Saving Seafood

California has a weird new desert. It’s in the Pacific Ocean.

February 4, 2019 — Six years after it was stricken by a wasting disease off the northern California coast, the sunflower sea star — one of the most colorful starfish in the ocean — has all but vanished, and the domino effect threatens to unravel an entire marine ecosystem.

The cause of the sea star’s demise is a mystery, but it coincided with a warming event in the Pacific Ocean, possibly tied to the climate, that lasted for two years ending in 2015. It heated vast stretches of water in patches, and likely exacerbated the disease, according to a new study released Wednesday.

“I’ve never seen a decline of this magnitude of a species so important,” Drew Harvell, the lead author of the study, published in the journal Science Advances, that documented the sunflower sea star’s retreat into possible extinction off California and Oregon.

If the study had a purpose, she said, it was to call attention to the sea star’s demise so that federal officials would take action to list it as endangered and work to save it, possibly with a breeding program using sunflower stars that are surviving in parts of Washington, Alaska and Canada.

Read the full story at The Washington Post

Ocean heat waves like the Pacific’s deadly ‘Blob’ could become the new normal

February 1, 2019 — When marine biologist Steve Barbeaux first saw the data in late 2017, he thought it was the result of a computer glitch. How else could more than 100 million Pacific cod suddenly vanish from the waters off of southern Alaska?

Within hours, however, Barbeaux’s colleagues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Seattle, Washington, had confirmed the numbers. No glitch. The data, collected by research trawlers, indicated cod numbers had plunged by 70% in 2 years, essentially erasing a fishery worth $100 million annually. There was no evidence that the fish had simply moved elsewhere. And as the vast scale of the disappearance became clear, a prime suspect emerged: “The Blob.”

In late 2013, a huge patch of unusually warm ocean water, roughly one-third the size of the contiguous United States, formed in the Gulf of Alaska and began to spread. A few months later, Nick Bond, a climate scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, dubbed it The Blob. The name, with its echo of a 1958 horror film about an alien life form that keeps growing as it consumes everything in its path, quickly caught on. By the summer of 2015, The Blob had more than doubled in size, stretching across more than 4 million square kilometers of ocean, from Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Water temperatures reached 2.5°C above normal in many places.

Read the full story at Science Magazine

Court Denies California’s Attempt to Delay Whale Entanglement Case

February 1, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — A federal court has rejected the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s bid to delay a lawsuit alleging it’s not doing enough to prevent its commercial Dungeness crab fishery from entangling whales and sea turtles in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act.

The Center for Biological Diversity sued the department in October 2017 after whale entanglement numbers broke records for three straight years.

“This is an important win in our fight to protect whales and sea turtles from suffering and dying in crabbing gear. It’s time for California regulators to stop delaying and take action,” Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center, said in a press release. “The court recognized that it can’t just sit on the sidelines while state officials have no plan to prevent entanglements. Talking and holding endless meetings isn’t enough.”

U.S. District Court Judge Maxine Chesney denied the department’s motion to stay the case for two and a half years while it applies for an ESA Section 10 federal permit, which would require preventive measures. California sent a letter to NOAA last year, indicating the agency’s plans to formally file for the permit.

In the meantime, California has taken steps to avoid whale entanglements. The Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group published a best practices guide for fishermen It also established the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP) to support the state in working collaboratively with experts (fishermen, researchers, NGOs, etc.) to identify and assess elevated levels of entanglement risk and determine the need for management options to reduce risk of entanglement. Working with federal scientists, the group also solicits periodic flyovers to find concentrations of gear and concentrations of whales. With that information, fishermen can voluntarily get their gear and/or try to avoid whale interactions.

The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations filed as an intervenor in the lawsuit and continues to support the industry in its efforts to avoid whale entanglement.

“No commercial fisherman wants to entangle whales or sea turtles in their fishing gear – doing so is not only a public relations disaster, but will likely destroy that gear, can damage their boats and can even be life-threatening,” the PCFFA states in its Memorandum in Support of Motion for Intervention in March 2018. “Many commercial fishermen voluntarily participate in programs to identify and rescue marine animals (especially whales) from entanglements in commercial fishing gear, often at great personal peril.”

On Feb. 22 the court is scheduled to consider the Center’s motion for summary judgment, the Center said in a press release.

In 2016 federal officials confirmed that the California commercial Dungeness crab fishery entangled at least 23 animals. As of late November, at least 36 whale entanglements had been reported off California in 2018, including at least five humpback whales entangled in California commercial Dungeness crab gear, the Center said in the statement.

