Saving Seafood

Restoring Habitat for Migratory Fish: A Look Back at the Recovery Act—Part 2

May 28, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, NOAA funded 125 habitat restoration projects in coastal areas throughout the country. Now, more than a decade later, we’re taking a look back at some of the projects we funded. We’ll explore the benefits this restoration work continues to bring to communities and ecosystems across the country. In Part 2 of this 3-part series, we’re highlighting examples of how Recovery Act projects have benefitted migratory fish.

Part 1 focused on community benefits like jobs and recreation. Part 3 will explore how Recovery Act-funded projects laid the groundwork for continuing habitat restoration efforts.

NOAA received $167 million from the Recovery Act to restore coastal habitat and help jumpstart the nation’s economy. We established 50 cooperative agreements that funded 125 high quality habitat restoration projects in 24 states and territories. They spanned from New England’s salt marshes to the coral reefs of the Pacific Islands.

On-the-ground projects funded through the Recovery Act restored more than 25,000 acres of habitat. They opened more than 670 miles of stream for fish and removed more than 433,000 tons of marine debris. This work provided much-needed habitat for commercial and recreational fisheries, and for threatened and endangered species.

Below, learn about two waterways where Recovery Act projects have benefitted important migratory fish species.

Read the full release here

Why Fish are the Catch of the Day for Climate Research

May 28, 2021 — Climate change in the ocean has made a splash with people who want to protect marine animals, like fishes, from warming oceans. But the problem goes beyond endangered species and threatened ecosystems. It also affects people who rely on fish not only for food but also for income.

To learn more about these impacts, scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Marine Station are collecting data on where fish live today and how those environments are changing. Gathering and analyzing this information is the most accurate way to protect the fish and the fishing communities.

“Understanding how fish respond to climate change is important but not the only factor,” said Steven Canty, a marine biologist and the program coordinator of the Marine Conservation Program at the Smithsonian Marine Station. “We can’t only be thinking about the fish when so many people rely on them for food security and their livelihoods.”

Read the full story at the Smithsonian Magazine

2021-2022 Northeast Fisheries Observer Sea Day Schedule Now Available

May 28, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The 2021-2022 sea-day schedule for trips selected for observer coverage is now available. Two new information reports that support the schedule are also available. View or and download the schedule and reports here.

We did not conduct a discard analysis this year because of an observer data gap caused by observer coverage waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s sea day schedule is instead based on last year’s analysis, incorporating the effects of FY21 funding and sea scallop compensation rate.

There are 3,248 agency-funded days for fishery monitoring, 3,096 days fewer than required. We have used the prioritization process described in the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Omnibus Amendment to allocate available funds to fishing fleets monitored using these sea days.

For groundfish vessels in this fishing year, we estimate that 699 Northeast Fisheries Observer Program sea-days can offset the days required for at-sea monitoring, and that 100% of vessel costs for at-sea monitoring will be reimbursed with funds specifically appropriated by Congress in FY2019 and FY2020 for this purpose.

Read the full release here

Surveys Will Collect Data Crucial for Managing Alaska Fisheries and Monitoring Alaska Marine Ecosystems

May 28, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Scientists from NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center and partners have begun another busy survey season off the Alaska coast. Eight surveys are planned in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Chukchi Sea to monitor fish, crab, marine mammals, and marine ecosystems.

“Information collected as part of these surveys and other available data on oceanographic conditions, fisheries, and protected species are integrated to provide a more comprehensive understanding of Alaska marine ecosystems to support sustainable resource management and conservation,” said Robert Foy, science and research director, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center.

During surveys, NOAA scientists sort, weigh, and count species collected by longline or trawl. They will also collect specimens and data on various species, as requested by cooperating scientists, agencies, and institutions.

Longline Survey of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska

The annual longline survey is an important data source for producing timely resource assessments for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. The 2021 survey continues a 44-year time-series of sablefish and other groundfish species stock trends. The survey is being conducted from May 28 to September 1 aboard the F/V Alaskan Leader, which is a 150-foot freezer longliner.

The 2021 survey begins in Dutch Harbor and makes port calls in Ketchikan, Yakutat, Cordova, and Kodiak. The survey samples the Gulf of Alaska every year, the Bering Sea in odd-numbered years, and the Aleutian Islands in even-numbered years. It surveys at depths from 200 to 1,000 meters. The survey produces catch rates, species compositions, length, and age data for:

  • Sablefish
  • Pacific cod
  • Several rockfish species
  • Shortspine thornyhead
  • Sharks
  • Grenadiers
  • Greenland turbot

The survey also tags and releases a subsample of sablefish, shortspine thornyhead, and Greenland turbot for studying movement behavior and life history. The survey operates on a cost-recovery basis: proceeds from the catch are sold to offset the cost of the vessel charter.

