Alerts

NOAA announced interim fishing measures they describe as protecting "the Northeast groundfish stocks most in trouble, while still allowing the fishing industry to target some healthy stocks as the fishery rebuilds."

According to NOAA the new measures will:

Continue to allow commercial fishermen to target healthy stocks such as haddock on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine.  For hook gear fishermen, expand the size of the area where they have special access to haddock and lengthen the fishing period in it from three months (October to December) to nine months (May to January). Decrease minimum legal size for haddock by one inch, allowing more fish caught to be landed. Give businesses more flexibility by allowing roll-over of unused bycatch allocations during the first three quarters of the fishing year, and freer transfer of groundfish permits and leasing of days-at-sea. Enlarge the fishing area in southern New England waters where each fishing day-at-sea is counted as two days against an individual vessel’s total days-at-sea allotment to give greater protection to winter flounder, the stock most in need of protection. Prohibit vessels from keeping southern New England winter flounder, northern windowpane flounder, and ocean pout. Limit witch flounder landings to 1,000 pounds per day-at-sea, or up to 5,000 pounds per trip. Read the complete NOAA press release. 

NOAA Chief Jane Lubchenco described the Interim Rule as her personal "No. 1 priority" adding, "We have made no decision yet."  She promised to put her personal stamp on the final draft.

"We are going to be moving relatively rapidly," Lubchenco said in a telephone interview with the Gloucester Times last evening after she held separate hour-long meetings with fishing interests and afterward environmental groups.

Two members of the New England Fishery Management Council, who met with Lubchenco yesterday, described her as open-minded and curious.

Fisherman Jim Odlin of Portland, Maine, described the meeting as a "learning session. The group that was there pointed out … the unintended consequences … a devastating effect on the economy."

"It was very impressive that she got into the process as early as this," said Rip Cunningham of Dover, editor and publisher of Salt Water Sportsman Magazine.

Vito Giacalone, a Gloucester fishing business owner, acknowledged expert on New England groundfishing, and critic of federal policies was one of six industry representatives who met privately with Lubchenco.

"I’m in the process of listening and fact-finding," she said. "I have a lot of input from NOAA fisheries. It’s important for me to listen to other voices out there"

Dr. Lubchenco is meeting with Senators and Members of Congress this afternoon regarding the Interim Rule Read the complete story in the Gloucester Daily Times: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_082221430.html?keyword=topstory

Although the nomination has passed committee review, it remains important to express your views to elected officials, especially U.S. Senators.

Two weeks ago, the Washington Post reported that a Senator had put a hold on the confirmation of Jane Lubchenco for the post of NOAA Administrator, and John Holdren as White House Science Advisor.  Previously the Post had referred to these as "Easy Nominations".  Later in the week Congressional Quarterly reported that multiple Senators had placed holds.

Following that, some in scientific circles and many in the environmental community organized to express outrage, urging their colleagues to contact Senators to demand that the holds be lifted. On Tuesday of last week, Richard Gaines of the Gloucester Daily Times reported that the "so-called ‘closed-area model’ — proposed by NMFS’ regional administrator Patricia Kurkul last September despite a 15-1 vote against it by the advisory New England Fisheries Management Council with Kurkul as lone dissenter — is an approach that Oregon State University marine biologist Jane Lubchenco… has favored in her academic writings." Earlier, Mr. Gaines reported that "many in the industry hold concerns about her high-profile association with the Pew Charitable Trusts, which use a formidable budget to advance an aggressive environmental agenda that often targets alleged ‘overfishing.’"

Late last week the nomination cleared the committee. 

With this nomination in the spotlight, the time is right to express your views to elected officials, particularly members of the United States Senate. Links to newspaper articles regarding the concerns of eastern fisheries pertaining to the nomination, the Senate holds, and video of Dr. Lubchenco’s confirmation hearing are available at the SavingSeafood.org website. SavingSeaFood – NOAA Nominee Jane Lubchenco "On Hold" in Senate Please contact your elected officials to express your thoughts regarding Dr. Lubchenco’s nomination, confirmation hearing statements, and professional ties. Please forward this information to your colleagues, suppliers, and customers in other states, and ask them to contact their elected officials as well.

Nineteen Massachusetts state legislators accuse NMFS and NOAA enforcement of "overzealous and heavy-handed actions" and ask for an investigation. Nineteen Massachusetts state legislators — including the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate — wrote to Senators Kennedy and Kerry and Congressmen Tierney, Delahunt, and Frank to express their "frustration and disappointment" with the Enforcement Division of NOAA and NMFS.

