Saving Seafood

Recreational fishing has a data problem

April 8, 2024 — Governing bodies across the East Coast are rolling out this year’s limits on recreational saltwater fishing.

Why it matters: Some of those regulations are quite restrictive, and based partly on federal data that everyone knows is wrong.

  • Recreational fishing is no small business, generating over $100 billion annually in sales impacts and supporting nearly 640,000 jobs.

The big picture: Every year, assessments are made on the health of species, namely around how abundant a specific type of fish is, and how popular it is to catch.

  • When done right, the assessments are vital to preserving the country’s fish stocks.
  • The goal is to prevent anglers from overfishing a species. They should exist in enough numbers to naturally sustain, if not grow, their natural population.
  • That job has fallen to NOAA, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, since at least 1979.

Read the full article at AXIOS

How Do Atlantic Surfclams Respond to Ocean Warming and Acidification?

April 8, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The Atlantic surfclam is a shellfish species recognized for their large shells that wash up on beaches along the east coast of the United States. I’ve been collecting surfclam shells along New Jersey’s beaches since I moved here a year ago to work at the Rutgers University Haskin Shellfish Research Lab. Here, I research how changing ocean conditions will impact this important species.

Beyond being a great beach souvenir, surfclams support a valuable commercial fishery in the mid-Atlantic region. They are used in regional dishes such as clam chowder. The mid-Atlantic, home to many important marine species including the surfclam, is changing rapidly because of global climate change. Ocean warming and acidification are particularly significant concerns for shellfish.

Warming ocean temperatures directly impact shellfish growth rates and very high temperatures can be lethal to shellfish.Subtle changes in ocean chemistry including pH can also cause physiological stress and impact the integrity of surfclam shells.

Before moving to New Jersey, I lived and studied in Nova Scotia, Canada. Having grown up in a coastal community, I enjoy eating seafood. I am interested in how climate change will impact the way that we fish and grow our seafood. Although we often think of northern waters as being cold, the Atlantic Ocean along the Canadian coastline is also changing rapidly in terms of temperature and ocean acidification. In Nova Scotia, I studied the effects of climate change on shellfish aquaculture (mussels, oysters, and scallops), and how shellfish feeding rates vary under different environmental conditions. At Rutgers, in collaboration with a team from the NOAA Milford Lab, I am continuing this research while working with

Foundation and NOAA Announce Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility

April 6, 2024 — The following was released by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation:

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, have awarded twelve grants through the Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility, to support communities that are underserved, underrepresented, or overburdened and promote initiatives that investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. The projects include marine debris prevention, research, monitoring, detection, response, removal, and coordination activities.  

Marine debris is a widespread problem that can impact marine life, their habitat, and coastal communities. Marine debris can threaten human health and safety; reduce the quality of life in coastal areas; degrade habitats; cause economic loss to tourism, fisheries, and maritime activities; and injure and kill marine life due to entanglement or ingestion. Marine debris can take many forms, including items that come from activities that take place on land, such as plastic bags, cigarette butts, foam take-out containers, and balloons, as well as ocean-based debris, such as derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels.  

Addressing harmful marine debris is a key pillar of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s mission to conserve special places and support a healthy ocean and coasts. As federally designated areas of national significance, national marine sanctuaries are critical places to focus efforts to protect and restore our ocean. Through programs like Goal: Clean Seas and Washington CoastSavers, the Foundation works with NOAA and other partners across the National Marine Sanctuary System to coordinate specialized marine debris removal activities and engage and empower local communities and Tribal Nations in stewardship activities that contribute to the success of debris removal, long-term ecosystem restoration efforts, and marine debris awareness and prevention through education and outreach.   

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the NOAA Marine Debris Program are committed to providing funding opportunities across the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. For over 10 years, this partnership has leveraged the public-private partnership to enhance America’s ability to address impacts of marine debris and to support our national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments.  

Joel R. Johnson, President and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, said, “Diverse communities bring diverse solutions to tackling the challenges we face in our waters. Marine debris harms the biodiversity of our ocean, coasts and Great Lakes and we must work together to make the vision of healthier, cleaner waters a reality.  These 12 outstanding projects explore and showcase solutions in how we safeguard these special places.” 

“The NOAA Marine Debris Program is excited to partner with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation to award funding to 12 projects in the inaugural Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility competition,” said Nancy Wallace, director of the NOAA Marine Debris Program. “These projects will support marine debris removal, interception, prevention, research, and monitoring efforts in communities that have historically been underserved.” 

This year, a total of twelve Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Awards grants were awarded a total of $84,136 to fund their projects. All projects will take place from April 2024 through March 2025. Learn more about the projects described below.

