Saving Seafood

New Reports Available to Help the Public Better Understand Recreational Party and Charter Fishing Impacts Associated with Offshore Wind Development Along the U.S. Atlantic Coast

May 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has developed new analyses and reports to help the public better understand the impacts on recreational party and charter boat fishing associated with offshore wind development along the U.S. Atlantic Coast.  The new reports complement the previously developed analyses and reports of commercial fishing impacts associated with offshore wind development in the same region.

To help analyze how party and charter boat fishing operations may be impacted by offshore wind energy projects, NOAA Fisheries compared vessel logbook fishing location data from 2008-2018 to current offshore wind energy project areas.  We identified where and when fishing occurred relative to these areas and developed reports of potential socioeconomic impacts from each offshore wind project area based on the historic data. These reports include information on the amount of primary species retained, number of party and charter boat trips, number of angler trips, revenue associated with party and charter boat trips, and communities affected by each offshore wind development project area.  These reports will help estimate the potential impacts of such development on managed recreational fisheries and associated fishing communities.

The socioeconomic impact reports are now available online.  All data included in reports have been aggregated, as necessary, to protect data confidentiality.

Read the full release here

8 Things You Might Not Know About Threatened & Endangered Species in the Pacific

May 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

It’s Endangered Species Day! This is a time to celebrate the threatened and endangered species in the Pacific Islands region and renew our dedication to protecting and conserving them! With that in mind, we’re bringing you some interesting—and perhaps surprising—facts about our protected species. We’re and sharing how you can help make sure they’re around for future generations to enjoy.

Here’s why we think the threatened and endangered species in the Pacific Islands region are some of the most interesting animals on the planet!

1. False killer whales like to share!

These closely bonded animals not only share their prey with one another, but they’ve also been known to approach human snorkelers and divers with offerings from their fresh catch.

False killer whales are the least abundant species of toothed whale in Hawai‘i. And of the three populations that live here, the main Hawaiian Islands insular population is listed as endangered with fewer than 200 individuals remaining. While encounters are rare, we encourage you to report sightings at the NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline: (888) 256-9840.

Check out the 2020 field update from our partners at Cascadia Research Collective

2. Male hawksbill sea turtles spend their lives at sea and are rarely observed or tagged.

The hawksbill population of Hawaiʻi may be the most endangered turtle population in the world. There are fewer than 200 known adult female hawksbill sea turtles (honuʻea) in Hawaiʻi, but scientists don’t know how many males are out there. They suspect the number may be small because only around 20 percent of Hawaiʻi hawksbills that strand (are dead or injured) on the beach are male. What’s more, incubation temperature determines a hatchling’s sex: high temperatures produce females, suggesting fewer males will be born as global temperatures increase. Report all honu‘ea sightings to RespectWildlife@noaa.gov.

Learn to distinguish honu‘ea from the more common honu (green sea turtle) by their narrow heads and pointed beaks

Read the full release here

Seasonal Prohibition on All Fishing (Commercial and Recreational) for or Possession of Queen Conch in Federal Waters off St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

May 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

What Is Happening And When:

NOAA Fisheries reminds the public of the upcoming seasonal prohibition on fishing for or possession of queen conch on board a fishing vessel.

  • This annually recurring prohibition will take effect at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2021.
  • The queen conch harvest season will reopen at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 1, 2021.
  • The closure applies in federal waters east of 64°34′ W longitude, including that portion of the Lang Bank area falling within those federal waters (see map below).
  • Remaining federal waters are closed year-round to all fishing for queen conch.
  • Possession of queen conch in U.S. Virgin Island jurisdictional waters (0-3 nautical miles) is prohibited June 1 through October 31.
  • Possession of queen conch in Puerto Rico jurisdictional waters (0-9 nautical miles) is prohibited August 1 through October 31.

Why This Closure Is Happening:

This seasonal closure protects queen conch when they are spawning (reproducing) and therefore more vulnerable to fishing pressure.

During the open season (November 1 – May 31), fishing for queen conch in U.S. Caribbean federal waters is only allowed in waters east of 64°34′ W longitude.

