Saving Seafood

Gulf of Maine will become too warm for many key fish, report says

May 22, 2017 — A new study by federal fisheries scientists predicts the warming of the Gulf of Maine will cause a dramatic contraction of suitably cool habitat for a range of key commercial fish species there. On the other hand, lobsters are more likely to find hospitable areas.

The study by seven scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, used a high-resolution global climate model and federal fisheries survey data to model how key fisheries species would likely be affected by predicted warming over the next 80 years.

The results confirmed previous research using other models and methods that found that the Gulf of Maine can be expected to become increasingly uncomfortable for many of the cold-loving species that have thrived here for all of recorded history but are at the southern ends of their ranges. Those include cod, haddock, redfish, plaice and pollock.

“The main message here is how important it is to understand the potential magnitude of the changes that you see when you get a finer, higher-resolution view of the implications of changing sea temperatures,” says co-author Michael Fogarty, chief of the ecosystem assessment program at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

The scientists caution that the research analyzes just one factor – albeit an important one – the distribution of thermally appropriate habitat for each of 58 species. Their results predict the changes in the amount and location of such habitat but don’t account for many other factors that can influence the future populations of the species themselves, such as what happens to what they eat or what likes to eat them, or how the increasing acidity of the ocean – another product of climate change – will affect each.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

NE Fisheries Scientists Expect Drastic Changes as Gulf of Maine and Georges warm 7 to 9 degrees

May 19, 2017 — SEAFOOD NEWS — A new paper by a number of scientists formerly with NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center suggests that there will be drastic changes in fisheries and the ports that depend on them during the next 60 to 80 years. Among the predictions for specific species, lobster and dogfish are likely to thrive. Also mid-Atlantic Fish like croaker and striped bass will find more suitable habitat in New England. The “changes will result in ecological, economic, social, and natural resource management challenges throughout the region,” said Kristin Kleisner, the lead author of the study. “It is important to understand large-scale patterns in these changes so that we can plan for and mitigate adverse effects as much as possible.”

The USDA said domestic catfish processors operate similarly to meat and poultry processing-only operations and can be subject to inspections just once per production shift. When the USDA adopted catfish inspections last March, inspectors practiced continuous inspection procedures so the agency could understand the fish slaughtering and production process. But the USDA said it is adopting the FDA’s definition of fish processing, which combines the slaughter and processing steps. This will exempt domestic catfish operators from continuous inspections once the program takes full effect this September.

In other news, Russia plans to significantly increase exports of cod and pollock to the Latin American market in coming years. Russia’s Federal Fishery Agency said demand for white fish in the domestic market is relatively low. Meanwhile, demand for white fish is up significantly in such countries as Brazil, Argentina and other Latin America states. To date, there are already several agreements to supply Russian cod and pollock to Brazil.

The season’s first catch of Copper River salmon will arrive in Seattle straight from Alaska this Friday. As per tradition, the Alaska Airlines Boeing “salmon 30 salmon” will deliver the fish to the Sea-Tac Airport. The seasoned opened this morning.

Finally, The Ecology Action Centre (EAC) said the suspension of the offshore Marine Stewardship Council certificate for the Newfoundland cod fishery in the 3Ps region confirmed its initial concern and objection to the designation. The EAC was among a group that objected to the 3Ps certification last year. “While we fully support efforts to both achieve and celebrate improvements in sustainable fisheries, we had deep concerns about this cod stock throughout the certification process. Suffice it to say we are not at all surprised that the issues we raised last year, including low bar for recovery, evidence of poor stock health and a high rate of mortality,” said Susanna Fuller, Senior Marine Conservation Coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre.

This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

NOAA Warns of Continuing Species Shifts Due to Warming Oceans

May 19, 2017 — Scientists using a high-resolution global climate model and historical observations of species distributions on the Northeast U.S. Shelf have found that commercially important species will continue to shift their distribution as ocean waters warm two to three times faster than the global average through the end of this century. Projected increases in surface to bottom waters of 6.6 to 9 degrees F (3.7 to 5.0 degrees Celsius) from current conditions are expected.

