Saving Seafood

Lobster industry and lawmakers await court decision to determine legality of new restrictions

June 8, 2022 — Maine and Massachusetts harvest more than 90% of the American lobsters sold in the U.S. and most lobstermen and New England lawmakers want to keep it that way.

Over the past year, a dispute over new federal regulations on Maine’s lobster industry, intended to protect the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, have become heated as Maine’s lobster industry fights to protect the livelihoods of its workforce.

Mike Sargent, who became the captain of his own boat at 15, told Spectrum News Maine that things haven’t been too bad since the restrictions went into effect in May.

“Yes, it’s an added expense and something I’ll look into as I rewrite my business model for this year and for years in the future. But, it’s not a deal breaker yet,” said Sargent, who grew up in Milbridge and is now part of an advocacy campaign called Lobster from Maine.

The 29-year-old is worried, however, that if regulations adopted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2021 are ruled lawful by the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, that more expensive and stricter regulations could follow.

Read the full story at Spectrum News 1

Biden pitches Atlantic coast ‘Grand Canyon’ as marine sanctuary

June 8, 2022 — The White House today endorsed designating the Atlantic coast’s largest undersea canyon as one of the nation’s next underwater parks, but stopped short of enacting immediate protections that could guard the “ecological hotspot” from commercial fishing, energy development or other threats.

The Biden administration announced it will begin the process for safeguarding the Hudson Canyon — which sits 100 miles off the coasts of New York and New Jersey and rivals the Grand Canyon in scale — in a series of actions to mark today’s World Oceans Day.

In addition to kicking off the designation of a new national marine sanctuary, the White House vowed to develop a “whole-of-government Ocean Climate Action Plan” on ocean-based climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

NOAA will oversee the designation process for the Hudson Canyon, which would become part of an existing group of 15 underwater parks that includes both freshwater and ocean sites.

But that process, which includes public comment, the drafting of environmental impact statements and management plans, and potential rulemaking, is not a swift one, with a final decision taking two to three years.

Bob Vanasse, executive director of industry group Saving Seafood, praised the decision to utilize the sanctuaries act rather than take executive action.

“I appreciate that they are using the Marine Sanctuaries Act to do this, which allows input from affected ocean users and will allow for actual science to be considered, which is exactly why we objected to and continue to object to the marine monument designation,” Vanasse said, referring to the ongoing legal battle over the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts site (E&E News PM, Oct. 8, 2021).

Last fall, Biden restored commercial fishing prohibitions to the Atlantic Ocean monument that former President Donald Trump had struck down in 2020.

Read the full story at E&E News

 

$25.2 million for emergency coastal resilience

June 6, 2022 — The following was released by NOAA Communications:

Contact

Jennie Lyons, jennie.lyons@noaa.gov, 202-603-9372

Rob Blumenthal, rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org, 202-857-0166

June 6, 2022

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with NOAA, today announced $25.2 million in grants to help coastal communities affected by hurricanes and wildfires in 2020 or 2021 increase their resilience to future natural disasters. The new grants will leverage $4.9 million in additional funding to generate a total conservation impact of $30.1 million.

Sixteen projects will help communities better withstand natural disasters and recover more quickly afterwards, all while improving habitat for fish and wildlife. Restoring and protecting natural systems will help protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, sea-level rise inundation, erosion and wildfires.

“Coastal communities around the country are feeling the effects of climate change in profound ways,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator. “These grants are strategic investments designed to help communities become more resilient in the face of persistent change and will help build a Climate-Ready Nation.”

“The projects funded through this program showcase the interconnectedness of coastal habitats and human communities in the face of a changing climate,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “With this funding, natural systems will play a key part in bolstering these areas against future natural disasters, benefiting both people and wildlife.”

Congress granted the funding through the FY 2022 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. NFWF is leveraging these funds with additional support from the Bezos Earth Fund.

Projects selected are employing a number of different nature-based activities that support wildlife such as wetland habitat restoration, living shoreline construction, dam removal and wildfire fuels reduction. Communities across 10 states will benefit from this work, and, when fully implemented, these projects will also benefit over 60,000 acres of habitat.

This grant slate represents the second slate of Emergency Coastal Resilience Fund projects administered by NFWF in partnership with NOAA, the first having been awarded in 2020 in response to the storms and wildfires of 2018.

Grant projects will take place in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey and New York.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $7.4 billion. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

About the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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.

 

NOAA seeks input on Gulf of Mexico aquaculture sites, including 3 off Florida

June 6, 2022 — When a Hawaii-based aquaculture business proposed a demonstration fish farm project in federal waters off of Sarasota County in 2019, residents along the Gulf Coast voiced concerns about potential environmental impacts — including its potential to exacerbate red tide blooms.

Now, the federal government is considering allowing commercial aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico — including areas offshore of Collier, Sarasota and Pinellas counties — and is seeking public input as it crafts an assessment of impacts from the sites.

The first of three virtual public meetings on the proposal is scheduled for June 8. Written comments will be accepted through Aug. 1.

Read the full story at the Sarasota Herald-Tribute

 

Terry Haines: American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act Will Identify The Needs of the Industry

June 3, 2022 — Alaska’s senators are proudly touting a recently passed law that creates an American Fisheries Advisory Committee.

