Saving Seafood

Five Wild Days Aboard a New England Squid Boat

September 12, 2018 — Corey Harris wasn’t concerned about the storm. The captain of Rhonda Denise, a 77-foot commercial trawler, he’d been stuck in port all week, as two nor’easters, in early March, slammed the New England coast back-to-back. Now a third brewed offshore. But Harris saw an opportunity. “We’ll thread the needle between the storms,” he told me over the phone. We’d catch as much squid as possible, then haul ass back to port before the next system hit. Bring seasickness. medicine, he added. “It’ll be rough—but worth it.”

On the Thursday of our departure, the Port of Galilee, in Point Judith, Rhode Island, was full of boats but empty of people. If you’ve eaten calamari at a seafood shack or a little red-sauce joint, odds are it crossed the dock here in Point Judith. In 2016, the village’s 119 vessels landed 22.6 million pounds of squid, valued at $28.6 million—its best haul to date. It’s the 15th-highest-earning seaport in the country and first in squid on the Atlantic seaboard. By all measures, it’s the calamari capital of the East Coast. And with ongoing downturns in cod, flounder, and haddock, scores of commercial fishermen, not only here but also up and down the New England shore, now depend on squid to stay afloat in a notoriously unpredictable industry.

Harris met me in the parking lot. Among the local fishermen, he’s one of “the few young guys worth a shit,” a longtime captain told me. He’s also something of an anomaly. The salutatorian of his high school, in Babylon, New York, he dropped out of his university’s pre-dental program, in 2007, to work on trawlers, drawn to fishing for reasons that he can’t quite explain. Soft-spoken and ambitious, with a tight red beard, he started as a deckhand on Rhonda Denise, made captain by age 22, and became a co-owner a few years later. Now, at 31, he’s still 20 years younger than the majority of guys on the dock. “The storms have kept most boats in,” he told me. “There’s no fish on the market. Prices will be high.” There was no need to worry about the weather, he added—as long as we made it back by Monday.

Read the full story at Men’s Journal

 

CALIFORNIA: Threat of El Niño has Pacific squid fleet on edge

August 7, 2018 –All eyes and ears were on water temperatures and foreign trade tariffs as seiners hit their strides in the West Coast squid season. Cooler ocean temperatures last fall fostered hopes that the environmental pendulum had begun swinging in favor of squid production. But as the summer of 2018 ensued, the threat that El Niño conditions may be returning set fishermen and processors on edge.

“We’re watching the inklings of an El Niño,” said Diane Pleschner-Steele, executive director of the California Wetfish Producers Association, in Buellton. “It’s an interesting season. It started well, and it’s still going… better than when we were in the throes of El Nino.”

In late June, Oregon had posted healthy landings, and Pleschner-Steele said harvest numbers had begun picking up in California. The commercial squid season runs from April 1 to March 31 of the following year, and seiners fish on a quota of 118,000 short tons. Pleschner-Steele says the fleet hasn’t caught the quota in recent years, given oceanic conditions and other factors, and that the set quota is an optimal harvest number.

As of June 28, the seiners had landed 9,931 tons of squid.

On July 3, Pleschner-Steele said it was unlikely the fleet would catch the quota this year. The pending shortage in the harvest might be a good thing, in terms of curbing volumes headed to troubled markets in China.

The recent trade fracas between China and the United States predicated a stiff tariff on U.S. squid products shipped to China, one of the West Coast industry’s primary markets.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Slump in global squid catch ignites fisheries management efforts

July 12, 2018 — A global slump in the catch of squid — that has caused alarm bells as prices for key commercial species rocket — is bringing some of the biggest industry players together in an effort to improve squid fisheries management. But significant obstacles stand in their way, with China’s role front and center.

In recent years squid has become an increasingly important commercial species. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global squid catch has increased from 3.09 million metric tons in 2000, to 3.95m metric tons in 2015.

Squid previously discarded as worthless bycatch is now the target of international fleets.

But in 2016, global catch fell by over a million metric tons, to 2.79m metric tons (see graph below). Prices of Argentine shortfin squid, a key benchmark, have more than doubled. This season’s Argentine squid catch in international waters is said to be half last year’s levels, or worse.

Speaking to Undercurrent News, Sam Grimley, director of strategic initiatives at Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), an NGO, said concerns have mobilized industry stakeholders to come together to find solutions. Today, several fisheries improvement projects (FIP) are now underway or in the pipeline; five years ago, bar a couple in North America, there were none.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Rhode Island squid fishermen fear wind power

July 2, 2018 — Rhode Island fishermen say a patch of the Atlantic Ocean south of Martha’s Vineyard is among the best places around to catch squid.

