Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford said to be best place for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

August 10, 2023 — Is there a better place to site the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northeast operations than New Bedford?

Mayor Jon Mitchell doesn’t think so.

And he’s joined in that opinion by a “very broad coalition of business and civic leadership.”

Mitchell sent a letter co-signed by more than 50 business and civic leaders to NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad this month making a pitch to consolidate its Northeast facilities in New Bedford.

A similar letter was sent to NOAA in 2016, but recent developments warranted another entreaty.

Read the full article at the Standard-Times

NOAA Fisheries Releases National Seafood Strategy

August 10, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has released its first-ever National Seafood Strategy (PDF, 8 pages) after several rounds of stakeholder input and a public comment period earlier this year. The strategy underscores NOAA’s strong commitment to seafood sector resilience and aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals for economic recovery, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. Further, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health points to the need for increased seafood consumption in the United States, which this strategy aims to address.

The strategy also responds to the unprecedented challenges facing the U.S. seafood industry, including climate change, the coronavirus pandemic, new technologies and other ocean uses, significant labor shortages, and aging infrastructure.

Our Vision for Resilience

The National Seafood Strategy outlines NOAA Fisheries’ direction for supporting a thriving domestic U.S. seafood economy. It describes our approach to enhancing the resilience of the seafood sector in the face of climate change and other stressors.

Our vision is to ensure that:

  • U.S. seafood continues to be produced sustainably
  • The U.S. seafood sector contributes to the nation’s climate-ready food production and to meeting critical domestic nutritional needs
  • U.S. seafood production increases to support jobs, the economy, and the competitiveness of the U.S. seafood sector
  • Supply chains and infrastructure are modernized with more value-added activity in the United States
  • Opportunities are expanded for a diverse and growing seafood workforce

We plan to achieve our vision by focusing on four goals:

  1. Maintain or increase sustainable U.S. wild capture production
  2. Increase sustainable U.S. aquaculture production
  3. Foster access to domestic and global markets for the U.S. seafood industry
  4. Strengthen the entire U.S. seafood sector

Public Input was Critical

Public comments and stakeholder input were integral to finalizing the strategy and helping guide the direction of our work to support the seafood sector. We received more than 150 separate comments, about a quarter of which were from organizations, including fishing, aquaculture, and seafood associations, non-profits, NGOs, aquariums, and state agencies. In addition, five regional fishery management councils provided comment letters. Many of the comments were used to strengthen and improve the strategy, particularly to clarify phrases or context, such as adding descriptions of other agency strategies and policies. One significant change from the draft is the addition of an Equity and Environmental Justice objective under Goal 4.

The National Seafood Strategy will reinforce NOAA Fisheries’ critical science and management support to the seafood sector. Stakeholders recognize that the science conducted by the agency to support management of wild capture fisheries and seafood farming is essential for the well-being of the U.S. seafood sector. The industry needs NOAA Fisheries and other federal agencies to provide more support for and attention to adaptation to climate change, changing markets, and new ocean uses; new domestic sources of seafood supply (wild capture and aquaculture); fair trade; workforce development; and recapitalizing and modernizing seafood infrastructure.

Some comments were beyond the scope of this strategy or more relevant to implementation actions for specific programs or regions. These types of comments will be considered as we develop the implementation plan, which is being developed by an internal working group comprising staff from headquarters, regional offices, and science centers.

OREGON: Significant marine heatwave brewing off Oregon coast

August 8, 2023 — Oceans around the world are hotter than ever before in the record-keeping era – and those high temps have now reached the Pacific Northwest.

Colin McCarthy, an atmospheric scientist and extreme weather influencer tweeted that “[o]ne of the most intense marine heatwaves on Earth has developed off the West Coast of the US, with water temperatures peaking nearly 5°C (9°F) above normal.”

The marine heatwave off the coasts of Oregon and Washington has reached “extreme” levels, an event that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ranks a Category 4 on a scale of 5.

Average ocean temperatures around the world reached 70 degrees in spring of 2023, the highest ever recorded.

In July, the Associated Press reported that sea surface temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit at a spot off Florida’s southern tip.

Warming oceans cause stronger storms, rising sea levels and the loss of coral reefs and other marine life, according to according to the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information as reported by the AP.