 

Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Award Grantees    

 

Akiak Native Community (Alaska)  

Project Name: “Akiak Organized Riverbank Clean-Up”  

The Akiak Native Community will remove debris resulting from extreme riverbank erosion that has occurred in Akiak Alaska over the past decade. The Akiak Native Community will lead work to remove debris along the riverbank and thereby prevent debris from flowing down the Kuskokwim River to the Kuskokwim Bay and Bering Sea.  

Elizabeth River Project (Virginia) 

Project Name: “C.L.E.A.N. Youth Remove Elizabeth River Marine Debris in Norfolk, Virginia”  

The Elizabeth River Project will mentor, train, and engage youth from ages 10-25 to remove marine debris and litter in the underserved communities of Berkley and Campostella in Norfolk, Virginia. They will work with partners to mentor these youth to develop leadership and stewardship skills and will involve them in the organization of local marine debris cleanups. 

Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (Michigan) 

Project Name: “Marine debris collection and data analysis on Great Lakes shorelines”  

Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary will conduct research, detection, monitoring, collection, and analysis of marine debris on Lake Huron shorelines with various student groups and educators in northeast Michigan. Engaging underserved youth in rural communities is a priority for this project as it will help educate, protect, and preserve the Lake Huron shorelines for the future. 

Gullah/Geechee Legacy (North Carolina to Florida) 

Project Name: Expansion of the Gullah/Geechee Coastal Removal Engaging Artists Through Environmental (CREATE) Action Project 

Gullah/Geechee Legacy will expand the Gullah/Geechee Coastal Removal Engaging Artists Through Environmental Action project beyond South Carolina and into the Sea Islands of the Gullah/Geechee Nation in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Native Gullah/Geechee leaders and citizens will plan and lead community outreach and engagement sessions and Native Gullah/Geechee artisans will assist with intergenerational artwork activities at outreach and education events. 

Kewalo Marine Laboratory (American Samoa)  

Project Name: “Increasing Ocean Literacy through Exploration of Corals Eating Microplastics”  

Kewalo Marine Laboratory at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa aims to study coral ingestion of microplastics in American Samoa. By gathering data and hosting experiential learning workshops, this initiative will enhance ocean literacy while addressing the urgent need for information about the impact of microplastics on corals, preserving invaluable cultural, economic, and ecological resources provided by corals.  

Mystic River Watershed Association (Massachusetts)  

Project Name: “Trash, Stormwater, and Marine Debris Curriculum – Experiential Field Trips”   

Mystic River Watershed Association will enhance the experiential learning components of an existing K–8 curriculum on trash in the Mystic River watershed and the connection to marine debris and plastics. Through the addition of field trips and local trash removal events, approximately 100 afterschool students in three underserved communities will engage in place-based explorations of the impacts of trash on stormwater, rivers, and the ocean.  

Native Village of Afognak (Alaska)  

Project Name: “Catcher Beach Clean-Up”   

Native Village of Afognak will coordinate and carry out a marine debris cleanup at Catcher Beach on Afognak Island. Alaska Native youth and interns will clean up the beach and existing trails in Afognak Village, which are important areas for the tribal community. 

Research Foundation of CUNY- Queens College (New York) 

Project Name: “Assessing marine debris to foster STEM engagement and environmental stewardship”  

Research Foundation of CUNY – Queens College will train four students to assess the amount of microplastics in water and marine debris on the shoreline in northeast Queens, New York. In addition, this project will recruit volunteers from the community to assist in shoreline clean up events. The resulting project data will be shared to increase STEM engagement and promote environmental stewardship. 

Resilience Education Training and Innovation (RETI) Center (New York)  

Project Name: “RETI Center Marine Debris Field Kit: A Pilot Program”  

Resilience Education Training and Innovation (RETI) Center LLP will educate residents to take action in the local urban watershed to create a more livable coastline for an environmental justice community. The project will support student stipends for local youth to count and document the marine debris collected from a new interception device at the RETI Center Field Station. 

San Diego Audubon Society (California) 

Project Name: “South San Diego Bay Marine Debris Removal Event”  

San Diego Audubon Society will engage more than 100 residents of San Diego’s underserved South Bay communities to remove 450 pounds of marine debris from the wetland habitat in San Diego Bay. Event attendees will remove debris on a kayak trip, receive bilingual education about local ecosystems, and meet with local professionals working in environmental fields. 

Sea Turtle Inc. (Texas) 

Project Name: “One Year of Sustainability with Sea Turtle Inc.”   

Sea Turtle, Inc. will conduct community-based events serving the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The year-long, multi-pronged approach includes providing alternatives to single– use plastics, cleaning local jetties and beaches, and conducting shoreline marine debris monitoring through the NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project.   

