Saving Seafood

Pacific Leatherback Turtles off the West Coast Disappearing, New Survey Shows

December 16, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Enormous Pacific leatherback turtles are so ancient they lived with the dinosaurs. Now a new survey shows that leatherbacks that forage off the U.S. West Coast are trending towards extinction in as little as a few decades.

These endangered turtles are the largest living turtles, weighing up to 1,500 pounds. They are fully protected in U.S. waters, likely the safest waters they traverse in their cross-Pacific migrations. After feeding on jellyfish and growing in U.S. waters, adult turtles migrate back west across the Pacific Ocean to beaches in Indonesia and Solomon Islands. That’s where they reproduce and females lay their eggs.

Biologists fear illegal, unregulated, or insufficiently regulated fishing on the high seas may catch and kill many leatherbacks on their year-long treks across the ocean. They also suffer from poaching and loss of habitat in their nesting areas.

“Probably the safest place for Pacific leatherbacks is in the West Coast Exclusive Economic Zone,” said research biologist Scott Benson of NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center. The Exclusive Economic Zone is the area where U.S. laws apply to 200 miles offshore. “It’s what happens in all of the other waters they are swimming through that really worries us.”

Benson is lead author of the new study of western Pacific leatherbacks, one of two populations of leatherback turtles in the Pacific, published last month in Global Ecology and Conservation.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2021 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications

December 15, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces final 2021 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in cooperation with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. These specifications are similar to 2020. The only change is a reduction of 1.14 million pounds in the recreational harvest limit to account for higher than projected recreational discards in 2019.

The final 2021 coastwide commercial quota is 2,767,793 pounds, and the final recreational harvest limit is reduced to 8,344,914 pounds. There is no transfer between recreational and commercial sectors because the recreational fishery is expected to fully attain this harvest limit. This action does not change any other management measures, including the daily recreational bag limit of 3 fish per person for private anglers and 5 fish per person for for-hire (charter/party) vessels. The commercial state allocations for 2021 are provided in the following table. No state exceeded its allocated quota in 2019, nor is projected to do so in 2020; therefore, no commercial accountability measures are required in 2021.

Read the full release here

Slow Speed Zone Southeast of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

December 15, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is implementing a Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

On December 14, 2020 the New England Aquarium aerial survey team noted presence of right whales in this area triggering a slow zone.

Mariners, please go around this area or go slow (10 knots or less) inside this area where right whales have been detected.

The Nantucket Slow Zone is in effect through December 29 for waters bounded by:

41 26 N
40 44 N
069 31 W
070 25 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here

Size of Alaska’s Western Aleutian Island Passes Larger than Previously Thought

December 15, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

There are thousands of small islands that comprise Alaska’s Aleutian Island chain, but only a few dozen significant passes among those islands. These passes are important bottlenecks for water exchange among the North Pacific, Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering Sea. However, until now there has been limited detail on estimates of pass location, size, shape, length, and depth.

“Flow estimates have been based on rough pass size estimates from over 50 years ago,” said Mark Zimmermann, fisheries biologist from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. “We have updated information for eastern, western and central passes along the Aleutian Island chain. This new information will help oceanographers and ecologists better quantify impacts of water flow on Alaska marine ecosystems and better understand environmental and ecological changes that are taking place.”

Two new NOAA Fisheries’ studies provide more detail on the size and extent of the passes and the shoreline around the Aleutian Islands.

One study showed that all of the western-most Aleutian passes, from Kavalga to Semichi, are larger (18 to 71 percent) than previously reported. The last study was conducted for this area in the 1960s. This includes Amchitka Pass (+23 percent), the largest in the Aleutians.

The other study focused on the easternmost pass, False Pass, which posed a particular challenge for co-author Zimmermann. False Pass is unusual: it’s the only Aleutian pass that directly connects the shallow shelves of the western Gulf of Alaska and eastern Bering Sea. It is also the only pass with constricted southern and northern openings. We found this pass to have a single northern inlet to the Bering Sea—however, until recently it had two. This conflicts with current navigational charts, depicting two inlets to the Bering Sea now, compared to just one on the older charts (1926–1943).

