WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) March 8, 2013 — Section on Atlantic scallops fails to credit SMAST surveys and industry contribution to fishery recovery
NOAA today released the 2011 edition of its annual economic report on the state of American fisheries, Fisheries Economics of the United States. The report comprises fishing and economic data obtained during the 2011 calendar year. Highlights of the report's findings for New England and the Mid-Atlantic are summarized below.
The report's discussion of the rebuilding of the scallop industry in the Northeast in the New England Overview (p. 51) implies that this success was the result of "an Emergency Action … enacted in December 1994, which closed three large fishing grounds on the Northeast Continental Shelf." Unfortunately, NOAA gives no credit to the contributions of multiple academic and industry groups that are responsible for the fishery’s current success.
Collective efforts from the Fisheries Survival Fund, New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), the University of Massachusetts School for Maine Science and Technology (SMAST), Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Coonemesset Farm all played a vital role in reshaping the once struggling scallop industry.
After implementing the 1994 closures, NOAA surveys did not use enough sample points to correctly assess scallop numbers. Fishermen claimed that there was an abundance of scallops in the Northeast closed areas, but, in 1997, the national stock assessment claimed the scallop population was low.
Evidence of the reported abundance came from Coonemesset Farm charter trips and surveys from VIMS and SMAST, which helped NEFMC and NOAA develop a better strategy. NOAA also fails to mention that in recent years assessments have been based on four survey sources.
One of the sources, SMAST, has been exceptionally valuable. In the 1990s, Dr. Brian Rothschild and Dr. Kevin Stokesbury, of SMAST, developed new video technology to survey the Georges Bank seabed. This research helped verify claims by fishermen that there was an abundance of scallops in the Northeast closed areas.
The contributions of SMAST to the scallop industry in New England are well documented. Commercial Fisheries News in July 2004 wrote: "[SMAST's scallop video footage] was instrumental in convincing the New England Fishery Management Council that scallopers should be allowed controlled access to the groundfish closed areas on Georges Bank…."
Since the 1997 surveys, new technology and management efforts from VIMS and Coonemesset Farm have also been essential to the scallop industry’s success. VIMS and Coonemesset Farm developed the gear modifications that prevented the closure of the fishery in the mid-Atlalntic due to sea turtle encounters, VIMS conducted the research that supported the changes in dredge ring size — which vastly improved fishing selectivity and efficiency– and VIMS and Coonemesset Farm collectively conducted research on modifications that reduce finfish bycatch.
The report continued: "Building on the success from the previous closure management system, Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP was implemented in 2004, which uses rotational area management." The report noted that since the adoption of Amendment 10 that "total landings have continued to increase" but did not acknowledge the industry's role, through the Fisheries Survival Fund, in the development of rotational area management.
Highlights: New England and the Mid-Atlantic
New England
– The commercial fishing industry supports 149,124 jobs in New England. Massachusetts employs the largest share of the industry in the region, with 98,358 employees.
– A total of 622 million pounds of fish, equaling $1.1 billion in landings revenue, were landed in New England in 2011. The largest species by revenue were American lobster ($419 million) and sea scallop ($353 million).
– The landings revenue for New England ($1.1 billion) this year was a 59% increase (11% increase in real terms) from 2002 ($696 million) and a 16% increase (6.8% increase in real terms) from 2010 ($958 million). Shellfish revenue from this year ($898 million) was an 83% increase (27% increase in real terms) from 2002 and a 17% increase (8% increase in real terms) from 2010.
– The 622 million pounds landed in 2011 was was a 5.7% increase from 2002 and a 7.7% increase from 2010, when landings were 578 million pounds. From 2010 to 2011, finfish landings increased 6.1%, and shellfish landings increased 10%. Overall, shellfish landings have increased 33% since 2002.
– NOAA currently lists 13 species in New England as overfished: Atlantic cod (two stocks), Atlantic halibut, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic wolffish, ocean pout, thorny skate, white hake, windowpane, winter flounder, witch flounder, and yellowtail flounder (two stocks).
– The agency also lists seven species as subject to overfishing: Atlantic cod (two stocks), haddock, white hake, windowpane, witch flounder, and yellowtail flounder.
Mid-Atlantic
– Fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic currently support 123,180 jobs. New Jersey employs the largest share of the industry in region, with 43,638 jobs.
– A total of 780 million pounds of finfish and shellfish, equaling $527 million in landings revenue, were landed in the Mid-Atlantic in 2011. The largest species by revenue were sea scallop ($227 million) and blue crab ($99 million).
– The landings revenue in the Mid-Atlantic ($527 million) was a 54% increase (6.9% increase in real terms) from 2002 levels ($342 million) and a 3.7% increase (4.4% decrease in real terms) from 2010 ($509 million).
– The 780 million pounds of fish landed in 2011 was an 11% increase from 2002 but a 3.4% decrease from 2010, when landing were 808 million pounds.
– No species in the Mid-Atlantic are currently subject to overfishing.
– Menhaden recorded the highest landings in the Mid-Atlantic, with 497 million pounds landed. Menhaden landings increased 26% from 2002.