HYANNIS, Mass. (Saving Seafood) — October 9, 2013 — On September 25, 2013, during the second day of the New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) full Council meeting, the NEFMC’s Groundfish and Scallop Committees discussed the use of modified fishing gear as a way of reducing groundfish bycatch within the groundfish and scallop fisheries, and voted to give NOAA’s Northeast Regional Administrator the authority to facilitate transboundary trades of groundfish quota between the United States and Canada. The measures discussed and voted on by the Groundfish Committee were selected for inclusion in Framework Adjustment 51 to the Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), while the Scallop Committee’s measures pertained to the Scallop FMP’s Framework 25 .
The Groundfish Committee was the first to convene on day two of the NEFMC’s September full Council meeting. While the Acceptable Biological Catches (ABC) recommended by the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) for white hake in 2014-2016 received unanimous support from the full Council, there was a great deal of debate surrounding Georges Bank yellowtail flounder catch limits.
The Council addressed a motion presented at the previous day’s full Council meeting, which asked that the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder in the 2014 Fishing Year (FY) be set at 400mt. Despite objections from members of the public and attempts by Council members to substitute the motion for a 425mt Georges Bank yellowtail flounder ABC, the 400mt TAC was carried by the Council with a vote of nine to seven. A motion was also passed stating that the Council will include in Framework 51 a zero retention policy for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder in the scallop fishery. This motion, which passed with a vote of ten to six, means that scallop fishermen cannot land any yellowtail flounder.
The Groundfish Committee set Annual Catch Limits (ACL) for Eastern Georges Bank haddock and Eastern Georges Bank cod and examined small-mesh Accountability Measures (AMs) for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder. The portion of the meeting on AMs included a great deal of discussion on the effectiveness of modifying fishing gear instead of closing additional areas to fishing.
The full Council also granted NOAA’s Northeast Regional Administrator John Bullard the authority to make transboundary trades of groundfish quota between the United States and Canada. However, any groundfish quota that is acquired by the U.S. through the trade must remain within the groundfish industry.
Audio clips from the NEFMC’s meeting follow:
Listen to Chris Brown, of the Rhode Island Commercial Fishermen’s Association, discuss how requiring gear modifications rather than fishing area closures could reduce small-mesh discards of yellowtail flounder.
Listen to Ron Smolowitz, of the Coonamessett Farm Foundation, promote the implementation of technical measures, such as gear modifications, as a way of reducing groundfish bycatch.
Listen to John Bullard, NOAA’s Northeast Regional Administrator, outline the AMs being reviewed by the Council and discuss the benefits of gear modifications in the small-mesh fishery.
Listen to Rich Canastra, of Buyers And Sellers Exchange (BASE) New England, voice his concern that the United States and Canada sharing agreement may be based on uncertain yellowtail flounder science.
Listen to John Bullard, NOAA’s Northeast Regional Administrator, support widespread gear modifications in the small-mesh fishery and stress the need to make them a required Accountability Measure.
Listen to Groundfish Committee member, Dr. David Pierce, discuss his lack of confidence in the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder stock assessment and the need for a Georges Bank yellowtail flounder TAC in 2014 which recognizes the scallop industry’s initiative and success in implementing an effective yellowtail bycatch avoidance program. Dr. Pierce also mentions the embarrassing lack of consensus between the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) during United States and Canada yellowtail flounder catch negotiations.
Listen to John Bullard, NOAA’s Northeast Regional Administrator, discuss the economic importance of the scallop industry and their success in developing a healthy and sustainable fishery.