Read the full release here

NOAA Announces Projects Recommended for Saltsontall-Kennedy Funding

May 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has recommended more than $11 million for 43 projects under the 2021 Saltonstall-Kennedy Competitive Grants Program. The projects fall into two categories:

  • Promotion, Development, and Marketing and Science
  • Technology that Promotes Sustainable U.S Seafood Production and Harvesting

For more than 40 years, NOAA has awarded grant funding for projects under the Saltonstall-Kennedy program to individuals, institutions, organizations, and businesses across the country. These funds help address the needs of fishing communities, support economic opportunities, and build and maintain resilient and sustainable fisheries.

The goal of the Saltonstall-Kennedy program is to fund projects that:

  • Address the needs of fishing communities
  • Optimize economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries
  • Increase other opportunities to keep working waterfronts viable

These 43 proposals represent the top projects best positioned to meet this goal.

Demand for funding was high again this year. Initially, NOAA received 276 pre-proposals. Out of that number, at least three subject matter experts reviewed 158 full proposals requesting more than $42 million during the technical merit review phase. The top proposals in each NOAA Fisheries’ region were recommended for 2021 funding.

At this point in the selection process, the application approval and recommended funding is not final. Divisions of NOAA and the Department of Commerce, NOAA’s parent agency, must still give final approval before successful applicants receive funding.

Read the full release here

Number of overfished stocks in US on the decline

May 21, 2021 — The number of US fisheries deemed “overfished” declined in 2019, with 22 stocks subject to overfishing versus 2018’s status of 26 stocks — a sign some rebuilding efforts are showing results.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Report to Congress on the Status of US Fisheries, released Thursday, surveys fisheries in US territorial waters annually to determine the status of stocks deemed troubled under NOAA’s management guidelines.

In its report, NOAA designates fisheries under excessive pressure as either “overfished” or subject to “overfishing.”

Read the full story at IntraFish

MASSACHUSETTS: Pandemic, new NOAA rules sink tuna tourney

May 21, 2021 — The COVID-19 restrictions on personal protections and public gatherings are easing. They just didn’t ease in time to save this summer’s Bluefin Blowout tuna fishing tournament.

The organizers of the popular Gloucester-based tournament, which raised $366,000 in charitable donations in the last year the tournament was held in 2019, have canceled the 2021 tournament that was to run July 29 to 31 at the Cape Ann’s Marina Resort off Essex Avenue.

It would have been the ninth year the tournament was held. Now, it is the second consecutive year it has been canceled because of the pandemic and its impacts.

“As restrictions to the COVID pandemic loosen up, it is apparent that we have to make a decision based on current conditions facing the tournament,” Warren Waugh, the producer and driving force behind the Bluefin Blowout, said Wednesday in a statement. “Presently, we understand that NOAA regulations are very restrictive for a weekend tournament and there are changes proposed that would make the tournament very difficult to pull off.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

US landings flat in 2019, while seafood trade deficit continued to increase

May 21, 2021 — Commercial fishermen in the United States landed 9.3 billion pounds of seafood products worth a total of USD 5.5 billion (EUR 4.5 billion) in 2019. That’s according to one of two reports NOAA Fisheries released on Thursday, 20 May.

The reports, Fisheries of the United States 2019 and the agency’s Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries, indicate that the country saw slight increases to the number of stocks that were either overfished or subject to overfishing. However, the production from U.S. commercial fishing businesses dipped slightly from 2018.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

National Fisheries Institute Statement on NOAA’s Report on Implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program

May 21, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute opposes any illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.  We appreciate NOAA’s focus on ridding the globe of pirate fishing.  We are pleased that today’s report on the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) highlights the fact that, “the majority of SIMP audits do not identify noncompliance,” and that of non-conformances “only a small number rise to the level that they warrant enforcement action.” NFI looks forward to working with NOAA to improve any information discrepancies found in entry filings.

We note that NOAA’s report clearly states, “SIMP does not prevent or stop IUU fish and fish products from entering U.S. commerce.”

In fact, NOAA highlights that, “most of the issues that have been found relate to issues apparent from the documents themselves (e.g., vessel permit dates do not match harvest dates, documents are missing).”

In the report NOAA Fisheries emphasizes it remains “focused on maintaining the risk-based nature of SIMP.”  Calls for expanding SIMP to all species undercut this focus on risk.

