Saving Seafood

MAFMC Advisory Panel Applications Due April 20

April 18, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:   

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting applications from qualified individuals to serve on eight advisory panels. Advisory panels provide information and recommendations to the Council during the development of fishery management plans, amendments, specifications, and management measures. One of the chief responsibilities of advisory panels is the development of annual Fishery Performance Reports. These reports provide the Council and SSC with information about the factors that influenced fishing effort and catch within each fishery during the previous year.

Advisory panels are composed of individuals with diverse experience and interest in Mid-Atlantic fisheries. Members include commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, for-hire operators, dealers, scientists, environmentalists, and other members of the interested public. Most advisory panels meet 1-2 times per year. Members are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings.  Individuals who are appointed to advisory panels serve for three-year terms. All current advisory panel members must reapply in order to be considered for reappointment.

The Council is accepting applications for the following advisory panels:

  • Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass
  • Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish
  • Surfclam and Ocean Quahog
  • Tilefish
  • Bluefish
  • Ecosystem and Ocean Planning
  • River Herring and Shad
  • Dogfish (Jointly managed with New England Council)

How to Apply

Anyone interested in serving on an advisory panel may apply online or download an application at www.mafmc.org/forms/advisory-panel-application.

Completed applications must be received by Friday, April 20, 2018, 11:59 p.m. EST.

 

Regulators push for rope removal to save North Atlantic right whale

April 18, 2018 — In a multinational drive to protect the North Atlantic right whale, fisheries along the east coasts of the Canada and the United States are being mandated, legislated, or volunteering to reduce rope use as much as possible.

The Canadian government has instituted steps that requires snow crab fishermen use less rope, use more easily breakable rope and report any lost gear as soon as possible. These conditions apply to all fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

While Canada’s federal effort has been heavily on the snow crab fishery, the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) recently laid out its own plan to reduce potential entanglements and involvements with the endangered whales.

No right whale has been found entangled in lobster gear, but nevertheless, the lobster fishermen in Area 24, along Prince Edward Islands’s North Shore, have agreed to voluntarily reduce what the gear they put in the water by at least 25 percent – setting their traps in bunches of six rather than a one trap set or smaller bunches.

“We feel we’re eliminating somewhere around 16,000 Styrofoam buoys out of the system and each of those buoys is responsible for 130 or 140 feet of rope, which go from the buoy down to the trap,” Francis Morrissey, of the Area 24 Lobster Advisory Board, said. “So we feel that by doing this, there’s 16,000 less chances for marine mammals to get entangled.”

South of the border, an op-ed in The Boston Globe by John K. Bullard, the retiring regional administrator for NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, challenged the U.S. lobster industry to take the lead in heading off the extinction of the North Atlantc right whale.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

SSA Member to House Subcommittee: Sustainable Shark Bill Recognizes Sacrifices of U.S. Fishermen, Fin Ban Undermines Them

SSA member John Polston testifies before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans today. (Photo: House Natural Resources Committee/YouTube)

April 17, 2018 — The following was released by the Sustainable Shark Alliance:   

At a House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing today, John Polston, a fisherman and member of the Sustainable Shark Alliance (SSA), testified in support of legislation that would promote shark conservation by incentivizing other nations to meet the same high standards of sustainability as U.S. shark fishermen.

In testimony before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans, Mr. Polston, owner of King’s Seafood in Port Orange, Florida, praised the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act (SSFTA) as a “proactive bill that levels the playing field for American fishermen.” The bipartisan legislation, introduced last month by Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) and a group of six Democrats and Republicans, would create a formal and transparent certification program for countries importing shark products into the United States. Nations would be required to prove that they have an effective prohibition on shark finning, and management policies comparable to those in the United States.

“The SSFTA creates an incentive for other nations to end shark finning and meet the same high standards for marine conservation to which the United States holds its fishermen,” Mr. Polston said. “This bill recognizes the sacrifices our fishermen have made, and continue to make, to rebuild domestic shark populations by leveling the playing field with our foreign competitors.”

