Saving Seafood

US Commerce declares fishing disasters for 7 states

September 26, 2019 — U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has declared fishing disasters for seven states on three coasts.

“Fishing is the cornerstone of countless coastal economies and has been a way of life for generations of Americans,” he said in a brief news release Wednesday. “This determination acknowledges the critical role fisheries play in our communities, and the risks they face from natural disasters and other causes beyond their control.”

Ross’ action makes people and businesses eligible for NOAA fisheries disaster assistance. Congress has appropriated $165 million for such help for fiscal 2019 and the Commerce Department decides allocations to eligible fisheries, the statement said.

The statement said a regional disaster occurred for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama because of “extreme flooding events in the Gulf of Mexico.” Alaska and California each had multiple requests approved; one for both Georgia and South Carolina will help shrimpers and shrimp processors. An unusually cold spell in January 2018 killed the vast majority of shrimp overwintering in estuaries, Erin Weeks, spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, said in an email.

Read the full story at The Star Tribune

SAFMC Wraps Up Meeting Week by Approving Measures for Best Fishing Practices

September 23, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council concluded their week-long meeting in Charleston, SC after approving federal fishery management measures intended to help implement best fishing practices and improve survivability of released fish. The measures, as included in Regulatory Amendment 29 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan, would require fishermen fishing for snapper grouper species to have a descending device onboard and readily available for use when fishing in federal waters. The devices can be used to help reduce injuries caused by barotrauma, injury that occurs due to expansion of gas when fish are reeled up from deeper water. The condition may result in protruding stomachs from a fish’s mouth, enlarged eyes, and other conditions that keep fish from swimming back to depth. Descending devices are designed to help get the fish back down to deeper water and alleviate the symptoms. Both descending devices and venting tools, when properly used, can be used to treat barotrauma and significantly increase the likelihood that a released fish survives.

The amendment includes additional measures to modify existing requirements for the use of non-stainless-steel and circle hooks when fishing for snapper grouper species with natural baits to help reduce injury to released fish. A measure to standardize the use of powerhead gear by divers off the coast of South Carolina is also included. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, regulations in Regulatory Amendment 29 may be implemented in 2020.

The Council had lengthy discussions about requiring the devices onboard and how to best define a descending device for regulatory purposes. “The intent is to encourage fishermen to use descending devices when necessary to help increase the likelihood that a fish pulled up rapidly from deep water survives,” said Council Vice Chair Mel Bel, representing the SC Department of Natural Resources Division of Marine Fisheries. “No one wants to see fish floating on the surface after being released. The purpose of the regulation isn’t to write tickets, but to reduce release mortality by providing fishermen with the understanding and tools needed to do so when they run offshore.”

Council members continued to stress the importance of outreach and education for informing fishermen on the proper use of the devices. A Best Practices video tutorial is currently available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/electronic-reporting-projects/myfishcount/(click the “Best Practices” tab) and additional outreach materials will be developed. The regulatory amendment also includes a research and monitoring plan that recommends NOAA Fisheries monitor the use of descending devices and continue research to determine their effectiveness in reducing discard mortality. The information may be used to evaluate improvements in the survival of released snapper grouper species in order to incorporate new discard mortality estimates into future stock assessments.

Read the full release here

South Carolina shrimpers start their season earlier than usual

April 25, 2019 — Wednesday, 24 April, marked the start of the commercial shrimping season in South Carolina, U.S.A., with fisherman taking to the water two months earlier than they had been able to do in 2018, according to a report from state newspaper the Post and Courier.

A warmer winter has been cited as the reason behind the early start, the newspaper said. State shrimpers like Tommy Edwards, who works out of Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, are meeting the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) decision to open the fishery now with enthusiasm.

“It’s looking promising this year because it’s not July,” Edwards told the Post and Courier. “I don’t think we’ll see a lot of shrimp at first but at least we can get to work.”

