Saving Seafood

Senator Collins Questions Commerce Secretary about Incomplete Surveys in the Gulf of Maine

Click HERE to watch Senator Collins’ exchange with Secretary Gina Raimondo. Click HERE to download.

May 2, 2023 — The following was released by the office of Senator Susan Collins:

At a hearing to review the fiscal year 2024 budget request for the United States Department of Commerce, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary Gina Raimondo on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) broken survey vessel, which is leading to incomplete survey work for the Gulf of Maine. Specifically, Senator Collins emphasized the deep knowledge of Maine’s fishermen and encouraged NOAA to work with them to better survey the Gulf of Maine, which will help inform more accurate quotas.

At the hearing, Senator Collins:

Last week, I was notified that the start of the Northeast Spring Bottom Trawl Survey will be delayed for the third time, because NOAA’s survey vessel, the Henry B. Bigelow, is not functioning properly. And I have a feeling this affects others of my colleagues. So, we still don’t know when this vessel will be functional. But, according to NOAA’s staff, it can only be used for this survey through May 26. But it may not be fixed in time. So, that means, according to NOAA, that NOAA will have to decrease the survey coverage; and that only 70% of the planned coverage area, in southern New England, Georges Bank and the Bank of Maine, will be surveyed.

I recently met with a group of Maine fishermen who shared their great frustration about incomplete surveys. Because if you don’t have accurate surveys, you can’t determine the quota. If you don’t know how many fish are out there, you can’t decide, accurately, what the quota is. And the fishermen are on the water every day. They have the best information about the state of the stock, and they’re not involved in the surveys. So, I would ask you, if your vessel is going to be out of commission, and as I said, this is the third time this has happened, I would ask you to consider collaborating with the fishermen, who work in the Gulf of Maine and in these other areas, on better data collection methods. They’re willing to help. And they do know where the fish are; that’s where they go. I hope you will consider that, because, otherwise, we’re going to end up with quotas that don’t reflect the state of the stock. 

Secretary Raimondo:

I will look into this. I’ve taken notes. You’re exactly right, about the surveys, how vital they are. We had a lot of problems, in COVID, staying on top of the surveys on time. We’re mostly caught up. I regret that we’re not caught up in Maine. So, let me look into it and get back to you.

If we’re allowed to collaborate in the way you suggest, with the fishermen, I think it’s a smart idea. But let me get into the details.

NOAA making vessel traffic data more accessible to public

April 28, 2023 — Escalating debates over siting offshore wind energy projects has made stakeholders reliant on Coast Guard vessel traffic data to scope out potential conflicts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been making improvements and new online tools to open that knowledge to a wider public.

The Automatic Identification System that tracks vessel movements with transponders on ships has helped create an “AIS database of 30 billion-plus vessel locations has become the go-to resource for maritime planners and ocean geospatial tech experts,” according to a recent summary from NOAA.

That data is a base for a NOAA website, MarineCadastre.gov . Cadastre is the ancient system of metes-and-bounds surveying of real estate on land.

For the ocean, NOAA developed the tool AccessAIS to help users access AIS data and more from MarineCadastre.gov on birds, economics, boundaries, federal regulations and other factors in planning.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Tracking endangered North Atlantic right whales

April 28, 2023 — NOAA Fisheries is working with partner agencies and organizations to rebuild and conserve the remaining North Atlantic right whale population.

Now estimated to number only around 340 animals, they are one of the world’s most endangered species. NOAA says that tracking and monitoring the right whale population and the health of these mammals is crucial to their recovery efforts.

Right whales can be observed from a boat, on shore, and from the air, but researchers have varieties of technology and methods to be able to monitor these mammals underwater.

By attaching tracking devices to right whales, scientists and researchers can learn more about the time that these animals spend out of sight.

The tracking devices are known as tags that can be attached to a whale through a suction cup or implantable darts. NOAA shares that these tags document the animal’s location, behavior, movement, swim speed, habitat uses, dive depth, and health.

Some of the tags can record audio and capture ocean temperatures. The collected data provides insights on an animals movement and behavorial habits that are critical for addressing their conservation challenges.

The tags used for whales are lightweight and relatively small and range from the size of a cell phone to a book. The devices are tested rigorously before being approved for use in the field.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

U.S. marine fish stocks show improvements in 2022

April 27, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, NOAA released the 2022 Status of Stocks report, providing a snapshot of the more than 490 fish stocks managed by NOAA Fisheries. Maintaining sustainable fisheries contributes significantly to the U.S. economy, provides important recreational opportunities and helps meet the growing challenge of increasing the nation’s seafood supply.

In 2022, U.S. fisheries data revealed that 93% of stocks are not subject to overfishing and 81% are not overfished. These numbers show slight improvements compared to the 2021 figures of 92% and 80%, respectively. Positive trends were seen this year with the number of stocks on the overfishing list decreasing by two stocks to 24, and the number of overfished stocks decreasing by three stocks to 48.