California’s attention to this issue a few years ago has resulted in several gear workshops that included researchers, developers and fishermen coming together to try to solve or mitigate whale entanglement issues on the entire West Coast. Both Oregon and Washington now have their own gear/entanglement groups, working on problems and proposing incremental steps to prevent entanglements. Washington also has notified NOAA it intends to apply for an ESA Section 10 permit for its Dungeness crab fishery.

This story was originally published by SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

Four newborn right whales spotted early in 2019 breeding season

February 1, 2019 — The end of 2018 contained more dark news for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, as scientists finding that the species decline had quickened.

An estimate by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) brought the total population count of the species to a maximum total of 411 individuals remaining, with as few as 100 of those remaining being females of breeding age. That news came on top of already grim finding that no new calves were born during the 2017-2018 breeding season.

But on 22 January, three new calves were reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. And on 25 January, the agency recorded a spotting of a fourth right whale calf off the coast of Georgia.

The North Atlantic right whales, one of the world’s three right whale populations, spend much of the winter in the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean off Florida and Georgia before migrating to New England the Canadian Maritimes for the summer. There, they face the danger of entanglement in fishing lines used in lobster and crab fishing.

In 2017, 17 right whales died from ship strikes or entanglements in fishing gear. In 2018, an additional three right whales died, with one of the deceased right whales found to have died from entanglement in snow crab gear used in Canada.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Pentony’s NOAA shutdown update: Herring limits got action; permits piled up

January 31, 2019 — Some of the cost of the US federal government’s partial 35-day shutdown must now be borne by New England’s commercial fish and shellfish harvesters waiting for their permits to be renewed, but earlier this week Michael Pentony described how his staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was trying to mitigate the pain.

In a briefing provided to the New England Regional Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) at their meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Tuesday, Pentony, the director of NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO), said his team was prioritizing the backlog of new fishing permit requests as well as renewal requests that didn’t get attention. (Undercurrent News has been  provided a recording of the comments.)

Fishing vessel permits begin to expire on March 1 for several species, including red crab, squid and butterfish, and scallop permits expire on April 1, he noted. Permits for several other species expire on May 1.

The backlog of permit renewals “was the thing that really kept me up at night as the shutdown dragged on and on with no end in sight for a while”, Pentony told the NEFMC.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Groundfish: NEFMC Discusses Recreational Issues, Amendment 23, Data, New Sector

January 31, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

On January 30, midway through its three-day meeting in Portsmouth, NH, the New England Fishery Management Council covered a wide range of groundfish-related issues. These included:

  • The Fishery Data for Stock Assessment Working Group’s final report;
  • The peer review of the working group’s report by a subpanel of the Scientific and Statistical Committee;
  • A brief overview of the December 17, 2018 meeting of the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP), which included an announcement that NTAP is soliciting candidates through February 22, 2019 to serve on the panel;
  • A progress report on Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23;
  • Consideration of whether the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) should approve a new lease-only groundfish sector called Mooncusser Sector, which the Council supported based on a recommendation from its Groundfish Committee that followed guidance on the process for new sectors;
  • A short update on the Council’s Groundfish Catch Share Review – here’s the draft outline; and
  • A number of recreational fishing issues.

Read the full release here

Reminder: Seals Need Space

January 30, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA:

With daily reports of seals and seal pups coming into our hotline, this is a good time to remind everyone of seal watching guidelines and information.

Gray seals pup this time of year in New England, with pupping season extending through March. Then, in May, harbor seal pupping season begins.

Seal pups are adorable, but the best thing you can do for them is to keep your distance! Stay at least 150 feet (about four school bus lengths) away from seals, and keep pets away, too.

Despite good intentions, some beach goers take actions that put themselves and the seals at risk of injury. More often than not, interactions with seals leave the seals and their pups in dangerous situations–pups can be abandoned by their mothers, forced into the water when they aren’t old enough, or fed foods that make them ill. (Even if it were legal to feed seals, which it is not, they don’t eat peanut butter and jelly, just FYI.) The people approaching are also at risk of being bitten by a terrified seal that just wants to be left alone.

If you see a seal that you think might be in trouble, please call the Greater Atlantic Region Marine Animal Hotline at 866-755-6622, so trained responders can assist.

No selfies with seals please!

The popularity of selfies and capturing any moment through photographs or video is posing a new threat to wildlife and humans, including seals. Getting too close to seals can scare the animals and change their behaviors. Quietly watching from a distance can be even more rewarding than getting the perfect shot. Use your zoom or a telephoto lens instead of a selfie stick, or put your camera down and take a moment to really appreciate how cool sharing the shore with seals can be.