After its passage Sen. Dan Sullivan, who introduced the bill, said “… our fishermen will again have a seat at the table to offer appropriate input and oversight of the Saltonstall-Kennedy grant process …” But what’s the big deal? Why do we need another committee? And what the heck is a Saltonstall-Kennedy grant process?

Well, it’s all about pots of money.

The United States imposes tariffs on imported fish products. These tariffs are on imported “… fish, shellfish, mollusks, crustaceans, aquatic plants and animals, and any products thereof …” Interestingly, most of these products are not destined for the dinner table. In 2017, approximately 77% of revenues from these tariffs were from duties collected on imports of non-edible marine products, including jewelry, ink, various chemicals, and skins. The remaining 23% of revenues were from duties on imports of edible seafood products.

The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954 requires the secretary of agriculture to transfer 30% of the money from these tariffs into NOAA‘s Promote and Develop American Fisheries Products and Research Pertaining to American Fisheries Fund, also known as the P&D account. This account is what is known in government-ese as a “pot” of money. This is how public entities keep track of the public’s money to be sure it is used as intended. Every different pot of money has its own rules limiting and specifying the use of the money that goes into it. So, for instance when your local government has tax dollars going into the road maintenance account, it has to be used to fill potholes, not to fix pilings in the harbor.

Read the full opinion piece at Seafood News

NOAA Fisheries is Leading the United Nations in Advancing Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management

June 2, 2022 — Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management are key to addressing the many different challenges we are currently facing, such as climate change, and balancing the needs of nature and society for a more sustainable future.

At a United Nations conference in May, NOAA Fisheries discussed Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management with other interested nations. The event highlighted the importance of an ecosystem approach on a global stage.

Adopting ecosystem approaches to fisheries management allows countries to address the many problems the globe is facing, such as climate change, and create a more sustainable future for our ocean.

“For the United Nations to prioritize discussing Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management is not trivial. It is indicative of how important the topic has become around the world,” said Jason Link, Senior Scientist for Ecosystems at NOAA Fisheries.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

 

NOAA says status report shows U.S. fisheries ‘on track’ with rebuilding

May 18, 2022 — The federal government’s 2021 annual report on the state of U.S. fisheries portrays progress in managing the nation’s marine resources – even with the massive wallop the seafood industry took with the covid-19 pandemic.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its National Marine Fisheries Service released the annual summary on May 12, updating the status of 460 fish species in U.S. waters.

“NOAA’s annual Status of Stocks report shows that the United States continues to be a global leader in sustainable fisheries management, as we work to understand how climate change is affecting fisheries and the communities that this sector supports,” said NOA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “The report demonstrates that we remain on track to maximize marine fishing opportunities while ensuring long-term ecological and economic sustainability in our changing world.”

Updated stock assessments and other metrics show improvement “in the face of climate change” and the economic value of fisheries “remain strong” at $4.8 billion in 2020 with 8.4 billion pounds landed, said Janet Coit, NOAA’s assistant administrator for fisheries, in a May 12 conference call with news reporters.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Great Meadows Marsh Project is Restoring Salt Marsh Habitat and Building Resilience in Coastal Connecticut

May 17, 2022 — Funding recovered from three pollution cases is supporting restoration of nearly 40 acres of salt marsh and other coastal habitats at Great Meadows Marsh. The marsh is located in the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge in Stratford, Connecticut. Through this effort, NOAA and partners are strengthening the climate resilience of this important coastal ecosystem.

Great Meadows Marsh lies immediately west of where the Housatonic River meets with Long Island Sound. Most other salt marshes in Connecticut, as well as many marshes along the Atlantic coast, were historically ditched to eliminate disease-carrying mosquitoes. Great Meadows Marsh, however, is home to the largest remaining expanse of unditched salt marsh in Connecticut. The unditched condition of this marsh provides a healthier and more functional habitat overall.

Salt marshes provide habitat for fish and wildlife, trap pollution, and reduce damage from storms and flooding—important benefits  for local communities. The Great Meadows Marsh restoration effort will provide important habitat for fish, including spawning and nursery habitat for forage fish like Atlantic silverside, mummichog, and Atlantic menhaden. It will also help build the ecological resilience of the marsh to respond to increasing sea level rise.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

Study: Smaller Right Whales Have Fewer Calves

May 17, 2022 — A new study from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and New England Aquarium has found that smaller North Atlantic right whales give birth to fewer calves.

The two organizations teamed up with multiple groups, such as the National Marine Fisheries Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to find this information.

Teams studied aerial photos of 41 female right whales taken between 2000 and 2019, finding that smaller mothers produced fewer babies.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 13, 2022 — To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting some of our colleagues who contribute to NOAA Fisheries’ core missions every day. Learn more about more about their career journeys, why they became scientists, their day-to-day jobs, and what Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month means to them.

Meet Kilali Ala’ilima Gibson, Oʻahu Marine Wildlife Response Coordinator

Kilali is an Oʻahu marine wildlife response coordinator. Her job is to coordinate a team to respond to issues with Hawaiian monk seals, whales, dolphins, and occasionally sea turtles. A lot of that is connecting with native and local communities to learn more about some of those hot spot areas where issues may often occur. She spent most of her childhood in the ocean surfing, scuba diving, and paddling in Hawaiʻi and she knew that she wanted to work in a profession where she could focus on protecting her marine ecosystem for the next generation to enjoy.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries