Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: Freeholders Praise Washington’s Approval Of Flounder Limits

July 22, 2017 — The federal government’s decision to cap flounder fishing limits at levels favored by the state, county and local fishermen is a win for the entire Jersey Shore, Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari said.

“We are very pleased with this decision that maintains the limits that the state already imposes on daily flounder catches,” Vicari said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) earlier this month affirmed New Jersey’s summer-flounder fishing size, bag limits and the length of the fishing season, meaning all rules adopted by the state earlier this year will remain in effect through early September.

The decision also won final approval from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.

In approving the state plan, Ross rejected a proposal to reduce the annual flounder haul by 34 percent and instead found that New Jersey’s existing rules are in compliance with the safe and sustainable management of summer flounder.

The Freeholders in April passed a resolution favoring the existing limits and rejecting the proposed 34 percent decrease, saying the change would have harmed the local tourism economy and done nothing to protect the flounder population.

Read the full story at Jersey Shore Online

NOAA Announces Continuation of Voluntary Speed Restriction Zone

July 21, 2017 –A voluntary speed restriction zone about 15 miles south of Nantucket has been extended by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries division.

NOAA established the speed restriction zone last month due to the presence of three endangered North Atlantic right whales.

The voluntary speed restriction zone will be in effect through July 30.

According to researchers, there are only about 400 North Atlantic right whales still in existence.

Those who approach a right whale closer than 500 yards will be in violation of federal and state law and could lead to criminal charges.

All right whale sightings are to be reported at 1-866-755-6622.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

Lobster Trap Tag Transfer Period Opens August 1

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

NOAA Fisheries announces the continuation of the Lobster Trap Transfer Program for Fishing Year 2018.  

We began the Lobster Trap Transfer Program in 2015 to allow permit holders the flexibility to buy and sell trap allocation for Lobster Conservation Management Areas 2, 3, and the Outer Cape. 

The trap transfer application period is August 1-September 30.

Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received by our office by September 30.  

We will process all transfer requests after September 30, and will notify applicants by December 31. Approved trap transfers will then become effective on May 1, 2018.

For more information and instructions, see our detailed guide and our trap transfer program information bulletin. You can also review materials from last year’s workshop under the “Trap Transfer Program” tab on our American Lobster web page. 

Questions? Contact Carrie Wein at 978-281-9225 or carrie.wein@noaa.gov

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.”