Saving Seafood

New England Boaters: Watch Out for Whales!

July 21, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

Over the last two weeks, we have received multiple reports of interactions between boaters and whales in New England waters. During the summer, whales are feeding on small schooling fish and zooplankton called copepods, and have been spotted in coastal areas.

“Increased whale activity in areas off Northern New England are coinciding with summer boat traffic. We want to remind boaters of ways to prevent accidental interactions with whales, which can be fatal to the whales and cause damage to boats,” says Jeff Ray, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement.

NOAA Fisheries asks boaters to keep a close eye out for feeding and traveling whales, and to remember to follow safe viewing guidelines, which include staying 100 feet away from whales such as humpback, fin, sei, and minke whales, and 500 feet away from the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, for your safety and theirs.

New England waters are known as the summer feeding grounds for humpback whales. The bubble clouds that humpback whales use to corral their prey, and then lunge through the center to swallow the small fish, is something that boaters should watch out for and avoid. Fishermen or boaters in these bubble patches run the risk of colliding with a massive whale as it rapidly approaches the surface. 

Right whales are more difficult to see as they glide across the surface of the water when feeding on copepods. Fast moving vessels run the risk of colliding with right whales since they are hard to see. Boaters should look out for the V-shaped blow that can distinguish right whales from other species. If you see a whale blow, please slow down and maintain a safe distance from the whale. 

“In addition to keeping a sharp lookout, we also ask that should the whales approach your boat, you put your boat in neutral until they have passed safely,” says NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Response Coordinator Mendy Garron. “Also, please report any sightings. Locating the whales will help us keep them safe.”

When a whale collides with a vessel, it can be gravely injured and die from its injuries. Collisions with whales have also thrown boaters from vessels or cause significant damage to boats. 

In addition to the risk of a collision, the close proximity of a boat may cause a whale to stop feeding. All whales in U.S. waters are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it illegal for people to harm, injure, kill, chase, or harass whales or any other marine mammal. Harassment includes any activity that results in changes to the whales’ natural behaviors, such as feeding. Penalties for Marine Mammal Protection Act violations are fines of up to $20,000 and up to one year in prison. 

Get more information on safe boating near whales.

Please report any sightings to NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Stranding and Entanglement Hotline at 866-755-NOAA (6622).

Right Whale Disentanglements Allowed on Case-by-Case Basis

July 21, 2017 — The disentanglement of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales has been authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service on a case-by-case basis.

The agency suspended all whale responses last week after a Canadian responder was killed while disentangling a right whale off New Brunswick.

NOAA lifted the ban for all other species Tuesday after reviewing safety policies.

Right whale responses will be contingent upon a review of circumstances and available resources.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

WASHINGTON: Seattle fishing boat lost since February found on ocean floor

July 20, 2017 — A vessel on a scientific mission has made an important deep sea discovery, officials announced Thursday.

The fishing boat Destination, a Seattle-based vessel that sank in February with six crew members aboard, was found on the ocean floor in Alaska.

The ship that found the 98-foot fishing boat was a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) vessel.

People at Seattle’s Fisherman’s Terminal say the lives there were lost will be forever remembered.

“We want to know what happened,” Judy Hamick, mother of Destination crewman Kai Hamick, said. “This is a good boat. Why did this have to happen? Knowing that they found the boat is relief, but we know we still don’t have any bodies to recover.”

The Coast Guard hopes to provide those answers to the Hamicks and other families since NOAA has helped located the vessel off St. George, Ala. The boat was found not far from where it went missing on February 11 while fishing for snow crab.

Read the full story at KOMONews

CHRISTIAN PUTNAM: There are plenty of fish in the sea

July 20, 2017 — “The ocean has been over-fished, there are only a few more years of fish out there; and then they will all be gone.”

“There simply are not any more fish in the sea, they have all been taken!”

“The Northeast fishing industry is dead, they have fished themselves out of business.“

These are all common statements one might hear about commercial fishing in the Northeast, although each represents a misunderstanding of the situation. In fact, today these statements are just plain wrong. The Northeast ground fishing industry is in real trouble and has been for some time, which is true. The trouble is not the result of lack of fish. As Fishy Business often points out, the real culprits are poor fishery management by the federal government, incomplete fish stock assessments and bad science.

