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Shark Landings Update Through May 19, 2017

May 26, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

The following are preliminary landings estimates in metric tons (mt) and pounds (lb) dressed weight (dw) for the Atlantic shark commercial fisheries; 1 mt is equal to 2,204.6 pounds. These preliminary estimates are based on dealer reports and other information received from January 1 through May 19, 2017. The estimates include landings by state-only permitted vessels, federally permitted vessels, and the 2017 shark research fishery participants. We provide percentages of landings instead of estimated landings where needed to continue ensuring participant confidentiality. The fishing seasons for all shark management groups opened on January 1, 2017, except for the aggregated LCS, blacktip shark, and hammerhead shark management groups in the western Gulf of Mexico sub-region which opened on February 1, 2017.

Gulf of Mexico Region

Includes any landings south and west 25^° 20.4′ N. long.
As of 5/19/2017, the retention limit for directed permit holders is 45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip in the eastern Gulf of Mexico sub-region and no retention of large coastal sharks in the western Gulf of Mexico sub-region¹.
The retention limit for directed permit holders can change throughout the season.

Sub-Region

Shark Management Group

2017 Quota

Estimated Landings Through 5/19/2017

% of 2017 Quota

2016 Landings Through same reporting period

Eastern

Gulf of Mexico (East of 88^° W. lat. only)

Blacktip

36.0 mt dw

(79,359 lb dw)

11.1 mt dw

(24,411 lb dw)

31%

15.5 mt dw

(34,117 lb dw)

Aggregated Large Coastal (quota linked to Hammerhead)

85.5 mt dw

(188,593 lb dw)

24.7 mt dw

(54,515 lb dw)

29%

39.9 mt dw

(88,031 lb dw)

Hammerhead

(quota linked to Agg. LCS)

13.4 mt dw

(29,421 lb dw)

<4 mt dw

(<8,818 lb dw)

<30%

6.3 mt dw

(13,884 lb dw)

Western

Gulf of Mexico (West of 88^° W. lat. only)

Blacktip

331.6 mt dw

(730,425 lb dw)

207.2 mt dw

(456,815 lb dw)

63%

Closed¹

165.7 mt dw

(365,268 lb dw)

Aggregated Large Coastal

(quota linked to Hammerhead)

72.0 mt dw

(158,724 lb dw)

65.2 mt dw

(143,818 lb dw)

91%

Closed¹

66.1 mt dw

(145,624 lb dw)

Hammerhead

(quota linked to Agg. LCS)

11.9 mt dw

(26,301 lb dw)

2.5 mt dw

(5.541 lb dw)²

24%

Closed¹

16.8 mt dw

(37,063 lb dw)

N/A

Non-Blacknose Small Coastal

112.6 mt dw

(248,215 lb dw)

21.4 mt dw

(47,155 lb dw)

19%

13.2 mt dw

(29,040 lb dw)

N/A

Smoothhound

504.6 mt dw

(1,112,441 lb dw)

0 mt dw

(0 lb dw)

0 mt dw

(0 lb dw)

¹Fishery closed at 11:30 p.m. local time on May 2, 2017 (82 FR 20447).

²The landings decrease from the previous month is due to removal of duplicate records.

Atlantic Region

Includes any landings north of 25^° 20.4′ N. lat.
As of 5/19/2017, the retention limit for directed permit holders is 3 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip, and the retention limit for all permit holders is 8 blacknose sharks per vessel per trip¹.
The retention limit for directed permit holders can change throughout the season.

Shark Management Group

2017 Quota

Estimated Landings

Through 5/19/2017

% of 2017 Quota

2016 Landings through same reporting perio

Aggregated Large Coastal

(quota linked to Hammerhead)

168.9 mt dw

(372,552 lb dw)

49.3 mt dw

(108,671 lb dw)

29%

34.7 mt dw

(76,518 lb dw)

Hammerhead

(quota linked to Agg. Large Coastal)

27.1 mt dw

(59,736 lb dw)

4.3 mt dw

(9,427 lb dw)

16%

8.3 mt dw

(18,282 lb dw)

Non-Blacknose Small Coastal

(quota linked to Blacknose south of 34^° N. lat. only)

264.1 mt dw

(582,333 lb dw)

47.0 mt dw

(103,674 lb dw)

18%

31.4 mt dw

(69,281 lb dw)

Blacknose ¹

(South of 34^° N. lat. only)

17.2 mt dw

(37,921 lb dw)

4.4 mt dw

(9,743 lb dw)

26%

9.3 mt dw

(20,527 lb dw)

Smoothhound

1,802.6 mt dw

(3,971,587 lb dw)

56.8 mt dw (125,318 lb dw)

70.5 mt dw

(155,352 lb dw)

¹NMFS implemented a retention limit of 8 blacknose shark per vessel per trip on January 13, 2017 (81 FR 90241; December 12, 2016). NMFS implemented a change in the retention limit of large coastal sharks other than sandbar for all directed permit holders on April 13, 2017 (82 FR 17765, April 13, 2017).