They are also the same waters in which a developer selected by Massachusetts plans to install up to 100 giant wind turbines that would supply clean, renewable energy to the state.

Now, Rhode Island coastal regulators and the state’s fishing community are raising concerns that the offshore wind farm that Vineyard Wind wants to build in 250 square miles of federally-owned ocean may affect access to the squid grounds that are critical to the Point Judith fleet.

“They cut out scallop fisheries valued by Massachusetts,” said Grover Fugate, executive director of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. “But the grounds left are valued by Rhode Island fishermen, particularly for squid.”

Erich Stephens, chief development officer for Vineyard Wind, said the company has worked hard to accommodate the needs of Rhode Island fishermen — such as working to restrict the prospective schedule for laying a transmission cable to avoid the height of the squid fishing season in the summer — but he also acknowledged the dissatisfaction in some quarters with the proposed 800-megawatt wind farm.

“At the end of the day, there are a lot of different interests,” Stephens said. “It’s not possible to come up with a single design that will keep everyone happy.”

Read the full story at the Providence Journal

Northeast longfin squid earns MSC certification

May 29, 2018 — The Northeast inshore longfin squid fishery became the first squid fishery in the world to achieve Marine Stewardship Council certification this week as independent certifier SCS Global Services wrapped up an 11-month-long detailed assessment.

The fishery takes place along the East Coast from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, N.C. Squid are harvested by small-mesh bottom trawls by the fishery client group Lund’s Fisheries of Cape May, N.J., and the Town Dock of Narragansett, R.I., along with independent fishermen throughout the region. The bottom trawl fishery for longfin squid follows the species’ seasonal inshore/offshore migration patterns.

“We are excited to build additional trust with our customers through MSC’s certification of our longfin squid fishery,” said Wayne Reichle, president of Lund’s Fisheries. “This certification demonstrates that our domestic fisheries management system is working to sustainably manage our major squid fishery to the benefit of the resource, fishing communities, and calamari lovers everywhere.”

“All of us at the Town Dock are excited to be part of such a historic initiative,” said Ryan Clark, CEO of the Town Dock. “Our goal has always been to provide customers with a healthy and sustainable product. By certifying longfin squid, we hope to take the promise of sustainability a step further by protecting the fishery to ensure consumers have access to squid now and for many years to come.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

MSC awards first certification to a squid fishery

May 24, 2018 — The Marine Stewardship Council has awarded its first-ever certification to an inshore squid fishery: the loligo fishery in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean harvested by US companies Lund’s Fisheries and The Town Dock.

The certification was awarded May 22 by the independent auditor SCS Global Services following an 11-month assessment, according to a press release.  The fishery, which will remain certified until 2023, stretches from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

First Squid Fishery in the World Certified as Sustainable

May 24, 2018 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council, Lund’s Fisheries, The Town Dock, and SCS Global Services:   

The U.S. Northeastern Longfin Inshore Squid fishery in the Northwest Atlantic is the first squid fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification as a sustainable and well-managed fishery. The certification was awarded on May 22 by independent certifier SCS Global Services following an 11-month long detailed assessment.

The Longfin inshore squid (Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii), also referred to as Loligo squid, has a lifespan of less than one year. They spawn year-round as they migrate long-distances between inshore and offshore waters. They generally remain inshore during spring and offshore during late fall. As with most squid species, environmental factors such as temperature play a significant role in the timing of migrations, distribution, growth, and spawning. Due to changing water temperatures, squid have been migrating further North up the coast than in past years. It is one species that may benefit from climate change, rather than be negatively impacted by it, according to studies.

“We are thrilled to congratulate the fishery for becoming the first squid fishery in the world to attain MSC certification,” said Brian Perkins, MSC’s Regional Director for the Americas. “This achievement is an acknowledgement and testimony to the great work that the fishers are doing to ensure that they fish responsibly, and will have the resource available for generations to come.”

The fishery takes place on the U.S. continental shelf from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Squid are harvested by small mesh bottom trawls by fishery client group Lund’s Fisheries Inc. of Cape May, New Jersey, and The Town Dock of Narragansett, Rhode Island along with independent fishermen throughout the region using the same fishing method. The bottom trawl fishery for longfin squid follows the species’ seasonal inshore/offshore migration patterns.

“We are excited to build additional trust with our customers through MSC’s certification of our longfin squid fishery,” said Wayne Reichle, President of Lund’s Fisheries. “This certification demonstrates that our domestic fisheries management system is working to sustainably manage our major squid fishery to the benefit of the resource, fishing communities, and calamari lovers everywhere.”