Sonsorol State Government (Republic of Palau) 

Project Name: “Beach clean-ups on the islands of the State of Sonsorol: Dongosaro, Fanna, Pulo Anna & Melieli”   

Sonsorol State Government will educate Sonsorol youth about the harmful effects of ocean dumping and options for waste management. The youth will develop leadership and organizational skills by implementing beach cleanups on each of the four State of Sonsorol islands and will present project outcomes at a town hall to inform citizens of project achievements 

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments for Three Applications for Exempted Fishing Permits to Test Management Strategies that Could Reduce Recreational Discards of South Atlantic Red Snapper

April 6, 2024 — The following was released by the NOAA Fisheries:

Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries is accepting comments on applications for exempted fishing permits (EFP) from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  The EFPs are required for three proposed projects that would test management strategies that could reduce discards of red snapper and other managed snapper-grouper species, create additional opportunities to participate in sustainable recreational harvest, and improve angler satisfaction.

 

How to Comment on the Application:

The comment period is open now through April 22, 2024.  You may submit comments by electronic submission or by postal mail.  Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.

Application information:  https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing/south-atlantic-red-snapper-exempted-fishing-permit-applications

Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.

1. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2024-0035-0001 and https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2024-0036-0001.

2. Click the “Comment” icon, complete the required fields.

3. Enter or attach your comments.

Mail:  Submit written comments to Rick DeVictor, NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

 

Program Concepts

  • The South Atlantic red snapper stock is undergoing overfishing and is overfished. Discard mortality from recreational fishing continues to be the primary source of fishing mortality.
  • The projects would contribute to an improved understanding of recreational discards in the snapper-grouper fishery and test management strategies to reduce discards of red snapper and other snapper-grouper species.
  • One of the proposed projects would allow five private vessels and five charter vessels every three months over a twelve-month sampling period to take three fishing trips. During these trips, participants would be allowed to retain red snapper up to a vessel limit of 60 fish per day and would be permitted to harvest no more than 15 fish under a unique snapper-grouper aggregate bag limit per person in state and Federal waters.  Each participant on a vessel trip would be required to stop directed snapper-grouper fishing once their individual snapper-grouper aggregate bag limit of 15 fish had been met or the vessel limit of 60 red snapper had been met, whichever occurred first.
  • The other two proposed projects would each divide 200 participants between a control and experimental group every three months over a twelve-month sampling period.  The participants would be chosen through a lottery.  Each participant would be allowed to take, depending on project location, two or three fishing trips per three-month period.  The control groups would follow current Federal regulations.  The experimental groups would be allowed to harvest three South Atlantic red snapper and would be permitted to harvest no more than 15 fish under a unique snapper-grouper aggregate bag limit per person per day in state and Federal waters.  Once participants reached the aggregate bag limit, they would be required to stop directed snapper-grouper fishing.
  • Participants in all three proposed projects would be required to hail in/hail out, report information through a mobile smartphone/tablet application, take an educational online course, and participate in pre- and post-participation surveys.

 

NOAA Fisheries finds these applications warrant further consideration and is seeking public comment on the three applications.  A final decision on the issuance of the EFPs will depend on NOAA Fisheries’ review of public comments received, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils’ recommendations, consultations with the affected states, and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as a determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.

Sign Up for Text Message Alerts – Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA’s Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message (SMS).  Standard message & data rates may apply.  You may opt out at any time.

 

Text alerts you may receive include:

  • Immediate fishery openings and closures
  • Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly

 

Sign up for one or more of the following groups:

  • Gulf of Mexico Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
  • Gulf of Mexico Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
  • South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
  • South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
  • Caribbean Fisheries-Related Alerts
    • Text CARIBFISH to 888777

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, FL now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers.  Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application.  The mailbox will be checked daily.  For more information contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.

Other contacts:

Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202

Right whale found dead off Virginia coast recently gave birth to calf, experts say

April 3, 2024 — A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale was found dead off the coast of Virginia on Saturday, and her calf is missing, unlikely to survive without her, officials said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday confirmed the identity of the dead whale, female #1950, which was found floating approximately 50 miles offshore Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. The whale has been known to researchers since 1989, and gave birth to her sixth calf during the 2024 calving season.

NOAA Fisheries said the whale was towed to shore for a necropsy, which will be led by scientists at the University of North Carolina Wilmington alongside other organizations, to determine her cause of death. The carcass showed signs of shark scavenging.

According to NOAA Fisheries, female #1950 is the 40th mortality in the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event impacting North Atlantic right whales. the UME was declared in 2017, and includes 40 dead, 34 seriously injured, and 51 sublethally injured or ill whales. The agency said most were killed or injured by entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes in both U.S. and Canadian waters.

Read the full article at WIFR

New count of gray whales along West Coast suggests rebound

April 2, 2024 — A new count of the gray whale population along the West Coast shows “signs of recovery” five years after hundreds of them washed ashore and the population began declining, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

Scientists estimate the total number of eastern north Pacific Gray whales to be somewhere between 17,400 and 21,300, an increase from last year’s estimate, which had shown another year of decline. Last season, scientists estimated between 13,200 and 15,960 whales.

