sea scallops Archives - Page 2 of 5

Bristol Seafood, University of New England Partner to Create New Scallop Testing Technology

October 27, 2020 — A partnership between Bristol Seafood and the University of New England (UNE) School of Marine & Environmental Programs and Seafood Analytics has resulted in the creation of a new piece of technology that can definitively identify a scallop as fresh (never frozen) or previously frozen.

“We sponsor graduate-level research at the University of New England focused on the marine space, and this year we are proud of what student Joseph Ehrhard was able to accomplish,” said Bristol CEO and President Peter Handy. “Joey worked with Dr. Keith Cox, co-founder of Seafood Analytics, to create, implement and validate a testing methodology that uses electrical impedance to assess the quality, freshness and state of sea scallops.”

Read the full story at Seafood News

NEFMC Highlights Importance of Scallop RSA Surveys During COVID-19 Pandemic

October 15, 2020 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) noted the value of the industry-funded Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, calling it the “sole source” of scallop survey data during the coronavirus pandemic.

The typical survey run by NOAA Fisheries was canceled thanks to COVID-19 and it would leave key information about the status of the fishery for the year. However, the RSA program has worked as a complementary data set for about two decades.

Read the full story at Seafood News

RICK ROBINS & JEFF PIKE: Time for change in the Atlantic scallop fishery

September 23, 2020 — The Atlantic sea scallop fishery is a success story, at least in terms of stock rebuilding and biological sustainability. From an efficiency perspective, however, the fishery is off course.

The outdated management approach for the limited access scallop fleet of one boat-one permit-one allocation has tied the hands of vessel owners, increased operational costs, effectively barring captains and crews from the pathways to ownership that their predecessors enjoyed, and added unnecessary safety risks on the water. There are too many boats spending too few days on the water, leaving the scallop fleet hamstrung as it navigates the choppy waters of a global pandemic and lower predicted harvests.

A typical full-time limited-access scallop vessel harvests its annual scallop allocation in around 70 days, leaving vessels tied to the dock more than 80 percent of the year. The only growth option is to buy another permit, which means buying another vessel. This is a cost-prohibitive option for independent operators, since it forces them to take on steep capital costs and pay for ongoing maintenance expenses for a redundant vessel.

Although one vessel could easily harvest the allocation of two limited-access permits, the fleet has no flexibility to do so. With harvests predicted to decline, meaning even fewer days on the water, the lack of flexibility will only cost more and leave more boats tied to the dock for more days. What’s more, the current system means that if a captain or crew get sick (a serious possibility in the age of covid-19), a vessel breaks down, or some other calamity hits, there is no back-up plan to fish the allocation.

Read the full opinion piece at National Fisherman

Maine shellfish farmers gaining confidence with scallops

September 21, 2020 — In Maine, Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) are one of the most valuable fisheries in U.S. waters, the target of deep-sea draggers and divers on dayboats.

But compared to a seasonal fishery, an aquaculture crop has the key advantage of a year-round supply and steady pricing. In an attempt to build a fledgling scallop farming industry, Maine shellfish farmers started trialling a Japanese technique called ear hanging in 2017. Taking advantage of a sister state agreement with Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, growers in Maine are working to establish semi-automated commercial aquaculture operations (the Advocate covered these efforts in 2016).

Since then, progress has accelerated. In 2018, community development and business advising firm Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI), which has been part of the ear hanging work since 2016, received a grant from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research for a three-year program to further develop ear hanging in Maine.

CEI purchased three machines from Mutsu Kaden Tokki Co., Ltd., in Mutsu City, Aomori. Five farms have utilized the equipment implementing small-scale commercial trials with several thousand scallops on each farm, while market research by CEI has been gauging the potential demand for ear-hung farmed scallops.

Read the full story at the Global Aquaculture Alliance

Scallops: Tune In – Wednesday, September 2 – Last Webinar Hearing for Amendment 21

September 1, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold its last webinar hearing on Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Let us know what you think! Time is running out. The public comment deadline is Friday, September 4. The Council will be taking final action on Amendment 21 during its late-September webinar meeting.