NOAA Fisheries also implemented new island-based fishery management plans for Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John, and St. Croix this year, consolidating existing Caribbean fishery management plans and bringing 32 new stocks under NOAA’s management authority. These new plans account for differences between fishing sectors, available markets for harvested products, fishermen and their fishing communities, and the social and cultural attributes unique to each island area.

“This annual report reveals the U.S. remains a global leader in maintaining the sustainable fisheries that drive the blue economy, support coastal communities, and play a key role in marine ecosystems,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “NOAA and our partners continue to build on the country’s successful fisheries management approach by advancing policies and plans that help address changing conditions.”

The latest data show that U.S. commercial and recreational fishing supports 1.7 million full- and part-time jobs across the broader economy, generated over $253 billion in sales impacts and contributed $79.4 billion to the gross domestic product.

“Managing fisheries sustainably is an adaptive process, relying on sound science and innovation to conserve species and habitat, and meet the challenge of increasing our nation’s seafood supply in the face of climate change,” said Janet Coit, NOAA Fisheries assistant administrator. “NOAA Fisheries conducted 198 stock assessments in fiscal year 2022, and our work in partnership with the Regional Fishery Management Councils under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act continues to be key to rebuilding and maintaining sustainable fish stocks.”

NOAA researchers recently developed global forecasts that can provide up to a year’s advance notice of marine heatwaves that can cause sudden and dramatic increases in ocean temperatures. These forecasts will help fishing fleets, ocean managers and coastal communities anticipate significant changes in ocean ecosystems. NOAA Fisheries’ distribution website tool also provides information to track the location and movement of marine fish and invertebrate species in U.S. waters, which may be shifting in response to changing ocean conditions.

Sustainable U.S. fisheries play an important role in the nation’s economy — providing opportunities for commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing, and in providing sustainable seafood for consumers. To keep U.S. fisheries operating sustainably, NOAA Fisheries continually adjusts management measures in response to complex challenges including climate change, rebuilding stocks, ending overfishing and developing new forecasting tools to better predict ocean conditions.

Looming El Nino might be bad news for ocean life

April 26, 2023 — An El Nino is likely coming, and it’s set to be unusual in a couple of ways.

It also has the potential to wreak havoc on marine ecosystems, according to a climate research scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Dillon Amaya with the NOAA said global ocean temperatures are already at record highs, and an El Nino can trigger additional ocean warming.

For example, he wrote in a recent article published by The Conversation, some fish increase their metabolism in warm waters by so much that they burn energy faster than they can eat, and they can die.

Read the full article at NBC 24

VIMS To Lead Abandoned Crab Pot Program, Awarded Largest Grant In Its History

April 26, 2023 — NOAA Fisheries tapped William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to lead a new nationwide program to reduce “ghost fishing” by derelict crab and lobster pots abandoned or lost to storms and vessel entanglements. The new role comes with a record $8 million grant for VIMS to administer the program.

This Trap Removal, Assessment & Prevention (TRAP) program will include partner institutions, commercial fishermen, and interested Native tribes in the Pacific Northwest and along the Atlantic coast from Florida to the Gulf of Maine. The TRAP program will initially focus on the gear used to catch crabs (blue, Dungeness, and stone) and lobsters (American and spiny). Federal funding for the program overall is $8 million over four years, distributed by the VIMS Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) through a competitive grant program.

Read the full article at Chesapeake Bay Magazine 

In the Race for Clean Energy, Is Offshore Wind Harming the Nation’s Fisheries?

April 25, 2023 — Tom Hafer remembers the first time the fish stopped biting. It was a little over 20 years ago when fiber optic cables were being installed in waters off the coast of central California, where he fishes commercially for spot prawns and rockfish. The fishing was disrupted for “miles and miles,” says Hafer, who has been fishing since the 1970s.

Now, he and many other fishermen are bracing themselves for what could be a much larger threat looming in the water. Offshore wind farms, which are ramping up in the United States, could come at a tremendous cost to fishermen as they are being sited in prime fishing areas. And the process of erecting wind farms and their long-term presence in the water could alter aquatic ecosystems, potentially driving away fish and marine mammals.

Some fishing communities also believe the physical infrastructure of offshore wind farms may pose a danger to fishing vessels and gear and the people who earn a livelihood from the sea.

There is little science to assuage those concerns. The floating wind farms being proposed along the West Coast rely on technologies that haven’t yet been commercially deployed. And the federal agency tasked with siting new farms—the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)—is new to the task.

Conceived in response to the BP oil spill in 2010, BOEM’s original charge was to oversee offshore oil in lieu of the former Minerals Management Service. BOEM has little experience with offshore wind and, so far, has been criticized for lack of thoroughness in vetting potential fishery conflicts.