“All of us at The Town Dock are excited to be part of such a historic initiative,” said Ryan Clark, CEO of The Town Dock. “Our goal has always been to provide customers with a healthy and sustainable product. By certifying longfin squid, we hope to take the promise of sustainability a step further by protecting the fishery to ensure consumers have access to squid now and for many years to come.”

The two companies are also immediately pursuing a scope extension via an expedited assessment of the Northern shortfin squid small mesh bottom trawl fishery under MSC principles. Northern shortfin squid (Illex illecebrosus), also known as illex, is a commercially important species with a broad range that extends between the Sea of Labrador and the Florida Straits.

Development of the U.S. domestic longfin squid bottom trawl fishery began in the early 1980s as the U.S. industry developed the appropriate technology to catch and process squid in large quantities, and became solely domestic in 1987.

The fishery is certified until 2023 and will undergo annual audits within that timeframe to ensure the MSC standard continues to be met.

 

Northeast squid fishermen, processors optimistic about steady markets

May 16, 2018 — The northeast longfin (loligo) squid fishery runs year-round, with the commercial harvest typically peaking in spring and fall. The shortfin (illex) squid season typically gains traction from May and runs into the fall, with catch largely related to feeding and spawning migration and market conditions.

Ex-vessel price for longfin varies from year to year and is driven by fresh market demand instead of freezer demand.

“It depends on the run, but fishermen get around $1.40 per pound, or higher, if the fresh market is hot,” said Eric Reid, general manager of the Rhode Island processor Seafreeze Shoreside. “That price doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere. The fishery is driven by the processor price, which is strong.”

NOAA approved new squid specifications for the 2018-20 fishing years. The annual quota for shortfin was set at 50.52 million pounds, and the longfin quota is similar at 50.56 million pounds.

“Currently, weather is determining the catch more than anything,” said Reid. “Fishing has not been spectacular yet, but we’ve been severely constrained for the past month or so. It’s weather dependent, but there are signs that the fish are around.”

“Right now, the domestic market demand is extremely good in the short term,” said Reid. “Once we get into our spring fishery, a lot more vessels are involved, and they are closer to the shore, so we will see how that impacts things.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

Monterey Bay fishermen working round the clock to pull in plentiful catch

April 26, 2018 — MONTEREY, Calif. — Below the surface of Monterey Bay, opalescent market squid are busily creating a new generation, laying eggs in clusters on the seafloor. And at the water’s surface, a fleet of fishing boats are ready to scoop those squid up, continuing a fishing tradition that’s well over a hundred years old.

In Monterey Harbor, a collection of at least eleven boats have been fishing for squid not far from shore since April 1, their lights visible off the coast at night. When the fishing is good, said Joe Russo, second captain and deckhand on the fishing vessel King Philip, it’s not uncommon for them to spend 24 hours a day netting tens of thousands of pounds of slippery squid with each return to shore. They continue through the spring, summer, and into early fall, if they don’t exceed the quota set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“From noon on Sunday until noon Friday, as long as there’s fishing you might not sleep for two days,” he said, looking remarkably awake. The crew on his boat, including his father Anthony Russo (captain of the King Philip), rushed to pump the squid out of their hold on Wednesday and into big yellow tubs, each of which holds around 1,500 pounds of catch. As soon as their boat was completely unloaded, they planned to head right back out to the squid. In the meantime the elder Russo ducked inside to catch an hour-long nap.

Market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) is in many years the most productive and valuable fishery in California. This year, with cold water and plenty of food available, plentiful squid are coming into Monterey Bay. But in some years the squid catch plummets — researchers believe that changes in water temperature and food availability associated with El Niño years keep squid populations down. The animals live for less than a year and die after one reproductive effort, which means their population can be wildly variable with yearly conditions.

Read the full story at the Monterey Herald

 

Northeast companies seek MSC certification for squid

April 12, 2018 — Two companies based in the Northeast U.S. have jointly entered the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process for the Atlantic loligo (longfin) squid fishery.

Lund’s Fisheries, in Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A., and the Town Dock in Point Judith, Rhode Island, U.S.A., have begun the multi-step certification process needed for the East Coast loligo. If successful, they would be the first squid fishery to receive MSC certification.

Both companies said they hope the certification will showcase the fishery’s commitment to sustainability.

“We know squid fits that mode, now it’s just going through the proper channels to prove it, and there’s no better way to do it than go through that MSC process,” said Patrick Maness, director of marketing for the Town Dock.

The Town Dock is currently the largest supplier of calamari in the United States, running a dedicated fleet of six boats and purchasing from 20 independently owned large boats in the area around Point Judith. In 2016, Rhode Island represented the largest harvester of loligo, landing 10,329 metric tons according to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Read the full story at Seafood Source