Read the full article at Oregon Live

NOAA Fisheries Faces 2024 Budget Reductions

August 4, 2023 — The U.S. Senate is considering reducing the National Marine Fisheries Service’s budget request by about $42 million.

The potential reduction comes as part of an effort to limit discretionary spending tied to the passage of the debt-ceiling bill earlier this year. The House is looking to reduce NOAA Fisheries’ funding even more dramatically, but it has not yet released a detailed report.

The Senate Appropriations Committee released its Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill on July 13. That bill includes funding for the National Marine Fisheries Service, more commonly known as NOAA Fisheries.

Proposals to cut NOAA Fisheries’ budget have drawn concerns from Alaska lawmakers.

“I understand that negotiations on the debt limit have forced reductions in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s budget, but I have very real concerns about the impacts these cuts will have on Alaska’s fisheries,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski told KDM via email.

“We have the well-deserved reputation across the world as the gold standard of fisheries, and keeping that reputation requires strategic investments in things like stock assessment surveys, data collection and other resources essential to sustainable resource management. I’m committed to making sure Alaska’s fisheries have the resources to remain a world-leader.”

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com

Funding to Support Research on How Climate Change Is Affecting Fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay

August 3, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA is recommending $1.5 million to support six new projects that will explore the connections among climate change, habitat, and fisheries. Some of the funded projects will quantify how climate change is affecting the habitats different Chesapeake Bay species need. Other projects will develop ways to evaluate how successful nearshore habitat restoration supports fish species and communities in the face of climate change.

New 2023 Projects

We’re recommending funding for six new research projects:

Over the past 30 years, the average water temperature in the Chesapeake Bay has increased by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Water temperature changes are expected to affect fish abundance, distributions, spawning areas, and migratory patterns.

Changes in precipitation patterns, including more frequent intense storms, will affect salinity levels. That will affect fish species distribution and diversity. NOAA buoys and satellites provide important data to help researchers track trends, but the effects of these trends are not yet well understood. That’s why we need more research on these topics.

Projects receiving these NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office Fisheries Research Program grants were selected through a competitive process. The results of this research will help inform science-based management decisions that are part of protecting and restoring important habitat.

This research will also support our efforts to advance ecosystem-based fishery management. We used recommendations from fishery and resource managers to develop the request for proposals for these grants. We work to deliver the most up-to-date and relevant science to resource managers and decision makers.

At this point in the selection process, the application approval and obligation of funds is not final. Applications are being “recommended” for funding. This is not an authorization to start the project and is not a guarantee of funding.

MASSACHUSETTS: Massachusetts Dam Removals to Allow Return of River Herring After 200 Years

August 3, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Below the Armstrong Dam in Braintree, Massachusetts, a desperate scene has played out for decades. “Currently, thousands of river herring are massed below the dam trying to come upriver to spawn,” says Eric Hutchins, a NOAA Fisheries restoration biologist. “But, after beating their heads against the dam for weeks, most females will just drop their eggs or reabsorb them.” Exhausted from this effort, they are unlikely to reproduce elsewhere.

But change is finally coming, with the injection of $2 million in funding from NOAA under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. The Town of Braintree began moving equipment to remove the obsolete Armstrong and Ames Pond Dams (PDF, 111 pages) in July. Soon, river herring and other migratory fish will have access to 36 miles of high-quality spawning habitat along Monatiquot River for the first time in nearly 200 years.

Connecting rivers and streams to the sea is critical for the survival of both river herring and coastal species popular on dinner menus. “River herring are the potato chips of the ocean,” says Hutchins, “everything eats them.” Commercially and recreationally important fish like bluefish, cod, and striped bass rely on river herring as a key food source. “It is especially important to build the river herring population now as other forage species like Atlantic herring and mackerels are crashing,” Hutchins adds. Birds such as herons and osprey and mammals like otters and whales also eat river herring.

A Big Dam Problem

More than 3,000 dams block nearly every river in Massachusetts. Most serve no purpose. Remnants of the Industrial Revolution, the Bay State’s decrepit dams block migratory fish from reaching upstream habitat. They also collect layers of contaminated sludge in stagnant ponds, pose flood risks, and prevent local people from enjoying the river.

