Saving Seafood

90-Day Findings to List the Smooth Hammerhead and Bigeye Thresher Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act

August 11, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries announces a 90-day finding on a petition to list the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) range-wide or, in the alternative, any identified distinct population segments (DPSs), as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and to designate critical habitat concurrently with the listing. We find that the petition and information in our files present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.

NOAA Fisheries also announces a 90-day finding on a petition to list the bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus) range-wide, or in the alternative, as one or more DPSs identified by the petitioners as endangered or threatened under the ESA. We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for the species worldwide.

Accordingly, in both instances we will conduct a status reviews of smooth hammerhead shark and bigeye thresher shark to determine if the petitioned actions are warranted.

Comments on the proposed rule for smooth hammerhead shark must be received by October 13, 2015. For more information see the proposed rule.

Comments on the proposed rule for bigeye thresher shark must be received by October 13, 2015. For more information see the proposed rule.

 

NOAA Fisheries Announces Atlantic Mackerel Fishery Consequence Measures for Slippage Events

August 11, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces measures to enhance catch monitoring and address slippage (catch that is discarded before it has been sampled by observers) in the Atlantic mackerel fishery.

The slippage consequence measures for limited access mackerel vessels carrying an observer are:

  • If slippage occurs due to safety, mechanical failure, or excess catch of spiny dogfish, the vessel has to move and remain at least 15 nautical miles from the location of slippage; and
  • If slippage occurs for any other reason, the vessel must terminate its trip immediately and return to port.

We are also requiring that vessel operators report slippage events that occur on observed trips via the vessel monitoring system daily catch reports.

Read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register today, and the permit holder bulletin available on our website.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or email Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.

JACKIE ODELL: Emergency action needed on at-sea monitoring

August 10, 2015 — The New England senators stated in their April 29, 2015, letter to NOAA Fisheries that such a directive would “avert the collapse of our fisheries and secure their healthy and stable future.” The Northeast Seafood Coalition greatly appreciates the exceptional efforts and support the groundfish industry has received from the Senate Appropriators and members of Congress throughout the Northeast on at sea monitoring. Unfortunately, we continue to bite our nails and watch the clock tick. At this time, one crucial request by the Council to NOAA Fisheries remains unanswered. Specifically, the council’s request for NOAA Fisheries to initiate an administrative action to improve the efficiency of the existing at-sea monitoring program that will reduce costs of the program for groundfish sectors, fishery-wide — without compromising compliance with regulatory requirements.

This administrative action request is logical — it follows regulatory directive — and is another attempt to reduce inefficiencies of the at-sea monitoring program and thus costs to groundfish fishermen, fishery wide. It also reflects the strong message delivered by the Senate Appropriators in their pending fiscal year 2016 funding legislation for NMFS — to work with the regional fishery programs on a transition plan to an at-sea and dockside monitoring program that is more cost-effective, accurate, and commensurate with the ex-vessel value. The Northeast Seafood Coalition strongly supports the council’s request.

Read the full letter at the Gloucester Daily Times

Read a letter from the New England Fishery Management Council to NOAA regarding at-sea monitoring

 

Gulf of Alaska Groundfish to Reopen After NMFS Allocates 1600 Additional Chinook Salmon as Bycatch

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] — August 10, 2015 — NMFS has given Gulf of Alaska groundfish trawlers in the non-rockfish program Sector an additional 1,600 Chinook salmon to their prohibited species catch (PSC) allowance in an emergency ruling.

The implementation of the emergency decision was done after the North Pacific Management Council (NPFMC) recommended an emergency rule in a 10-1 vote during its June meeting. On May 3, the Gulf of Alaska groundfish sector was forced to close after fishermen unexpectedly reached its annual 2,700 Chinook salmon allowance in the Western and Central Gulf of fishery.

According to NMFS the additional limit of 1,600 Chinook salmon PSC is likely to restore a substantial portion of the forgone groundfish harvest and associated revenue made unavailable by the closure. It will allow the sector to harvest its recent average amount of groundfish for the remainder of 2015, while keeping the total Chinook salmon PSC well below the annual threshold for all Gulf of Alaska trawl fisheries.

“NOAA Fisheries has determined that an emergency exists because the early closure of the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector’s groundfish fisheries is causing significant economic detriment to harvesters, processors and the community of Kodiak,” NMFS said in a press release on Friday.

