Saving Seafood

Changing Migration Patterns Upend East Coast Fishing Industry

May 11, 2016 — Summer flounder that once amassed in North Carolina have gradually shifted about 140 miles to New Jersey—one facet of the northward migration of fish species that is upending traditional fishing patterns.

The move north has sparked debate among regulators over how to respond to changing natural resources that could affect commercial fisheries across the eastern seaboard.

For the first time, a group of researchers backed by the federal government is trying to ascertain what the northward movement means for fishermen’s income and way of life.

“Some fisherman will end up losing out and some will win big,” said Malin Pinsky, an assistant professor of ecology and evolution at Rutgers University, who is part of a team of scientists from Rutgers, Princeton University and Yale University studying the phenomenon.

Funded through a piece of a $1.4 million National Science Foundation grant, the team of scientists is examining how shifting patterns of where fish congregate is affecting commercial anglers and how they are changing their practices. They are also studying what kind of regulations may be needed to adapt to these changing realities.

For Lund’s Fisheries, for example, the northward creep has forced the company’s boats to catch the flounder in New Jersey and then spend time traveling to North Carolina, where regulations allow them to bring them on shore in more abundant quantities. When the boats travel south, the fishery can’t catch sea bass, scup and other species they may have reeled in at the same time in waters off New Jersey.

“It does cause us to drive fish around the ocean longer than we have historically. That gets factored into the cost of doing business,” said Jeff Kaelin, an executive at the company, which has facilities in Cape May, N.J., and North Carolina.

Read the full story at the Wall Street Journal

NEW JERSEY: Trap survey underway on two reefs

April 22, 2016 — Three recreational and commercially important species are the subject of a trap survey that is being conducted on the artificial reefs now through November.

The state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and researchers from Rutgers University have deployed a series of fish traps on two reefs to focus on characterizing the seasonal and spatial changes in reef community composition and relative abundance of structure-associated species.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

Explore Commercial Fishing in the Mid-Atlantic with New Interactive Maps

April 19, 2016 — The following was released by Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute:

Over two dozen maps now available on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal present a more detailed picture than ever before of the extent and locations of commercial fishing activities throughout the upper East Coast.

With the new “Communities at Sea” and Federal Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) map collections, Portal users can identify the ocean places upon which the Mid-Atlantic’s commercial fishing communities most depend.  Specifically, these interactive maps enable users to better understand places that are most important for particular ports, specific fisheries, and gear types.

The public release of these datasets is an important step forward for ocean planning and education in the Mid-Atlantic. The maps can help focus and guide essential engagement and consultation with specific fishing communities for a range of ocean planning, permitting and management decision-making processes.

Over two years in the making, the Portal’s Communities at Sea maps (labeled in the Marine Planner mapping application as “Commercial Fishing – VTR”) were created using methodology developed by Dr. Kevin St. Martin at Rutgers University.  Vessel Trip Report (VTR) and permit information were integrated to create a new database that links fishing port communities to the places at sea where they spend the most time. Produced at much higher resolution than previous VTR maps, warm and cool colors are used to represent higher and lower number of days spent fishing. Portal users can click on any point on the map to activate a pop-up window that indicates which specific communities use the area. For example, clicking on an area off the New Jersey Shore may reveal that that gillnetters from Barnegat Bay or trawlers from Ocean City fish in the selected waters.

The maps were reviewed, discussed and improved though meetings with commercial fishermen throughout the Mid-Atlantic. The Communities at Sea collection currently includes eight maps based on 2011-13 data and will be expanded this summer via a new user interface for querying and selecting from the full library of over 100 maps.

“We really appreciate the critique and advice we got from fishermen from Montauk to Virginia Beach during our map review sessions,” said Jay Odell, Technical Lead for the Portal and Director of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Program at The Nature Conservancy.  “They noted some important strengths and limitations of the data and what we learned is helping to drive the development of an expanded map library that we hope to have ready for the Portal this summer.”

The Portal’s Data Catalog section summarizes some of the caveats raised by commercial fishermen. For example, the maps are based on information from recent years and may not represent fishing areas that were historically important and could be again. Also, fishing patterns are driven by complex ecological, regulatory and economic factors that can change from year to year.

The Portal’s 19 new Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) maps show areas where commercial fishing activities take place, grouped by specific regulated fishery categories (for example, scallops, herring or monkfish). These maps (labeled “Commercial Fishing – VMS”) were created by our ocean planning partners in the Northeast region using VMS data from 2006-2014. VMS data are produced by satellite technology that tracks the movements of vessels participating in several federally managed fisheries. This data is also presented in a heat map format, with cooler colors representing low activity and dark reds showing high activity.