No Regional Quotas

Shark Management Group

2017 Quota

Estimated Landings

Through 5/19/2017

% of 2017 Quota

2016 Landings through same reporting period

Shark Research Fishery

(Aggregated LCS)

50.0 mt dw

(110,230 lb dw)

5.1 mt dw

(11,305 lb dw)

10%

3.7 mt dw

(8,219lb dw)

Shark Research Fishery

(Sandbar only)

90.7 mt dw

(199,943 lb dw)

23.4 mt dw

(51,530 lb dw)

26%

21.5 mt dw

(47,479 lb dw)

Blue

273.0 mt dw

(601,856 lb dw)

< 2.3 mt dw

(< 5,000 lb dw)

<1%

0 mt dw

(0 lb dw)

Porbeagle

1.7 mt dw

(3,748 lb dw)

0 mt dw

(0 lb dw)

0 mt dw

(0 lb dw)

Pelagic Sharks Other Than Porbeagle or Blue

488.0 mt dw

(1,075,856 lb dw)

53.0 mt dw

(116,923 lb dw)

11%

33.6 mt dw

(74,029 lb dw)

Aggregated Large Coastal (LCS)

Hammerhead

Non-Blacknose Small Coastal

Pelagic Sharks other than Porbeagle or Blue

Smoothhound

– Blacktip (Atlantic region only*)

– Bull

-Lemon

– Nurse

– Silky

– Tiger

– Spinner

– Great Hammerhead

– Smooth Hammerhead

– Scalloped Hammerhead

– Atlantic sharpnose

– Bonnethead

– Finetooth

– Common thresher

– Shortfin mako

– Oceanic whitetip

– Smooth dogfish**

– Florida smoothhound

– Gulf smoothhound

*Blacktip shark is part of its own management group in the Gulf of Mexico Region

** Smooth dogfish is the only smoothhound species in the Atlantic Region

NMFS will announce closures of management groups when landings reach or are projected to reach 80 percent of the quota. Management groups that are quota linked close when landings of either of the linked management groups reach or are projected to reach 80 percent of the quota.

This notice is a courtesy to the HMS fishery participants to help keep you informed about the fishery. For further information on this landings update, contact Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Guý DuBeck at 301-427-8503. The information will also be posted on the HMS website at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/news/news_list/index.html.

Commercial Closure for Yellowtail Snapper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on June 3, 2017

May 26, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

WHAT/WHEN:The commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m. on June 3, 2017. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of yellowtail snapper is prohibited, and harvest or possession of yellowtail snapper in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational fishery is open.

WHY IS THIS CLOSURE HAPPENING:

The August 2016 – July 2017 commercial catch limit is 1,596,510 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are approaching the commercial catch limit and harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
The August 2017 – July 2018 yellowtail snapper season in the South Atlantic will open on August 1, 2017, with a 1,596,510 pounds whole weight catch limit.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or by clicking here.

Trump budget guts NOAA, slashes marine science and conservation efforts

May 26, 2017 — U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 2018 budget, released on Tuesday, 23 May, includes drastic reductions in the budgets of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Those cuts could harm fisheries, ocean conservation efforts, and domestic seafood consumption, according to seafood and food policy groups.

Trump’s budget for the Commerce Department calls for cuts of USD 1.5 billion (EUR 1.3 billion) – the majority targeted at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The budget for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service operations, research and facilities would be slashed by nearly USD 43 million (EUR 38 million), and the Trump budget cuts would also eliminate USD 250 million (EUR 223 million) in NOAA’s coastal research programs, including the Sea Grant program, which works with universities to support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, as well as healthy coastal ecosystems.

Gavin Gibbons, a spokesman for the National Fisheries Institute, told SeafoodSource his organization has not yet conducted a thorough review of the budget cuts, but said the group supports full funding for NOAA.

“NOAA is a platinum-level sustainability oversight agency. Its work managing U.S. fisheries is recognized the world over as exceptional,” NFI spokesman Gavin Gibbons said. “Fully funding the essential services that NOAA provides U.S. fisheries is important to not just the future of the resource, but jobs associated with the stocks it helps maintain.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

LOUISIANA: State seeks approval to test red snapper program

May 26, 2017 — State officials say they hope a trial program could lead to longer red snapper seasons for Louisiana anglers. It’s the latest action in a years-long debate over the seasons’ length and how federal authorities determine it.

“I asked Wildlife and Fisheries to develop a program that could eventually lead to Louisiana controlling red snapper fishing, even in what is determined to be federal waters,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news release today. “This pilot program could not come soon enough, as the federal government has limited anglers to just three days to fish red snapper this year.”

Recreational fishermen have complained that federal authorities have set overly restrictive catch limits and unnecessarily short seasons for red snapper despite a rebound in the fish’s numbers. Environmentalists and federal regulators, including NOAA Fisheries, contend the species still needs protection after years of overfishing.

Louisiana has long sought authority to manage red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico’s federal waters, which begin three miles off its coast but have recently been extended to nine miles for the species.

“Just like the governor, we have heard from anglers across Louisiana and it is clear what they want most is the flexibility to fish for red snapper when it makes sense for them and their families,” state Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet said. “So we are going to test a new way of doing this.

