August 11, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The audio files from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2020 Summer Meeting Webinar are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/
State Proposes Extending Commercial Fishing for Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Summer Flounder
August 11, 2020 — After a slow start to the summer, the state Division of Marine Fisheries has proposed extensions to the commercial striped bass, black sea bass and summer flounder seasons, hoping to add additional fishing days and adjust catch limits for fishermen as fall approaches.
The DMF is proposing to add Tuesdays and Thursdays to the commercial striped bass season starting Sept. 1. The agency is then planning to add Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Oct. 2 — which would allow commercial striped bass fishing every day of the week.
A similar change has been proposed for the black sea bass fishery, with DMF planning to add Mondays and Wednesdays in September and expand the season to seven days per week in October. The DMF is also proposing to increase the commercial pot limit from 400 to 500 pounds per week.
Fishery managers agree to link menhaden policy to well-being of striped bass
August 7, 2020 — East Coast fishery managers have agreed to tie future menhaden population levels to the number needed to support a robust striped bass population — a first step toward recognizing the ecological role of the small bait fish.
The action, made by a unanimous vote, was described by conservation groups as “landmark” and “historic” because it was the first time the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has explicitly recognized the value of leaving fish uncaught to serve as food for predators.
Omega Protein, which operates a menhaden fishing fleet out of Reedville, VA, and is by far the largest harvester of the fish in the Bay and along the coast, issued a statement endorsing the commission’s decision. But it also emphasized that managing interactions between predators and prey is not a one-way street and must expand the focus beyond menhaden.
“It is now the responsibility of the commission to accurately estimate the populations of both menhaden and its predators and then make fair and equitable management decisions based upon the model’s findings,” the company said.
NJ and MA Members of Congress Request More COVID-19 Relief Assistance For Nation’s Fishing Industry
August 7, 2020 — Members of Congress from New Jersey and Massachusetts have sent letters to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi requesting assistance for the nation’s fishing industry in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package.
“New Jersey was among the hardest and earliest hit states by the pandemic and continues to have one of the highest counts of COVID-19 cases in the nation,” reads a letter from NJ’s representatives, including Frank Pallone, Jr. and Andy Kim. “The pandemic arrived in New Jersey at the start of the critically important Striped Bass and Black Fish season, leading to devastating results for our fishing industry. With bipartisan support, Congress has already acted once to deliver $300 million in aid targeting fishing communities throughout the country. Congress must act once again to save this vital industry and protect those in our state and across the country who rely on it.”
ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Initiates Amendment 7 to Address Longstanding Fishery Management Issues
August 6, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board initiated the development of an Amendment to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan. As the first step in the development of a new FMP or amendment, the Public Information Document (PID) will focus on the following management topics: (1) fishery goals and objectives; (2) stock rebuilding/timeframe; (3) management triggers; (4) biological reference points; (5) regional management (recreational measures, coastal and producer areas, regional reference points); (6) recreational discard mortality; (7) conservation equivalency; (8) recreational accountability; and (9) coastal commercial quota allocation. The purpose of the PID is to solicit stakeholder input on prioritizing the importance of each topic for continued development and inclusion in the Draft Amendment.
“Now that Addendum VI measures are in place and stock rebuilding has been initiated, the Board can focus on addressing a number of issues that have been at the forefront of striped bass management for a long time,” stated Board Chair David Borden of Rhode Island.
Between the Spring and Summer Meetings, a Work Group of Board members met to discuss significant issues facing striped bass management. The Board agreed that all of the issues discussed by the Work Group are extremely important and complex, and deserve significant thought and consideration. Furthermore, the prioritization of issues to be addressed by the Amendment should be guided by stakeholder input.
“Given it’s been 17 years since the Board last considered a new plan amendment to the striped bass management program, the Board intends to be very thoughtful and deliberative as it proceeds with the development of this Amendment,” stated Mr. Borden. “It’s important that we provide the public with sufficient background information in order to solicit effective feedback from all stakeholders and ensure the Draft Amendment addresses the most pressing issues at this time.”
During its deliberations, Board members discussed the importance of addressing discard mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries given discards significantly contribute to total fishing mortality. As a result, the Board tasked the Plan Development Team and Technical Committee to review factors limiting the accuracy of discard mortality estimates for stock assessment purposes, and to identify potential actions that could improve understanding or help reduce discard mortality in the fishery.
The Work Group Report, which can be found here, will serve as the foundation of the Draft PID. The Board will review the first draft of the PID at the Commission’s Annual Meeting in October. At that meeting, the Board will determine if the PID is ready to be sent out for public comment or if further modifications to the document are needed. Given current, and possibly future, meeting restrictions due to COVID-19, public hearings may be conducted via webinar.
For more information, please contact Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mappelman@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
ASMFC 2020 Summer Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available
July 30, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2020 Summer Meeting Webinar are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Draft FMP Review; Work Group Report on Issues to be Considered in the Next Management Action; Public Comment
ACCSP Coordinating Council – Governance Survey Results; Committee Status Summary; Program Updates; 2020 Action Plan
South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Memo on Upcoming Scheduling Considerations for Atlantic Cobia, Atlantic Croaker, and Spot
Shad & River Herring Management Board – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview; Advisory Panel Comments on State Proposals
Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Public Comment
Executive Committee – Revised Agenda; Memo on Potential Division of the South Atlantic Board
ISFMP Policy Board – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview
Bluefish Management Board & MAFMC – Bluefish FMAT/PDT Webinar Meeting Summary
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board & MAFMC – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview; Draft Addendum XXIII for Public Comment; Recreational Management Reform Initiative
The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. It is our intent to begin at the scheduled start time for each meeting, however, if meetings run late, the next meeting may start later than originally planned.
Live-Steaming
Board proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar; please register athttps://attendee.