The Communities at Sea and VMS maps can be layered together on the Portal in complementary ways to provide rich detail about the region’s fishing communities and the ocean places they depend on. Both datasets were carefully screened and aggregated by NOAA before maps were made so that the fishing activity of individual fishermen or vessels would not be revealed.

Finally, additional maps were added at the request of commercial fishing advisors to show the boundaries of some of the region’s important fishery management zones, including ocean quahogs, surf clams and scallops.  Additional regulatory boundaries may be added in the future based on specific interests and requests.

To access and explore the new maps, please visit the Marine Planner page and click on the Fishing link for a dropdown menu of map layer options. Additional map options currently available in the Fishing theme include party and charter boat fishing activity, artificial reef locations and fathom lines.

Users can register for a free Portal account to start and join online map groups, draw and share their own map shapes, create and save map bookmarks and more.  Please use the Portal’s feedback tab to share any comments, concerns or questions.

About the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal

The Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal is an online toolkit and resource center that consolidates available data and enables state, federal and local users to visualize and analyze ocean resources and human use information such as fishing grounds, recreational areas, shipping lanes, habitat areas, and energy sites, among others. The Portal serves as a platform to engage all stakeholders in ocean planning from the five-state Mid-Atlantic region—putting all of the essential data and state-of-the-art mapping and visualization technology into the hands of the agencies, industry, and community leaders engaged in ocean planning. The Portal is maintained by a team consisting of the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School and Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis, The Nature Conservancy, MARCO and other partners.

Sea Levels Are Rising At Their Fastest Rate in 2000 Years

February 22, 2016 — Global sea levels appear exquisitely sensitive to changes in temperature and greenhouse gas levels, according to a set of new studies that examines up to 6 million years of climate change data. The four papers, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS), illustrate the growing power of computers to simulate complex interactions between climate, polar ice, and the planet’s oceans. They also underscore the effects that rising greenhouse gases and global temperatures could have on future sea level.

“The big takeaway is that the modern rate of sea level rise in the 20th century is faster than anything we’ve seen in the previous two millennia,” says Benjamin Horton, a Rutgers University, New Brunswick, in New Jersey geologist who helped direct one of the studies. “This isn’t a model. This is data.”

Some of the studies provide a detailed account of changes in sea level and the Antarctic ice sheet, a story embedded in fossils and rocks at the ocean’s edge. They also add to a growing body of research that suggests sea level can change more dramatically over a short time than previously suspected, says Andrea Dutton, a University of Florida in Gainesville geologist and a leading expert on reconstructing ancient sea levels.

The first study found that small temperature fluctuations have led to measurable changes in ocean levels over the past 3000 years. As the global thermostat turned down just 0.2°C between 1000 and 1400 C.E., for example, the world’s seas dropped an estimated 8 centimeters. By contrast, they have risen about 14 centimeters in the 20th century. At least half of that increase is due to human-induced climate change, say the researchers, who add that sea levels are very likely to rise another 0.24 to 1.3 meters during this century.

The study’s results come in part from measurements of past sea levels gathered at 24 sites around the world. When there were no good written records from tide gauges, scientists relied chiefly on the shells of single-celled creatures called foraminifera or “forams,” which dwell in the muck of saltwater marshes. The marshes’ location at the border between land and sea—along with their relatively flat topography—make them a handy yardstick of sea level changes. In the new study, geologists extracted sediment cores from marshes and then painstakingly recorded the number—and types—of different foram species in different layers. The numbers indicated the mix of saltwater and freshwater, which correlates with sea level, Horton says.

Read the full story at Science Magazine

Sex leads to better science

October 16, 2015 — The group met on a Friday evening in late September to talk about sex and summer flounder. The topics are closely intertwined.

Interested parties from the commercial and recreational fishing industries, outdoor groups and party boat captains had gathered for an update on a project designed to get a more accurate picture of the summer flounder stock.

Dr. Patrick Sullivan of Cornell University and scientists from Rutgers University would be giving the presentation.

Dr. Sullivan, a highly respected researcher in the dynamics of fish populations, has been working with the Save The Summer Flounder Fishery Fund to create a stock assessment model that includes a very important element that has been left out of prior models – sex.

He was also going to talk about another vital element that’s been missing from the process – cooperation.

In an unprecedented effort, members of the recreational and commercial fishing communities are working together with university scientists and the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop a better way to count summer flounder.

Read the full story from the Asbury Park Press

Rutgers Scientist Explains Fisheries Management in New Jersey

September 16, 2015 — Olaf Jensen, assistant professor at Rutgers University’s Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, is one member of the scientific community who helps decide how best to manage fish species in New Jersey as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee.