Mr. Polston was joined in his support for the SSFTA by Dr. Robert Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, who served as a scientific reviewer for the legislation.

“The SSFTA will give the American people an effective tool to say, ‘No longer will we allow the import and consumption of unsustainably fished shark and ray products on American soil. Our participation as consumers in this practice ends now,’” Dr. Hueter said. “The bill does this without punishing American fishers who are conducting legal and sustainable shark fishing, providing a model of responsible management and conservation for the rest of the world.”

Mr. Polston and Dr. Hueter also expressed their opposition to another shark bill discussed at the hearing, the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, introduced by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA). This legislation would ban the domestic sale of all shark fins, including responsibly and sustainably caught American shark fins.

“This bill punishes me and others in the shark fishery by taking away an important income source, undoubtedly pushing some small businesses into unprofitability,” Mr. Polston said. “It is an insult to American fishermen who have been required to give so much for decades to create a sustainable fishery.”

Alan Risenhoover, director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Sustainable Fisheries, voiced similar criticisms of the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act.

“This bill does not meet its intent to improve the conservation and management of domestically harvested sharks,” Mr. Risenhoover said. “It prohibits the possession and sale of shark fins. This would hurt U.S. fishermen who currently harvest and sell sharks and shark fins in a sustainable manner under strict federal management.”

About the Sustainable Shark Alliance
The Sustainable Shark Alliance (SSA) is a coalition of shark fishermen and seafood dealers that advocates for sustainable U.S. shark fisheries and supports healthy shark populations. The SSA stands behind U.S. shark fisheries as global leaders in successful shark management and conservation. The SSA is a member of Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities.

 

Congressman Jones: Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act Levels the Playing Field for Domestic Producers

April 17, 2018 — The following statement was released by Congressman Walter B. Jones:

I would like to thank Chairman Lamborn and Chairman Bishop for holding this hearing today. I am pleased to join my friend, Congressman Dan Webster, in cosponsoring H.R. 5248 – the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act. It is very important that America’s fishermen have a level playing field with foreign producers. The bill would hold other nations to the same conservation and management standards that America has adopted in our shark fisheries.

Under H.R. 5248, any nation seeking to export shark products to America must receive certification from the Secretary of Commerce that it has an effective ban on the practice of “shark finning,” and that it has a similar conservation and management program for sharks, skates, and rays. The bill also increases traceability of imported shark products.

If foreign countries are failing to manage their shark populations appropriately, they should change their ways. They shouldn’t be allowed to dump unsustainably harvested shark product on our market, and our legal, sustainable American harvesters should not be penalized for the shortcomings of foreign fishermen.

America has been a global leader in protecting shark species while allowing a sustainable harvest.  In fact, U.S. federal law mandates that the domestic shark fishery be managed sustainably.

According to renowned shark scientist, Dr. Robert E. Heuter of Florida’s Mote Marine Lab, America has “one of the best systems in the world for shark fisheries management and conservation.”  The proof can be seen in NOAA Fisheries own data.  NOAA Fisheries’ 2015 coastal shark survey captured and tagged “more than 2,800 sharks, the most in the survey’s 29-year history.”  The leader of the survey stated that NOAA Fisheries has “seen an increase in the number of sharks in every survey since 2001,” and the agency called the survey results “very good news for shark populations.”

R. 5248 is supported by the North Carolina Fisheries Association, Southeastern Fisheries Association, Blue Water Fishermen’s Association, Sustainable Shark Alliance, Garden State Seafood Association, and the Louisiana Shrimpers Association. This bill is a reasonable, balanced approach to leveling the playing field for domestic producers, while trying to encourage other nations to raise their shark management practices to appropriate levels.

Other legislative options before the subcommittee, including banning the trade of legally, sustainably harvested American shark products, represent an unnecessary, short-sighted overreach that should be rejected.