Each day, the webinar will begin 30 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter. If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.
We strongly recommend Commissioners and proxies connect to the webinar using the computer audio (VoIP). For the best sound quality, we recommend using a headset (any headphones with a microphone should work, such as headphones you use with your phone). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you can may also call in at 213.929.4212 (a pin will be provided to you after joining the webinar); see webinar instructions for details on how to receive the pin).
For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, you can do so by dialing 213.929.4212 (access code: 568-469-389).
Public Comment Guidelines
With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings. Please note these guidelines have been modified to adapt to meetings via webinar.
The following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).
- Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of the webinar (July 13)will be included in the briefing materials.
- Comments received by 5 PM on the Tuesday, July 28 will be included in the supplemental materials.
- Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, July 31, 2020 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.
Comments should be submitted via email at comments@asmfc.org. All comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.
ASMFC Summer Meeting Webinar Preliminary Agenda and Public Comment Guidelines
July 8, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
Please find attached and below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2020 Summer Meeting Webinar, August 3-6, 2020. The agenda is also available athttp://www.asmfc.org/home/
Given the uncertainties of the pace of states reopening and potential continued prohibitions on large meetings in Arlington, Virginia in early August, the Summer Meeting will be held as a virtual meeting. Board meetings with complex decisions (e.g. Atlantic Menhaden and Atlantic Striped Bass) will recess following staff/technical presentations and a question and answer session. These Boards will reconvene the following day to allow time for Commissioners to consider the information from the previous day, fully vet the issues with their state delegates, and prepare for board discussion and action.
We are not planning to conduct pre-meeting webinar training sessions. However, staff will work with you if you would like a quick refresher or have changed computers and need to test out the webinar functions prior to the meeting. Please contact Toni Kerns, tkerns@asmfc.org, if you are interested in a test webinar.
Details about the webinar and meeting process will be provided prior to the meeting. We look forward to meeting with you at the Summer Meeting Webinar.
MASSACHUSETTS: Commercial striped bass season opens this week
June 23, 2020 — Fishermen should be prepared to see an armada of boats descend on our best striped bass fishing concentration points this week, possibly through much of July. Commercial striper fishermen will begin their intense harvesting season on June 24 — this Wednesday.
The first days of the frenetic, highly competitive season usually bring the very highest prices — and some of the lowest thoughtful behavior. With the lure of a thousand dollars for a day’s work, motivation can be powerful. If the initial supply is high, though, rewards can plummet fast. Too much early success by too many fishermen hurts their final bottom line.
Whole, gutted wild striped bass averaging 11 pounds right now are retailing at New York’s Fulton Fish Market for $213.18 per fish. That’s about $19.38 per pound and includes bones and head. Fillets are selling for about $29.99a pound What Massachusetts fishermen will get this year is anyone’s guess, but it likely won’t be stable or fair.
I remember lamenting back in 2014 that while the retail price of striped bass in the market was anywhere from $17 to $26 per pound, fishermen were getting only $4 to $5 a pound. Added to the challenge this year is the presence of seals stealing hooked fish off a line and great white sharks chomping off all but the heads.
Commercial fishing days starting this week will be limited to Mondays and Wednesdays until the state’s quota of 735,240 pounds is reached. That’s a huge toll on a species that has been in decline for at least the last five years. Commercial fishermen bring their fish to buyers the same day they catch them, so those wholesalers can immediately report our state’s catch. Seafood lovers should expect stripers at their favorite markets and restaurants this week.
Study: Bay Rockfish Die at Twice the Rate of Those in Atlantic
May 18, 2020 — Striped bass that stay year-round in the Chesapeake Bay are dying at nearly twice the rate of those that migrate each year to the Atlantic Ocean, a new study has found. The cause or causes aren’t clear, but the lead researcher said that it needs to be addressed to right a troubling decline in the prized finfish.
An electronic tagging study led by scientists from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science found that large mature striped bass leave the Bay every year to roam coastal waters until the next spring. Those smaller, younger fish that remain in the Chesapeake died off at the rate of 70% a year.
“The mortality rate is alarming,” said Dave Secor, a professor at the UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons. “If fish are dying at greater than 50% or 60% a year, that’s a problem.”
The study, published Thursday in the journal PLOS One, appears likely to draw further attention to disease and overfishing, two suspects in the decline of striped bass, also known as rockfish, which are among the most sought-after fish in the Chesapeake and along the Atlantic coast.
UMCES scientists implanted acoustic transmitters in 100 striped bass from the Potomac River and tracked their movements over four years. Signals emitted by their tags were picked up as they swam by receivers stationed in the Bay and along the coast — a kind of E-Z Pass network for fish, as Secor described it.
Large rockfish leave Chesapeake Bay to become ocean migrators
May 15, 2020 — A new electronic tagging study of 100 Potomac River striped bass sheds light on rockfish migration in Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coast. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science researchers found that when rockfish reach 32 inches in length they leave Chesapeake Bay and become ocean migrators. Small fish stayed in the Bay had higher mortality rates than those that undertook ocean migrations.
“Knowing the size at which they leave, we can do improved management that is tailored better to commercial and recreational fishing sectors those related to catch and size limits,” said study author and Professor Dave Secor of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “It allows us to bring different parts of the fishery into an assessment model to evaluate stock health and test how effective regulations will be.”
Chesapeake Bay striped bass, also known as rockfish, (Morone saxatilis) were implanted with two-inch acoustic transmitters and their coastal shelf migrations recorded over a four-year period by telemetry receivers throughout the Mid-Atlantic shelf waters and southern New England. Researchers found that only large striped bass from the Chesapeake Bay migrate to ocean waters when they reach 32 inches in length, and smaller fish remain resident to the Chesapeake Bay, regardless of sex.
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