Mother Knows Best

Pups don’t swim very well– which is the reason they are hanging back on the beach while mom hunts. It is normal for a mother seal to leave her young pup alone on the beach for up to 24 hours while she feeds. You may not see the mother, but if she sees you near her pup, she may not think it’s safe to come back. It might only take a few seconds for you to snap the photo, but the mother may abandon her pup if she feels threatened. For the seal pup, the consequences can be devastating. Also, attempting to put or chase a seal pup into the water can cost the pup it’s life.

Even if the mother is present, if a curious seal pup approaches on its own, the right move is to back away so the mother doesn’t perceive your interaction as a threat and abandon the area, leaving her pup behind.

Are you too close?

Is the seal waving its flippers? Does it look sleepy and is repeatedly yawning? Do you hear it barking or making any other noises? If so, then, YES, you are too close! Despite their appearance, these aren’t friendly behaviors. They are the seal’s way of telling you to back off because it is uncomfortable and getting nervous. Is the seal moving away from you? Another sure sign that you are encroaching on its personal space.

More Info

Print out out our handy Seal Viewing Guidelines cards, and find out more about how you can Share the Shore with seals.

Also, please keep in mind that there is currently a phocine distemper outbreak in the northeast, and we are monitoring the seal population as part of an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event investigation. Please be sure to keep pets away from seals for everyone’s safety.

And remember, if you see a seal that you’re concerned about, call the Greater Atlantic Region Marine Animal Hotline at 866-755-6622.

Salmon-eating sea lions can now be killed legally

January 30, 2019 — Sea lions off the coast of California are being penalized for eating salmon — and it’s completely legal.

A new law allows for the killing of sea lions that have been feasting on the region’s endangered salmon, causing their numbers to drop. But hunters need to first get a permit.

The Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act was signed into law on Dec. 18, according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Many salmon and steelhead populations in the Northwest are threatened and endangered, and the last few years have been particularly hard as ocean conditions have turned and fewer salmon have returned to the rivers,” NOAA spokesman Michael Milstein told CNN.

Read the full story at the New York Daily News

 

NOAA asks mariners to stay clear of right whales

January 30, 2019 — The federal government has asked mariners to slow down in, or avoid altogether, a protected area off Nantucket set up to keep endangered right whales safe.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends vessels voluntarily travel at 10 knots or less until Feb. 11 The request came after 100 North Atlantic right whales were spotted south of the island on Jan. 15.

“We are also asking commercial fishermen to be vigilant when maneuvering to avoid accidental collisions with whales, remove unused gear from the ocean to help avoid entanglements, and use vertical lines with markings, weak links, and breaking strengths,” NOAA officials said in a statement.

About 20 of the whales were spotted in the 2,800-mile area on Sunday , said Jennifer S. Goebel, a spokeswoman for NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office.

Read the full story at the Boston Globe

 

Voluntary Vessel Speed Restriction Zone South of Nantucket to Protect Right Whales

January 29, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

A voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA) has been established south of Nantucket for 100 right whales sighted in this area on January 15.

This DMA is in effect through January 30, 2019.

Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

Nantucket DMA coordinates:

41 12 N
40 28 N
070 36 W
069 31 W

See a map.

Right Whales Are Migrating

North Atlantic right whales are on the move along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. With an unprecedented 20 right whale deaths documented in 2017 and 2018, NOAA is cautioning boaters to give these endangered whales plenty of room as they migrate south. We are also asking commercial fishermen to be vigilant when maneuvering to avoid accidental collisions with whales, remove unused gear from the ocean to help avoid entanglements, and use vertical lines with required markings, weak links, and breaking strengths.

Right Whales in Trouble

North Atlantic right whales are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Scientists estimate there are slightly more than 400 remaining, making them one of the rarest marine mammals in the world.

In August 2017, NOAA Fisheries declared the increase in right whale mortalities an “Unusual Mortality Event,” which helps the agency direct additional scientific and financial resources to investigating, understanding, and reducing the mortalities in partnership with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and outside experts from the scientific research community.

More Info

Recent right whale sightings

Find out more about our right whale conservation efforts and the researchers behind those efforts.

Download the Whale Alert app for iPad and iPhone

Acoustic detections in Cape Cod Bay and the Boston TSS

Send a blank message  to receive a return email listing all current U.S. DMAs and SMAs.

Details and graphics of all ship strike management zones currently in effect.

Reminder: Approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175

Read the full release here