Saving Seafood

Extended: Slow Speed Zone Southeast of New York City to Protect Right Whales

December 9, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is extending a Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) southeast of New York City, New York.

This Slow Zone was in already in effect when the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute acoustic monitoring buoy again detected right whales in the New York Bight on December 9.

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

The New York Bight Slow Zone is in effect through December 24 for waters bounded by:

40 41 N
40 01 N
073 03 W
073 55 W

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

Read the full release here

New Tool Available to Explore Effects of Offshore Wind on Fisheries

December 8, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Factors to Consider

In a busy ocean, finding the right spot for offshore wind farms isn’t easy. There are a lot of factors to consider besides the windiest spots.

  • What marine life is in the proposed areas?
  • Is the area a productive scallop ground or other important fishing spot?
  • Do endangered whales or sea turtles rely on this area for food or migration?
  • Will fishermen and other vessel traffic be able to navigate safely?

Currently, there are more than 16 offshore wind energy areas in various stages of planning and development from Maine through North Carolina. These projects may install more than 2,100 turbines from 2021–2029.

New Online Tools

To help better understand the impacts offshore wind development will have on Atlantic coast fisheries, we developed some new tools and analyses.

Some of the information you can find for the currently proposed offshore wind energy areas includes:

  • Amount of individual species landed
  • Landings revenue
  • Gear types used
  • Number of vessels fishing
  • Number of fishing trips
  • Communities affected

To gather this information, we combined vessel logbooks, dealer reports, and observer data to come up with fishing footprints. We then compared them to the proposed offshore wind energy project areas.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is the federal agency responsible for reviewing and permitting offshore energy projects. It has used this information in its analysis of the Vineyard Wind Project.

Anyone can download the data and generate summary reports using our query tool.

We will further develop these tools based on public input and ongoing efforts to integrate other data sources.Both the summary reports and underlying data will be continuously updated as we obtain this additional information. We are currently working on integrating party/charter vessel logbook data and data from vessels that fish for highly migratory species and for species managed in the South Atlantic. Learn more about the work we’re doing to monitor and analyze the potential fishery impacts from offshore wind development.

Questions?

Fisheries Data: Benjamin Galuardi, Regional Office, (978) 281-9187

Offshore Wind and Fisheries: Doug Christel, Regional Office, (978) 281-9141

Texas Organizations Help Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles from Massachusetts

December 8, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

On Monday, December 7, 120 sea turtles flew south thanks to Turtles Fly Too. These sea turtles were found on Cape Cod, Massachusetts beaches suffering from hypothermia and other complications in recent weeks. They will continue to receive treatment and care from seven facilities in Texas.

Of the more than 500 cold-stunned sea turtles that have washed up so far this year, the vast majority are endangered Kemp’s ridleys. Green and loggerhead sea turtles have been rescued, as well. Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary responds to all of these cold-stunned turtles. They transport live turtles to two Massachusetts rehabilitation facilities: the New England Aquarium and the National Marine Life Center.

Sea turtles are cold-blooded and rely on heat from their environment to maintain their body temperatures. When water temperatures drop rapidly, they become lethargic and unable to swim due to the cold. Many of the turtles have pneumonia, and some have other medical conditions or injuries from being washed against rocks. They require expert care—but with so many turtles, the rehabilitation facilities are filling up. And it’s only early December. The cold-stun season usually lasts until late December or early January.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Establishes Recreational Fishing Survey and Data Standards

December 7, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries established a set of standards to guide the recreational fishing surveys administered and funded through the agency’s Marine Recreational Information Program. The standards reflect federal guidelines and best practices for the dissemination of statistical information, and will further ensure the integrity of data collection efforts, the quality of recreational fisheries statistics, and the strength of science-based management decisions.

Most of the standards are already in use by the program and its partners, including the:

  • Adoption of quality assurance plans
  • Adherence to certification guidelines
  • Production of key statistics needed for the assessment and management of fish stocks

The transition to these standards is a key milestone in the Marine Recreational Information Program’s recently released 2021 Implementation Plan.

“These standards set clear criteria for what NOAA Fisheries considers a sound recreational fishing survey management practice,” said Evan Howell, Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Science and Technology. “By establishing these standards, we have removed ambiguities about whether a practice should be considered a recommendation or a requirement. That will support sound survey design and high-quality data.”

Read the full release here

As COVID impacts continue to hurt US fisheries, CARES Act funding still stuck in limbo

December 7, 2020 — Almost exactly seven months after USD 300 million (EUR 247 million) in funds were released to U.S. fisheries through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), over one-third of the money slated for distribution hasn’t even had its method of distribution decided on.

