Saving Seafood

New Study Finds Ocean Acidification and Warming Hinder Juvenile Atlantic Sea Scallop Growth

March 2, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

A new study published in PLOS Climate indicates that ocean acidification conditions projected between now and 2100 depress the growth of juvenile Atlantic sea scallops. Ocean acidification is caused by the ocean absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, resulting in chemical changes that increase acidity. Ocean warming may further hinder growth. Atlantic sea scallops support one of the most valuable fisheries in the United States, worth $670 million in 2021.

Postdoctoral researcher and lead author Emilien Pousse said, “This work describes the energetic balance of sea scallops under ocean acidification conditions for the first time, a species of economic and socio-cultural importance. Within our changing world, getting to know how our marine resources and fisheries could be affected by ocean warming and acidification in the near future is the key to anticipate the upcoming changes.”

The 8-week study was a collaboration between NOAA Fisheries and Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. Faculty and students helped NOAA scientists conduct the study at the campus’ aquaculture lab. Scientists exposed the scallops to three different carbon dioxide levels and measured their growth and metabolism, including feeding, respiration, and excretion rates. Ocean acidification conditions significantly reduced the scallops’ ability to take up energy.

Why 23 Dead Whales Have Washed Up on the East Coast Since December

February 28, 2023 — First a North Atlantic right whale, a critically endangered species, washed ashore in Virginia. Then a humpback floated onto a beach in New Jersey. Not long afterward, a minke whale, swept in on the morning tide, landed on the Rockaway Peninsula in New York City.

And that was in just a single week this month.

In all, 23 dead whales have washed ashore along the East Coast since early December, including 12 in New Jersey and New York, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The pace of the deaths is worrisome to federal scientists, even if the total numbers are below some prior years.

Late Monday, the Coast Guard spotted another whale floating south of the Ambrose shipping channel, between New York and New Jersey; two teams from New York located the animal and determined that it was a humpback, but it was not clear where it might wash ashore.

Most of the fatalities have been humpbacks, and post-mortem examinations have suggested that ship strikes are likely the cause of many of the deaths.

Read the full article at the New York Times

Rep. Allison Hepler: More and better data can protect lobstering and right whales

February 28, 2o23 — The word “reprieve” is being used to describe the late-December federal action that produced a 6-year delay in implementing federal whale rules, as well as new funding for research and gear innovations in the lobster fishery. A reprieve is welcome, but it does not mean that the industry can step back and go about business as usual. Fortunately, that’s not what is happening.

This past summer, the National Oceanic and Aeronautical Administration (NOAA) had fast-tracked its implementation of rules around the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales, which would have made immediate and dramatic changes to Maine’s lobster fishery in two years rather than 10. In response, in the midst of our early-winter coastal storm that occurred just before Christmas last year, Maine’s federal delegation secured a 6-year pause in the implementation of those regulations, and also provided $55 million in funding for research and monitoring. This action was a welcome break for Maine lobstermen.

Science is at the heart of the work that needs to be done. Some of the funding will allow for continued research into better understanding the behavior and distribution of right whales as a result of the changing environmental situation in the Gulf of Maine. It is dramatically warming, and the whales’ favorite food is shifting east into Canadian waters. Organizations such as Bigelow Laboratories are likely to receive some of this funding to continue its research on the impact of this shift.

Read the full article at the Press Herald

 

Does offshore wind have a whale problem?

February 28, 2023 — Since Dec. 1, there have been 18 reports of dead whales washing ashore along the Atlantic Coast, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

With each dead whale washing ashore, the blood pressure of offshore wind critics has risen.  They believe the survey and construction work associated with building new offshore wind farms in the New England and New York regions may have contributed to the whale deaths.

Government officials say there is no relationship between offshore wind and whale deaths. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website maintains a section where it reports on the number of whales washing ashore since “unusual mortality events” started being tracked in 2016.

Since 2016, a total of 184 humpback whales have washed ashore.  A peak of 34 whale deaths was recorded in 2017.  Last year, there were 19 whale deaths. But so far this year, there have been 10 deaths recorded.  Five East Coast states – Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina – account for 81% of all whale deaths.  Four are sites of offshore wind work.

Read the full article at WorkBoat

NOAA Rejects Wespac’s Proposed Fishing Rule For Hawaii Marine Monument

February 27, 2023 — LeBoeuf said NOAA will begin to develop its own regulations instead but would consider a revised proposal from Wespac.

Efforts to designate waters surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a national marine sanctuary began in November 2021. The designation would be an overlay of the monument, which President George W. Bush established in 2006 and President Barack Obama expanded in 2016.