Be not heavy of heart, there is good news! To start with, there are plenty of fish in the sea. How do we know this? That’s even more good news. Instead of relying on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admiration’s (NOAA) Henry H. Bigelow (FSV 225) to survey the same areas of the ocean each year to create fish stock assessments (known by NOAA as, “Index of Relative Abundance”), more organizations are helping to create usable data and a more complete picture. You see, the Index of Relative Abundance tells us what the number of fish in a specific area are compared to prior years. The increase or decrease in fish counted is then extrapolated to represent the entire region.

This is sort of like polling the same people for every election and predicting the behavior or the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts without taking other factors into account. What other factors? When it comes to fish stocks they might include; climate change (sea water temperature), mortality change, predatory change (for example, more seals), growth rate change and fraud. Fraud? Yes, one explanation as to why NOAA’s fish stock numbers don’t match reality is said to be because of the actions of Carlos Rafael, the “Codfather”, who notoriously underreported his catch. Carlos will be heading to prison for his misdeeds soon, so perhaps the assessments will become more accurate; don’t hold your breath. In short, the fish stock assessment environment is not optimal; but that is changing.

Read the full story at Wicked Local

Feds allow entangled whale rescues to resume, except for ‘unpredictable’ right whales

July 20, 2017 — U.S. officials are lifting a ban on some whale disentanglement efforts after briefly banning the practice that last week led to the death of a Canadian fisherman.

But the ban will stay in effect for right whales, “whose unpredictable behavior is particularly challenging during rescue attempts,” Chris Oliver, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, said Tuesday.

In response to the death of Joe Howlett, who died after freeing a right whale from fishing gear, the fisheries division of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration on July 11 barred anyone from approaching an entangled whale in U.S. waters.

On Tuesday, it announced that rescue efforts could resume, but that it would only allow right whale disentanglement efforts “on a case-by-case basis,” depending on circumstances and availability of trained people. The suspension of right whale rescues likely will remain in effect as long as Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans investigates Howlett’s death, NOAA has said.

Federal law bars anyone from closely approaching whales, except for those specifically trained and authorized to do so for research or conservation purposes.

Howlett, 59, died July 10 while freeing a whale from fishing gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near Shippagan, on the northeast coast of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Howlett, who helped found the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, was part of a group of trained responders who had just freed the whale when it struck and killed him.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

Mark Your Calendar: Red Snapper Public Hearings and Cobia Scoping via Webinar Scheduled

July 20, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Please mark your calendar now to take advantage of a series of webinars scheduled by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in August. The  Council will solicit public input on management measures affecting red snapper and Atlantic cobia in federal waters.

Red Snapper – Q&A and Public Hearings via Webinar 

Amendment 43 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan

This amendment would modify the current annual catch limit for red snapper in the South Atlantic.  The Council proposes the modification in order to allow options for a limited harvest of red snapper in federal waters in 2018.  

Webinar Schedule: 

  • August 3rd – Informal Question & Answer Session at 6:00 PM
  • August 8th – Public Hearing at 6:00 PM
  • August 10th – Public Hearings at 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM

Atlantic Cobia – Public Scoping via Webinar 

Amendment 31 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan 

  • August 15th – Public Scoping via Webinar at 6:00 PM*
    • *A second presentation and comment opportunity will be repeated at 7:00 PM or later, depending on the end time of the first comment session.

The Council is soliciting public input on options for the management of Atlantic cobia (GA to NY).  The recreational fishery for Atlantic cobia was closed in federal waters earlier this year after NOAA Fisheries determined the annual catch limit would be met.  Options currently in the amendment include continuing efforts to develop a complementary plan with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) or the complete transfer of Atlantic cobia management to the ASMFC. The Council is considering options to allow additional flexibility for managing the fishery. 

Note that webinar registration is required. Written comments will also be accepted. Additional information, including webinar registration, online public comment forms, comment deadlines, and public hearing and scoping documents are being posted on the Council’s website at:  http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearing-and-scoping-meeting-schedule/ as they become available.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule for Mid-Atlantic Council Fishery Management Plans

July 19, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries is requesting comments on a proposed rule to implement the Omnibus Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Framework Adjustment for the Mid-Atlantic Council’s fishery managing plans (FMPs). We are proposing to:

  • Modify the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s risk policy to allow use of constant multi-year ABCs if the average overfishing probability adheres to the appropriate risk policy goal.
  • Automatically incorporate new or updated biological data at the conclusion of stock assessment peer reviews for all the Mid-Atlantic Council’s FMPs.
  • Add regulatory language clarifying the assessment level designations for the Council’s ABC control rule.

