Saving Seafood

NMFS planning new whale protections for Atlantic gillnet and trap fisheries

August 20, 2021 — NMFS officials are beginning a second phase in their drive to reduce fishing gear entanglement risks to endangered Atlantic right whales, fin whales and humpback whales, focusing next on East Coast pot and gillnet fisheries.

The first phase, focused on the Northeast lobster and Jonah crab trap fisheries, is under review is currently at the NOAA Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and agency officials say it will be finalized soon. That part of the plan will bring new requirements for weak links, gear marking, seasonal area closures and minimum number of traps per trawl.

Similar measures would be developed for the other fixed gear fisheries, and NMFS is opening a scoping period Sept. 9 through Oct. 21 to solicit input and information from fishermen and other stakeholders. A schedule released this week sets dates for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. online webinars.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

THE POST AND COURIER: The feds told us to slow down for right whales; federal vessels should, too

August 20, 2021 — Here’s an instance of the hypocrisy that too often gives the federal government a bad name, and it’s a whale of an example.

On one hand, the federal government has established the vessel speed rule that limits the speed of vessels in certain parts of the Atlantic Ocean to lessen any chance that these ships will strike and harm a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. On the other hand, the federal government has exempted its own fleet.

In other words, Uncle Sam is telling us: Do as I say, not as a I do. It might seem like a small matter, but it would be easy to change. And important to change, too. Because it’s clear more must be done to protect these creatures.

A recent report from the nonprofit conservation group Oceana found that almost 90% of all vessels passing through the ocean between Wilmington, N.C., and Brunswick, Ga., exceeded the 10-knot speed limit. That was the highest percentage along the East Coast. (The area off the Port of New York and New Jersey was next, with almost 80% of vessels there going more than the speed limit.)

While it’s unclear exactly how many of these speeding vessels are federally owned, some certainly were. The fastest one clocked was a U.S. Navy ship going almost 40 knots.

This much is clear: The faster the vessel, the greater the chance of it colliding with a right whale. Such collisions are among the leading causes of injury and death for the species (another being entanglement with fishing gear).

Read the full opinion piece at The Post and Courier

eVTR Instructional Webinar on Tuesday Afternoon – August 24

August 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The next instructional eVTR webinar will be held Tuesday, August 24 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. This webinar will provide vessel operators and others with a walkthrough of the eTrips Mobile 2, Fish Online Apple iOS and Fish Online Web App as options for submitting your eVTRs. This webinar will focus on Virginia and North Carolina vessels, though anyone is welcome to join any webinar.

How Do I Join?

More information can be found on our webpage for this series: How to Use Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting Apps. This page includes webinar login information.

Questions?

Contact your local Port Agent.

Sea Scallop Research Program Seeks Proposals

August 20, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries is soliciting proposals for the 2022-2023 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council.

Approved applications are awarded pounds of scallops that have been set aside to pay for research experiments.

No federal funds are provided for research.

The New England Fishery Management Council sets the priorities for the research, and NOAA Fisheries administers the competition, oversees awarded projects and set-aside harvest activities.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

Sea Scallop Research Program Seeks Proposals

August 19, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries is soliciting proposals for the 2022-2023 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council.

Approved applications are awarded pounds of scallops that have been set aside to pay for research experiments.

No federal funds are provided for research.

The New England Fishery Management Council sets the priorities for the research, and NOAA Fisheries administers the competition, oversees awarded projects and set-aside harvest activities.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

Body Condition of Endangered Killer Whales Reflects Salmon Numbers and Odds of Survival

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

The body condition of endangered Southern Resident killer whales reflects changes in Chinook salmon numbers in the Fraser River and the Salish Sea. This is according to new research using aerial photogrammetry from drones to track changes in their body condition over time.

The study, titled “Survival of the Fattest: Linking body condition to prey availability and survivorship of killer whales,” also found that poor body condition makes the whales more likely to die.

The new findings published today in Ecosphere highlight the value of monitoring these endangered whales through aerial photogrammetry. This method can detect individual whales declining in condition, which can provide an early warning system that they may die.

The 74 Southern Resident orcas make up three pods known as J, K, and L. Each pod is made up of distinct social and family groups.

The research showed that the body condition of J pod whales improved when Chinook salmon abundance was higher in the Salish Sea and in Fraser River tributaries. L pod body condition improved when Chinook salmon abundance was higher in Puget Sound tributaries, although that relationship was weaker than J pod and Fraser River Chinook. K pod whales had no clear relationship to the salmon populations examined in the study. However,  whales in K pod also experienced little change in their body condition during the study period.