That’s certainly the case for the 12-foot-high, 92-foot-long Armstrong Dam. The surrounding area is densely populated, with a significant number of minority residents. In the event of a major storm, the Armstrong Dam contributes to upstream flooding; if the dam fails, the community would experience serious damage. Spray-painted and crumbling, the ugly industrial site sprawls across both sides of the river. “For at least the past 100 years, the public has been unable to access the Monatiquot River,” says Hutchins. “It’s all fenced off.”

Restoring the Monatiquot River for Fish and People

Taking down dams and restoring rivers to conditions where fish—and people—can thrive is a high priority for NOAA. But it isn’t easy. NOAA, the Town of Braintree, and its partners have been working on plans to eliminate the Armstrong and Ames Pond Dams for the last 15 years. In 2017, NOAA provided an initial investment of $100,000 to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Restoration. It supported design and permitting work that was crucial for early project planning. This followed many years of feasibility studies and field work that were led by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. Hutchins, who has worked on more than 50 dam removals, lends his experience to partners like the Town of Braintree to ensure success. “Most local proponents of a project may only work on one dam removal in their careers,” says Hutchins. “So, I help them through the entire complicated process including project design, community engagement, permitting, and implementation.”

This summer and fall, construction crews will demolish both dams, remove 6,800 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, and restore the river channel. River herring will once again be able to reach the calm inland ponds where juveniles have a better shot at survival. American eel, which are born in the ocean but spend most of their lives in freshwater, will also be able to return.

“I love seeing dams come down,” says Hutchins. “The most exciting part is standing in the water and watching the reformation of the river. I’ve been standing in the water right after a dam comes down and witnessed American eel swim past my feet.” Despite the passage of centuries, the instinct to return remains.

The community will also be invited back to the river. The Town of Braintree will restore wetlands around the dam site and build a boardwalk trail with wildlife viewing points and interpretive signs. “There is strong community support for this project,” says Kelly Phelan, Braintree’s Conservation Planner. “People are excited to see the fish return and to reconnect with the river.”

Project Partners

  • Fore River Watershed Association
  • Hollingsworth Pond, LLC
  • Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
  • Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

NOAA Fisheries preparing to issue USD 75 million contract for habitat conservation and oil spill support

August 3, 2023 — NOAA Fisheries is preparing to issue a contract worth up to USD 74.5 million (EUR 68.1 million) for support for its Office of Habitat Conservation, which oversees NOAA’s efforts to conserve habitat for managed fisheries and restore fisheries impacted by oil spills.

Under the solicitation, a contractor would oversee some of the office’s core responsibilities and manage the agency’s preparations for an oil spill on the scale of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The contractor would “coordinate and manage coastal and marine habitat management” on behalf of OHC and assist the office in developing national fisheries protection policy.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US domestic shrimp prices stayed near historic lows in April

August 3, 2023 — NOAA recently released preliminary data on shrimp landings from the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic for April 2023, with the data showing the price of shrimp continues to sit near historic lows.

Across the Gulf of Mexico – which is listed by landings from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Western Florida, and compiled monthly by the Southern Shrimp Alliance from NOAA data – most states saw increases shrimp catches sitting above historical averages. Overall landings across the state, however, were down thanks to a lack of data from Louisiana, which historically has averaged over 884,000 pounds, or roughly 401 metric tons (MT), of shrimp landed for the month.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Two Fish Passage Funding Opportunities Now Open, One Focused on Tribes

August 1, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA is announcing two funding opportunities for fish passage, including one funding opportunity focused on tribes. This significant funding is available under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Projects selected through these opportunities will help support sustainable fisheries, recover threatened and endangered migratory fish, and strengthen the resilience of coastal and Great Lakes communities and tribes.

Through these two competitions, we will prioritize projects that were developed with inclusive practices and incorporate meaningful strategies to engage a diverse range of community groups, including tribes.

Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal

Nearly $175 million in funding is available through the Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal funding opportunity. Projects selected through this opportunity will reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish around the country.

This funding will support the locally led removal of dams and other in-stream barriers. Selected projects will sustain our nation’s fisheries and contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. They may also provide community and economic benefits, such as jobs and climate resilience.

NOAA will accept proposals with a federal funding request of between $1 million and $20 million from non-federal partners. Applications are due by October 16, 2023.