Saving Seafood

MAFMC and ASMFC to Hold Scoping Hearings for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment

January 7, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council & the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) have scheduled a series of scoping hearings to gather public input on the range of issues and information to be considered in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment. Hearings will be held February 13 – March 3. Written comments will be accepted through March 17, 2020. All comments provided at public hearings or in writing will be presented to the Council and Commission.

This amendment will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The commercial and recreational allocations for all three species were set in the mid-1990s based on historical proportions of landings (for summer flounder and black sea bass) or catch (for scup) from each sector. In July 2018, the Marine Recreational Information Program released revisions to its time series of catch (harvest and discards) estimates. These revisions resulted in much higher recreational catch estimates compared to previous estimates, affecting the entire time series of data going back to 1981. Some changes have also been made to commercial catch data since the allocations were established. The current commercial and recreational allocation percentages for all three species do not reflect the current understanding of the recent and historic proportions of catch and landings from the two sectors. This amendment will consider whether changes to these allocations are warranted.

Scoping is the first and best opportunity to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered. You are encouraged to submit comments on which options may or may not be useful or practical for meeting the goal of this action and any other relevant issues the Council and Commission should consider.

Read the full release here

December 2019 MAFMC Meeting Report

December 18, 2019 — The following was released by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met December 9-12, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. During this meeting, the Council:

  • Approved the use of regional conservation equivalency for the recreational summer flounder fishery in 2020*
  • Approved status quo recreational scup and black sea bass management measures in state and federal waters in 2020*
  • Approved recreational bluefish measures for 2020 consisting of a 3-fish bag limit for the shore and private mode and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire modes*
  • Approved a scoping document for the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/ Recreational Allocation Amendment*
  • Agreed to develop the Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Addendum/Amendment as a joint action with the ASMFC*
  • Approved a supplemental scoping document for the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment*
  • Approved the Commercial eVTR Omnibus Framework with a 48-hour reporting deadline
  • Selected a preferred alternative and approved the Omnibus Risk Policy Framework
  • Selected preferred alternatives and approved the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment
  • Approved the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan
  • Approved the Comprehensive Five Year (2020-2024) Research Priorities document
  • Finalized the EAFM summer flounder conceptual model and agreed to move forward with development of a summer flounder recreational discards management strategy evaluation
  • Identified four areas of expertise needed on the Scientific and Statistical Committee
  • Reviewed and approved a list of actions and deliverables for the 2020 Implementation Plan
  • Received an update on habitat activities

Read the full December 2019 Council Meeting Report for details on these discussions and decisions. Briefing materials, presentations, motions, and webinar recordings are available here.

* Items denoted with an asterisk (*) were undertaken during joint meetings with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and Bluefish Management Board.

NOAA Fisheries Approves Framework Adjustment 14 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan

November 27, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is implementing the following adjustments to commercial and recreational summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries:

  • Including conservation equivalency as an annual management consideration for the black sea bass recreational fishery, which allows federal measures to be waived in lieu of appropriate state measures;
  • Creating a federal waters transit zone for non-federally permitted vessels fishing in state waters around Block Island Sound; and
  • Incorporating a maximum recreational size limit in the list of potential specification measures for summer flounder and black sea bass.

These adjustments are intended to provide additional flexibility in the management of these species.

For more details, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.

ASMFC & MAFMC Set Specifications for Jointly Managed Species and Initiate a Joint Action on Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocations; and ASMFC Initiates Addendum on Black Sea Bass State-by-State Commercial Allocations

October 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board) and Bluefish Board met jointly with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) to adopt 2020-2021 specifications for scup, black sea bass, and bluefish and review previously-implemented 2020 specifications for summer flounder. During the meeting, the Boards and Council reviewed the results of operational stock assessments for black sea bass, scup, and bluefish, which were peer-reviewed and accepted for management use in August 2019. The assessments incorporated fishery catch and fisheryindependent survey data through 2018, including revised recreational catch data from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). The revised MRIP data are based on a new estimation methodology accounting for changes to the angler intercept survey and the recent transition to a mail based effort survey. For these four species, the revised estimates of catch and landings are several times higher than the previous estimates for shore and private boat modes, substantially raising the overall catch and harvest estimates.

Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish Specifications

The following table summarizes commercial quotas and recreational harvest limits (RHL) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. In setting catch and harvest limits for scup, black sea bass, and bluefish, the Boards and Council also took into account recommendations from the Council’s Statistical and Science Committee (SSC), Monitoring Committee, and Advisory Panels (APs) for each species. The summer flounder limits, which were previously approved by the Board and Council in March 2019, were maintained. No changes were made to the commercial management measures for the four species. For scup, black sea bass, and bluefish, the Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters (0-3 miles from shore); the Council will forward its recommendations for federal waters (3 – 200 miles from shore) to the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Announces 2020-2021 Summer Flounder Specifications and Interim 2020 Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish Specification

October 8, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are implementing the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended 2020-2021 summer flounder specifications and initial 2020 specifications for the scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries. The initial 2020 specifications for scup, black sea bass, and bluefish will be re-evaluated early in the fishing year to address the results of an operational assessment for all three species.

Read the final rule as published in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.

NOAA Fisheries announces an increase in the commercial scup quota and possession limit for the 2019 Winter II Period (October 1-December 31)

September 27, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are rolling over the unused quota from the Winter I Period (January 1-April 30) to the Winter II period (October 1-December 31).

Only 51 percent of the 10,820,000 lb Winter I quota was harvested in 2019, leaving 5,267,671 lb available for transfer to the Winter II quota. As a result, the revised Winter II commercial scup quota is raised to 9,090,487 lb. The revised commercial scup possession limit for the Winter II season is 27,000 lb, per trip, up from 12,000 lb.

When state and federal possession limits are different, fishermen with both state and federal permits are required to abide by the more restrictive of the two.

For more details, read the Federal Register notice as filed today, and the Permit Holder Bulletin on our website.

Read the full release here

Special zone around Block Island proposed

September 16, 2019 — OK, you fish Block Island and want to bring your black sea bass, summer flounder or scup catch back to your home port in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut or New York. You caught the fish in state waters — within the three-mile limit surrounding Block Island (federal water is from three to 200 miles offshore) and you have a state fishing permit.

But here’s the catch. To get those Block Island fish home you need to cross federal waters as Block Island’s northern tip is about seven miles from shore. So you will need to cross a mile-wide section of federal waters, and if you do, you may be transporting them illegally.

The State of Rhode Island, under the leadership of the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), has been advocating to establish a Block Island Sound Transit Zone for state-only permitted vessels fishing in, and returning to state waters.

The transit zone would mirror the current transit area for striped bass and allow for transit by state-only permitted commercial, party/charter vessels and private recreational anglers with summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass on board that were legally harvested in state waters.

Read the full story at The Providence Journal

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule to Implement Framework Adjustment 14 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan

August 8, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries proposes the following adjustments to commercial and recreational summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries:

  • Including conservation equivalency as an annual management consideration for the black sea bass recreational fishery, which allows federal measures to be waived in lieu of appropriate state measures;
  • Creating a federal waters transit zone for non-federally permitted vessels fishing in state waters around Block Island Sound; and
  • Incorporating a maximum recreational size limit in the list of potential specification measures for summer flounder and black sea bass.

These adjustments are intended to provide additional flexibility in the management of these species.

How Do I Comment?

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. You may also submit comments through regular mail to:

Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930

Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Proposed Rule for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Framework 14”

The comment period is open through September 9.

Read the full release here

ASMFC 2019 Summer Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

July 31, 2019 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-summer-meeting for the following Boards/Workshop (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF. Not included in the combined document are supplemental materials for the Executive Committee.

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Revised Draft Agenda & Meeting Overview; Atlantic Cobia Technical Committee Meeting Summary; Atlantic Croaker Traffic Light Analysis (TLA) Report; Spot TLA Report; Draft Atlantic Cobia Fishery Management Plan Review; Draft Atlantic Croaker Fishery Management Plan Review

American Eel Management Board – Revised Meeting Overview

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Advisory Panel Call Summary

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Public Comment; Black Sea Bass Commercial Options; Review of Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Discard Mortality

Tautog Management Board – 2019 Draft Fishery Management Plan Review

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Draft Addendum VI; 2019 Draft Fishery Management Plan Review; Public Comment

Wind Power Workshop for New England and Mid‐Atlantic Commissioners and NOAA Fisheries –Revised Draft Agenda

As a reminder, Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6th and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 5:00 p.m.) on Thursday, August 8th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. To register, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3215930074468838914

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed 2020-2021 Summer Flounder Specifications and Interim 2020 Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish Specifications

July 30, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are proposing the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended 2020-2021 summer flounder specifications and initial 2020 specifications for the scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries.  The initial 2020 specifications for scup, black sea bass, and bluefish will be re-evaluated in early 2020 following the results of an operational assessment for all three species.  The proposed specifications for all four species is identical to what is in place for the 2019 fishing year.

How Do I Comment?

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. You may also submit comments through regular mail to:

Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930

The comment period is open through August 26.

Read the full release here