Saving Seafood

NOAA reports on state of US fisheries: Landings up, values down

October 27, 2016 — Gloucester improved its standing among all U.S. commercial ports in both the volume and value of its commercial seafood landings in 2015, according to the NOAA Fisheries annual Fisheries of the United States report released Wednesday.

The report is described by NOAA officials as an “annual snapshot of key national fishing and seafood statistics.” It showed the quantity of U.S. commercial seafood landings rebounded slightly in 2015 to 9.7 billion pounds valued at $5.2 billion. But the value of those landings decreased by almost 5 percent nationally from the previous year.

Gloucester’s performance in 2015 mirrored the national picture, with an increase in landings, but a decline in the overall value of those landings.

Gloucester, which ranked 22nd in volume of landings in 2014 among all U.S. commercial fishing ports, moved up two spots to 20th in 2015 by landing 68 million pounds of seafood — an increase of 11.5 percent from 2014.

And while America’s oldest seaport moved up four spots to No. 22 in the value of its landings, its 2015 value of $44 million actually represented a 4.3 percent drop from the $46 million worth of commercial seafood it landed in 2014.

The declines in value locally and nationally were reflected in prices off the boat, as the price index for edible fish declined by 9 percent nationally in 2015.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

Alaska SeaLife Center Collaborates with NOAA

October 27, 2016 — SEWARD, Alaska — Scientists from the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) recently returned from the first research mission to utilize new satellite technology for the study of harbor seal populations.

The month-long expedition to the Aleutian Islands on board the research vessel Norseman, was conducted in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Polar Ecosystems Program.

“The population trends and factors that may be influencing harbor seals remain poorly understood,” said ASLC President and CEO Tara Riemer. “We are excited to increase our understanding of harbor seals and for the potential to better inform the science community and resource managers.”

Co-funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the study brings together scientists from two different organizations to collaborate on the next steps toward understanding and addressing shared concerns. Using Life History Transmitters (LHX), developed by Dr. Markus Horning, ASLC Science Director, in collaboration with Wildlife Computers, Inc. under funding from the National Science Foundation, researchers will be able to collect survival and reproductive data to better understand harbor seal population trends.

Read the full story at Alaska Business Monthly

HAWAII: Fishermen Catch 11% More Bigeye Tuna Despite Overfishing Status

October 27, 2016 — U.S. commercial fishermen hauled in 2.5 million pounds more bigeye tuna last year than they did in 2014, landing almost all of it out of Honolulu, according to a federal report released Wednesday.

Bigeye landings in 2015 totaled 25.8 million pounds, an increase of nearly 11 percent compared to last year. 

And that tuna was worth a bit more too, averaging $3.17 per pound in 2015, up from $3.08 in 2014, according to the most recent Fisheries of the United States report by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Overall, U.S. commercial fishermen landed 32 million pounds of seafood last year operating out of Honolulu, the 27th highest nationally by weight. 

But that seafood — mostly bigeye tuna, which fetches top dollar in local sashimi markets and high-end restaurants — was worth $97 million, making it the sixth-highest catch in the country by value. 

Bigeye tuna continues to be subject to overfishing, however. It’s one of 28 stocks on the federal overfishing list. Only 9 percent of fishing stocks monitored by the feds are subject to overfishing, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Read the full story at the Honolulu Civil Beat

American’s seafood appetite is on the rise

October 27, 2016 — The numbers are in: Americans ate nearly a pound more seafood in 2015 than the year before.

It marked the third consecutive year that consumers put more seafood on their plates, but their rising appetite still isn’t back to where it was nearly a decade ago when people ate a record average of 16.6 pounds in 2004.

The numbers come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Fisheries of the United States report, published this week.

The recent trend is a promising sign to seafood harvesters who make a living hauling fish and hard shell from the water.

The Garden State Seafood Association, a New Jersey commercial fishing trade group, said it’s “encouraged that Americans are eating more seafood” and urges consumers “to buy, eat and learn more about U.S. domestic fisheries.”