“Our analysis of eastern pass sizes compared to the results of the 1960s study generated mixed results,” said Zimmermann. “In some cases, our pass size estimates were larger while in other cases they were smaller than previous estimates.”

In 2005, NOAA scientists updated information on some of the eastern and central passes. When Zimmermann looked at the two eastern passes from that study, he found that they were actually larger than previously thought. He also found that five central Aleutian passes were smaller than reported. The earlier study did not examine western pass sizes. The new studies include much more detailed information about the seafloor and shoreline that was not available at the time of the earlier analyses. As a result, they will be a great new resource for oceanographers and ecologists studying marine systems.

Read the full release here

Fall Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey Wraps Up

December 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The COVID-19 pandemic and typical fall weather conditions were challenges, but the Cooperative Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey team and industry partners wrapped up a successful season in early November.

“Every single person on the bottom longline survey team worked incredibly hard to get the survey completed this fall,” said Anna Mercer, chief of the Cooperative Research Branch. “From building new software to installing new camera systems, from repeated COVID-19 testing to careful quarantining, from new work flows to new hardware, it was a true team effort.”

The survey targets groundfish at 45 stations across the Gulf of Maine using tub-trawl bottom longline gear. The survey plan focuses on rocky bottom habitat, where fish are difficult to sample with trawl gear.

Read the full release here

Reminder of Upcoming Webinars for the New South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico For-Hire Electronic Reporting Requirements

December 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Background

  • NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils are implementing the new Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting Program in January 2021.
  • The intent of the program is to provide more timely catch information by federally-permitted charter vessels, to enhance data collection, and provide accurate and reliable fisheries information about catch, effort, and discards to be used in future population assessments and management evaluations.

Southeast For-Hire Reporting Webinar Information and Registration

  • Please join us as we walk you through the reporting process and answer your questions. The webinars will be recorded and available to the public.
  • For Gulf of Mexico permit holders:
  • For South Atlantic permit holders:

Please Note: All permit holders should have received an informational toolkit with additional program information via US Postal Service.  These tool-kits and instructional videos are also available online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing-data/southeast-hire-electronic-reporting-program.  The website also provides information on the webinars including how to register and attend.

If you have any questions or did not receive a toolkit, please call our customer service hotline (available from 8:00-4:30, EST, Monday through Friday) at 1-833-707-1632 or email us at ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov.

Management Measures for Dolphin and Wahoo Approved for Public Hearings

December 14, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council met via webinar last week and approved a list of proposed management measures for the Dolphin and Wahoo fisheries for public hearings. The hearings will be scheduled in early 2021. The measures, proposed in Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan, would revise catch levels and annual catch limits for both Dolphin and Wahoo, modify allocations between recreational and commercial sectors, and modify accountability measures designed to help prevent exceeding annual catch limits. These measures are proposed in response to revised recreational data estimates from the NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) and recalibration of numbers used to establish Acceptable Biological Catches for each species.

The amendment also includes management alternatives to reduce recreational bag limits and vessel limits for Dolphin and Wahoo, eliminate a requirement for Operator Cards in the for-hire and commercial fisheries, address retention of Dolphin and Wahoo onboard permitted commercial vessels with specified gear onboard, and allow filleting of Dolphin at sea on board charter or headboat vessels in waters north of the Virginia/North Carolina line.

Both Dolphin and Wahoo are economically important species, often targeted by private recreational anglers and charter captains. The annual catch limit for Dolphin is currently allocated 90% recreational and 10% commercial. The species are managed by the Council in federal waters (greater than 3 nautical miles) along the entire Atlantic coast of the U.S. through the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan.