On Sept. 9, he was a guest lecturer at the Tuckerton Seaport as part of the Lunch n’ Learn series co-hosted by the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Jensen explained the challenges and difficulties in assessing dynamic fish populations. To put his audience of mostly recreational fishermen at ease, he told a funny story about a forester and a scientist having a conversation on numbers. “The forester says he goes out and counts the trees and makes a decision on how many he can cut down while still sustaining the forest. The fisheries manager says, ‘I do the same thing, except you can’t see the fish and they move.’”

Three fisheries that hold the most interest to recreational fisher-folk are summer flounder, black sea bass and striped bass. Jensen promised to discuss their numbers, but first he gave a little quiz and imparted some interesting facts:

He asked if the group could estimate how much the commercial fisheries dockside landings in New Jersey are worth. No one came close to the $150 million annual figure.

Read the full story at The Sandpaper

 

Small, Fast-Growing Fish Like Sardines More Affected By Population Collapses

August 5, 2015 — NEW JERSEY –Ocean species that grow quickly and reproduce more frequently are more vulnerable to dramatic population falls than larger, slower-growing fish, according to a new study Wednesday. The researcher said the findings are counterintuitive, because the opposite dynamic holds true on land.

A scientist from Rutgers University in New Jersey found that faster-breeding fish like sardines, anchovies and flounder, actually experience dramatic population falls more often than larger fish like sharks or tuna.

“Rabbits are doing pretty well compared to rhinos,” Malin Pinsky, author of the research, said in a press release. “Mice thrive while lions, tigers and elephants are endangered.”

Pinsky studied population changes in 154 species of fish over 60 years, and was surprised to find that small fish with large populations were collapsing more often — not seriously enough to face extinction, but enough to possibly disrupt marine ecosystems. He suggested that the difference in population volatility could be explained by overfishing and climate change. The results of his research were published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Read the full story at the International Business Times

 

N.J. ocean blasting research completed; Fishermen halt fight to stop it

July 9, 2015 — Seismic testing that involved blasting the ocean floor off the New Jersey shore with sound waves has been completed, and fishing groups have stopped seeking a court order to halt it.

Five fishing groups had sued to stop the research, led by Rutgers University and involving the National Science Foundation, and the University of Texas, claiming it disturbs and possibly harms marine life including dolphins, whales, turtles and many fish species.

But in a joint court filing Wednesday, both sides acknowledged the testing had been completed on Monday, and that a restraining order shutting it down is no longer needed. The lawsuit itself remains active.

Gregory Mountain of Rutgers, the lead researcher, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the survey teams managed to cover 95 percent of the target area off Long Beach Island.

The project used sound waves to study sediment on the ocean floor dating back 60 million years to see how sea level rise has changed the coastline. They also say the research can help coastal communities understand sea level change over millions of years to better protect against storms like Superstorm Sandy. The findings could be used to help make decisions on where to elevate houses, build protective barriers, relocate critical infrastructure or retreat from certain spots.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at NorthJersey.com

 

Gender-bending fish under Rutgers microscope

July 7, 2015 — We’ll say this for the sea bass: It’s sure good at keeping its options open.

If it surveys the mating landscape and fails to see enough prospects, it simply switches gender.

Problem solved.

This ability bodes well for New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fishing industry, for it offers natural protection from over-fishing, says one Rutgers researcher.

A fish may begin life as a female, only to switch to male if that looks like it will improve its chances of reproduction. Smaller males, called “sneaker males,” may impersonate females so they can fertilize eggs on the sly without attracting hostile attention from other males.

“The relative benefit of being male or female changes throughout their lives,” said Olaf Jensen of Rutgers’ department of marine and coastal science.

But until lately, no one has really known how often sea bass switch genders, or when that switch typically takes place.

And why should anyone but a marine biologist care?

Because without understanding what’s happening, state fishing bureaucrats have no firm idea on how to set catch limits for the fishing industry.

Read the full story at NJ.com

CINDY ZIPF: Potential harm to marine life lies beneath Rutgers’ sea level study

July 4, 2015 — NEW JERSEY — In direct response to Lincoln Hollister’s June 10 op-ed titled “As N.J. sea levels rise, politics trumps science,” how tragic for such a distinguished professor of geology to profess such bunk.

Let us all agree on one fact, geologists study non-living matter –rocks, soil, sand, minerals. Hence, they are not experts in the field of marine biology, and would not be the “go to” scientists to determine harm from a seismic ocean blasting study led by the Rutgers Geology Dept. Would you go to a plumber for heart surgery? So while it’s a free country and they are welcome to an opinion about the effect of the Rutgers study on marine life – 250-decibel blasts, every five seconds, 24 hours a day for 30 days, in a tiny (as the ocean goes) area of ocean off Barnegat Light – it is not a studied one, and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Read the full opinion piece at The Star Ledger