The findings, reported in Progress in Oceanography, suggest ocean temperature will continue to play a major role in where commercially important species will find suitable habitat. Sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Maine have warmed faster than 99 percent of the global ocean over the past decade. Northward shifts of many species are already happening, with major changes expected in the complex of species occurring in different regions on the shelf, and shifts from one management jurisdiction to another. These changes will directly affect fishing communities, as species now landed at those ports move out of range, and new species move in.

“Species that are currently found in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and on Georges Bank may have enough suitable habitat in the future because they can shift northward as temperatures increase,” said lead author Kristin Kleisner, formerly of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)’s Ecosystems Dynamics and Assessment Branch and now a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund. “Species concentrated in the Gulf of Maine, where species have shifted to deeper water rather than northward, may be more likely to experience a significant decline in suitable habitat and move out of the region altogether.”

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire 

NOAA Fisheries Announces Northeast Cooperative Research Program Review Results and Action Plan

April 18, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center initiated an independent review of its Northeast Cooperative Research Program in 2016.

The final reviewer report, NEFSC response, and action plan are now available. They can be accessed here: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/coopresearch/ncrp-program-review/

Cooperative research is one of our most important tools for transferring knowledge between our scientific staff and the fishing industry and managers we serve. Nearly 100 people were interviewed or surveyed as part of this effort. 

We especially extend our appreciation to those who made time to participate, and look forward to a continued and stronger partnership with others in the region.    

Questions? Contact Teri Frady at 508-495-2239 or teri.frady@noaa.gov

Top cod counter: More data needed

April 14, 2017 — The Baker administration cabinet secretary in charge of the industry-based survey of Gulf of Maine cod agrees with commercial fishing interests that conclusions drawn from the initial findings of the multi-year study are premature.

Matthew A. Beaton, secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, penned a letter to commercial groundfish sectors in which he addressed the most recent incident to fan the flames of discontent among fishermen regarding the validity of the science used to measure the Gulf of Maine cod biomass.

“While it is too early too have enough data to make definitive conclusions about the status of Gulf of Maine cod, the administration anticipates the IBS data will be a helpful resource for both the fishing and research communities,” Beaton wrote.

The state Division of Marine Fisheries, which is conducting the industry-based survey (IBS) funded by fishery disaster aid monies, recently completed the first year of its random-area survey and is set to embark on the second year sometime this month.

But on April 3, a Boston Globe story proclaimed the initial results — which fall in line with the dire assessments by NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center of the cod stock’s imperiled state — “a milestone in the war over the true state of cod” in the Gulf of Maine.

The story said the DMF scientists had “reached the same dismal conclusion that their federal counterparts did: The region’s cod are at a historic low — about 80 percent less than the population from just a decade ago.”

Read the full story at The Gloucester Times 

Read the letter here

Scientists eye new tools for whale safety

April 10, 2017 — There are still limitations to the technology, but scientists hope the expanded use of unmanned listening devices and whale call recordings will help better protect whales by using the sounds they make.

“There are a lot of potential applications,” said Brian Sharp, International Fund for Animal Welfare’s manager of marine mammal rescue and research. “We’re just scratching the surface.”

At the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, researchers have analyzed underwater recordings of North Atlantic right whale calls from 2006 through 2014 to try and address a question that has emerged in recent years: Why are the endangered animals not showing up as predictably in their seasonal haunts.

“One of the things that’s really been discussed is how they’re shifting their distribution patterns,” Genevieve Davis, a research analyst at the science center, said at the annual Marine Mammal Commission meeting held at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel.

For the 2006-2014 time period, the scientists ended up with 2,500 days that showed — by recorded sound — the presence of right whales from Iceland to Florida. In looking at the data, they learned that the whales are spending their winters all along the Atlantic coastline rather than in specific areas at specific times of the year. Also, from New England through the mid-Atlantic area, the analysis showed that there are right whales present “pretty much year-round,” Davis said.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

It’s a Boy! Right whale calves spotted in Cape Cod Bay

April 5, 2017 — On Monday, April 3, the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) right whale aerial survey team spotted a right whale mother and calf pair in the north end of Cape Cod Bay between Race Point and Marshfield. This sighting came just hours after researchers from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center identified a different mother / calf pair observed in the Cape Cod Canal.  These are the first sightings of the new calves of the year in Gulf of Maine waters.