In December at its most recent meeting, Wespac recommended that the National Marine Fisheries Service — an arm of NOAA — authorize noncommercial and Native Hawaiian subsistence fishing from 50 to 200 nautical miles around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Read the full article at Honolulu Civil Beat 

Katie Westfall Joins NOAA Fisheries as a Senior Advisor Focused on Offshore Wind

February 27, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Katie Westfall has joined NOAA Fisheries as a Senior Advisor focused on offshore wind. Ms. Westfall will focus on improving the efficiency of offshore wind permitting at NOAA and on enhancing external coordination and engagement with other agencies, senior officials, and external groups.

“I am thrilled to welcome Katie to Fisheries. Her experience and perspective will add strength to our team as we work to responsibly develop offshore wind as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to combat climate change,” said NOAA Fisheries Administrator Janet Coit.

NOAA plays a key regulatory and science role in offshore energy development, acting in close partnership with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and other state and federal agencies and stakeholders. The agency is committed to facilitating offshore wind development and ensuring that the U.S. meets the President’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 while protecting biodiversity and promoting ocean co-use.

“When it comes to offshore wind development, NOAA Fisheries is actively engaged in an all-of-government strategy. Katie will work with developers, the fishing industry, states, Tribes and others to develop and deepen partnerships at the regional and national goals,” said Coit.

Ms. Westfall has 15 years of natural resource conservation experience focused on the intersection of environmental policy, politics, science, and communications. Before joining NOAA Fisheries, she spent 7 years at the Environmental Defense Fund where she served most recently as the Senior Director of Resilient Fisheries. She worked with fishermen, industry representatives, supply chain actors, technology providers, conservation groups, policymakers, and researchers to improve the sustainability, economic performance, and resilience of wild capture fisheries through policy, science, and technology solutions.

Prior to joining EDF, Ms. Westfall was a NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellow in the Office of Congressman Jared Huffman of California. In this role, she advised on natural resource policy, including on fisheries and oceans issues. Prior to that, she led domestic and international conservation campaigns as Environmental & Program Director for Save The Waves Coalition and Program Manager for WILDCOAST.

“I am very pleased to be joining the NOAA team. It’s an exciting time to be advancing offshore wind energy capacity, while maintaining the health of marine ecosystems, ensuring the vitality of our fishing sectors, and improving the resilience of coastal communities,” said Westfall. “In taking on this new role I will remain dedicated to fostering durable, science-based, and inclusive policy solutions for combating climate change and conserving and managing marine resources.”

Ms. Westfall received a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at U.C. Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California San Diego.

Famous Waikīkī Pup Gives Birth Outside of the Spotlight

February 24, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Nearly 6 years ago, Hawaiian monk seal RH58 (Rocky) surprised us all and gave birth to a female pup on a busy, high-traffic beach in Waikīkī. Now, that world-famous pup RJ58 (Kaimana) is raising a pup of her own, but in a much quieter location.

On January 28, 2023, Kaimana gave birth to the first pup of 2023 in the main Hawaiian Islands. Peak pupping season usually begins in spring, so this early start is a welcome surprise.

Our partners at Hawaiʻi Marine Animal Response (HMAR) have been on site each day monitoring the pair since Kaimana gave birth. They were even there to witness the birth!

“We’ve been observing a lot of nursing and swimming behavior from the pair,” said Jon Gelman, HMAR president. “We’ll continue to be in the area until after Kaimana leaves, and the pup begins to venture off by itself.”

HMAR has been busy off the beach, too, working with Kahuku Elementary School’s fifth grade class to gift the pup a Hawaiian name. The students selected the name Uʻi Mea Ola, or Uʻi for short. It means “beautiful survivor.” One of the reasons the students gifted this name was that the pup was born safely during the moon phase ʻOle Kū Lua, known for high tides and rough conditions.

“Our goal with each naming is for the students, teachers and surrounding communities to learn a bit more about Hawaiian monk seals, their importance and conservation,” said Emily Greene, HMAR’s education manager. “In addition, we hope that these students feel a sense of kuleana, or responsibility, to care for and conserve not only the pup they name but all monk seals and marine life.”

Read the full release here

Federal agency says no evidence offshore wind activity responsible for whale deaths

February 23, 2023 — In the latest jabs in the public debate over recent whale deaths along the Atlantic Coast, an independent government agency tasked by the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act to protect marine mammals, said Tuesday that offshore wind activities aren’t responsible for the recent spate of whale deaths here and elsewhere on the East Coast.

Eight whales have washed ashore dead in New Jersey since Dec. 1, while 23 have been spotted up and down the Atlantic Coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Marine Mammal Commission said the deaths are part of the Humpback Whale Unusual Mortality Event (UME) declared by the National Marine Fisheries Service that began in 2016.