The United States imported 90 percent of its seafood in 2015, the report found.

New Jersey ranks 9th in the United States for seafood commercial harvests, according to the report.

American’s consumed on average 15.5 pounds of seafood last year, up from 14.6 pounds in 2014.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press 

NOAA hosting fish reporting, discard workshops

October 26, 2016 — GLOUCESTER, Mass. — NOAA Fisheries is hosting two workshops in Gloucester for fishermen and permit holders, the first dealing with sector and vessel reporting and the second with possible modifications to the manner in which the agency estimates discards.

The sector-and-vessel reporting workshop, set to run Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at NOAA’s regional offices at 55 Great Republic Drive in the Blackburn Industrial Park, is designed to increase awareness and understanding of the reporting process.

Organizers say the workshop also will include a discussion on potential streamlining and adjustments to the reporting system.

The workshop is open to all fishermen, permit holders and stakeholders, who can can participate either in person, online through a WebEx Link or by phone.

For the WebEx link, the event number is 667422398 and the event password is Meeting 123.

Those participating via conference call should call 866-708-9484 and use the participant code 2946980.

Questions should be directed to Mark Grant at 978-281-9145 or mark.grant@noaa.gov.

On Monday, NOAA will hold a webinar and conference call on cumulative discard methodology. The presentation is set to run from 1 to 4 p.m.

Read the full story at The Salem News 

Reports: Gulf population of menhaden, prey of game fish, thriving

October 26th, 2016 — A commission that assesses the health and viability of the menhaden population in the Gulf of Mexico says despite massive commercial hauls, the menhaden population is sound.

The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission calls it a stock assessment for menhaden.

Steven J. VanderKooy, a fisheries coordinator with the commission, which has an Ocean Springs, Mississippi office, told The Sun Herald despite the fact that millions of pounds are hauled in each year, they are thriving.

The fish is caught for cat food and fish oil supplements and is a favorite food of large game fish.

The assessment was completed as a cooperative effort of Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at Decatur Daily

ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Board Approves 2017 Fishery Specifications

October 26th, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Management Board approved a spiny dogfish commercial quota of 39,099,717 pounds for the 2017 fishing season (May 1, 2017 – April 30, 2018). The Board maintained a 6,000 pound commercial trip limit in state waters (0-3 miles from shore) in the northern region (Maine through Connecticut). States in the southern region (New York to North Carolina) have the ability to set state-specific trip limits based on the needs of their fisheries. 

The quota and northern region trip limit are consistent with the measures recommended to NOAA Fisheries by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Although the spiny dogfish commercial quota represents a slight decrease from the previous year, the 2015 assessment update projects spawning stock biomass to increase starting in 2019. Therefore, the commercial quota is expected to increase in the next specifications cycle if the projection is supported by catches in the Northeast Fisheries Science Center spring survey.

The 2017 spiny dogfish commercial quota allocations (in pounds) for the northern region and the states of New York through North Carolina are described below. Any overages from the 2016 season will be deducted from that region’s or state’s 2017 quota allocation. 

For more information, please contact Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mappelman@asmfc.orgor 703.842.0740.

Latest report says menhaden thriving in the Gulf

October 25th, 2016 — A commission that assesses the health and viability of the menhaden population in the Gulf released a report this week that says despite massive commercial hauls, the menhaden population is sound.

It’s called a stock assessment for menhaden — a fish caught for catfood and fish oil supplements and a favorite food of large game fish. If fact, there’s been controversy this year over how many redfish commercial menhaden boats in the Gulf should be allowed to keep in the bycatch while fishing for menhaden.

Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission evaluated the status of the Gulf menhaden in U.S. waters and concluded the “Gulf of Mexico’s menhaden stock is not experiencing overfishing,” said Steven J. VanderKooy, a fisheries coordinator with the commission, which has an Ocean Springs office.

The assessment was completed as a cooperative effort of Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Menhaden catches support the second largest commercial fishery by weight in the United States. Menhaden are small filter feeders that don’t grow much longer than a foot and only live for three or four years.

