Saving Seafood

Trawl vessels caught 10 killer whales in ’23 off Alaska, federal agency says

September 25, 2023 — A federal agency that takes an active role in “shaping international ocean, fisheries, climate, space and weather policies” reported last week one of its teams is “evaluating data collected” on 10 killer whales incidentally caught in Alaska by Bering Sea and Aleutian Island groundfish trawl fisheries in 2023.

In a statement, NOAA Fisheries, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said just one whale ended up being released alive. For the other nine, the agency is in the process of determining the cause of injury or death and which stocks these whales belong to through a review of genetic information.

In addition, NOAA Fisheries is reviewing information regarding “a killer whale incidentally caught during the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s longline survey for sablefish and groundfish this summer.” The agency added that on June 7, a dead killer whale was observed entangled in gear on the Central Bering Sea slope.

Read the full article at KIRO

Can $82 million stop the first modern-day extinction of a great whale?

September 25, 2023 — The U.S. government has issued an $82 million grant to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales — “the largest climate and conservation investment in history,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. The whale is fast approaching extinction, with just 70 females of reproductive age amid its dwindling numbers.

The funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will be used to ensure that the NOAA can implement technology to help ships detect and avoid the whales, alongside existing conservation measures.

Read the full article at SEMAFOR

NORTH CAROLINA: Dare commissioners oppose NOAA amendment, joined by Congressman Murphy

“We’ll continue fighting for you,” said Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. Woodard to Dewey Hemilright, a pelagic longline waterman from Kitty Hawk.

At the Sept. 6, 2023 meeting of Dare’s commissioners, Hemilright protested the proposal that pelagic watermen pay for all electronic monitoring equipment and operation.

In an email, Jeff Oden, another longline fisherman, accuses the National Marine Fisheries Service of creating a major contraction of the fishery.

Read the full article at The Coastland Times

 

Trawlers accidentally caught 10 orcas off Alaska this year — only one lived

September 25, 2023 — A federal fishery agency reported last week that 10 killer whales were caught in the gear of trawl net vessels fishing this year in the Bering Sea and North Pacific waters off the Aleutian Islands.

Only one was released alive, according to a brief Alaska NOAA Fisheries statement posted online. A team is analyzing data collected about the other nine whales to determine the causes of injury or death, and also to determine which stocks these whales belonged to through reviewing genetic information.

Killer whales, also known as orcas, have been entangled in trawl gear off Alaska in years past, but the numbers reported in 2023 are higher.

“The agency is working quickly to evaluate these incidents and will share findings as soon as possible, after all required analyses are completed,” the statement said.

The agency reported that another killer whale was entangled with longline gear set out by a vessel conducting a federal fishery survey in the Central Bering Sea. On June 7, a dead whale was observed caught up in gear, the statement said. NOAA Fisheries scientists were on board the survey vessel, which was designed to provide an assessment of black cod — also known as sablefish — populations, and that incident is also under review.

Read the full article at The Seattle Times

NOAA Fisheries releases interactive climate vulnerability tool

September 23, 2023 — A new interactive tool from NOAA Fisheries allows users to access the agency’s data and see how vulnerable fish and their habitats are to climate change.

With data on roughly 400 marine species and habitats, the Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool can create reports by drawing on the agency’s assessments of fish stocks, protected species, habitats, and fishing communities. NOAA Fisheries develops assessments based on the subject’s level of exposure to environmental changes and its sensitivity to those changes.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

New Interactive Tool Consolidates Data from Climate Vulnerability Assessments

September 23, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has launched its new Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool! It provides easy access to vulnerability information from all of the current Climate Vulnerability Assessments in one convenient location. Previously, these assessments were only available as individual reports on the NOAA Fisheries website or via scientific journals.

As part of its commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change, NOAA Fisheries conducts Climate Vulnerability Assessments on fish stocks, protected species, habitats, and fishing communities. The Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool provides an easy way for scientists, academia, and decision makers to find vulnerability information on nearly 400 marine-related species and habitats.

Climate Vulnerability Assessments provide decision makers with information on which species, habitats, and communities may be most susceptible to climate change. They also show where action may be needed to help reduce impacts and increase resilience to changing ocean conditions. The information is also being used to guide research on possible climate impacts and solutions. The assessments estimate vulnerability to climate change based on:

  • Level of exposure to projected changes in the environment (such as increased ocean temperatures)
  • Sensitivity to these changes based on life history characteristics (such as diet and reproductive rate)

Currently, the Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool pulls data from seven completed assessments:

The Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool will be regularly updated as data from new assessments are made available. Several other Climate Vulnerability Assessments are in progress, including assessments for sea turtles, Atlantic highly migratory species, and Gulf of Mexico fish stocks.

Sport angling community concerned by potential data errors in NOAA fishing survey

September 23, 2023 — The sportfishing community is calling on NOAA for an overhaul of the methods researchers use to estimate fish stock after an internal study from the association found that a coastal survey could be overestimating the amount of recreational fishing going taking place.

NOAA — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — published a study in August called “Evaluating Measurement Error in the MRIP Fishing Effort Survey,” which found a 30-40 percent discrepancy between the data from the administration’s current Fishing Effort Survey (FES) and a differently formatted test survey that was issued as part of the study.

Researchers concluded that the discrepancy is likely an overestimate of coastal fishing activity.

The study was one of a handful that researched possible biases in the continual Fishing Effort Survey, which is run by the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), a state, regional and federal partnership that is part of NOAA. MRIP is tasked with compiling recreational catch data, which is then used to direct management strategies for fish populations.

