Saving Seafood

Speeding ships and whales: NOAA sees progress, advocates not so much

October 23, 2o23 — A new analysis by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows more vessel operators are abiding by ship speed limits the agency sets to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from ship strikes along the U.S. East Coast.

A few hours before the agency’s study came out, the environmental group Oceana issued an update in its own series of analyses tracking ship speeds. Its conclusion: far too many vessels are still breaking the recommended 10-knot limit when right whales are known to be in waters near U.S. ports.

Both reports rely on data from Automatic Identification System transmitters carried by most commercial vessels, which record their tracks at sea. AIS is chiefly a safety system – allowing vessel operators to broadcast their real-time positions and see where other ships and boats are in relation to them.

AIS data also allows observers to calculate real-time and past vessel tracks and speeds. NOAA and Oceana used the same data, but different methodologies to draw somewhat divergent conclusions.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Billions of crabs went missing around Alaska. Scientists now know what happened to them

October 22, 2023 — Billions of snow crabs have disappeared from the ocean around Alaska in recent years, and scientists now say they know why: Warmer ocean temperatures likely caused them to starve to death.

The finding comes just days after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the snow crab harvest season was canceled for the second year in a row, citing the overwhelming number of crabs missing from the typically frigid, treacherous waters of the Bering Sea.

The study, published Thursday by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, found a significant link between recent marine heat waves in the eastern Bering Sea and the sudden disappearance of the snow crabs that began showing up in surveys in 2021.

Read the full article at CNN

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comment on Proposed Federal Management of Salmon Fishing in Cook Inlet

October 19, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would implement federal management of commercial and recreational salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone. Previously, salmon management in these federal waters was deferred to the State of Alaska and fishing occurred without respect to the EEZ boundary.

This action—Amendment 16 and the proposed rule—would result in separate federal management of salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet EEZ. The State of Alaska would continue to manage all salmon fishing within state waters.

Federal management would implement new requirements for commercial drift gillnet vessels fishing in the Cook Inlet EEZ. Fishing in the EEZ would occur on Mondays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning on or after June 19 each year until either the total allowable catch is taken or August 15. Commercial fishing vessels would have to obtain a federal permit, maintain a fishing logbook, and have a vessel monitoring system installed on their vessels. Commercial fishing vessels would not be allowed to participate in the federal fishery at the same time as participating in the state water fishery.

Processors and buyers receiving deliveries of salmon commercially caught in the Cook Inlet EEZ would have to obtain a federal permit. They would also need to report deliveries using the eLandings system.

Recreational anglers and charter operators fishing for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ would have to check federal regulations to ensure they are in compliance with bag and possession limits.

NOAA Fisheries developed this action after considering input from all affected stakeholders and tribes. It adheres to all Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements.

If approved, this proposed action would be effective for the 2024 salmon fishing season.

We developed Amendment 16 to address a Ninth Circuit court ruling requiring federal management of salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet EEZ in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

The management measures proposed under this action are designed to address identified challenges and minimize burden to the extent practicable while comprehensively fulfilling all federal requirements.

How to Comment

A copy of the notice of availability and proposed rule to implement Amendment 16 is available online. The public comment period on Amendment 16 is open for 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. Comments must be received no later than December 18, 2023.

Address comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, and identified by FDMS Docket Number NOAA-NMFS-2023-0065.

Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

We will respond to all public comments received on this action following the close of the 60-day comment period. We will make any required modifications prior to publishing a final rule.

A Major Rebuilding Milestone: 50th Fish Stock Rebuilt

October 18, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries and our fishery management partners reached a major milestone this summer. We rebuilt our 50th fish stock. The Snohomish coho salmon stock was declared overfished in 2018 and has now rebuilt to its sustainable level. A combination of responsive fishery management and habitat restoration helped to rebuild this iconic fish population.

U.S. commercial and recreational fishing provided 1.7 million jobs and $253 billion in sales in 2020. When we rebuild overfished stocks to sustainable levels, fishermen are able to catch more fish. Sustainable fisheries support thriving fishing communities, healthy marine ecosystems, and a strong economy.

An Iconic Stock

There are more than 20 different stocks of coho salmon on the West Coast and Alaska. In 2022, commercial landings of coho salmon totaled 13 million pounds and were valued at $16 million.

Salmon is an important source of spiritual and physical sustenance for Western Native American tribes and Alaska natives. For decades, the tribes living near the Snohomish River have restored degraded habitat in the watershed to improve the chance of survival for returning salmon. Under the 2018 rebuilding plan for Snohomish coho salmon, fishery managers began adjusting catch limits based on how many fish were expected to return each year. They set catch limits lower in years when fish numbers were expected to be down. Together, these rebuilding measures—and habitat restoration efforts—rebuilt Snohomish coho salmon to a sustainable level that will support increased catches for fishermen.

50 Stocks Rebuilt in 22 Years

Snohomish coho salmon is the latest rebuilding success in a program that dates back to 2001, when the Atlantic sea scallop was the first stock to be declared rebuilt. Through coordinated efforts with the eight regional fishery management councils and other partners, NOAA Fisheries is a global leader in sustainable fisheries management.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires overfished stocks to have rebuilding plans. These plans are designed to increase the stock size to a sustainable level. Rebuilding measures usually include reducing catch levels or closing off areas to fishing, sometimes for several years. These measures require sacrifices from fishermen. While the majority of stocks are rebuilt in 10 years or less, some stocks take longer to rebuild.

