Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to the Cellular Electronic Logbook Program for Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Moratorium Permit Holders

June 4, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries is working to improve the quality of information available for the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery.  This bulletin provides federal shrimp permit holders with an overview of the new changes occurring with the Cellular Electronic Logbook Program.

Having appropriate and current data enables the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries to carry out responsive and timely fisheries management.  Since the implementation of the shrimp permit moratorium in 2007, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center continues the required data collections through fishing regulations.

What is New to the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Permit (SPGM) Cellular Electronic Logbook (cELB) Program:

  • In November 2020, NOAA Fisheries sent a letter to Cellular Electronic Logbook Program participants that 3G cellular technology would no longer be available as of December 31, 2020.  This notification also asked participants to continue to power up the devices onboard the vessel when fishing.  The transmission of those data would no longer be sent via cellular technology; however, the devices would continue to collect data until NOAA Fisheries was able to retrieve the data manually.  Note that participants are still required to power up the devices while fishing.
  • Within the next few weeks, NOAA Fisheries will be providing SD card replacements to each Program participant currently assigned a device onboard the vessel associated with the selected Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Permit.
  • Selected participants will receive a letter with the enclosed step-by-step instructional guide, a new SD card to be swapped on the Cellular Electronic Logbook device, and a pre-paid envelope to return the previously used SD card back to the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center for data analysis.

While NOAA Fisheries explores options for the replacement of the current 3G units, we will continue to send, and ask you to install replacement SD cards.  The swap of SD cards allows the permit holder the ability to comply with the SPGM reporting requirement associated with this program.  The information collected from the SD card returned to NOAA Fisheries will allow us to determine whether your unit is working properly or if you may need a new antenna or unit.

Thank you for your past and future cooperation with these data collection efforts.  The information is critical for more responsive and timely management of the fishery.  All individual information provided is confidential.  These data collections are mandated by the final rule to implement actions in Amendment 13 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico

USTR announces, then suspends, 25 percent tariffs on goods including seafood from multiple countries

June 3, 2021 — U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced, and then immediately suspended, new Section 301 tariffs on goods from multiple countries as part of its one-year investigation of digital service taxes (DSTs).

The new tariffs, which will be set at 25 percent if reinstated, are in response to taxes levied by Austria, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom on revenue generated by “non-resident” companies offering digital services – including the sales of software-as-a-service products. The USTR investigation began in June 2020 and found the practices of the countries discriminatory in January.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

South Carolina shrimp season opens for 2021 with a brighter outlook than last year

May 28, 2021 — South Carolina’s shrimping season opened May 27 with some trawlers already stationed over their favorite spots overnight so they could drop their nets right when restrictions lifted at 8 a.m.

Shrimpers have been able to trawl in a narrow “provisional area” between state and federal waters since April, but the real season begins when the S.C. Department of Natural Resources opens all of state waters, which extend about 3 miles offshore.

Mel Bell, director of the Office of Fisheries Management at DNR, said that a mild winter and promising results from the state’s sampling of the shrimp population made it an ideal time to open the season. State regulators want to make sure that female white shrimp have spawned at least once before allowing the catch to start, and late May is a typical time for them to make that call.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

NORTH CAROLINA: ‘It’s fraud’: DNA tests reveal seafood mislabeled in Triangle markets

May 27, 2021 — Fresh and local are huge selling points for seafood, but when you buy fish or shellfish from local grocery stores and markets, are you getting what you’re paying for?

“People want Carolina shrimp. It’s that simple,” said Doug Cross, co-owner of Pamlico Packing, which gets locally caught seafood to North Carolina plates.

“Our shrimp, most of them, are caught in a more brackish environment in the Pamlico Sound, which is one of the best places in the world to grow a shrimp,” Cross said.

But Cross’ competition is not just coming from other coastal fishermen. With demand for fresh and local, many sellers are cutting corners by getting their seafood from other countries. And in some cases, high-demand fish is being mislabeled.

In the past two years, two North Carolina-based crab meat companies admitted in federal court they were labeling crab as a U.S. product when a lot of the meat was foreign.

Read the full story at WRAL

NFI releases new list detailing the top 10 seafood species Americans consume most

May 26, 2021 — American consumers ate 19.2 pounds of seafood per capita in 2019, an increase of 0.2 pounds over 2018’s figures, according to National Fisheries Institute (NFI) calculations based off of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) latest “Fisheries of the United States” report.

For its report released this year, which recounts 2019 figures, NOAA revised its per capita consumption model, “updating weight conversion factors to more accurately reflect efficiencies in processing,” NFI said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NFI’s Top 10 List Suggests Consumers Diversifying Seafood Consumption

May 26, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

In 2019, Americans ate 19.2 pounds of seafood per capita, an increase of .2 pounds from 2018’s revised figure. In previous years, the Top 10 list has made up an outsized portion of US seafood consumption, nearly 90%. This time the familiar names on the Top 10 make up only 74%.

The 2019 Fisheries of the United States report, released by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), revised its Per Capita Consumption model to update edible weight conversion factors to more accurately reflect efficiencies in processing. The revised model resulted in higher consumption levels than previously reported.

Shrimp maintained the top spot, while Salmon, Canned Tuna and Alaska Pollock all saw gains.

It is important to highlight that the featured numbers on this list are all exclusively from 2019 and do not represent any pandemic-impacted market forces.