Conflicts have also surfaced between BOEM and the nation’s top fisheries agency, NOAA Fisheries, as NOAA advises the agency in addressing concerns about fish health in an electrified sea. Recent reporting by ProPublica and The New Bedford Light has also raised concerns about relationships between the offshore wind industry and at least 90 of its regulators, including the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

Offshore wind is a relatively new phenomenon in U.S. waters—the first commercial wind farm at sea was completed in 2016. That facility, Block Island Wind Farm, consists of five turbines off the coast of Rhode Island and is capable of producing 29 megawatts of power. That’s more than enough to supply all 17,000 homes on nearby Block Island, according to Ørsted, the Danish power company that acquired the installation in 2018.

But Block Island is a small fry compared to what’s coming, and that’s what has some critics worried. In 2021, the Biden administration set forth a lofty goal: By the end of the decade, it wants offshore wind farms to be producing 30 gigawatts of renewable energy in U.S. waters. Right now, Block Island and the two-turbine Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project are the only two commercial-scale facilities that have been completed, and together they’re capable of generating just 0.042 gigawatts, less than 1 percent of the Biden administration’s goal.

Read the full article at Civil Eats

VIMS to lead national program for managing derelict fishing gear

April 24, 2023 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recommended William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science as home base for a new national program focused on protecting U.S. coastal waters from derelict fishing gear.

The $8 million provided by NOAA to implement the four-year program is the largest single grant award in VIMS’ 83-year history. Many of these dollars will be passed on to program partners through an annual grant competition. Formally known as the Nationwide Fishing TRAP Program — “TRAP” for Trap Removal, Assessment & Prevention — the effort includes funding for commercial and tribal fishers to remove derelict pots from Virginia’s waters.

William & Mary’s strategic plan, Vision 2026, positions the university to address global challenges in areas including water and data.

“The TRAP program is a great example of critical thinking with data. Combining quantitative expertise with human understanding in this way is required to design innovative solutions for the complex challenges facing society today and, in the future,” said Provost Peggy Agouris.

Derek Aday, VIMS dean & director, agrees.

“Water is one of the world’s most threatened and valuable resources,” he said. “The TRAP program represents the kind of innovative approaches we need to solve global issues related to conserving our marine resources and increasing the resilience of coastal communities.”

Derelict gear refers to fishing equipment that has been lost, abandoned, or otherwise discarded in the water, commonly due to storms and boat traffic. It can harm ecosystems and economies by trapping and killing targeted and bycatch species, damaging marine habitats and competing with actively fished gear.

Read the full article at W&M News

NOAA considers sanctuary in waters around Pacific Remote Islands

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

Today, NOAA announced it is starting the process to potentially designate a new national marine sanctuary in the Pacific Remote Islands area, as directed by President Biden and affirmed by the Department of Commerce on March 24, 2023.

The proposed area in the central Pacific Ocean includes marine areas within the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, as well as currently unprotected submerged lands and waters, to the full extent of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, an area totaling about 770,000 square miles. Terrestrial areas are not included in the proposed sanctuary.

“The Biden-Harris Administration and Department of Commerce are committed to bold conservation goals through the America the Beautiful initiative,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Sanctuary designation would bring to bear NOAA’s capacity and expertise in research and management of coastal and marine resources, maritime heritage and archaeology, and public education and outreach in order to protect the unique ecological and cultural resources of the Pacific Remote Islands.”

The atolls, shoals, seamounts, banks and reefs surrounding the Pacific Remote Islands are home to some of the most diverse and remarkable tropical marine ecosystems on the planet, and provide a haven for a host of wildlife, including corals, sharks, fish, marine mammals, seabirds and invertebrates.

“The Pacific Remote Islands ecosystems face persistent threats from hazards, such as marine debris, invasive species and climate change,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “Designating this incredibly important area as a national marine sanctuary would complement and strengthen existing efforts to preserve the region’s natural, cultural and historic values.”

Designating the proposed area as a sanctuary would add the conservation benefits of a national marine sanctuary to the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument’s existing protections, and provide a stable management framework, a citizen advisory council and lasting protections that extend beyond the monument’s current boundaries.

“The proposed sanctuary would also be an opportunity to recognize and celebrate Indigenous cultural connections to the lands and waters of the area,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “This region has a rich history, beginning with Pacific Island peoples whose proficiency with navigation and ocean wayfinding created a cultural network across the vastness of the Pacific.”

About the public comment period 

The public is invited to comment on the proposed sanctuary designation through June 2, 2023, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov, by searching for docket number NOAA-NOS-2023-0052. Comments may also be mailed if postmarked by June 2, 2023.

NOAA will host in-person public meetings, with an option to join virtually. During the meetings, NOAA will gather input on boundaries, compatible uses, threats a new sanctuary would address, how best to promote marine science and education initiatives and other topics as described in the Notice of Intent that NOAA published in the Federal Register. The input NOAA receives from the public will assist the agency with the preparation and release of draft designation documents, and in formulating alternatives for the draft environmental impact statement.

A detailed description of the proposed sanctuary, based on the nomination submitted by the Pacific Remote Islands Coalition, as well as additional information about opportunities to provide comment, can be found at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/pacific-remote-islands.