Read the full release here

Commercial Closure of the Golden Tilefish Hook-and-Line Component in South Atlantic Federal Waters on June 1, 2021

May 27, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

What/When:

The commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2021.

Why this Closure is Happening:

The 2021 commercial catch limit for the golden tilefish hook-and-line component is 82,935 pounds gutted weight.  Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial hook-and-line catch limit and harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

During and After the Closure:

  • The closure prohibitions for the commercial hook-and-line component apply in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper permit.
  • The South Atlantic golden tilefish commercial longline component closed on February 10, 2021, and reopened for 11 days beginning March 20, 2021, and closed at 12:01 a.m., local time, on March 31, 2021, for the remainder of the fishing year. Therefore, all commercial harvest and sale of South Atlantic golden tilefish will be prohibited effective at 12:01 a.m., local time, June 1, 2021.  Harvest or possession is limited to the golden tilefish recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open, without regard to where the golden tilefish was harvested (i.e. in state or federal waters).
  • Golden tilefish bag and possession limits and the prohibition on sale/purchase apply in the South Atlantic on board a vessel for which a valid federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued, without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in state or federal waters.
  • The prohibitions on harvest or possession and sale or purchase during the closure do not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2021, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • The 2021 fishing season for golden tilefish commercial hook-and-line component in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2022, with a commercial catch limit of 82,935 pounds gutted weight.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations.  The complete list of regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=383bc195ccbeab4fd6bec1c24905df34&node=sp50.12.622.i&rgn=div6.

NOAA Fisheries Releases Final “Batched” Biological Opinion & North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Framework

May 27, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries released its Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 7 Biological Opinion on the authorization of eight federal fisheries management plans under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, two interstate fishery management plans under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, and the implementation of the New England Fishery Management Council’s Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. We also released the North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Framework for Federal Fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region (Conservation Framework). NOAA Fisheries has evaluated the effects of the authorization of the fisheries, as modified by the Conservation Framework, on endangered and threatened species.

The 10 fisheries included in the Opinion are: (1) American Lobster, (2) Atlantic Bluefish, (3) Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab, (4) Mackerel/Squid/Butterfish, (5) Monkfish, (6) Northeast Multispecies, (7) Northeast Skate Complex, (8) Spiny Dogfish, (9) Summer Flounder/Scup/Black Sea Bass, and (10) Jonah Crab fisheries.

We released a draft Opinion on January 15, 2021 to the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils and shared it with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. We accepted feedback from the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils/Commission and other interested parties through February 19, 2021. This feedback was considered in developing the final Opinion.

In developing the Opinion, NOAA Fisheries identified that, to meet the mandates of the ESA, mortality and serious injury of North Atlantic right whales due to federal fisheries managed by the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office needs to be further reduced. Therefore, NOAA Fisheries developed and is committed to implementing a Conservation Framework to further reduce mortality and serious injury of North Atlantic right whales resulting from entanglements by the federal fisheries. The reduction in entanglements is also expected to reduce sublethal effects that may affect the health and reproductive output of right whales. This Conservation Framework outlines NOAA Fisheries’ commitment to implement measures that are necessary for the recovery of right whales, while providing a phased approach and flexibility to the fishing industry.

Through the ESA section 7 consultation, we have evaluated the effects of these fisheries, as modified by the Conservation Framework, on endangered and threatened species. The Opinion concludes that impacts from the authorization of the fisheries, as modified by the Conservation Framework, are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any ESA-listed species in the action area, including sea turtles, listed marine mammals, and listed fish. We also determined that the fisheries, as modified, are not likely to result in the destruction or adverse modification of any designated critical habitat.

NOAA Fisheries, through the Greater Atlantic Region’s Sustainable Fisheries and Protected Resources Divisions, is committed to implementing the Conservation Framework and other measures identified in the consultation to ensure that impacts to NOAA Fisheries’ trust resources are minimized. For more information and to read the Biological Opinion and  Conservation Framework please visit our website.

Read the full release here

ALASKA: Dutch Harbor Remains Nation’s Top Port In Terms Of Volume For 23rd Year

May 27, 2021 — Dutch Harbor has been named the nation’s top fishing port in terms of volume of seafood landed for the 23rd consecutive year. And the Aleutians East Borough — which includes Akutan, False Pass, Sand Point and King Cove — rose from third to second place.