 

Shark Week Comes Early This Year

April 17, 2018 — The following was released by the House Committee on Natural Resources: 

Today at 1:00pm the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans will hold a legislative hearing on three bills including H.R. 5248, the bipartisan Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act, (Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla.), and H.R. 1456, the bipartisan Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2017, (Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif.).

Debunking the Shark Finning Myth:

Shark finning is the brutal practice of removing a shark’s fin(s) at sea and returning the carcass, dead or alive, to the ocean. Despite what you may believe, shark finning in the United States is illegal. Today’s debate isn’t whether the act of shark finning is heinous or reprehensible… it is, and members of both parties and industry agree.

After the enactment of the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000 and the Shark Conservation Act in 2010, shark fisheries in U.S. waters have been successfully and sustainably managed. In fact, according to NOAA, there has been a dramatic increase in shark population over the past decade. With that said, as with any other industry, there comes the need for balance. Shark fisheries are valuable contributors to the U.S. economy. Due to the success of the nation’s fisheries management and conservation, the U.S. ranks as one of the top-ten shark fishing nations in the world.

So What’s the Issue? And What’s the Solution?

While shark finning is almost universally banned, some countries still do not have or effectively enforce shark finning bans. While all can agree that this is unacceptable, there are two different approaches to fixing the problem: imposing additional regulations on U.S. fishermen to stem the tide of trade of inhumanely obtained shark fins (H.R. 1456) or to leverage access to U.S. markets to encourage foreign nations to adopt strong shark conservation measures (H.R. 5248).

Unintentional Consequences of Overregulating *Already Regulated* Fisheries:

While we all agree that the illegal trade of inhumanely obtained shark fins needs to be address, it must be done in a way that doesn’t penalize those that follow the rules.

One of today’s witnesses Alan Risenhoover, Director of the Office of Sustainable Fishers under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lays it on the table: “We cannot support the Shark Fin Sale Elimination Act (H.R. 1456) because the bill’s negative impact on U.S. fishermen would outweigh its minimal benefit to shark conservation.  The United States currently has effective laws and associated regulations that prevent shark finning and sustainably manages its fisheries.  As written, this bill does not meet its intent to improve the conservation and management of domestically harvested sharks.  It prohibits the possession and sale of shark fins.  This would hurt  U.S. fishermen who currently harvest and sell sharks and shark fins in a sustainable manner under strict federal management.  Furthermore, the bill does not significantly curb international trade in shark fins where the majority of trade in shark fins occurs.”

Imposing stricter regulations or removing sustainably sourced U.S. shark fins off the market could shift demand to bad actors and pave the way for a black market, unregulated supply. Nobody wants that.

Learn more at their website here.

 

Matching grants open for sustainable groundfish projects

April 17, 2018 — The New England groundish fishery is one of the priority targets of a new grants program by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to promote innovation in sustainable fisheries. through “effective participation by fishermen and fishing communities.”

The Fisheries Innovation Fund program, funded by NOAA and three private foundations, is set to award up to $950,000 nationally. Most of the grants are anticipated to fall within the range of $50,000 to $100,000.

The program, however, noted that priority for funding will be given to projects in one of four local fisheries — New England groundfish, West Coast groundfish, Gulf of Mexico reef fish and Gulf of Alaska halibut and groundfish.

The grants will require 100 percent matching funds from recipients. The NFWF said in its announcement that eligible recipients include non-profits, state government agencies, municipal governments, educational institutions and individual businesses.

To date, according to NFWF spokesman Rob Blumenthal, the Fisheries Innovation Fund “has awarded grants totaling over $20.3 million to 127 projects across 26 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

Those awards generated more than $22.5 million in matching funds from recipients “for a total conservation impact of $42.8 million.”

The three foundations joining NOAA in providing the overall funding include two with strong ties to environmental and conservation groups — the Kingfisher Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation — as well as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation of Palo Alto, California, started by the founder of Intel.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

 

Request for Comments: Limited Opening of Recreational and Commercial Red Snapper Fishery in South Atlantic Federal Waters

April 17, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:   

KEY MESSAGE:

NOAA Fisheries requests comments on Amendment 43 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 43). The proposed actions would specify recreational and commercial annual catch limits for red snapper beginning in 2018.

