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Mid-Atlantic Council and ASMFC Maintain Multi-Year Specifications for Black Sea Bass, Bluefish, and Scup and Modify Summer Flounder Specifications

August 15, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

Virginia Beach, VA – Last week the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) reviewed previously implemented specifications for scup, black sea bass and bluefish fisheries and modified specifications for summer flounder. The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters. The Council will forward its federal waters recommendations regarding summer flounder specifications to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval.

The table below summarizes commercial quotas and recreational harvest limits for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish (2016 values are provided for comparison purposes). Please note specifications for years 2017 and beyond may be adjusted based on changes in the fishery or new scientific information.

For summer flounder, both groups approved a commercial quota of 5.66 million pounds and a recreational harvest limit of 3.77 million pounds for 2017, an approximate 30% decrease from 2016. This decrease in catch and landings limits responds to the findings of the 2016 stock assessment update, which indicates summer flounder has been experiencing overfishing since 2008. In 2015, fishing mortality exceeded its threshold by 26% (i.e., the level beyond which overfishing is occurring). The 2015 estimate of spawning stock biomass (SSB) is at 58% of the biomass target, and only 16% above the threshold. If the stock were to fall below the threshold, it would be considered overfished, requiring the development of a rebuilding plan to reduce fishing mortality and rebuild stock biomass. These results appear to be driven largely by below-average recruitment, an underestimation of the fishing mortality level in the last years of the assessment, and declining biomass indices. The assessment update indicates the stock experienced six below-average year classes from 2010 to 2015. Additionally, indices of abundance from state and federal surveys have indicated declines in abundance ranging from 9 to 97% from their most recent peaks (generally 2009 to 2012). The 2016 assessment update estimated biomass has been trending down since 2010. Summer flounder harvest limits for 2018 may be adjusted in the future based on changes in the fishery or new scientific information.

Scup and Black Sea Bass

For scup and black sea bass, the Commission and Council maintained the previously implemented multi-year specifications set in August and October 2015, respectively. The decline in harvest limits for scup since 2016 is due to a decrease in SSB as projected by the 2015 benchmark stock assessment.

For black sea bass, 2017 harvest limits remain unchanged relative to 2016 levels (in 2016, there was a reduction in the commercial quota due to overages in the previous year). Both the commercial quota and recreational harvest limit may be changed pending the results of next benchmark stock assessment, scheduled for peer review through the Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee in late 2016. The Commission and Council will consider the results of the benchmark stock assessment in early 2017.

Bluefish

For the bluefish fishery, the final 2016 commercial quota is 4.88 million pounds and the recreational harvest limit is 11.58 million pounds. The final 2016 harvest limits include a 1.58 million pound transfer from the recreational sector to the commercial sector. The Commission and Council did not make any changes to the 2017 and 2018 specifications. The 2017 and 2018 commercial quotas and recreational harvest limits are preliminary and will likely change following release of 2016 and 2017 final Marine Recreational Information Program harvest estimates. These estimates can impact how much is transferred from the recreational sector to the commercial sector.

Rep. Moulton: Sweden’s lobster science flawed

August 15, 2016 — Sweden’s response to a highly critical analysis of its rationale for banning the export of American lobsters into the European Union still falls far short of a credible scientific standard, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton said Friday.

“The science they are citing is flawed,” Moulton said following a congressional briefing by NOAA Fisheries on the international contretemps. “They’ve done nothing to back up their data. And if they can’t back up their data, then there’s something else going on.”

In March, Sweden petitioned the remainder of the European Union to list American lobsters as an invasive species, claiming the increased presence of the American crustaceans in Swedish waters during the past three decades is imperiling its indigenous lobsters.

If successful, the invasive species listing would lead to a ban on U.S. and Canadian live lobster exports to Sweden and the rest of the 28-member European Union. The U.S. exports about $150 million worth of live lobsters to the EU each year — the vast majority landed in Maine and Massachusetts, where Gloucester is the top port — and Canada exports about $75 million.

The Swedish risk assessment, which cites the adverse potential of disease and cross-breeding between the indigenous lobsters and their American cousins across the pond, was like a starting pistol, spurring both U.S. and Canadian governmental agencies, trade officials and lobster stakeholders into action.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

Study finds ship noise disrupting humpback whale feeding

August 12, 2016 — One of the biggest threats to humpback whales spending their summers in New England is being hit by a passing ship.

