Saving Seafood

Retention Limit of Aggregated Large Coastal Shark and Hammerhead Shark Management Groups increase to 55 Sharks per Trip

June 19, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

NOAA Fisheries has increased the retention limit for the commercial aggregated large coastal shark (LCS) and hammerhead shark management groups (see Appendix 1 next page) for directed shark limited access permit holders in the Atlantic region from 36 to 55 sharks per vessel per trip effective June 19, 2020. The retention limit will remain at 55 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip in the Atlantic region through the rest of the 2020 fishing season or until NOAA Fisheries announces another adjustment to the retention limit or a fishery closure via the Federal Register.

As agreed upon by the Commission’s Coastal Sharks Management Board, the Commission will follow NOAA Fisheries for in-season changes to the commercial retention limit, therefore, no more than 55 sharks per vessel per trip may be retained from the aggregated LCS and hammerhead management groups by a state licensed fishermen effective June 19, 2020.

The Federal Register will be published on June 22 athttps://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/06/22/2020-13373/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-commercial-aggregated-large-coastal-shark-and-hammerhead-shark. Shark landings can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/2020-atlantic-shark-commercial-fishery-landings-and-retention.

Please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0723 orkrootes-murdy@asmfc.org for more information.

A PDF of the announcement can be found here – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5eed1303AdjustedCommericalRetentionLimits_June2020_1.pdf.

 

Shark fin smugglers using coronavirus as cover to ramp up illegal shipments into Hong Kong

June 12, 2020 — Conservationists in Hong Kong remain puzzled by the scale of record illegal shark fin shipments into the city this year, at a time when overall consumption is down.

The two consecutive shark fin shipments, totaling 26 metric tons (MT) and valued at HKD 8.6 million (USD 1.1 million, EUR 950,000), were seized by the Hong Kong Customs on 28 April and 4 May. An estimated 38,500 sharks were killed for the fins seized in Hong Kong, mostly from the thresher and silky shark, whose trade is regulated under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II. None of the required permits accompanied the shark fins seized in Hong Kong.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Seizure of 26 tonnes shark fin shipments from Ecuador largest in Hong Kong history

May 18, 2020 — Hong Kong customs officials have seized 26 tonnes of shark fins, taken from 38,500 endangered sharks, which were uncovered in two shipping containers from Ecuador, it was revealed on May 6th, 2020.

The two consignments doubled the amount seized last year, and were worth HK$8.6 million (US$1.1 million).  The majority of the dried fins were from thresher and silky shark species, both of which are protected.

“It’s shocking to see such a big smuggling case in the city,” said Gloria Lai Pui-yin, Senior Conservation Officer, Sustainability at WWF-Hong Kong. “The two species of shark in the recent seizures – the thresher shark and silky shark – are both threatened species and listed on Appendix II of CITES, meaning that the international trade of these fins is controlled. WWF-Hong Kong has been working for over a decade to transform Hong Kong into a shark-fin free city by expanding our no carriage policy and ‘no shark fin’ corporate pledge. We need to remain vigilant and ensure there is better oversight in the city.”

Officers told the South China Morning Post (SCMP) that they were suspicious of the shipments because the containers had Spanish-language markings identifying them as dried fish.

Read the full story at Oceanographic

Update to the HMS, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico Fisheries on Observer Coverage

May 5, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

Dear Federal Permit Holders, Partners, and Stakeholders,
This is a reminder that the current waiver for observer coverage in the fisheries listed below expires at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2020. Beginning at 12:00 a.m. on May 5th, observer coverage will again be required per existing regulations.

  • South Atlantic Penaeid Shrimp
  • South Atlantic Rock Shrimp
  • South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper
  • Southeast Gillnet
  • Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish
  • Gulf of Mexico Shrimp
  • Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Pelagic Longline
  • Shark Bottom Longline (Atlantic HMS)
  • Shark Gillnet (Atlantic HMS)

BACKGROUND:

As part of the NOAA Fisheries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and consistent with the authority provided under an emergency rule signed on March 24, 2020 (www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/noaa-fisheries-issues-emergency-action-waive-observer-coverage-case-case-basis), the agency temporarily waived the requirement for commercial fishing vessels in the fisheries above to carry a fishery observer. The waiver is in effect from April 21, 2020, through May 4, 2020.

NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor and evaluate this situation. As we have done in other parts of the country, we will use this time to work with the observer service provider to implement adjustments to the logistics of deploying observers, ensuring qualified observers are available as soon as safely possible.