  • Red snapper recreational and commercial seasons would open in South Atlantic federal waters for limited harvest in 2018.
  • The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved Amendment 43 after recent scientific information indicated an increase in the red snapper population since 2014.
  • NOAA Fisheries determined the proposed limited harvest in 2018 is neither expected to result in overfishing, nor prevent continued rebuilding of the population.

*Comment period begins on April 16, 2018, and comments are due by June 15, 2018*

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES FOR RED SNAPPER:

  • The total annual catch limit would be 42,510 fish.
  • The recreational annual catch limit would be 29,656 fish.
  • The recreational bag limit would be one red snapper per person per day. This applies to private and charterboat/headboat vessels (the captain and crew on for-hire vessels may retain the recreational bag limit).
  • The commercial annual catch limit would be 124,815 pounds whole weight.
  • The commercial trip limit would be 75 pounds gutted weight.
  • There would be no minimum size limit for the recreational or commercial sectors.
  • The opening and closing of the recreational sector would be specified before the recreational season begins and would be weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).
  • The commercial sector would close when the commercial annual catch limit is projected to be met.
  • Amendment 43 specifies that the commercial sector would open the 2nd Monday in July and the recreational sector would open the 2nd Friday in July.  If the fishing seasons do not open exactly on these dates, they would open as close to these dates as possible.
  • NOAA Fisheries will announce the opening dates, if the amendment is approved, in a future Fishery Bulletin.

PLEASE NOTE: The timing of the 2018 season is contingent on when the final rule for Amendment 43 is implemented, if approved.

HOW TO COMMENT ON THE NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY:

The comment period begins on April 16, 2018, and comments are due by June 15, 2018. You may submit comments by electronic submission or by postal mail.

Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.

Electronic Submissions:Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.

  1. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0148.
  2. Click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields.
  3. Enter or attach your comments.

Mail:Submit written comments to Frank Helies, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Why is limited harvest of South Atlantic red snapper being proposed to begin in 2018?

How would the proposed limited harvest in 2018 affect the overfishing and overfished status of red snapper?

  • NOAA Fisheries has determined that the proposed limited harvest beginning in 2018 is not expected to result in overfishing and would not prevent the continued rebuilding of the red snapper population.

What would the regulations be for red snapper during these proposed seasons?

  • The recreational bag limit would be one red snapper per person per day.
  • The commercial trip limit would be 75 pounds gutted weight.
  • There would be no minimum size limit for either the recreational or commercial sector.

What is the history of South Atlantic red snapper harvest and prohibitions since 2010?   

  • Harvest of red snapper from South Atlantic federal waters was prohibited in 2010 when the population was determined to be severely overfished and undergoing overfishing (See  2008 population assessment – Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review [SEDAR] 15).
  •  Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region established a process that allowed harvest if total removals (landings plus dead discards) were below the acceptable biological catch in the previous year.
  • Limited harvest of red snapper was allowed in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
  • The estimated total removals of red snapper exceeded the acceptable biological catch in 2014, 2015, and 2016, resulting in no allowable harvest since 2014.
  • NOAA Fisheries temporarily allowed limited harvest of red snapper beginning November 2, 2017, by a temporary rule through emergency action. The temporary rule was effective through December 31, 2017.

What is the current status of the red snapper population in the South Atlantic Region?

  • The latest population assessment (SEDAR 41) was completed in 2016 and revised in 2017. It indicated the South Atlantic red snapper population is overfished and undergoing overfishing; however, the population is rebuilding.
  • The red snapper overfishing determination in the assessment came from 2012-2014 when only a small amount of harvest was allowed to occur. However, discards during this time period were high due to fishermen targeting other species that co-occur with red snapper, which likely contributed to the overfishing determination.
  • SEDAR 41 stated that recreational discards were one of the most important and uncertain sources of information used in the stock assessment during the harvest prohibition from 2010-2014.
  • Recent results from fishery-independent studies suggest that the relative abundance of red snapper has increased since 2014.