But a collision isn’t all they have to fear. A study published Wednesday found that low-frequency noise from passing freighters and cargo ships near the coast could be disrupting their ability to feed.

A team of researchers examining the foraging behavior of 10 whales in the Gulf of Maine found that some of these 40-ton cetaceans descended more slowly in the presence of ships, giving them less time to find the food they’d normally consume. The whales also conducted fewer side-roll maneuvers — a technique they use to feed on a type of fish known as a sand lance that’s found just above the sea floor.

“Overall, I was kind of surprised that we were able to detect any response statistically just because these humpback whales are very adaptable,” said Hannah Blair, a graduate student at Stony Brook University in New York who led the analysis on the data.

Whales, dolphins and other marine life depend heavily on sound to communicate with one another and to search for food. A growing body of evidence in recent decades suggests noise caused by humans, including ship noise, is wreaking havoc on marine life. It masks sounds produced by prey and alters the behavior of prey.

Findings like these prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in July to announce a project to address noise that impacts aquatic species and their habitat over the next 10 years. The goals include educating the public about the problem and “minimizing the acute, chronic and cumulative effects of noise on marine species and their habitat.”

The study offers the first evidence that noise could be harming the feeding behavior of humpback whales.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Gloucester Times

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule to Modify the Current Seasonal Prohibition on Fishing with Black Sea Bass Pots and Enhance Gear Marking

August 12, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on the proposed rule for Regulatory Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 16). The proposed rule for Regulatory Amendment 16 published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2016 (81 FR 53109). The comment period ends on September 12, 2016.

Currently, fishermen may not fish with black sea bass pots from November 1 through April 30, each year, in the entire management area for black sea bass in the South Atlantic. The seasonal prohibition was established in 2013 as a precautionary measure to prevent interactions between black sea bass pot gear and whales during periods of large whale migrations, and during the right whale calving season off the U.S. southeastern coast. Regulatory Amendment 16 would retain a November 1 through April 30 seasonal prohibition but would reduce the size of the prohibited area. The goal is to reduce the adverse socioeconomic impacts to fishermen resulting from the current seasonal prohibition while continuing to provide the necessary protection to large whales in the South Atlantic region.

Regulatory Amendment 16 would also require an additional 12-inch wide purple band in three locations on black sea bass pot lines. The goal is to enhance current gear marking requirements for black sea bass pots to distinguish black sea bass pot lines from other fishing lines.

More information, including Frequently Asked Questions for Regulatory Amendment 16, can be found online here.

Request for Comments

Comments on the regulatory amendment must be received no later than September 12, 2016, to be considered by NOAA Fisheries. See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments.

Electronic copies of Regulatory Amendment 16 may be obtained from the NOAA Fisheries website here, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal here, the Council’s Web site here.

Addresses

You may submit comments by the following methods:

Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go here, click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

Mail:

NOAA Fisheries

Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

c/o Nikhil Mehta

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

All personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Comments received through means not specified in this bulletin (such as e-mail), may not be considered.

NOAA Fisheries Southeast is pleased to announce the introduction of our Text Message Alert Program. The program will allow you to sign up to receive important fishery related alerts via text message.

Text alerts you may receive include:

Immediate fishery openings and closures

Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly

How to opt-in

South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts

Text SATLRECFISH to 888777

South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts

Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777

Sweden delivers salvo in lobster ban fight

August 12, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries will brief staff from the Massachusetts congressional delegation Friday on Sweden’s response to the joint U.S.-Canadian scientific effort to keep the American lobster from being included on the European Union’s list of invasive species.

Carrie Rankin, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, said the Salem congressman’s office was informed Thursday of the briefing, but was not yet made privy to the Swedish response to the scientific analysis mounted in June by the U.S. government, trade officials, marine scientists and lobster stakeholders.

“We don’t know what the official response is yet because we haven’t seen it,” Rankin said Thursday. “We’ll know a lot more (Friday) after the briefing.”

Kate Brogan, a spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, confirmed Sweden has responded to the North American scientific analysis that strongly rebuts Sweden’s claims that the American lobster, also known as Homarus americanus, is an invasive threat to the indigenous lobsters living in Swedish waters.

Brogan, however, declined to provide details of the response from the European Union member.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

New rules require fish imports to meet U.S. standards

August 12, 2016 — Nations selling seafood to the U.S. must maintain higher standards for protecting whales, dolphins and other marine mammals, according to new regulations announced Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Other countries will be required to meet standards equal to what is required of U.S. fishermen under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, NOAA Fisheries officials said, a change local fishermen groups applauded.