“It’s nice to be able to report some good news the last couple of years,” said Aimee Lang, a research biologist with NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center.

Read the full article at the Seattle Times

New Research Reveals Full Diversity of Killer Whales as Two Species Come into View on Pacific Coast

March 28. 2024 — Scientists have resolved one of the outstanding questions about one of the world’s most recognizable creatures, identifying two well-known killer whales in the North Pacific Ocean as separate species.

Killer whales are one of the most widespread animals on Earth. They have long been considered one worldwide species known scientifically as Orcinus orca, with different forms in various regions known as “ecotypes.”

However, biologists have increasingly recognized the differences between resident and Bigg’s killer whales. Resident killer whales maintain tight-knit family pods and prey on salmon and other marine fish. Bigg’s killer whales roam in smaller groups, preying on other marine mammals such as seals and whales. (Killer whales actually belong to the dolphin family.) Bigg’s killer whales, sometimes called transients, are named for Canadian scientist Michael Bigg, the first to describe telltale differences between the two types.

He noted in the 1970s that the two animals did not mix with each other even when they occupied many of the same coastal waters. This is often a sign of different species.

The finding recognizes the accuracy of the listing of Southern Resident killer whales as a Distinct Population Segment warranting protection under the Endangered Species Act in 2005. At the time, NOAA described the distinct population segment as part of an unnamed subspecies of resident killer whales in the North Pacific.

Now a team of scientists from NOAA Fisheries and universities have assembled genetic, physical, and behavioral evidence. The data distinguish two of the killer whale ecotypes of the North Pacific Coast—residents and Bigg’s—as separate species.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Environmental DNA offers scientists a look at salmon’s past and future

March 26, 2024 — Scientists have many ways to track fish populations – but they usually require seeing the fish. Now, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are refining a method to collect data about what fish were present in an area – up to two days after those fish have moved on.

Diana Baetscher is a research geneticist at NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Juneau.  She said that when fish swim, they shed scales, slime, and other tiny fragments into the water. Those fragments contain DNA – and they can provide a breadcrumb trail for scientists looking to learn about fish populations.

“eDNA is environmental DNA,” Baetscher said. ” It’s sort of a really simple concept. At its heart, it’s the fact that all organisms shed DNA or genetic material into the environment, and that can be water or air or soil.”

Read the full article at KCAW

Biden-Harris Administration announces $60 million to advance tribal priorities and address climate change impacts on Pacific salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River

March 23, 2024 — Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced plans to allocate $60 million in funding to advance tribal priorities and address the impacts of climate change on Pacific salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These funds from the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest climate investment in history —  will also play a crucial role in addressing deferred maintenance and repairs at Mitchell Act-funded hatchery facilities across the Columbia River Basin. 

This funding is consistent with President Biden’s September 2023 Memorandum on Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin and the historic December 14, 2023 agreement between the four lower Columbia River Treaty Tribes, the States of Oregon and Washington (collectively known as the six sovereigns) and the relevant agencies and departments of the United States promising to work together in partnership to restore these species in the Basin.

“This effort aligns with the U.S. government’s commitment to the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The funding will prioritize tribal initiatives, building upon extensive tribal engagement efforts, to strengthen projects aimed at enhancing climate resilience for tribal fisheries and salmon recovery efforts.”

This funding was first announced in June 2023 as part of the historic $3.3 billion in investments focused on ensuring America’s communities and economies are ready for and resilient to climate change. Of that $3.3 billion, an additional $240 million will support Pacific coastal salmon restoration and recovery through investment in non-Mitchell Act hatcheries, and $42 million will support Pacific salmon populations through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund and expanded research programs to identify and prioritize restoration strategies. NOAA is also continuing work to reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish. 

NOAA Fisheries worked closely with hatchery operators to identify critical deferred maintenance and repairs required for facilities. NOAA collaborated with tribal, state and federal Mitchell Act hatchery program operators to strategize the most effective allocation of funding. Together, these groups identified a range of projects focused on hatchery deferred maintenance and repair activities to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of fisheries in the region.

“This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act reaffirms our commitment to tribal and treaty rights through revitalizing the salmon, steelhead and other native fish populations within the Columbia River Basin,” stated Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “These funds will support salmon fisheries that have long been the lifeblood of tribes along the Columbia River.”

The Mitchell Act was passed by Congress in 1938 for the conservation of salmon and steelhead fishery resources in the Columbia River Basin in light of hydroelectric, irrigation and flood control development projects across the basin. It authorized the establishment, operation and maintenance of hatchery facilities in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, as well as other fishery conservation activities. Since 1946, Congress has annually appropriated Mitchell Act funds.

Please visit NOAA’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law websites to learn about current and future funding opportunities.