Challenges to Rebuilding Stocks

Fishery management is a challenging and adaptive process. We have successfully rebuilt stocks over the last 20 years, but challenges continue to increase. For example, climate change and warming ocean temperatures can make it difficult to rebuild stocks to historic levels, especially those better suited to a cold water environment. Some of our stocks are co-managed under international agreements. We have limited impact on fisheries outside of U.S. waters, so we work cooperatively with other countries to rebuild those stocks. In some cases, scientific advances change our understanding of what measures will be effective to rebuild a stock. In other cases, scientists are still searching for reasons stocks haven’t responded to management measures.

NOAA Fisheries and our fishery management partners continue to advance new scientific processes and management responses to continue to rebuild stocks.

US lawmakers reintroduce SEAfood Act to spur offshore aquaculture

October 17, 2023 — U.S. lawmakers last week reintroduced the Science-based Equitable Aquaculture Food (SEAfood) Act, legislation designed to foster and encourage more offshore aquaculture development.

If passed, the legislation would authorize NOAA to establish an offshore aquaculture assessment program and a grant program that would help minority-serving educational institutions create aquaculture centers of excellence. The law would also require the Government Accountability Office, a congressional watchdog organization, to put together a report detailing regulatory requirements for offshore aquaculture, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the science behind offshore aquaculture regulations.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

HPU ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF BOUNTY PROJECT

October 17, 2023 — In January 2023, HPU Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR) announced an ambitious bounty project partially supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program to remove tons of derelict fishing gear from the ocean.

In partnership with the Hawaiʻi Longline Association (HLA) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources, HPU’s preliminary results from the project saw 12,189 pounds (6.09 tons) of debris, from 41 fishing nets, removed from the ocean in less than one year.

“Removing 100 tons of derelict fishing gear from our oceans in just two years is an inspiring goal, and we’ve made great progress so far,” said Research Manager of HPU’s Center for Marine Debris Research Raquel Corniuk. “Our program rewards dedicated commercial fishers for their essential role in protecting Hawai’i’s coral reefs, offering them $1 to $3 per dry pound for retrieving derelict gear at sea. I believe this initiative is a win-win for both our fishermen and the preservation of our stunning ocean environments.”

Read the full article at Hawaii Pacific University

Federal management trap cap for lobster fishery areas

October 17, 2023 — On September 29, NOAA Fisheries approved federal management measures for the lobster fishery that complement the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American lobster. These measures include:

  • In Area 2, ownership caps would restrict most entities to 800 traps, effective May 1, 2025. An entity with an allocation that exceeded this limit as of May 1, 2022, would be capped at their 2022 trap allocation and may not purchase additional traps.
  • In Area 3, a maximum trap cap reduction and a new aggregate ownership cap with proportionate reductions would allow entities to own five times the number of the maximum trap cap. An entity with an allocation that exceeded this limit as of May 1, 2022, would be capped at their 2022 trap allocation and may not purchase additional traps. NOAA is implementing these measures with a one-year delay.
  • Beginning April 1, 2024, mandatory electronic harvester reporting using the federal electronic vessel trip report (eVTR) for all federal lobster permit holders begins April 1, 2024. This reporting requirement will include five additional lobster-specific data elements.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NOAA has imposed USD 1.1 million in fines over right whale speed limits since 2021

October 16, 2023 — NOAA is stepping up enforcement of vessel speed limits when endangered North Atlantic right whales are on the move, using satellite technology and even highway patrol-style speed radar to nab violators.

In the period between 2021 and 2022, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) brought 19 complaints against vessel operators for exceeding a 10-knot speed limit that the agency declares in “seasonal management areas” from November to July as the right whales move off the U.S. East Coast. The agency levied USD 218,500 (EUR 207,000) in penalties on those operators.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA announces funding for algal bloom research

October 15, 2023 — NOAA has announced USD 20 million (EUR 19 million) in awards for research on dangerous algal blooms and hypoxia.

“Harmful algal blooms and hypoxia affect coastal and inland waters and can be devastating to communities and businesses,” Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Office Director Carl Gouldman said. “These awards are part of NOAA’s ongoing commitment to advance our abilities to forecast, manage, and mitigate the effects of these events nationwide.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Working Towards Zero-Waste Seafood

October 12, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Seafood Month is a time to celebrate sustainable seafood for both wild-caught and farmed species. The United States is a global leader in sustainable seafood, underscoring NOAA Fisheries’ strong commitment to building a resilient seafood sector. This would not be possible without our many partners throughout the country and the world.

We sat down with Jhana Young, sustainable seafood manager at Conservation International Hawaiʻi, one of our important partners. Jhana shares CI Hawaiʻi’s sustainable seafood vision, what Seafood Month means to her, the exciting events CI Hawaiʻi is holding throughout the month, and more.

What kind of work does Conservation International do in Hawaiʻi?

Conservation International’s Hawaiʻi program started in 2011 as our only U.S.-based field program. We are part of a global team that works in more than 30 countries to empower societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, and for the well-being of humanity. Our focus in Hawaiʻi involves working with a diversity of partners across the state to underscore the importance of food security and to support sustainability in our fisheries and seafood industry.

We have three pillars or areas of work:

  • Helping fishing communities like Miloliʻi in South Kona on marine monitoring practices
  • Working with government partners in ocean policy
  • Collaborating with our seafood industry and culinary community to uplift sustainable seafood practices

With those three pillars as the foundation, our overarching goal is ocean conservation and shifting people’s perspectives towards valuing our important seafood and fishery resources.