The male calf spotted by the CCS team is the offspring of a whale named Pediddle, a whale at least 39 years old that was first identified in 1978 and first seen in Cape Cod Bay in 1979. The new calf is Pediddle’s eighth documented by scientists; her last calf was born in 2009.

“During the sighting the mom was subsurface feeding while the calf was rolling and tail slapping,” said Alison Ogilvie, an aerial observer for the Center’s Right Whale Ecology Program. “Mom and calf looked very healthy considering they’ve just completed a more than 800 mile migration from the calving grounds off Georgia and Florida.”

The aerial survey team also observed and photographed 71 other individual right whales in Cape Cod Bay on Monday, the most seen so far this season.

Read the full story at Cape Cod Today

NEFMC and NEFSC Announce 2017-2018 Recommended Scallop RSA Awards

March 17, 2017 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center:

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) are pleased to announce 17 projects that are recommended for funding through the Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program.

AWARDS:  The 2017-2018 awards are expected to generate more than $15 million — $3.5 million to fund the research itself and $11.5 million to compensate industry partners who will harvest the 1.25-million-pound scallop set-aside quota.  More than 30 researchers from 15 organizations will be conducting the projects.

VIEW THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND LIST OF PROJECTS:  2017-2018 Recommended Scallop RSA Awards

RSA PRIORITIES:  The projects address 2017 and 2018 research priorities established by the New England Council, which include:  intensive and broad-scale surveys to estimate scallop abundance; bycatch reduction initiatives; and work to improve understanding of scallop biology, scallop meat quality, and area management.

REVIEW PROCESS:  All proposals were evaluated by: (1) technical reviewers for technical merit; and (2) a management panel comprised of scallop fishermen, fishery managers, fishing industry representatives, and others closed involved with scallop fishery management issues.

NEFMC CHAIRMAN DR. JOHN QUINN:  ”The Scallop RSA Program continues to be integral to the successful management of this fishery.  We genuinely appreciate everyone’s long-standing engagement with this program.  We have many industry members, managers, institutions, and researchers who help us set our research priorities, and this collaboration has fostered a constructive feedback loop between science and management.”

NEFSC DIRECTOR DR. JON HARE:  “The Research Set-Aside Program funds science projects that are directly applicable to the management of Atlantic sea scallop — a highly valuable resource.  The selected projects complement research and monitoring that is ongoing at the NEFSC and this collaborative approach — enabled by the RSA program — is a real strength for scallop science and management.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT RSA PROGRAMS:  RSA and everything you ever wanted to know

QUESTIONS:  For more information about the the 2017-2018 awards and the Scallop RSA Program in general, contact Ryan Silva, (978) 281-9326, ryan.silva@noaa.gov; or Cheryl Corbett, (508) 495-2070, cheryl.corbett@noaa.gov.

NOAA science director steers a new course

January 30, 2017 — It was last Halloween when Jon Hare took over as Science and Research Director for NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole. He was aware he was jumping into a cauldron but it hasn’t spooked him yet.

“I knew it was going to be a challenge and that’s why I was interested in it,” the career NOAA scientist said.

Hare does understatement well.

The director’s job description includes managing “the living marine resources of the Northeast Continental Shelf Ecosystem from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras,” according to the NOAA website.

If that in itself were not sufficient, these resources include commercial fisheries, and in New England that is synonymous with controversy.

Federal fishery management in general, and the efficacy of NOAA’s survey work on fish stocks in particular, have been heavily criticized by fishermen in the Northeast, almost without cessation for the past 15 years and the NEFSC has been at the sharp end of much of this disaffection.

Since his appointment Hare has launched himself upon these troubled waters with energy and candor, reaching out to industry stakeholders at every opportunity in the belief that there is common ground.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times