Council members have received comments, primarily from charter captains in the Florida Keys, expressing concerns about the Dolphin fishery in South Florida. Fishermen report catching fewer fish, particularly the larger “bull” Dolphin and have requested the Council consider reductions in recreational bag limits or vessel limits. Concerns have also been expressed about the commercial longline fishery for Dolphin and possible impacts to the stock. The Council agreed to consider an additional amendment to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan in 2021 to address the longline fishery.

Public hearings for Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 10 will be held in early 2021 via webinar. Written public comments will also be accepted. The Council will review the public comments during its March meeting and is currently scheduled to approve Amendment 10 when it meets again in June 2021.

Other Business:

The Council also approved three items for public scoping. Scoping is used to obtain stakeholder input early in the decision-making process and help guide the Council for actions to consider.

Shrimp Fishery Access Area

Coral Amendment 10 includes options to establish a shrimp fishery access area along the eastern boundary of the Oculina Bank Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern. Located off the central east coast of Florida, the area is designated to help protect deepwater Oculina coral. The options are being considered at the request of fishermen involved in the commercial rock shrimp fishery. After considering input from its Coral Advisory Panel, Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel, and the Habitat and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel, the Council selected a preferred alternative for the proposed boundary area. Public scoping will occur in conjunction with the Council’s March 2021 meeting.

Wreckfish ITQ Modernization

The Council will continue to solicit input on measures proposed to modernize the current Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) program used in the commercial fishery for Wreckfish, a deepwater grouper harvested by a limited number of vessels. Wreckfish shareholders and wholesale dealers met in October to provide guidance to the Council on recommended improvements to the program, including electronic reporting. The Council will hold a scoping meeting for proposed measures during its March 2021 meeting.

Red Porgy

In response to a recent stock assessment for Red Porgy, the Council is developing Amendment 50 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to address overfishing, rebuild the stock and revise allocations. Despite having rebuilding plans in place for decades, the Red Porgy stock has not improved in the region. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act the Council must implement measures to revise the rebuilding plan and end overfishing within the next two years. Proposed measures include reductions in commercial trip limits, recreational bag limits and seasonal closures. The Council reviewed input from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and acknowledged that declining abundance and poor recruitment may be due to factors other than fishing. Public scoping will take place in early 2021 via webinar.

Additional information about the December Council meeting, including a meeting Story Map, final committee reports, and briefing book materials is available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/. The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for March 1-5, 2021.

NOAA Fisheries Implements Adjustments to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Risk Policy

December 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is implementing a final rule that adjusts the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s risk policy. This action modifies the Council’s risk policy by accepting a higher level of risk for stocks that are at or above biomass targets, resulting in the ability for the Council to set higher catch limits for healthy fisheries. This action also removes the typical/atypical species designation when applied to the current risk policy allowing the Council to better use improvements in stock assessment and modeling approaches that can more appropriately account for and address overfishing vulnerability.

For more details, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register and our bulletin. This rule is effective on December 15, 2020.

Read the full release here

Reminder: Web Page for Fishermen Resources Available

December 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Visit our web page Resources for Fishing in the Greater Atlantic  for information on how to comment on recent rules, apply for permits, complete your reporting requirements and much more!

Bookmark this page for easy access or find it by navigating from our home page and clicking on the Fishing Industry Home Page.

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Let us know if you have suggestions of other links you’d like to see included on this resource page for easy access.

Questions/Comments?

Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175

At-sea monitoring coming to herring fishery in April

December 14, 2020 — The federal government plans to require herring fishing boats to participate in industry-funded monitoring starting in April.

At-sea monitoring programs allow the government to collect important data that helps manage fisheries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it intends to begin selecting vessels in the herring fishery for monitoring coverage on April 1.

NOAA said the plan could be altered by health mandates or travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. The agency said in a statement that some herring boats have the option of seeking an exempted permit to use electronic monitoring instead of at-sea monitoring.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Gloucester Daily Times