Saving Seafood

West Coast Gray Whales Declined During Unusual Mortality Event, Similar to Past Fluctuations in Numbers

January 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The population of gray whales that migrate along the West Coast has declined about 24 percent since 2016. It now stands at an estimated 20,580 whales, a new population assessment (PDF, 7 pages) has found. That is similar to previous fluctuations in the Eastern North Pacific population that has long since recovered from the days of whaling.

The decline coincides with an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event that NOAA Fisheries declared in 2019 for gray whales when strandings increased on the West Coast. It resembles a similar 23 percent decline documented after an unusual mortality event 20 years earlier, in 1999 and 2000. The gray whale population rebounded following that previous UME to greater numbers than before.

The continuing change in gray whale numbers “suggests that large-scale fluctuations of this nature are not rare,” scientists wrote in a NOAA Fisheries Technical Memorandum that reports the new estimate. “The observed declines in abundance appear to represent short-term events that have not resulted in any detectable longer-term impacts on the population.”

Read the full release here

Vessel Slow Zone Extended Off Atlantic City, New Jersey to Protect Right Whales

January 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

There are now 6 Slow Zones in effect.

NOAA Fisheries announces an extension to the Atlantic City, New Jersey Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) to protect right whales.

On January 19, 2021, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Atlantic City buoy acoustically detected the presence of right whales 20nm SE of Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Slow Zone was originally announced on January 9. Since protections in this area are set to expire in less than a week, the Slow Zone has been extended through February 3, 2021.

Mariners, please go around these slow zone areas or go slow (10 knots or less) inside these areas where right whales have been detected.

Slow Zone Coordinates:

Southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, January 19-February 3, 2021

39 25 N
38 44 N
073 44 W
074 36 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here

Two New Vessel Slow Zones Off Nantucket and New York City to Protect Right Whales

January 19, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

There are now 6 Slow Zones in effect.

NOAA Fisheries announces two new Slow Zones (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) to protect right whales.

On January 15, 2021, observers with the NOAA aerial survey team detected an aggregation of right whales 15nm southeast of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.

Also on January 15, 2021, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Atlantic City buoy and New York Bight buoy acoustically detected the presence of right whales 34nm SE of New York, New York.

Both the southeast of New York City Slow Zone and the southeast of Nantucket Island MA Slow Zones are in effect through January 30, 2021.

Mariners, please go around these areas or go slow (10 knots or less) inside these areas where right whales have been detected.

Slow Zone Coordinates:

Southeast of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, January 15-30, 2021

41 25 N
40 44 N
069 28 W
070 21 W

and

Southeast of New York City, New York,  January 15-30, 2021

40 41 N
40 01 N
073 03 W
073 55 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here

New Vessel Slow Zone East of Atlantic City to Protect Right Whales

January 15, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces a new Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) East of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

On January 14, 2021,  observers aboard Fugro Enterprise detected the presence of right whales 23 nm East of Atlantic City, New Jersey. The East of Atlantic City Slow Zone is in effect through January 29, 2021.

Mariners, please go around this area or go slow (10 knots or less) inside this area where right whales have been detected. Slow Zone coordinates:

39 47 N
39 07 N
073 31 W
074 22 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here

NMFS begins online public sessions for right whale gear rules

January 13, 2021 – New gear regulations proposed for the Northeast lobster fishery will be presented in online public sessions beginning Tuesday evening, as the National Marine Fisheries Service pitches its newest effort to meet endangered species requirements for the northern right whale.

The new package of changes to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, is NMFS’ bid to satisfy a federal court ruling that the agency must do more by May 31, 2021 to protect the East Coast right whale population, now estimated to number fewer than 400 animals and less than 100 breeding females.

The new steps aim to reduce the number of vertical lines in the lobster and Jonah crab fisheries by requiring fishermen to fit more of their traps between buoy lines.

Fishermen will need to add new weak insertions or weak rope into buoy lines, so that whales have a better chance to break free in the event of an entanglement.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Nearby Vessels Interrupt Feeding of Southern Resident Killer Whales, Especially Females

January 13, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Boat traffic within 400 yards of endangered Southern Resident killer whales interrupts their foraging, often leading female whales to cease feeding altogether. That is a key finding from a new analysis of data from suction-cup tags that track the whales’ movement underwater.

Previous research observed surface behavior of the killer whales in response to vessels, while the tags allow researchers to discern their behavior during extended dives underwater. This data shows that nearby vessel traffic inhibits their underwater foraging as much or more than what scientists previously documented at the surface. These new results were published in Frontiers in Marine Science.