“It’s fantastic,” Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance CEO John Pappalardo said.

While the U.S. has some of the most conservation-minded fisheries laws in the world, American fishermen are selling in a global marketplace, Pappalardo said.

The cost of domestic regulations to U.S. fishermen cuts into their competitive edge, he said.

“It costs more money to produce that fish,” he said.

Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association members find it difficult to compete with fishermen from other countries because of gear modifications and fishing ground closures required under U.S. law, said Beth Casoni, executive director for the organization.

The association has about 1,800 members from Maine to New Jersey who fish lobster, scallop, conch, groundfish and more.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

CALEB MCMAHAN: Expanding the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Would Set A Dangerous Precedent

August 12, 2016 — The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently held a public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

Proponents of the expansion stand behind the request of Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz and a group of seven Native Hawaiians for President Barack Obama to consider invoking the Antiquities Act of 1906 to expand the existing 50 mile monument boundary four-fold. The new monument would include nearly all of the Exclusive Economic Zone surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and a whopping 60 percent of the greater Hawaiian Islands EEZ.

Proponents argue that the expansion is necessary and justified on a variety of accounts. But the invocation of the Antiquities Act would mean that nearly 1.3 million square kilometers of U.S. waters would be made off-limits to American fishermen without public review or scientific analysis of the impacts or potential benefits.

Given the permanence of such a designation and the ramifications for the affected user groups, it’s no surprise that the recent meeting included a lively debate between those for and against expansion.

Read the full story at the Honolulu Civil Beat

NOAA Fisheries Announces Management Measures for 2016-2018 Spiny Dogfish Fishery

August 12, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries announces the 2016-2018 final management measures for the spiny dogfish fishery.

We are increasing the spiny dogfish federal trip limit from 5,000 lb to 6,000 lb. Increasing the trip limits will help an underutilized fishery better achieve optimum yield.

Commercial Spiny Dogfish Quotas Through FY 2018

2016: 40.4 million pounds (-20% from 2015)

2017: 39.1 million pounds (-23% from 2015)

2018: 38.2 million pounds (-25% from 2015)

While these quotas are lower than the 2015 quotas, the limits are substantially higher than actual landings in the fishery since 2000, and approximately twice the 2014 landings. We are reducing the quota due to a biomass decline of spiny dogfish.

These changes are effective August 15, 2016.

Read the permit holder bulletin and the final rule as published in the Federal Register.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary seeking advisory council applicants

August 11, 2016 — NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for one business/industry alternate seat on its advisory council.

The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

“Each of the members brings a unique perspective to the council based on their long experience in the New England area,” said Craig MacDonald, sanctuary superintendent. “Since its establishment, the council has played a vital role in advising the sanctuary and NOAA on critical issues. We are very pleased that council members offer their considerable talents to help us manage the resources of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.”

Read the full story at Wicked Local

Sharing survey work signals positive shift in government, fishermen relationship

August 9, 2016 — The announcement from NOAA on Tuesday that they will begin to transition the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s bottom trawl surveys from their research ship, the Henry B. Bigelow, to fishing industry vessels is a cause for celebration on the waterfront and represents a real opportunity to get the fishing industry in New England out of disaster mode. It is a bold decision but it is undoubtedly the correct one and, from an industry perspective, one that is long overdue.

Science Center director Dr. Bill Karp deserves enormous credit for setting this process in motion. It is a clear signal that NOAA wants to build trust and transparency, qualities that have not always been in evidence in its long and difficult relationship with the commercial fishing industry in New England.

The problems facing our fisheries are well documented. But amidst all the controversy, litigation and hard feelings surrounding fishery management, there is general agreement on one point: the need for better fishery science, to enable timelier, more accurate and more useful stock assessments. Maintaining healthy, sustainable fish stocks to support a robust commercial fishing industry are goals shared by all. Of course fishermen should be actively involved in the collection of survey data since the results determine how much fish they are permitted to catch.

We hear a great deal in the media about overfishing but the value of groundfish landings has declined by almost 50 percent since 2011. Yet the catch for several of our stocks is less than 50 percent of the quota because of regulatory constraints and catch limits that do not reflect what fishermen see out on the water. It is a fact that more fish are dying of old age in our waters than are coming ashore, largely as a result of scientific uncertainty. Fishermen continue to pay a heavy price for such uncertainty and many understandably feel as though they have become merely objects of regulation.

Read the full op-ed at the New Bedford Standard-Times