Despite the fact that millions of pounds are hauled in each year, they are thriving, VanderKooy said. “They are really, really resilient. It’s a great fish and short-lived.”

Read the full story at the Sun Herald  

Hawaii lawmakers hold public meeting on foreign fishermen

October 20, 2016 — HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers held a meeting to discuss conditions in the Hawaii longline fishing fleet and heard from an observer who described what it’s like to live on the boats.

“The worst conditions would be no toilet, no shower, no hot water,” said Ashley Watts, a former observer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who spent weeks at sea with various boats over seven years at the federal agency. “You have a cold water deck hose as a shower…the water tastes like iron.”

The meeting on Wednesday followed an Associated Press investigation that found some fishermen have been confined to vessels for years.

A federal loophole allows the foreign men to work but exempts them from most basic labor protections. Many foreign fishermen have to stay on the boats because they are not legally allowed to enter the United States.

“It’s hard to sleep, because every day we don’t do something is another night that some folks are suffering,” state Rep. Kaniela Ing said. “It’s very frustrating to just hear people just kind of punt or say maybe over time we can find a solution.”

Ing and other lawmakers pressed representatives from the fishing industry and government agencies about what can be done to increase oversight and improve conditions in the industry. Ing asked Jim Cook, board member of the Hawaii Longline Association, whether fishing boat captains could provide copies of contracts between fishermen and boat captains to the state, and Cook said he believed that would be possible.

The Hawaii Longline Association, which represents fishing boat owners, created a universal crew contract that will be required on any boat wanting to sell fish in the state’s seafood auction.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at ABC News

ASMFC 75th Annual Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

October 20, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 75TH Annual Meeting have been posted at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2016-annual-meeting for the following Boards/Committees (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information).

Spiny Dogfish Management Board – Spiny Dogfish 2017 Specifications Review; MAFMFC October 2016 Meeting Summary

Coastal Sharks Management Board – NOAA Fisheries Presentation on HMS Amendment 5b Proposed Rule; AP Nomination

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Advisory Panel Meeting Summary; Public Comment

Executive Committee – Meeting Summary from August 2016; Draft ASMFC Standard Operating Procedures for Meetings

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – FMP Reviews for Black Drum, Spanish Mackerel and Spotted Seatrout; Advisory Panel Nominations

Tautog Management Board – Guidance on Reference Points

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – FMP Reviews for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass (NOTE: Two additional documents will be posted on Friday – Memo on Preliminary Black Sea Bass Commercial Landings and Meeting Summary of the 2017 Summer Flounder Recreational Management Working Group).

Shad and River Herring Management Board – Technical Committee Report on  Review of the Nemasket River Sustainable Fishery Management Plan; MAFMFC Press Release and Motions on Shad and River Herring

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Horseshoe Crab and Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committees’ Meeting Summary; FMP Review

ACCSP Coordinating Council – ACCSP Transition Document and Draft MOU

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Advisory panel Report on Draft Amendment 3 Public Information Document; Public Comment

ISFMP Policy Board – Revised Draft Agenda and Meeting Overview; Conservation Equivalency Memo; meeting Summary of the Climate Change and Fisheries management Work Group; Draft Correspondence to BOEM; Presentation on National Park Service Director’s Order

American Lobster Management Board – American Lobster Draft Addendum XXV; Technical Committee Report on Season Closures and Trip Limits in the SNE Lobster Fishery; FMP Review for American Lobster

For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have combined into one PDF –http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2016AnnualMeeting/CombinedSupplementalMaterials_rev.pdf.

As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar athttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6632926318150310403 beginning at 8:30 a.m. on October 24th, continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 4:00 p.m.) on October 27th.  The webinar will allow registrants to listen to the proceedings of the Commission’s management boards/sections during the 75thAnnual Meeting, October 24-27, 2016. Registrants will also be able to view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise during the streaming of the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Board/Section summaries, presentations, and audio files will be available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2016-Annual-Meeting  the week of October 30th.