A previous PSC management action, Amendment 93 to the FM was approved in June 2011 to limit Chinook salmon PSC to 25,000 Chinook salmon in the Western and Central GOA pollock trawl fisheries.

Because the Western and Central GOA non-pollock trawl fisheries were without a Chinook salmon PSC limit prior to 2014, the Council recommended that Chinook salmon PSC limits be extended to these fisheries under Amendment 97 to the FMP.

Amendment 97 to the FMP limits Chinook salmon PSC to a total of 7,500 Chinook salmon for the Western and Central GOA non-pollock trawl fisheries – 2,700 for the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector, 3,600 for the Catcher/processor Sector, and 1,200 for the Rockfish Program CV Sector.

New data has shown that previous estimates of PSC for this sector were not representative of recent PSC use.

The additional allocation of 1,600 Chinook salmon would be consistent with the overall goals of Chinook salmon PSC management in the GOA trawl fisheries and would not substantially increase Chinook salmon PSC use relative to established limits NMFS said.

Based on current and anticipated incidental catch of Chinook salmon in the GOA trawl fisheries, NMFS anticipates that total Chinook salmon PSC by GOA trawl vessels is unlikely to exceed 32,500 Chinook salmon, well below the annual threshold of 40,000.

This temporary rule will mitigate the costs of the closure to participants in the fishery while the Council develops an FMP amendment to permanently address this situation.

This emergency rule is effective upon publication in the Federal Register today and will last until December 31, 2015, or until the new PSC limit of 1,600 Chinook salmon is reached by the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector.

This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.

Suggestions sought on Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog paperwork

August 10, 2015 — If you’ve got any ideas for improving the information needed from ocean quahog and Atlantic surfclam fishermen, now is your time to make them. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States Department of Commerce is announcing in the Federal Register of Monday, Aug. 10, 2015 that it is opening up a public comment period on the information requirements by the the Atlantic Surfclam & Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan. NOAA is taking public comments through Oct. 9.

Read the full story from Examiner.com

Lawmakers appeal to NOAA over lobster monitors

August 6, 2015 — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton and four other members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation have stepped into the fray over expanded federal monitoring of the state’s lobstermen, saying NOAA’s plan appears “duplicative and unnecessary.”

NOAA, citing the need to adhere to more stringent regulations for recording bycatch and discard data, announced earlier this summer it is significantly expanding the monitoring coverage for lobstermen with state and federal permits, while also mandating they complete vessel trip reports.

The lawmakers, in a letter to NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Eileen Sobeck, point out that the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries already conducts annual lobster stock surveys in Massachusetts waters that produce similar data to the information the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks by expanding the coverage.

“At a time when the financial resources to federal agencies are limited, efforts by NOAA to expand the NEFOP (Northeast Fisheries Observer Program) to a subset of lobster vessels that hold federal permits, and to require vessel trip reports in order to meet the requirements of the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology appear duplicative and unnecessary,” they wrote in the July 31 letter to Sobeck.

NOAA’s plan has outraged local lobstermen. At a contentious June 4 meeting in Gloucester, dozens of lobstermen ripped the plan as unwarranted and disproportionately unfair to Massachusetts-based boats, as well as creating safety and liability issues for permit holders.

“If an accident does occur involving an observer, it is unclear to the industry as to who would be financially liable,” said the letter, which was also signed by U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey, as well as U.S. Reps. William Keating of New Bedford and Stephen F. Lynch of South Boston. “Many in the lobster industry simply cannot afford the costs for legal services that would be required in the event of an observer injury.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times 

 

 

Ship’s ROVs to share views of marine protected areas

August 5, 2015 — The NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer began two months of dives using unmanned remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, to explore marine protected areas in the central Pacific Ocean, and anyone with an internet connection can virtually explore the deep sea with scientists and researchers from their computer or mobile device.

The ship and its crew will investigate deeper waters in and around Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

“These areas represent some of the last relatively pristine marine ecosystems on the planet,” said Holly Bamford, assistant NOAA administrator for the National Ocean Service, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of commerce for conservation and management. “NOAA explores these regions because the data and information we gather helps scientists and resource managers better understand and protect these biological, geological and cultural resources.”