Observers are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation during this time. We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates. We are committed to protecting the public health and ensuring the safety of fishermen, observers, and others, while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life.

For questions about observer programs, contact the Southeast Fisheries Science Center at (305) 361-4200 or the phone numbers included in your selection notification. For other questions related to Atlantic HMS fisheries, contact (301) 427-8503.

Sincerely,

Clay E. Porch, Ph.D.

Director, Southeast Fisheries Science Center

NOAA Lists Waiver of Observer Requirements HMS, South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fisheries

April 10, 2020 — NOAA has issued another update on the temporary waiver of observer requirements for federally permitted vessels.

According to the latest document, NOAA is temporarily waiving the requirement to carry a fishery observer for federally permitted vessels participating in the following fisheries:

-South Atlantic Penaeid Shrimp
-South Atlantic Rock Shrimp
-South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper
-Southeast Gillnet
-Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish
-Gulf of Mexico Shrimp
-Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Pelagic Longline
-Shark Bottom Longline (Atlantic HMS)
-Shark Gillnet (Atlantic HMS)

Read the full story at Seafood News

Hawaii conservation groups file white-tip shark lawsuit

April 6, 2020 — The National Marine Fisheries Service was asked in a lawsuit filed in Hawaii to protect Pacific oceanic white-tip sharks, which are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The environmental law firm Earthjustice filed the lawsuit on behalf of several conservation groups, including the Conservation Council for Hawaii and Michael Nakachi, a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner and owner of a local scuba diving company, the Garden Island reported.

“No protections exist to prevent fisheries from capturing oceanic white-tip sharks as bycatch,” said Moana Bjur, executive director of the Conservation Council for Hawaii. “That needs to change if we are to prevent this incredible apex predator from going extinct. That’s why we’re going to court.”

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Updated MSC Fisheries Certification Process Manual Now Available

March 30, 2020 — The Marine Stewardship Council issued a new version of their 187-page Fisheries Certification Process (FCP) on Tuesday that addressed, among other things, shark finning and separating certified and non-certified catch while fishing. Both have been contentious issues in recent years.

The FCP is the go-to source for eligibility criteria and the process by which fisheries are assessed against the MSC Fisheries Standard.

Read the full story at Seafood News

New MSC certification process to apply from Sept. 25

March 30, 2020 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has released its updated fisheries certification process, which sets the eligibility criteria and process by which fisheries are independently assessed against the MSC fisheries standard.

The changes address concerns raised by stakeholders and follow more than 24 months’ consultation with industry and experts. You can read the full details of the new process here, as previously reported.

Certified fisheries will no longer be able to target a stock using both certified and non-certified fishing practices with the same gear (known as compartmentalization).

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Florida Lawmakers Send Shark Fin Ban to Governor

March 13, 2020 — Selling and possessing shark fins could soon be outlawed in Florida, joining about a dozen other states in attempting to protect sharks and remove the delicacy from restaurant menus.

The Florida Senate unanimously approved a measure already ratified by the state House, sending the legislation to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature.

The practice of shark finning has long been outlawed under federal law, but most states currently have no prohibitions against possessing and selling shark fins. A decade ago, Hawaii became the first state to ban the possession and sale of shark fins. Since then, about a dozen other states have enacted similar laws.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at U.S. News

Is Climate Change Causing Sharks To Bite Humans? The D.C. Metro Thinks So

March 11, 2020 — Can taking Metro prevent shark bites? That’s the contention of an ad in stations and trains throughout the region. It’s part of a Metro public relations campaign to highlight the effects of climate change and how taking public transit can help. If you’ve seen the shark bite ads and wondered about them — you’re in good company.

“As someone who studies sharks and shark conservation, and in fact who has been involved in studies of climate change and sharks, this caught my attention,” says David Shiffman, a marine conservation biologist. The ad caught his attention, he says, “because it’s nonsense.”

The ad shows a black shark fin on an orange zig-zag background. It reads: “More CO2 could lead to increased shark bites. Keep the sharks at bay. Take Metro.”

Metro’s other climate change ads are on pretty solid scientific ground. There’s one about arctic ice melting and one about extreme weather — both well known consequences of climate change. Other ads focus on more obscure impacts — how climate change is affecting wine and beer producers. Still, says Shiffman, “The agricultural consequences are fairly well documented and not controversial.”

Read the full story at WAMU