The fishery appears to be bouncing back after experiencing the fifth worst die-off of shrimp and other species seen since the 1950’s in January 2018, when a cold snap of snow and ice rattled the region.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Fishing for White, Brown, and Pink Shrimp is Open Off South Carolina in Federal Waters

June 14, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • Federal waters adjacent to South Carolina state waters are open to fishing for white, brown, and pink shrimp as of 4:15 p.m., local time, June 13, 2018.
  • South Carolina state waters remain closed until the state determines an appropriate reopening date.  
WHY THIS REOPENING IS HAPPENING:
  • South Carolina closed its state waters to all shrimping on January 10, 2018, due to a prolonged period of water temperatures at or below 9°C in the region.
  • South Carolina requested NOAA Fisheries close federal waters off South Carolina to shrimping. The federal closure was effective January 17, 2018.
  • The purpose of the closure was to protect the white shrimp spawning population.
  • Observations of mature white shrimp, as well as evidence of recent and current spawning, provided by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, suggest the federal waters should be reopened off South Carolina to allow for harvest.
  • South Carolina officials will continue to monitor the white shrimp population to determine when it is appropriate to allow shrimp fishing to resume in state waters.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register.

Empty nets and light wallets as fall shrimp season disappoints in South Carolina

November 28, 2017 — CHARLESTON, South Carolina — The fall white shrimp season has been a painful one for South Carolina’s diminished fleet of trawlers, with many people wondering what’s become of all the tasty crustaceans.

“They’re just not here,” said Grace Edwards, head of Shem Creek Fisheries, whose husband runs a trawler.

Fall shrimp landings tracked by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources are running far below average, by hundreds of thousands of pounds. In Mount Pleasant, fundraisers are being held for the Shem Creek fleet.

“They are having a terrible season,” said Jimmy Bagwell, chairman of the Save Shem Creek Corp. “A lot of the boats have gone to Florida and Georgia to try to catch something.”

In McClellanville, Mayor Rutledge B. Leland III runs Carolina Seafood, and he’s seen the same thing.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

South Atlantic States Schedule Public Hearings on Draft FMP for Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia

August 17, 2017 — ARLINGTON, Va. — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: 

September 20, 2017 — This press release modifies that of August 17. North Carolina’s September 19th hearing has been rescheduled to Thursday, September 21st at the same location and time. South Carolina and Georgia have also rescheduled their hearing dates to September 26th and 25th, respectively. Please note Georgia’s hearing will occur via webinar only. Please see below for the revised details of the three hearings.

The South Atlantic states of Virginia through Georgia have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on Draft Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Migratory Group (AMG) Cobia. The details of those hearings follow.

Virginia Marine Resources Commission

September 12, 2017 at 6 PM

2600 Washington Ave 4th floor

Newport News, VA

Contact: Joe Cimino at 757.247.2236

RESCHEDULED: North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries

September 21, 2017 at 7 PM

Hatteras Community Center

57689 NC Highway 12

Hatteras, NC

Contact: Michelle Duval at 252.808.8013

–

September 20, 2017 at 7 PM

Central District Office

5285 US Highway 70 West

Morehead City, NC

Contact: Michelle Duval at 252.808.8013

RESCHEDULED: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

September 26, 2017 at 7 PM

Town & Country Inn

2008 Savannah Highway

Charleston, SC

Contact: Mel Bell at 843.953.9007

RESCHEDULED: Georgia Department of Natural Resources

September 25, 2017 at 6 PM

This hearing will occur via webinar only

Call in for webinar audio at 1.888.394.8197 and enter Passcode: 815277 when prompted

Webinar Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4807279626897305603

Contact: Pat Geer at 912.264.7218

–

The intent of the Draft FMP is to complement federal AMG cobia management actions and distribute catches among member states through a proposed allocation strategy. The Draft FMP was initiated in response to recent overages of the federal annual catch limit (ACL) for AMG Cobia. The Draft FMP addresses immediate management and conservation goals in anticipation of a new benchmark AMG cobia stock assessment in 2018.  Management options include size, bag, and vessel limits to complement federal measures along with proposed de minimis options for Mid-Atlantic states (Maryland through New York) whose landings are minimal or episodic.