“Although these strandings have generated media interest and public scrutiny, humpback whale strandings are not new nor are they unique to the U.S. Atlantic coast. In fact, ten or more humpback whales have stranded each year during the UME, with a high of 34 in 2017,” the commission said.

Read the full article at app.

U.S. Leadership Key to Achieving Improved Monitoring and Control of Fishing in the South Pacific

February 23, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization took a historic decision to adopt a U.S. proposal to establish comprehensive SPRFMO-specific high seas boarding and inspection procedures. This was one of 13 proposals adopted at the 11th annual meeting this month in Ecuador, where U.S. leadership was on full display.

Combating Illegal Fishing: High Seas Boarding and Inspection

Members adopted a U.S. proposal to establish SPRFMO-specific procedures in a comprehensive measure governing high seas boarding and inspection in the South Pacific. It is the culmination of efforts by the United States to achieve greater surveillance and monitoring over fishing activities in the Convention Area.

“This is a big step forward for SPRFMO. Negotiations on this measure have been ongoing for more than 5 years,” says Alexa Cole, Director of the Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce for NOAA Fisheries, who serves as the U.S. Commissioner to SPRFMO. “This puts in place important detailed procedures for high seas boarding and inspections that will facilitate efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the South Pacific.”

Promoting Sustainability: Limits Imposed on Effort in the Jumbo Flying Squid Fishery

The organization also took an important step towards controlling fishing levels in the jumbo flying squid jigging fishery. A working group chaired by the United States reconciled five competing proposals. Members adopted a measure that will, for the first time, limit the number and size of vessels flagged to China, Taiwan ( participating as Chinese Taipei), and Korea that target squid in the eastern Pacific. Three of the five proposals, including the one from the United States, also advocated for an increase in the observer coverage to at least 10 percent of fishing days. The organization could not reach consensus on an increase in observer coverage despite support from the United States and most coastal states. There is a clear need to improve monitoring of this fishery for scientific and compliance purposes. The United States is disappointed that Members representing distant-water fishing interests blocked more ambitious action and is committed to working with members to achieve this in the future.

Commitment to Future Action: Addressing Climate Change Impacts

The United States proposed that the Commission and its science and compliance committees consider climate change as a standing agenda item in all future meetings and make recommendations for the Commission. The organization adopted this document with broad vocal support from its membership. The adoption of the U.S. proposal is an important step for SPRFMO to help address climate change and ensure that the organization considers this issue in its decision making.

Advancing Conservation: Strengthened Protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems

Members adopted a measure to enhance the conservation of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific and take other steps to improve the management of bottom fishing on the high seas. The measure will implement a minimum level of 70 percent protection of suitable habitat for vulnerable marine ecosystems. While the United States advocated for an even higher level of protection, the new measure represents a significant step forward towards greater protection of deep-sea resources. Scientific uncertainty surrounding whether further protection may be needed will be addressed by the Scientific Committee in the coming year. The United States will continue advocating for action to prevent significant adverse impacts of fishing activities on VMEs consistent with the best available scientific information and the precautionary approach.

Unprecedented 10-Year Deal on Jack Mackerel

The United States chaired a working group developing a proposal for the allocation  of jack mackerel among current and new participants in this important fishery. The organization adopted by vote an allocation that will strengthen management and sustainable use in this fishery for the next decade. It will also promote more stability for the organization and the fishing industry. The rebuilding of jack mackerel from its depleted state a decade ago to the thriving, sustainably managed fishery it is now is a significant accomplishment for SPRFMO. It is an example of the success that can be achieved through international cooperation in regional fisheries management organizations.

West Coast Species on the Move as Climate Change Drives Ecological Shifts, Analysis Shows

February 22, 2023 — The following was release by NOAA Fisheries:

All but the most resilient marine species off the West Coast are likely to be vulnerable to climate change, according to a new NOAA Fisheries assessment. It will help inform fisheries management and species protections as the climate changes in the coming decades.

The assessment found that nearly all commercial fish stocks overseen by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council are vulnerable to climate change. Species with complex life histories, long life spans, or of high commercial value are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the California Current.

“We are looking forward, and we see that changes in these species may be the rule rather than the exception,” said Michelle McClure, lead author of the assessment who did much of the work while at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. “The goal is to anticipate the changes and make more climate-informed management decisions, and this assessment should help.”

Scientists are currently documenting the shift of marine species north or into deeper, cooler waters, as they follow their preferable temperatures. Such shifts are likely to become more widespread as climate change continues. Depressed oxygen levels, known as hypoxia, may also become more common and take a toll on bottom-dwelling species. These species cannot move very far or fast to avoid these low-oxygen areas.

Read the full release here