K and L pods spend more time foraging on the outer coast of Washington and Oregon than J pod. Their more varied diet is more challenging to relate to changes in their body condition. In contrast, J pod depends to a greater extent on Chinook salmon. Differences in body condition between the three pods reflects distinct foraging patterns, while the condition of individual whales provides insights into their health, researchers found.

Read the full release here

“ROUND 2” CARES ACT FUNDING FOR HAWAII‘I’S COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY

August 18, 2021 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Congress and NOAA have allocated an additional $3.6 million to eligible Hawai‘i fishery participants affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Applications for “Round 2” CARES Act assistance will be available beginning Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, through the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) website.

Applications must be submitted to the PSMFC by Sept. 30, 2021. Interested applicants should carefully review Hawai‘i’s Round 2 spend plan (also available on the PSMFC website) to determine their eligibility. At a minimum, applicants must be able to claim:

  • Economic revenue losses greater than 35% as compared to the prior 5-year* average revenue; or
  • Any negative impacts to subsistence, cultural, or ceremonial fisheries

*Entities that have been in business less than five years are still eligible for assistance.

Fishery participants eligible for funding include commercial fishing businesses, charter/for-hire fishing businesses, qualified aquaculture operations, wholesale seafood dealers and processors, subsistence/cultural/ceremonial fishers, and other fishery-related businesses.
If you have CARES Act related questions, please email hicares@psmfc.org or call toll free (877) 695-3457.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock Recreational Regulations for 2021

August 18, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is announcing that current Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod and haddock recreational measures will remain in place for the remainder of fishing year 2021, which ends April 30. 2022.

The recreational fishery for GOM cod and haddock is managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (Plan). The Plan includes a proactive recreational accountability measure, which allows the Regional Administrator, in consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council, to develop recreational management measures for the fishing year to ensure that the recreational quotas are achieved, but not exceeded. We project that current measures for GOM cod and haddock should prevent the recreational fishery’s quotas from being exceeded.

Read the full release here

Request for Comments on Petition for Rulemaking for Atlantic Cod

August 18, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries published a notice of receipt of a petition for rulemaking that was submitted in June 2020 by the Conservation Law Foundation. This petition requests we prepare a Secretarial Amendment and take specific emergency action to end overfishing and rebuild Atlantic cod.

This notice provides the public 45 days to comment on the petition for rulemaking.  To review and comment on the notice and associated documents, please go to our online portal and enter NOAA-NMFS-2021-0039 in the search box.

For more information read the notice as published in the Federal Register.

Questions?

Industry: Contact Peter Christopher, Supervisory Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9288

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

Phase 2 of Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Modifications

August 18, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are proposing to modify the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (Plan) to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury to North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in U.S. East Coast gillnet, Atlantic mixed species trap/pot, and Mid-Atlantic lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fisheries to meet the goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. These modifications are Phase 2 of our efforts to reduce risk to North Atlantic right whales and other large whales from U.S. commercial fisheries.

Phase 1 addresses the Northeast lobster/Jonah crab trap/pot fishery, and is currently in review at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. We expect it to be finalized shortly. Please check the Plan page for updates.

We are requesting input and ideas for Phase 2 of our efforts to reduce the risk of entanglement to right, humpback, and fin whales in U.S. commercial fisheries managed under the Plan. As detailed below, stakeholders can participate by attending virtual meetings, calling in by phone on certain days, or sending written comments by email.

The scoping period runs through October 21, 2021.

Find out more about scoping.

Scoping Meetings Begin September 9, 2021

Scoping meetings will be held via webinar, and will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on the days listed below. Days are designated for areas and gear types, though anyone is welcome to attend any meeting and may submit input on any regions/gear types at each meeting. Meetings will be recorded. To register for a webinar, visit our events page.

  • Thursday, September 9, 2021: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Northern North Carolina Trap/Pot Fisheries
  • Tuesday, September 14, 2021: Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey Trap/Pot Fisheries
  • Tuesday, September 21, 2021: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Trap/Pot Fisheries
  • Thursday, September 23, 2021: Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey Gillnet Fisheries
  • Tuesday, October 5, 2021: Southern North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida Trap/Pot and Gillnet Fisheries
  • Tuesday, October 12, 2021: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Northern North Carolina Gillnet Fisheries
  • Thursday, October 14, 2021: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Gillnet Fisheries

Read the full release here