The most significant change may come in the form of state-specific recreational allocations.  The current ACL for AMG cobia is 670,000 pounds (620,000 pound recreational ACL and a 50,000 pound commercial quota). Managing the recreational ACL on a coastwide basis has resulted in federal closures and significant overages in 2015 and 2016, disrupting fishing opportunities and jeopardizing the health of the stock.  The Draft FMP contains a number of proposed options to allocate a recreational harvest limit (equal to the federal recreational ACL) to the four primary states (Georgia-Virginia) to allow those states more flexibility in developing seasonal options that best suit their specific state’s recreational and for-hire interests.

At this time, the options for the commercial AMG cobia fishery do not include state specific allocations and generally complement the proposed federal requirements. It is expected that the states from Georgia through Virginia will be conducting public hearings on the Draft FMP. The details of those hearings will be released in a subsequent press release.

The Draft FMP is available here or on the Commission’s website, www.asmfc.org, under Public Input. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft FMP either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on October 6, 2017 and should be forwarded to Louis Daniel, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Cobia FMP). Final action on the Draft FMP is scheduled to occur in October 2017. For more information, please contact Louis Daniel, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at ldaniel@asmfc.org or 252.342.1478.

 

Proposed legislation could lead to larger flounder population in S.C. waters

February 10, 2017 — A bump up in the size limit could be on the horizon for South Carolina’s population of flounder, and nowhere on the Palmetto State coast is flounder fishing more popular than along the Grand Strand from Georgetown to Little River.

The current minimum size limit for flounder is 14 inches, and proposed legislation calls for a 1-inch increase to 15 inches.

South Carolina House of Representatives Bill H 3665, which proposes the increase in size limit, was introduced and first read on Feb. 2 and was referred to the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.

In recent years, flounder in local estuaries have received unprecedented pressure from hook-and-line anglers and giggers as the coastal population has exploded.

Long-term trammel net sampling by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in eight major estuaries along the coast, including Georgetown County’s Winyah Bay, has revealed a steady decline in the southern flounder population since 1994. Also, according to the agency, reported charter boat catch rates have declined over the same time frame.

Read the full story at MyrtleBeachOnline.com

South Atlantic Fishery Managment Council Approves Electronic Reporting for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels

December 12, 2016 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Federally permitted charter vessels in the snapper grouper, dolphin wahoo, and coastal migratory pelagic (mackerel and cobia) fisheries along the Atlantic Coast will have the opportunity to electronically report their fishing activities, including landings and discards, beginning in mid-2017. Mandatory reporting for the federally permitted charter vessels will begin in 2018. That’s the intent of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council after it approved measures to implement the reporting program during its meeting this week in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the reporting requirements proposed in the For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment are expected to improve the accuracy and timeliness of data available for management and stock assessments, allow better monitoring of landings and discards, and allow managers to more accurately assess the impacts of regulations on the for-hire industry in federal waters.

Currently for-hire charter vessels, commonly referred to as “6-pack” vessels for the number of customers they are allowed to carry, are considered part of the recreational fishery for data collection purposes and there are no logbook reporting requirements. Getting a handle on the amount of fish harvested and sometimes even more importantly, the number of fish released by offshore recreational fishermen is a daunting task. Estimates are made using data collected through a combination of dockside intercepts, telephone surveys and most recently, mail surveys – all conducted through NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Data from federally permitted charter vessels are currently included as part of the MRIP along with data estimates for private recreational anglers.

The new reporting requirements are expected to affect approximately 2,000 charter vessels with Federal For-Hire Permits. Federally permitted headboats or “party boats” that carry more than six customers are currently required to submit weekly electronic reports through the Southeast Region Headboat Survey. The For-Hire Reporting Amendment would also change reporting deadlines for headboats to improve timeliness of reporting.

“We realize that implementing a reporting program affecting nearly 2,000 charter vessels will take time,” said Mel Bell, Chair of the Council’s Data Collection Committee and representative for the SC Department of Natural Resources’ Marine Resources Division. “Having a voluntary program in place for next year will provide an opportunity for NOAA Fisheries to address any reporting system issues and allow charter captains the chance to become familiar with the reporting system,” explained Bell. “We intend to keep reporting as simple as possible by providing a platform that will allow captains to complete electronic reports while offshore or at home on their computers and avoiding duplicative reporting requirements.”