That’s according to an annual report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released earlier this month on the status of U.S. fisheries in 2019.

Frank Kelty currently works as a contractor with the City of Unalaska, updating officials on fisheries issues and revenue projections. He was also mayor of the island community for 13 years before retiring in late 2019.

According to Kelty, NOAA’s annual reports are a bit dated — we’re just now getting data from 2019 when we’re halfway through 2021. But even so, he said, the reports provide an important snapshot of fishing seasons, how production is going and the value of landings being processed.

“It’s a good tool to point out the importance of what goes on in this community, the high volume of product that’s produced here and the importance of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor to the seafood industry not just in Alaska, but in the nation as a whole,” Kelty said.

Read the full story at KUCB

Reminder: Update your Fish Online Account by June 1

May 26, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As part of our conversion to online permitting and eVTR, we are changing the way that vessel owners and operators login to Fish Online starting June 1.

To access Fish Online, instead of entering your permit number and PIN combination, you must now login using your personal Fish Online user account. We made this change to increase your account security and to enable vessel owners to give access, or “entitlements,” to their vessel records to other trusted people while managing multiple vessels in one account. We began implementing this process in 2020 and continue to reach out to vessel owners and operators to provide information and offer technical assistance.

Vessel Owners

Earlier this year, in anticipation of our annual vessel permit renewal season, we mailed instructions to vessel owners on how to update their accounts. Owners must use their user accounts to:

  • Use services such as permit renewals and electronic reporting.
  • Review landings data submitted by operators and dealers.
  • Provide account access to other trusted people.
  • Manage multiple vessels in one account.

If you are a vessel owner and have not yet created your login credentials, we strongly encourage you to do so by going to the How to Create an Account in Fish Online instructions located on our Vessel Trip Reporting web page. These step-by-step directions demonstrate how to create a validated Fish Online account by using either a Credential Security Code (CSC) or by calling our Help Desk.

Vessel Operators

Vessel operators also need a Fish Online account to use any of GARFO’s eVTR applications and to view their previously submitted eVTRs. Starting last month, we began sending notices to vessel operators and will continue this process throughout the summer. Once vessel operators receive a letter in the mail, if they have not already, they should create their user accounts as soon as possible by going to the How to Create an Account in Fish Online instructions located on our Vessel Trip Reporting web page. These step-by-step directions demonstrate how to create a validated Fish Online account by using either the Credential Security Code (CSC) in the letter we mailed to you or by calling our Help Desk.

Questions?

For assistance with obtaining your CSC code, entitling vessels, or creating your Fish Online user account:

  • Call our Vessel Reporting Help Desk at 978 -281-9188 from the phone number listed on your vessel permit. This is needed to verify your identity.
  • Contact your local Port Agent.

Joel Moribe, Endangered Species Biologist

May 26, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

What do you do at NOAA Fisheries?

I am an endangered species biologist for the Pacific Islands Regional Office, based out of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. I do Section 7 consultations, natural resource program coordination, acoustics, effects analysis, effect minimization, and species protection.

Would you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have more than 20 years of experience as a marine scientist, Endangered Species Act expert, and effects and project analyst. Before coming to the Pacific Islands Region, I spent 14 years in the Pacific Northwest conducting project analysis for the protection of salmon and killer whales. I also spent 3 years with the Navy as an endangered species project manager. And I actually do some fieldwork … sometimes!

What are a few words that describe you?

Hawai‘i born and raised, turtle lover, monk seal lover, coral lover and rescuer, entanglement and debris hater, scuba diver, free diver, University of Southern California Trojan, corgi lover, poi eater.

Why did you get into this field?

I’ve been fishing on O‘ahu since I was a very young child. Over the years I had noticed that fish were more difficult to catch, and conditions of the habitat were worsening. I routinely witnessed people violate laws, even within my own family. I knew I had to do something, or we would lose everything.

Read the full release at NOAA Fisheries

Sexual Harassment Conviction Underscores NOAA Fisheries Observer Safety Commitment

May 26, 2021 — A message from Acting NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Paul Doremus broke down how a recent conviction involving the sexual harassment of a federal fishery observer shows the agency’s commitment to observer safety.

Doremus noted that on May 3, Galen Burrell, a commercial fishing deckhand was sentenced in the Eastern District of North Carolina to six months in prison after pleading guilty to sexually harassing a federal fishery observer.

Read the full story at Seafood News