The seafood community estimates it has spent over $50 million on SIMP regulatory and paperwork compliance for just the 13 species covered by the program, a burden on an industry working to feed Americans during a time of recovery.  SIMP expansion would impose hundreds of millions of dollars of annual expense for a program that “does not prevent or stop IUU fish and fish products from entering U.S. commerce.”

NOAA Fisheries Releases Key Reports: Status of Stocks 2020 and Fisheries of the United States 2019

May 21, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced the release of two new reports: the Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries and the 2019 Fisheries of the United States Report. These reports highlight the continued rebuilding and recovery of U.S. fisheries and the broad economic impact of commercial and recreational fisheries on the U.S. economy.

Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries

Sustainable U.S. fisheries play an important role in the nation’s economy. They provide opportunities for commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing, and sustainable seafood for consumers. This annual report provides a “snapshot” in time of the status of U.S. fisheries at the end of 2020.

NOAA Fisheries’ 2020 Status of Stocks shows continued progress in science and management for U.S. fisheries. Key takeaways include:

  • More than 90 percent of stocks are not subject to overfishing and 80 percent not overfished.
  • The number of stocks on the overfishing list and the overfished list increased slightly, with 26 stocks on the overfishing list and 49 stocks on the overfished list.
  • The status of six previously unknown stocks was determined through new first-time stock assessments.

By ending overfishing and rebuilding stocks, we are strengthening the value of U.S. fisheries to the economy, our communities, and marine ecosystems.

Fisheries of the United States 2019

Fisheries of the United States is a yearbook of fisheries statistics for the nation. It provides data on commercial landings and value and recreational catch. It also includes data on the fish processing industry, aquaculture production, imports and exports, and per capita seafood consumption. Although dollar values are included, this report does not focus on economic analysis. According to the report, U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.3 billion pounds of seafood valued at $5.5 billion in 2019.

The continued, steady high landings and values of U.S. fisheries we’ve seen over the last five years points to the collective progress that our agency, the eight regional fishery management councils, and our stakeholders are making as we work to ensure the sustainability and economic stability of our nation’s fisheries.

Key takeaways include:

  • U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.3 billion pounds valued at $5.5 billion in 2019
  • Strong landings of 3.4 billion pounds for the nation’s largest commercial fishery, walleye pollock, valued at $387.6 million
  • Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and New Bedford, Massachusetts, continue to dominate the list of top ports driven by landings of pollock for Alaska and value of sea scallops in Massachusetts
  • U.S. marine aquaculture production value was estimated at $430 million; oysters, clams, and salmon generated the highest values
  • U.S. recreational anglers took over 187 million trips in 2019

Read the 2019 Fisheries of the United States Report

Paul Simon Galtsoff: Oyster Researcher and Woods Hole Lab Advocate

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

Born in 1887 in Moscow, Russia, Paul Simon Galtsoff was trained at the Imperial Moscow University. He graduated in 1910 with a degree in zoology and chemistry and married Eugenia Troussoff in Moscow in 1911. He soon became one of Russia’s leading scientists. As unrest took hold in the country, he joined the Imperial Russian Army in 1914. The couple moved to Sevastopol where, at age 27, he became the director of the Marine Biological Station, a branch of the Imperial Academy of Science.

Coming to the United States

As the Bolshevik Revolution spread, Paul and Eugenia were forced to leave Sevastopol during “The Great Exodus” November 13-16, 1920 with just hours to spare. Landing in the Port of New York on January 20, 1921, he found that marine research was in its infancy in the United States. With extensive experience in zoology, he eventually found a temporary position with the Bureau of Fisheries. He surveyed the Mississippi River for marine life after construction of a dam in Iowa. Two years later he was appointed to the Woods Hole Lab to serve as naturalist aboard the research vessel Albatross.  

Eugenia had pursued undergraduate and graduate studies in Russia in biology and zoology. After the couple emigrated to the United States, she worked at George Washington University as a histology assistant for many years. Paul Galtsoff pursued graduate studies at Columbia University. He earned a doctoral degree in biology in 1925 while still working at the Woods Hole Lab.

Read the full release here