The funds, released on 7 May, were announced by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for disbursement in state-by-state amounts. The funds were to be distributed through NOAA, with each state charged with creating and executing its own individual spend plan.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Commercial Closure for Snowy Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on December 12, 2020

December 7, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

WHAT/WHEN:

The commercial harvest of snowy grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on December 12, 2020.  During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of snowy grouper is prohibited, and harvest or possession of snowy grouper in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2020 July through December commercial catch limit is 46,181 pounds gutted weight.  The unused portion of the catch limit from the January through June season was added to the catch limit for the July through December season, and the increased catch limit is used to project the closure. Commercial landings are projected to reach the increased July through December commercial catch limit.  According to the accountability measure, commercial harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • The prohibition on sale or purchase during a closure for snowy grouper does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, on December 12, 2020, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • The 2021 January through June commercial fishing season for snowy grouper in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2021, with a catch limit of 107,754 pounds gutted weight.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations.  Full 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#se50.12.622_1193.

Reinstated: Slow Speed Zone Southeast of Atlantic City to Protect Right Whales

December 7, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is reinstating a Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone), southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey

This Slow Zone was in effect November 20-December 5, when the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute acoustic monitoring buoy detected right whales southeast of Atlantic City. The buoy detected right whales again on December 7.

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

Southeast of Atlantic City Slow Zone is in effect through December 22 for waters bounded by:

39 25 N
38 44 N
073 44 W
074 36 W

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

Read the full release here

GIB CHASE: Right whale, wrong decisions

December 4, 2020 — There is no second chance with extinction. So why is it taking the National Marine Fisheries Service so long to implement protective measures for the endangered North Atlantic right whale?

The species was considered endangered in 1970, three years before the Endangered Species Act was legislated. For the past 50 years it has been a constant struggle to fulfill the obligations of this law and provide adequate protection for its recovery. Four years ago, NOAA declared the drastic increase in right whale deaths an “unusual mortality event” and supposedly a concentrated effort was to be made to reverse the trend and save the species. We’re still waiting. The act is clear on what needs to be done, but decisions being made do not uphold the law.

Instead of carrying out its congressional legislative mandate, the Fisheries Service has repeatedly authorized actions harmful to continued existence of the whale. As a result, we have witnessed lawsuits and legal complaints against the agency for not doing the job entrusted to it. Among the claims made are: making false and misleading statements, omitting scientific research findings and recommendations from its own staff, falsely implying a consensus of scientists that reopening of a restricted fishing area wouldn’t adversely affect the species, refusing to close certain areas to reduce entanglements, controlling information being released to the public and, most importantly, granting priority to the lobster fishery responsible for the majority of whale deaths. Downplaying effects of fishery activities on the species, inadequately addressing ship strikes and failure to notify ships to reduce their speed are other accusations. These actions violate the legal requirements of the Endangered Species Act and reflect poorly on the agency, its mission, integrity and employees.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Global sustainable fishing initiative agreed by 14 countries

December 4, 2020 — Governments responsible for 40% of the world’s coastlines have pledged to end overfishing, restore dwindling fish populations and stop the flow of plastic pollution into the seas in the next 10 years.

The leaders of the 14 countries set out a series of commitments on Wednesday that mark the world’s biggest ocean sustainability initiative, in the absence of a fully fledged UN treaty on marine life.

The countries – Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Palau and Portugal – will end harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing, a key demand of campaigners. They will also aim to eliminate illegal fishing through better enforcement and management, and to minimise bycatch and discards, as well as implementing national fisheries plans based on scientific advice.

Each of the countries, members of the High Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy, has also pledged to ensure that all the areas of ocean within its own national jurisdiction – known as exclusive economic zones – are managed sustainably by 2025. That amounts to an area of ocean roughly the size of Africa.

Read the full story at The Guardian

Time for a Whale Disentanglement: Thanksgiving in Tenakee Springs

December 4, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

In the wee hours of the morning on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, residents of Tenakee Springs, Alaska were awakened by the unmistakable cries of distress.

The sound, which some Tenakee residents described as “squealing,” resonated across the water to the small, remote community of about 130 people in Southeast Alaska. It was a call from an adult humpback whale that was hogtied in crab pot gear just 200-300 yards from shore. The whale was severely entangled and stationary, but was able to surface to breathe.

By 8:15 a.m., residents had notified the Alaska Regional Office of NOAA Fisheries in Juneau to report the entanglement. Agency marine mammal experts deemed the entanglement to be very serious—the humpback could not move to pursue food—but not immediately life-threatening. Before a disentanglement operation could be attempted, NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources staff would need additional information about the complexity of the entanglement. Fortunately, two Tenakee residents already had NOAA Level 3 training in large whale entanglement response. Could they get underwater images?

Read more.

Read the full release here