Read the full article at OC Today

 

The 2023 Hawaiʻi Bottomfish Survey Harnesses Community Power for Sustainable Fisheries

September 23, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries: 

Hawai‘i bottomfish are a significant cultural and commercial resource, and represent the profound connection between the local community and their surrounding waters. Ensuring their sustainability is important to continuing traditions, practices, and livelihoods. The annual Bottomfish Fishery-Independent Survey in Hawai‘i kicked off August 1 and runs through November 30, 2023. It aims to provide managers with the best available information to set commercial catch limits and help ensure a sustainable Deep 7 fishery. The success of the survey hinges on collaborative efforts between the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and local fishers working together to gather this important data.

The Deep 7

The Deep 7 are the most sought-after and important group of deep-water bottomfish in Hawai‘i. The group is made up of six snappers and one grouper that typically live at depths of 75 to 400 meters. The Hawai‘i Deep 7 consists of:

  • Ehu (squirrelfish snapper)
  • Gindai (Brigham’s snapper)
  • Hapuʻupuʻu (Seale’s grouper, Hawaiian grouper)
  • Kalekale (Von Siebold’s snapper)
  • Lehi (silverjaw snapper
  • Onaga (longtail snapper)
  • ‘Ōpakapaka (pink snapper)

These species prefer deep waters and the nooks and crannies of hard seafloor habitats. Bottomfishing is a unique tradition in Hawaiʻi that requires a tremendous amount of knowledge and skill. Fishers and chefs alike prize the ‘ōpakapaka and onaga for their premium texture and mild flavor. Gindai rarely make it to market; this pink and yellow-striped snapper instead is typically found at the kitchen table being enjoyed by family and friends.

NOAA Fisheries Releases Updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy

September 21, 2023 —  The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has released an updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy and multi-year national and regional implementation plans. They identify actionable commitments to advance our policy goals.

Saltwater recreational and non-commercial fishing is an integral part of American coastal life. It is both a cultural cornerstone and an important economic driver in the United States. With millions of saltwater anglers—from Maine to Guam, Alaska, and the Caribbean—the American saltwater recreational fishing community is as diverse and widespread as the species it pursues. Recreational fishing supports 594,000 jobs, generates $98 billion annually in sales impacts, and contributes $54.9 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product. Sustainable saltwater fisheries can only be achieved with trust and collaboration between scientists, managers and the recreational fishing community.

“The recreational fishing community is a valued constituency and critical stewardship partner for NOAA Fisheries and the nation,” said Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “We are excited to release the updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy and implementation plans that reflect and reinforce our commitment to anglers and sustainable recreational fisheries. We look forward to achieving a vibrant, sustainable future for recreational fishing through partnership.”

Updates to the Recreational Fisheries Policy

The updated policy will help guide NOAA Fisheries’ approach to recreational fisheries by articulating our goals and principles. The original policy was released in 2015 and required an update to remain relevant in our changing oceans.

Key additions to the goals and principles include:

  • Climate change
  • Equity and environmental justice
  • Greater focus on expanding offshore industries (such as aquaculture and wind energy)

Incorporating Public Input

Following the 2022 National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Summit, we received substantial public input for how to update the policy from the recreational community and our management partners. We developed the implementation plans that accompany the policy to address the particular needs of the recreational fisheries we serve. These initial implementation plans contain almost 150 agency commitments and are intended to be periodically updated as needs and priorities change. We will monitor their implementation to ensure follow through and accountability.

Policy and Implementation Plans

Policy

Implementation Plans

Collaborative Rockfish Survey Yields Promising Results

September 21, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

This is the third year of a successful pilot project in the Gulf of Alaska. NOAA Fisheries scientists, academic scientists at Alaska Pacific University’s FAST lab, and rockfish fishermen are working together to provide survey data in formerly inaccessible rocky areas of the Gulf. Called the Science/Industry Rockfish Research Collaboration in Alaska (SIRRCA), the team collected a variety of data on several species of rockfish. There is little data available for some of these species.

In the Gulf of Alaska, there are more than 30 species of rockfish. The focus of this study is on Pacific ocean perch, dusky rockfish, and northern rockfish.

Based on previous NOAA Fisheries annual surveys, Pacific ocean perch numbers have increased in recent years. Dusky and northern rockfish numbers have been low. However, the habitats of all three of these species include rough, rocky areas, which are inaccessible to the NOAA Fisheries bottom trawl survey gear. This makes it difficult to get complete data on these populations. These hard-to-reach areas make up about 18 percent of the Gulf of Alaska seafloor. By working with fishermen, the science team was also able to collect needed biological information on fish condition (i.e., length, weight) for stock assessments.

Limited Data can Limit Fishing Opportunities

For dusky and northern rockfish, data from the bottom trawl survey is limited. This leads to greater uncertainty in the assessment models. When models are less precise, management measures require a much more conservative approach to prevent overfishing the fish stocks. If these stocks are healthy, this precautionary management may limit sustainable fishing opportunities.

“Sampling these rocky areas is necessary to improve our understanding of rockfish distribution and abundance and provide more accurate stock assessments so resource managers can set sustainable fishing quotas,” said Dr. Madison Hall, fisheries biologist, Alaska Fisheries Science Center who is leading the effort. “Our fishing industry partners involved in SIRRCA are fully invested in this effort to advance sustainable management for these long-lived, late maturing rockfish species. They recognize that collecting SIRRCA data and improving assessment models may ultimately increase or decrease fishing opportunities (via higher or lower fishing quotas) depending on model outcome. Better models means better management, and good management is important for sustaining both the fishery and the fish populations in the long-run. We are all on the same page about that.”