This amendment includes proposed measures for: (1) the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) Management Area; and (2) the Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) component of the fishery.

PREVIEW THE PRESENTATION: It’s on-demand! Just fill in your name and email address HERE and it’ll start to roll.

SKIM THE DOCUMENTS: Take a look at the public hearing document, the press release, and all other related information in the Amendment 21 library.

JOIN THE WEBINAR: Register HERE to participate on Wednesday, September 2.

STREAM IN-PERSON WITH MAINE DMR: Want company? The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) will be streaming the hearing in Augusta and helping fishermen navigate the webinar to provide comments.

In a bulletin to industry members, DMR said, “For those who would like technical assistance in connecting to the webinar or do not have computer access and/or reliable internet, ME DMR will be providing a space for fishermen to participate in the September 2^nd public hearing webinar.”

DMR added, “Staff will have the webinar public hearing streaming at our Augusta office complex (32 Blossom Lane) in the Deering Building, Room 101 (building is to the left of the DMR office); you just have to show up to comment.”

Anyone interested in this option must RSVP. Call or email Megan Ware at (207) 446-0932;megan.ware@maine.gov. Read the bulletin for additional details. Masks and social distancing will be required

SCALLOP ASSESSMENT: The Fall 2020 Scallop Management Track Stock Assessment will undergo peer review during a September 14-18, 2020 meeting.

UPCOMING MEETINGS: Visit the New England Council’s scallop webpage for more information about the upcoming September 23, 2020 Scallop Advisory Panel webinar and September 25, 2020 Scallop Committee webinar.

NOAA Fisheries: Groundfish and Sea Scallop Peer Review

August 26, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The management track stock assessment peer review meeting for multispecies groundfish and small mesh stocks and Atlantic sea scallops begins at 9am on Monday, September 14, 2020 and runs through Friday, September 18, 2020. The review will be held remotely, and the agenda and connection information are available on our website.

Questions?

Contact Michele Traver, Assessment Process Lead, Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Scallop RSA Program – Time to Submit 2021-2022 Project Proposals

August 14, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

NOAA Fisheries has begun soliciting proposals for research projects to be carried out under the 2021-2022 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. The submission deadline is October 12, 2020.

Proposals should respond to the research priorities established by the New England Fishery Management Council. During its June 2020 webinar meeting, the Council determined that resource surveys should be the highest priority for the next round of RSA awards.

The Council also identified a number of “high” and “general research” priorities, which are summed up in the table below.
Details about all of the priorities are spelled out in this section of the Federal Funding Opportunity

Read the full release here

Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program Competition is Open

August 14, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council, is soliciting proposals under the 2021/2022 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program.

The solicitation closes October 12, 2020. You can review the solicitation and apply online.

Projects supported under the program must enhance the knowledge of the scallop fishery resource or contribute to the body of information on which scallop management decisions are made.

Read the full release here

NEFMC: Council Sets Scallop Amendment 21 Public Hearing Schedule

July 22, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled four public hearings on Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The hearings will be held on August 5, August 12, August 27, and September 2 by webinar.

The Council intends to take final action on this amendment during its September 29–October 1, 2020 meeting. Now is the time to tell the Council what you think! Here’s what you need to know to participate in the public hearings and submit written comments before the deadline on Friday, September 4, 2020.

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT: Amendment 21 includes measures related to: (1) the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) Management Area; and (2) the Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) component of the fishery.

Read the full release here

Correction to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Framework 32 Bulletin

June 18, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The bulletin for Framework 32 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan stated that vessels were prohibited from transiting the Closed Area II-Southwest and Extension Closed Area. This was an error. Although the Closed Area II-Southwest and Extension area is closed to scallop fishing, a vessel may transit the area as long as its gear is properly stowed.

Please see the updated bulletin and map.