Read the full story at Houma Today

Nantucket Lightship Access Area Closing on May 30 for Scallop LAGC-IFQ Permit Holders

May 26, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

We are closing the Nantucket Lightship Access Area to the limited access general category (LAGC) individual fishing quota (IFQ) fleet on May 30, 2017. The area will remain closed to the LAGC IFQ fleet for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year through March 31, 2018.

Under the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan, once the LAGC IFQ fleet reaches its annual limit on the number of trips into the Nantucket Lightship Access Area (837 trips in 2017), we are required to close the area to the LAGC IFQ fleet for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year to prevent overharvest. We project that the LAGC IFQ fleet has reached its 2017 limit of 837 trips allocated for the Nantucket Lightship Access Area.

Vessels that have complied with the observer notification requirements, declared a trip into the Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Area using the correct Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) code, and crossed the VMS demarcation line before 0001, May 30, 2017, may complete their trip and retain and land scallops caught from the Nantucket Lightship Access Area.

For more information, read the notice as filed in the Federal Register this afternoon and the permit holder bulletin on our website.

Questions? Contact Shannah Jaburek at 978-282-8456 or shannah.jaburek@noaa.gov

New Jersey assures fishermen they can fish for summer flounder

May 26, 2017 — In the tumultuous lead-up to the opening of summer flounder season, the state has assured recreational fishermen that the season will start on Thursday with an 18-inch size limit and 3-fish possession limit in place.

In simpler words, fishermen can fish for summer flounder despite a motion Monday by a regional fishery body to not accept New Jersey’s approved regulations.

New Jersey’s Marine Fisheries Council adopted the state’s new regulations last week but a motion to not accept them was made by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder Management Board on Monday.

In a press release on Wednesday, just hours before the start of the recreational season for summer flounder, the Department of Environmental Protection said any possible federal non-compliance decisions would first need to be voted on by ASFMC’s Policy Board and the full Commission before a finding of non-compliance is sent to NOAA Marine Fisheries for consideration.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

New Jersey’s flounder season starts Thursday with 18-inch limit

May 26, 2017 — The state’s summer flounder season will begin Thursday as scheduled despite an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission board motion Monday to not accept New Jersey’s new rules.

Recreational anglers in state waters will get to keep up to three summer flounder per day that meet the 18-inch minimum-length requirement. The season will run through Sept. 5.

The state Marine Fisheries Council last week adopted the regulations, which they believe achieve the conservation equivalency the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service requested.

“We are going forward with the regulations, because we strongly believe that we have passed regulations that meet the conservation equivalency of the Commission’s proposed quota limits,” state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said Wednesday.

Last year, anglers in the state were allowed to keep five fish at 18 inches in the ocean and four fish at 17 inches in the bay.

In February, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved reductions that would have limited New Jersey recreational fishermen to three fish at 19 inches in the ocean and three at 18 inches in the Delaware Bay.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

Federal Black Sea Bass Management Measures for Recreational Fishermen Stay Same for 2017

May 25, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

For recreational fishermen fishing in federal waters, the black sea bass minimum size, possession limit, and fishing season will stay the same for 2017.

The measures are:

Minimum size: 12.5 inches

Possession limit: 15 per angler

Open Seasons: May 15-Sep 21 and Oct 22-Dec 31.

For more information, please read our permit holder bulletin posted online.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recently made adjustments to recreational management measures in state waters for New Jersey through Massachusetts to limit recreational catch in 2017.

If the federal minimum size, possession limit, and/or season differ from the regulations for your state (where you will be landing the fish), you must follow the more restrictive regulations. Please contact your state for the latest information.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel at 978-281-9175 or jennifer.goebel@noaa.gov

Revised Black Sea Bass Catch Limits for 2017 and Projected Limits for 2018

May 24, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announces it has revised the 2017 black sea bass specifications to increase catch limits based on updated information on the status of the stock.

Specifically, this action will:

Increase in the 2017 commercial quota by 53 percent;
Increase the the 2017 recreational harvest limit by 52 percent; and
Establish projected catch limits for 2018.

Through this action, we are also removing an accountability measure that would have reduced the amount of quota available to the commercial fishery in 2017.

Read the Fishery Bulletin for more information or the final rule as published in the Federal Register.

Questions? Contact Allison Ferreira at 978-281-9103 or allison.ferreira@noaa.gov

NOAA Fisheries Proposes Rule Requiring Electronic Reporting for Charter/Party Vessels in the Mid-Atlantic Region

May 24, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries announces a proposed rule that would require for-hire vessels with federal permits for some species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council to submit their vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically.

This action is not a change in reporting requirements; however, it is an administrative modification to the method for submitting VTRs.

This action is expected to:

Increase the timeliness (availability) of data submitted through VTRs;
Reduce the reporting burden on data providers (for-hire operators and/or captains) by eliminating the need of paper-based reporting; and
Increase the accuracy and quality of data by reducing recall bias associated with delayed completion and submission of paper forms.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and supplemental documents on our website.

Comments must be received by June 23, 2017, and may be submitted via the e-rulemaking portal.

Questions? Contact Allison Ferreira at 978-281-9103 or allison.ferreira@noaa.gov