MRIP replaced MRFSS to meet increasing demand for more precise, accurate, and timely recreational catch estimates. MRIP included telephone surveys of households and for-hire vessel operators that collected information about recreational fishing activity, and an angler intercept survey that collected information about the fish that were caught.

•In 2013, MRIP began using APAIS, which was designed to address concerns that trips recorded during a given time period are representative of trips for a full day.

•Beginning in 2015, MRIP-CHTS moved to a new mail survey, MRIP-FES, to overcome issues that arose from shifts in phone usage as cellular telephones became more popular.

•The mail-based FES uses angler license and registration information to identify and contact anglers

•Because FES and CHTS are so different, NOAA Fisheries conducted side-by-side testing of the two methods from 2015 to 2017 to develop a calibration model.

•In general, total recreational fishing effort estimates generated from FES are higher — and in some cases substantially higher — than CHTS estimates because FES is designed to more accurately measure fishing activity than CHTS, not because there was a sudden rise in fishing effort.

•NOAA Fisheries developed a calibration model to adjust historic effort estimates so that they can be accurately compared to new estimates from FES.

•More information on recreational survey methods can be found at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/recreational-fishing-data.

Where can I find more information on Amendment 53?

•Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

By Mail: Peter Hood

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

•Amendment 53 and the Notice of Availability may be found online at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Web site at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-53-red-grouper-allocations-and-catch-levels.

Sign Up For Text Message Alerts – Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA’s Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time.

Text alerts you may receive include:

•Immediate fishery openings and closures

•Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly

•Gulf of Mexico Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts

◦ Text GULFRECFISH to 888777

•Gulf of Mexico Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts

◦ Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777

•South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts

◦ Text SATLRECFISH to 888777

•South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts

◦ Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777

•Caribbean Fisheries Related Alerts

◦ Text CARIBFISH to 888777

Other Contacts

Media: Kim Amendola (727) 551-5705, Allison Garrett (727) 551-5750

DOE Releases Report Detailing Strategies to Expand Offshore Wind Deployment

January 12, 2022 — The following was released by the U.S. Department of Energy:

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the release of a report that outlines regional and national strategies to accelerate U.S. offshore wind deployment and operation. The report summarizes the current status of offshore wind in the United States, describes challenges to accelerating its deployment, and identifies strategies to secure United States global leadership in the industry.

Implementing the strategies discussed in the report could help the country achieve the interagency goal to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, which would support 77,000 good paying jobs, catalyze $12 billion per year in capital investments, revitalize ports, cut 78 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and unlock a pathway to 110 GW offshore wind by 2050.

“The Offshore Wind Energy Strategies Report outlines strategic priorities and actionable information to accelerate offshore wind deployment and achieve the Administration’s goal of 30 gigawatts by 2030,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. Meeting the goal of 30 GW by 2030 will create good-paying American jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and bolster the nation’s global clean energy leadership.”

Prepared by DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, the report lays out strategies and actions needed to accelerate cost-effective, reliable U.S. offshore wind deployment and operation. The five strategic priorities areas are:

Increase demand for offshore wind energy and grow the domestic supply chain at lower cost by considering expansion of Federal incentives related to offshore wind energy.
Continue and catalyze offshore wind energy cost reductions through technology innovation and adaptations that enable industry growth and provide affordable electricity throughout the country.
Improve siting and regulatory processes by increasing transparency and predictability, auctioning new lease areas, understanding development impacts, expanding stakeholder engagement, and facilitating ocean co-use.
Invest in supply chain development, including customized offshore wind ports and vessels to establish a logistics network and attract further investment.
Plan efficient and reliable transmission and grid integration to deliver offshore wind energy at scale.

Each strategic priority area is supported by several focus areas and detailed initiatives. The report also includes initiatives specific to offshore wind in four U.S. coastal regions—Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Great Lakes.

The report was developed with input from other agencies, including the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Transportation Department’s Maritime Administration, the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as DOE’s Office of Electricity, Loan Programs Office, and Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy.

Read the report, or for more information on DOE’s work to advance offshore wind energy, see DOE’s Offshore Wind R&D web page.

NOAA and BOEM announce interagency collaboration to advance offshore wind energy

January 12, 2022 — The following was released by NOAA Communications:

Today, NOAA and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) signed an interagency memorandum in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious offshore wind energy goals to advance wind energy responsibly while protecting biodiversity and promoting cooperative ocean use. Offshore wind energy development plays an important role in how the U.S. is leading the charge to combat the climate crisis, and build a clean energy economy and climate-ready nation.

The Administration set a goal of significantly increasing the nation’s offshore wind energy capacity. This new agreement underscores NOAA’s and BOEM’s commitment to responsibly deploy 30 gigawatts of wind energy production capacity in Federal waters by 2030. The memorandum will help leverage the responsibilities, expertise, and relationships of both NOAA and BOEM in support of the goal by outlining areas of cooperation, and creating a framework to develop future, more detailed agreements related to specific program areas.

“This agreement is powerful and timely as we face climate change head on. It will help ensure coordination, collaboration, and alignment by NOAA and BOEM at key decision points in support of the Administration’s offshore wind energy goal,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “It will also provide specific pathways for NOAA data and services while protecting our ecosystems and marine resources.”

“We are already seeing the impacts of climate change on communities across the country and the ocean resources that we manage. Now is the time to act. Working together, we will further advance offshore wind, which can play a critical role in meeting our country’s energy needs while combating climate change and creating new family supporting jobs,” said BOEM Director Amanda Lefton. “This agreement and the collaboration between NOAA and BOEM shows that fighting climate change and responsible resource management go hand-in-hand.”

The research, planning, and regulatory mechanisms in the offshore wind and clean energy industry will provide for new, good paying jobs while also advancing the scientific understanding of the potential impacts of offshore wind development. Surveying, spatial modeling, mapping, oceanographic assessments, and characterization of ocean regions and jurisdictional boundaries are all critical elements to the successful development of this growing industry.

Read today’s full memorandum and learn more about BOEM and NOAA Fisheries’ Federal Survey Mitigation Program launched in 2021 in support of Biden-Harris Administration wind energy goals.