The Council received an update on a pilot electronic reporting project currently being conducted in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Cooperative Statistics Program and the States of SC, GA, and FL. A total of 24 charter vessels from North Carolina to the Florida Keys are participating, using onboard tablets to test software and ease of reporting. The project also involves testing a dockside validation mobile app, an electronic measuring board, and a mobile app for law enforcement. The Council is pursuing additional program funding for outreach and training relative to implementation of the for-hire reporting requirement.

After reviewing public comment and much discussion, the Council requested that staff develop a white paper to begin outlining information on limited entry options for federal for-hire permits in the snapper grouper fishery. The Council’s Snapper Grouper Committee will continue discussions during its 2017 meetings. The Council decided not to pursue limited entry for Dolphin Wahoo and Coastal Migratory Pelagic for-hire permits at this time.

Mutton Snapper, Red Snapper, and Other Actions

The Council approved Snapper Grouper Amendment 41 for review by the Secretary of Commerce. The amendment addresses management measures for mutton snapper and includes regulations to designate April through June as spawning months, retain mutton snapper in the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit and set the mutton snapper bag limit at 5 per person per day year round, specify a commercial trip limit during the spawning months of 5 per person per day with a trip limit of 500 pounds during the “regular season” (non-spawning season months), and increase the minimum size limit for mutton snapper from 16 inches to 18 inches total length.

Discussions continued on options for the red snapper fishery. The fishery remains closed in federal waters. Additional management measures or modifications to current management measures are needed to reduce the large number of dead discards contributing to the stock’s overfishing status as the stock continues to rebuild. The Council will solicit public input during a series of in-person scoping meetings scheduled for January and February 2017.

Public hearings will be held in conjunction with the January/February scoping meetings on allocation measures for yellowtail snapper. The Council had initially included both yellowtail snapper and dolphin in a joint amendment to address allocations after the commercial fishery was closed for both species in 2015. The Council will continue to address allocation measures for dolphin during its March 2017 meeting. In addition, the Council approved Visioning Amendments for public scoping with measures for both commercial and recreational snapper grouper fisheries as a part of the Council Vision Blueprint for the Snapper Grouper Fishery. Scoping for the Visioning Amendments will be held via webinar. Schedules for the public hearings and scoping meetings will be publicized as they are finalized.

The Council decided not to move forward with a proposed change to the fishing year for Atlantic cobia, noting the efforts of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to develop a complementary management plan to allow additional flexibility for state management considerations. The fishing year change may be addressed at a later date if necessary. The ASMFC is currently soliciting public input on proposed measures.

Three More Plead Guilty to Elver Trafficking as Part of DOJ’s Multi-State Investigation

December 1, 2016 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Harry Wertan, Jr., Mark Weihe and Jay James each pleaded guilty to selling or transporting elvers in interstate commerce, which they had harvested illegally, or knew had been harvested illegally, in South Carolina.  The offenses in the case are felonies under the Lacey Act, each carrying a maximum penalty of five years’ incarceration, a fine of up to $250,000 or up to twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, or both.

The pleas were the result of “Operation Broken Glass,” a multi-ohurisdiction U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) investigation into the illegal trafficking of American eels.  To date, the investigation has resulted in guilty pleas for ten individuals whose combined conduct resulted in the illegal trafficking of more than $2.6 million worth of elvers.

“We will not allow the rivers of the United States to be the poaching grounds for international seafood markets,” said Assistant Attorney General Cruden. “The American eel is an important but limited natural and economic resource that must be protected.  Trafficking only undercuts the toil and honest efforts of those who obey the law.”

Elvers are exported for aquaculture in east Asia, where they are raised to adult size and sold for food.  Harvesters and exporters of American eels in the United States can sell elvers to east Asia for more than $2000 per pound.

Because of the threat of overfishing, elver harvesting is prohibited in the United States in all but three states: Maine, South Carolina and Florida.

“Today’s pleas in the illegal trade of American Eels are a tremendous step in preserving this important fishery,” said Colonel Chisolm Frampton for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division.  “A multitude of state and federal agencies did outstanding work to bring this case to successful conclusion.”

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.