The expedition team will explore the sea floor at depths of 1,300 to 16,250 feet (400 to 5,000 meters) with two ROVs, which are tethered to Okeanos Explorer. The vehicles are outfitted with multiple high-definition cameras to capture imagery which the ship will transmit back to shore. Scientists will participate virtually, guiding the expedition from shore, while the public can tune in and view the exploration in real time at oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

Read the full story at the Hawaii Tribune Herald

 

Woods Hole Science Stroll Sunday, August 9 Offers Free Family Science Activities

August 6, 2015 — Interested in touring a research vessel, seeing the submersible ALVIN and other ocean robots, or learning about research on whales and sea turtles, squid, plastics in the ocean, and climate change?

These activities are just a few of the many exhibits, demonstrations and displays to be featured by Woods Hole science organizations during the Woods Hole Science Stroll.

The free public event will be held Sunday, August 9 from 11 am to 3 pm on Water Street in Woods Hole. 

The NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow will be open for tours at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) dock, with the submersible ALVIN and other WHOI ocean robots on display nearby. The WHOI Ocean Science Exhibit Center, featuring interactive ocean exhibits, will be open on School Street. Visitors can see squid and other aquatic organisms in research tanks at the Marine Biological Laboratory’s Marine Resources Center, and learn about biology, biomedicine, and environmental science research at their Visitors Center on Water Street.

Get all the details about the day’s events or get directions and more information.

Questions? 

Contact Shelley Dawicki, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, at 508-289-2252 or Shelley.Dawicki@noaa.gov.

Our view: NOAA’s unfunded mandate

August 5, 2015 — NEWBURYPORT, R.I. — It is said that fisherman can be stubborn. While there’s some truth to that, they can’t compare to the hardheadedness of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which continues to insist cash-strapped captains fork over hundreds of dollars every time the agency decides to place a monitor on their boat.

The on-board monitoring program has long been controversial, with questions raised about its effectiveness and safety. What rankles the industry most, however, is NOAA’s insistence that fishermen pay for the program out of their own pockets.

 The agency has rejected at every turn the industry’s argument that this is a classic unfunded mandate, with the $700-per-trip costs likely to bankrupt some vessel owners and force others to remain in port, even when they could be fishing.

A few days ago, NOAA Fisheries denied a request by the Newburyport-based New England Fishery Management Council to suspend the monitoring program on an emergency basis.

“This was a foreseeable problem that does not justify an emergency action,” NOAA Regional Adminstrator John K. Bullard wrote to Tom Nies, executive director of the New England Fishery Management Council.

We’re amazed NOAA has finally recognized the cost of the monitoring program is a “problem” for fishermen, even if they have no intention of helping to defray the costs.

Read the full story at The Daily News of Newburyport 

Read a letter from NOAA Northeast Regional Administrator John Bullard officially rejecting the request for emergency funding

 

 

US wants struggling fishermen to pay for observers

August 4, 2015 — One was knocked overboard on a winter trip in the middle of the night, while another was handed a noose and told to hang himself. Their computers have been tossed into the sea, their bunks set up over a boat’s toilet, their water bottles tainted with tobacco spit.

The men and women who monitor the catch of New England’s once-mighty groundfishing industry, a job required by federal law to curb overfishing, have long had strained relationships with the fishermen who take them to sea.

Now, with federal funding for the controversial program set to run out this fall, the region’s long-beleaguered fishermen are being told they have to pay for the observers themselves — or they can’t fish.”

“This could be the final hit that pushes us into bankruptcy, causing the collapse of the whole fleet,” said Phil Lynch, 45, a Scituate fisherman who has persisted while the number of groundfishing boats in the region has plummeted by more than 70 percent over the past decade. “The guys still left will be gone.”

The threat to the estimated 200 boats remaining, more than half of which are based in Massachusetts, became more palpable last week when the National Marine Fisheries Service denied an emergency request from the council that oversees New England’s fishing industry to suspend the observer program. The agency said fishermen who catch cod, flounder, and other bottom-dwelling fish will have to find a way to pay for the region’s approximately 100 observers, who accompany them on about a quarter of their trips.

Fishermen insist they can’t afford to pay for the observers, especially after major cuts to their quotas. At a government-estimated cost of $710 every time an observer accompanies fishermen to sea, the program would cause most boats to operate at a loss, they say.

“They’ve set up fishermen to fail, and now they want to monitor the failure,” said Vito Giacalone, policy director of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, an advocacy group for commercial fishermen. “I believe they’re out to put us out of business.”

Read the full story from The Boston Globe

Read a letter from NOAA Northeast Regional Administrator John Bullard officially rejecting the request for emergency funding