What are some Best Fishing Practices while fishing for red snapper?

  • The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council identified the following best practices to reduce release mortality and further protect the population as it rebuilds:
    • Avoid areas likely to have red snapper if you already have met your recreational bag limit. If you are approaching your commercial vessel limit, move to a different area.
    • When red snapper are out of season, avoid areas where they are common.
    • Use single hook rigs since the recreational bag limit for red snapper during the proposed limited fishing season would be one per person per day. This will potentially reduce the number of red snapper that are caught on one drop.
    • Use a dehooking device to remove the hook. Keep fish in the water if you plan to release them or return them as quickly as possible.
    • Use descending devices when releasing fish with signs of barotrauma.

Where can I find more information on the environmental assessment?

 

Fisheries Innovation Fund 2018 Request for Proposals

April 16, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will award grants to foster innovation and support effective participation of fishermen and fishing communities in the implementation of sustainable fisheries in the U.S. NFWF anticipates awarding up to $950,000 through this solicitation. This solicitation also makes available funding provided through Community Service funds (arising from a federal environmental prosecution for benefits to marine wildlife and habitats).

The Fisheries Innovation Fund was created through a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Successful proposals will develop and carry out innovative approaches that:

  1. Promote full utilization of Annual Catch Limits and minimize bycatch of overfished species and/or endangered, threatened, and candidate species;
  2. Develop and implement market, research, training, or strategic planning measures to build capacity and improve sustainability of U.S. fishing businesses and communities;
  3. Support improvements to recreational fisheries conservation and management;
  4. Support implementation of marine aquaculture.

Pre Proposal Due Date: Monday, May 14, 2018
Full Proposal Due Date: Thursday, July 12, 2018

For details and instructions, see the announcement.

Learn more about NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region here.

 

Fishing council to hear sectors’ post-Rafael plans

April 16, 2018 — The New England Fishery Management Council will be updated on the groundfish crisis involving several New Bedford-based fishing sectors when it convenes for three days of meetings next week in Mystic, Connecticut.

The groundfish presentation by staff from the Gloucester-based Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office will be the centerpiece of the groundfish report on Wednesday and is designed to provide “an overview of (Northeast Fishing) Sector IX’s steps to address its shortcomings, as well as a summary of Sector IX’s operations plan,” according to the agenda for the meetings.

“The New Bedford sector has submitted its operations plan to GARFO and this will be an overview of what they’ve done to address the problems and what they need to do to have a new plan approved,” said council spokeswoman Janice Plante.

Plante said the presentation will not include comment from officials with the New Bedford fishing sectors.

NOAA Fisheries shut down Sector IX last November, withdrawing its operation plan for the remainder of the 2017 fishing season and into the 2018 season set to begin May 1.

The extraordinary move came in the wake of the conviction and sentencing of New Bedford fishing kingpin Carlos Rafael on charges of tax evasion, money laundering and bulk smuggling.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

 

Swarms of Huge Sharks Discovered, Baffling Experts

April 13, 2018 — Swarms of up to over a thousand basking sharks have been spotted along the northeastern U.S., puzzling experts who study the normally solitary species.

Aerial surveys meant to locate endangered North Atlantic right whales in recent decades have revealed massive groups of the world’s second-largest fish. Found worldwide, these slow-moving filter feeders pose no threat to humans.

As big as basking sharks are—at 32 feet long outsized only by the whale shark—the deep-sea dwellers can be tricky to track down.

And without those opportunistic sightings, “that data was hiding away,” says Leah Crowe, leader of a recent study on the phenomenon and a field biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “Our goal is not to do that with our research.” (Read about a huge basking shark caught off Australia.)

In the study, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, Crowe and colleagues documented 10 sightings of large groups of basking sharks between 1980 and 2013 along the coast of Nova Scotia to Long Island.

Read the full story at National Geographic