We are accepting comments through August 18, 2017.

Read the proposed rule and supplemental documents.

Please submit comments either through the online e-rulemaking portal or by mailing your comments to:

John Bullard, Regional Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA, 01930.

Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Proposed Rule for ABC Omnibus Amendment.”

Feds shutting down Massachusetts flounder fishery for year

July 19, 2017 — Federal fishing regulators are shutting down the summer flounder fishery in Massachusetts for the year because fishermen are nearing the end of their quota.

Summer flounder are the subject of a major commercial fishery on the East Coast, with fishermen bringing more than 10 million pounds of them to land most years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says Massachusetts fishermen are projected to meet or exceed their quota for the fish Wednesday.

The East Coast summer flounder fishery has been the source of a disagreement between the Trump administration and interstate fishing regulators in recent months. An interstate commission announced in June that it had found the New Jersey summer flounder fishery out of compliance with rules.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Jersey Herald

Federal Fishery Advisory Panel Seats Open to Applicants

July 18, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats. Working at the grassroots level, advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans. The Council has eleven advisory panels composed of individuals who are engaged in the harvest of managed species, or are knowledgeable and interested in the conservation and management of the fishery or managed species. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, formal representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists, and concerned citizens.

Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. As those appointments expire, members currently serving on the AP may reapply for their positions. These seats also become open to new applicants. Members may serve for three consecutive terms before reaching their term limit.  AP members generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings. Members must have access to a working email account and the Internet in order to receive meeting materials and correspondence relative to their service on the advisory panel. Applications are now being solicited for the following positions:

Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel: (1) SC Open Seat; (1) FL Open Seat

Habitat Protection & Ecosystem- Based Management Advisory Panel: (1) SC Recreational Representative

Law Enforcement Advisory Panel: (1) Open Seat; (1) Recreational Fishing Representative; and (1) Commercial Fishing Representative 

Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel: (1) Open Seat; (1) NGO Representative; and (1) At-Large Cobia Subpanel Seat

 Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel: (1) NC Open Seat; (3) SC Open Seats; and (2) FL Open Seats

Advisory Panel Applicants    

Additional information, including new online application forms are now available from the Advisory Panel page of the Council’s website at http://safmc.net/about-safmc/advisory-panels/.  Please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net or call the Council office at 843/571-4366 with any questions.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact area Council representatives to discuss their interest in serving.  Contact information for all Council members is available from the About Us section of the Council’s website at http://safmc.net/council-members/ or through the Council office.  Advisory panel members will be selected during the Council’s September 11-15, 2017 meeting in Charleston, SC. Advisory panel applications must be received by August 16, 2017 for consideration by the Council during the September meeting.             

NOAA to Deploy Saildrones for Climate Study

July 18, 2017 — During the next four months, NOAA scientists will deploy Saildrone unmanned ocean vehicles to hard-to-reach locales such as the Arctic and the tropical Pacific with the goal of better understanding of how ocean changes affect weather, climate, fisheries and marine mammals.

The Saildrone is wind and solar-powered research vehicle resembling a sailboat, capable of performing tasks at sea such as met ocean data collection, environmental monitoring and fish stock analysis, autonomously or under remote control. For NOAA, the vehicles will soon travel thousands of miles across the ocean, reaching some areas never before surveyed with such specialized technology.

In mid-July, scientists will send off the first unmanned, wind and solar-powered vehicles from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, with two sailing north through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean and another transiting the Bering Sea. Traversing Alaska’s inhospitable waters, the remote-controlled vehicles will track melting ice, measure carbon dioxide in the ocean and count fish, seals and whales.

For the first time, the vehicles will journey through the Bering Strait into the Arctic with a newly adapted system to measure CO2 concentrations.

We want to understand how changes in the Arctic may affect large-scale climate and weather systems as well as ecosystems that support valuable fish stocks,” said Jessica Cross, an oceanographer at NOAA Research’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, who is using the unmanned system to study how the Arctic Ocean is absorbing carbon dioxide.

Read the full story at Marine Technology News