“We found a bigger effect in females, and that effect was more often that they gave up foraging if vessels encroached on them,” said research scientist Marla Holt at NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The analysis examined whale behavior over 3 years. It included years before and after the 2011 enactment of federal regulations limiting how close vessels can approach killer whales in Washington’s inland waters.

The outsize effect of vessel traffic on female whales “could have cascading effects on the ability to meet energetic requirements to support reproductive efforts,” the scientists reported. “This is particularly concerning in an endangered population that is in decline.”

Read the full release here

New Vessel Slow Zone East of Virginia Beach to Protect Right Whales

January 13, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces a new Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) East of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

On January 13, 2021, HDR aerial survey team detected the presence of right whales 24 nm East of Virginia Beach. The East of Virginia Beach Slow Zone is in effect through January 28, 2021.

Mariners, please go around this area or go slow (10 knots or less) inside this area where right whales have been detected. Slow Zone coordinates:

37 09 N
36 29 N
075 02 W
075 52 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here

Massachusetts postponing lobster closures to protect right whales

January 12, 2021 — We here at FishOn have been absent from these pages for the past couple Mondays. Slight case of mistaken identity. Fear not, we’ve escaped. Here’s hoping you didn’t pay the ransom.

First column of the new year, so we’re still finding our footing, staying within ourselves and letting the game come to us. It’s early and it’s a long year.

There, that pretty much encapsulates the product of virtually every Opening Day interview we ever did.

One thing we know we’ll be writing about in 2021 is the plight of the North Atlantic right whales, so let’s start with them.

The end of 2020 brought a flurry of proposed protective actions from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and NOAA Fisheries that will be batted around until final rules can be enacted.

In the Bay State, DMF, among other recommendations, has proposed closing all state waters to lobstering from February to May to coincide with the right whales’ annual migration and feeding along the Massachusetts coast.

It is set to present those recommendations to the Massachusetts Fisheries Advisory Commission on Jan. 28. That meeting initially was set for Jan. 7, but DMF was swamped with public comment to review, as seemingly every conservation group in the world except the Cross Street Irregulars weighed in.

Last Friday, DMF said the altered timeline means it won’t be able to “promulgate final regulations for Feb. 1, 2021.”

It now expects the new rules — including the closure — to go into effect between mid-February and early March.

“As a result only those waters within the Massachusetts restricted area will be closed to trap gear fishing on Feb. 1,” DMF said. “All other waters within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth will not be subject to a trap gear closure until a final rule is promulgated.”

Promulgate. Good word.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Public Information Sessions for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Proposed Rule Begin Tonight

January 12, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

We are proposing to amend the regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury to North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in northeast commercial lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fisheries to meet the goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.

To give the public an opportunity to learn about the proposed rule and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, we are holding 4 public information sessions. Everyone is welcome to attend and ask questions about the proposed rule.

See our summary fact sheet for more information on the proposed rule.

Please note, there will be an opportunity to provide comments at our public hearings in February. You may also provide comments online through the Regulations.gov comment portal. The comment due date is March 1, 2021.

Public Information Sessions

To sign up to attend, choose the link for the public information session you want to attend.

The information sessions run from 6:30-9 pm and are designed to orient participants to the documents and the review process, and to answer questions about what the proposed rule and DEIS contain. Public comments will only be accepted if time permits.

We will be opening the sessions at 6 pm for troubleshooting, so please log on early.

The sessions are focused on the proposed requirements for particular areas, though you may attend any session, and ask questions about any area.

If you are unable to attend, you may access a pre-recorded version of the slides to learn more about the rule.

Read the full release here

New Vessel Slow Zone Southeast of Atlantic City and Extended Slow Zone South of Martha’s Vineyard

January 12, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces a new Slow Zone (voluntary vessel speed restriction zone) southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey.  On January 9, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Atlantic City Buoy acoustically detected the presence of right whales 20nm southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. This new Slow Zone is in effect until January 24, 2021.

Also, on January 8, a New England Aquarium aerial survey team detected the presence of right whales south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. This slow zone is extended through January 23.

Mariners, please go around these areas or go slow (10 knots or less) inside this area where right whales have been detected.

The South of Martha’s Vineyard Slow Zone is in effect through January 23 for waters bounded by:

41 25 N
40 44 N
069 59 W
070 55 W

The Southeast of Atlantic City Slow Zone is in effect through January 24 for waters bounded by:
39 25 N
38 44 N
073 44 W
074 36 W

See the coordinates for all the slow zones currently in effect.

Read the full release here