Saving Seafood

ASMFC: Meeting materials for the March 20th conference call of the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board

March 16, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Meeting materials for the March 20th conference call of the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board are now available at – http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/SFlounderScupBSB_BoardMaterials_3_20_18.pdf. The conference call will begin at 9 a.m. The public is welcome to listen to the discussion by phone (866.214.0726, followed by passcode: 993961) and view the webinar using the following link https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6931931919817605123.

Time permitting, there will be a limited opportunity for the public to provide comments. The Board Chair will outline the procedures for accepting public comment at the beginning of the conference call. We request the public and other nonparticipating attendees to please mute their phones in order to minimize distractions to the Board’s deliberations.

Learn more about the ASMFC by visiting their site here.

 

MAFMC Reminder: Electronic Reporting Requirements for Party/Charter Vessels with Mid-Atlantic Permits

March 7, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Beginning Monday, March 12, 2018, all charter and party vessel operators holding a federal permit for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be required to electronically submit Vessel Trip Reports for all trips carrying passengers for hire. These electronic Vessel Trip Reports (eVTRs) must be submitted through a NOAA-approved software application within 48 hours of entering port following the end of a fishing trip. This regulation applies to all vessels with these permits, including vessels outside of the Mid-Atlantic region, regardless of where they are fishing when carrying passengers for hire.

This action is not a change in reporting requirements; it is an administrative modification to the method and timing for submitting VTRs.

This change applies to all vessels with federal Greater Atlantic Regional charter or party permits for any of the following species:

  • Atlantic mackerel
  • Squid
  • Butterfish
  • Summer Flounder
  • Scup
  • Black sea bass
  • Bluefish
  • Tilefish

Electronic Reporting Information and Resources

For more information, visit the Mid-Atlantic Council’s For-Hire Electronic Reporting page or the NOAA Fisheries Summary of eVTR Reporting Requirements. Additional details about eVTR software applications and contacts/support for eVTR problems are available here.

Training Opportunities

The Council has hosted several training sessions to help for-hire vessel operators prepare for these upcoming electronic reporting requirements, including two workshops in April 2017, two workshops in February 2018, and a webinar in March 2018. A recording of the webinar can be viewed online at this link.

On March 16, 2018, The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) will host a workshop on using the SAFIS eTrips software in Riverhead, NY. Registration is required, and participation will be limited to the first 25 captains who sign up. View the announcement for additional details.

Contact

Individuals with questions about eVTRs should contact Daniel Luers, Sustainable Fisheries Division, at 978-282-8457 or email at Daniel.Luers@noaa.gov.

Quick Links

Learn more about the MAFMC by visiting their site here.

 

Massachusetts: Black sea bass shows promise for M.V. fishermen

March 6, 2018 — With no proposed changes in conch fishing regulations on the agenda, the annual Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) winter public hearing on proposed regulations was a relatively collegial gathering. A baker’s dozen of Island fishermen and stakeholders gathered at the Katharine Cornell Theater on Monday morning to weigh in on the potential changes the DMF is looking to implement in 2018.

The main topic of conversation was changes to regulations for the commercial black sea bass fishery. According to DMF Deputy Director Dan Mackiernan, stocks of the tasty fish have increased sharply in Vineyard waters.
“Black sea bass is poster child for climate change,” he said, referring to the increasing average temperature of Vineyard waters. “We’ve never seen sea bass like we have now. They’re more abundant than they’ve ever been.”

Warren Doty, Chilmark selectman and founding president of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust, said black sea bass are the fish of the future for Island fishermen.

“The seabass fishery has become increasingly important here,” he said. “It’s eco-friendly because it’s a pot and hand line fishery. As the water temperature changes, it’s become much more common than it was 20, 30 years ago. It’s a good prospect for the Vineyard fishery.” Doty explained that Vineyard fishermen tend to use smaller boats and need to target higher priced fish like black sea bass, as opposed to scup, which is not productive at 50 cents a pound.

Read the full story at the Martha’s Vineyard Times