The U.S. government is buying $40 million worth of pistachios and $70 million of seafood

May 21, 2021 — Pistachios are my favorite nut. I can house a whole bag of those in no time at all. Apparently the American government is into them too, because they’re not buying just a bunch, but a massive amount. During times of crop and product surpluses, the USDA will buy up extra to keep America’s food banks stocked; in 2016, it bought $20 million in cheese. Now, Food & Wine reports, the government is buying up millions of dollars of pistachios, among other delicious bounties.

It’s obvious that COVID-19 has mucked up all sorts of farming supply issues, and plenty of Americans are having a hard time getting by. So the USDA is currently making big buys to help those that produce food and those who need it. Last week the Biden administration announced that the USDA would be purchasing $159.4 million worth of seafood, fruits, legumes, and nuts. Of that, $70.9 million will be spent on seafood, the largest government seafood purchase ever.

“The impacts of COVID-19 reverberated from our farms to our oceans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “U.S. fisheries and the American seafood industry were dealt a heavy blow…. These healthy, nutritious food purchases will benefit food banks and non-profits helping those struggling with food hardship as the Biden Administration works to get the economy back on track for American families.”

Read the full story at The Takeout

USDA spends $70.9 million on domestic seafood

May 14, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that it will purchase $70.9 million of domestic wild seafood, registering its largest purchase of U.S. seafood to date.

The purchase, made possible under the Agricultural Adjustment Act, is one of many actions USDA is taking to address food insecurity and disruptions in the food system supply chain exacerbated by the pandemic.

The seafood purchases come from a $159.4 million commitment to buying domestic seafood, fruits, legumes and nuts for distribution to a variety of domestic food assistance programs, including charitable institutions.

“The impacts of covid-19 reverberated from our farms to our oceans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. “U.S. fisheries and the American seafood industry were dealt a heavy blow. Today, USDA is pleased to make the largest single seafood purchase in the department’s history. These healthy, nutritious food purchases will benefit food banks and non-profits helping those struggling with food hardship as the Biden administration works to get the economy back on track for American families.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

South Atlantic Bite – Newsworthy Notes – May 13, 2021

May 13, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Reminder! – Public Hearing Today for Shrimp Fishery Access Area along Northern Extension of the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern
(Coral Amendment 10)
Today at 5:00 PM

The Council continues to seek public input on a proposed action to establish Shrimp Fishery Access Area in the northern extension of the Oculina Bank Coral HAPC off the east coast of Florida. Register now to attend the hearing via webinar and learn more about the proposed area. The Council will consider the amendment again during its June 14-18, 2021 meeting via webinar.

We’re Upgrading our Website –
Take this limited opportunity to help us better help you!

Looking for the number of black sea bass you can retain or perhaps a map showing the latest coordinates of MPAs off the NC coast? A calendar of upcoming meetings or a video presentation from a public hearing? You’ll find it all on the Council’s website at www.safmc.net.

We’re working to redesign the website to make it easier for you to navigate and provide you with the information you need. The web developers involved in the project have created a quick online activity to better understand how to group content on the website. Please complete the activity by Monday of next week.

Bullet and Frigate Mackerel Acknowledged for Important Role as Prey Species for Wahoo, Dolphin, Blue Marlin and Yellowfin Tuna

Little fish lead to bigger fish. Bluewater fishermen along the Atlantic coast targeting those really big fish understand the importance of prey to the overall well-being of those larger predators. At the request of the Council, Bullet and Frigate Mackerel, two important prey species are now included in the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan as ecosystem component species. NOAA Fisheries announced the Final Rule for Amendment 12 earlier this week. The Rule is effective June 9, 2021.

Learn more about the importance of Bullet and Frigate Mackerel and how this designation may help ensure healthy populations for the future.

New Discoveries and Management Decisions in Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program
Report to Congress highlights impressive discoveries, science-informed management decisions and more

Speak of coral reefs and most people imagine tropical waters in the Florida Keys or Hawaii. But deep-sea corals create habitat for countless species off of every coastal state in the country. In the past two years, NOAA and their partners have discovered the most expansive area of deep-sea coral reefs known to date off the U.S. Southeast coast.

These areas offer significant ecological value and support a number of U.S.-managed fishery species. The recently released Report to Congress showcases new accomplishments and scientific discoveries. Learn more about Deep-Sea Coral Habitat. Follow expeditions as they occur and see video and incredible images of areas that may be closer than you think!

Citizen Science Increasingly Informs Ocean Expertise – and Policy

A recent paper in BioScience that includes authors from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Pew, academia, and NOAA outlines marine citizen science projects that are contributing to conservation and management in the U.S. and elsewhere. Case studies include projects gathering data for fish species as well as others collecting information on sea grasses, coral reefs and other habitat.

This article from Pew highlights the Council’s Citizen Science Program as well as other citizen science efforts and increasing interest in promoting its use to conduct research projects that would not otherwise be possible.

Congressmen file bill to combat IUU fishing, increase SIMP enforcement

May 12, 2021 —  Two U.S. congressmen have filed legislation that would expand the role of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to include all species, including shrimp.

U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-California) and Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) unveiled the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act on Tuesday, 11 May. The purpose of the legislation is to better connect illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing to forced labor practices in the seafood trade, and to bolster the effectiveness of SIMP.

Read the full story at Seafood Source