 

They accuse NMFS and NOAA enforcement of  "overzealous and heavy-handed actions" and ask for an investigation of enforcement practices by the U.S. Inspector general.

They state that although the industry has offered to work with NMFS, instead NMFS demeans and harasses the industry.  They observed that NMFS and NOAA enforcement have become greater threats to the industry than regulation or the state of the fishery.

They observed that statues, which allow NMFS and NOAA to retain collected fines, encourage this behavior, and that rules of administrative procedure allow "for prosecutorial presumptions that do not ensure a fair and impartial hearing."

They expressed concern about:

 – Overzealous and intimidating enforcement practices;

– Vindictive behavior;

– Coercion to forfeit trips before charges are issued;

– Fishermen urged not to seek legal counsel;

– Fishermen charged with obstruction of justice when they seek legal counsel;

– Fishermen informed that their cases would become more difficult if they seek legal counsel;

– High fines without the justification of clear intended infractions.

 

If you have experienced any of the behaviors cited by the legislators please contact us.

Please contact your elected officials to express your thoughts on the accusations and the request of these Massachusetts legislators.

Please forward this information to your colleagues, suppliers, and customers in other states, and ask them to contact their elected officials as well.

 Additional information, a copy of the letter, and a link to help you find contact information for all of your elected officials is available on the SavingSeafood.org website at https://www.savingseafood.org/state-capitals/lawmakers-urge-feds-look-at-nmfs-representatives-of-fishing-ports-question-enforcement-ac-4.html

 

NMFS ordered to file report after the New England Fishery Management Council’s April recommendations.

Noting that the National Marine Fisheries Service and the New England Fishery Management Council disagree as to the applicability of the Mixed-Stock Exception, Judge Edward Harrington has extended the suspension of Framework 42’s 2:1 Days at Sea counting provisions for 14 additional days until April 10th.

Judge Harrington stated that the Council plays an integral role in passing and amending fisheries regulations, and this extension will allow the NMFS to  to “seriously consider and analyze” the Mixed-Stock Exception.The judge observed that at the February meeting the Council passed a motion disagreeing with NMFS’ viewpoint “that the Mixed-Stock Exception cannot be applied” to Framework 42.  He also noted that the Council has not had an opportunity to review the NMFS’ Revised Report and ordered that on April 10, 2009, the NMFS shall file a report with the court after considering the Council’s April Meeting findings. 

For more on this story:https://www.savingseafood.org/management-regulation/double-counting-of-days-at-sea-suspended-another-two-2.html

Federal Judge Harrington ruling:  2:1 DAS counting suspended for 38 days; Deadine for DAS leasing is extended for 30 days

Read the Gloucester Daily Times story in full

View the official court ruling issued by Judge Harrington [PDF]

Read the State of Massachusetts’ motion on which Judge Harrington ruled [PDF]

 

Members of the New England Fisheries Management Council voted federal regulators regarding ground fish regulations.

The regional council that sets fishery policy sided with a federal judge yesterday, asserting that Congress did not expect or want the industry brought to its knees in an effort to nurture back to health the weakest stock in the polyglot groundfish system.  More>

 

Fishing managers will tackle a host of groundfishing regulatory issues when the New England Fishery Management Council meets today in Portsmouth, N.H.

Industry members anticipate a lively debate over proposed changes in fishing policy, which have left fishermen scratching their heads.

Topping the agenda is a discussion of strict groundfishing measures proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service as a temporary fix designed to meet federal requirements to end overfishing and rebuild depleted stocks of yellowtail flounder and other groundfish. Both fishermen and environmentalists oppose the rules, saying they will cripple the already beleaguered groundfishing industry while failing to rebuild fish stocks to sustainable levels.

Read the Standard-Times story in full

 

The New England Fishery Management Council today opens a three-day meeting in the home state of Sen. Gregg Judd, nominated to be the next cabinet secretary for fisheries, with this region's fishery in a state of hyper uncertainty.

Over the past month, unsettling events seemed to pile up like waves in a squall.

Between the regulators in the National Marine Fisheries Service and the regulated fishing interests, the normal chasm of mistrust has become an abyss.

Read the Gloucester Daily Times story in full

View the New England Fishery Management Council's current and upcoming events

 

Six New England senators’ efforts to affix a $156.4 million rescue plan for the groundfish industry to the near $900 billion economic stimulus and recovery plan in the U.S. Senate apparently failed some time ago.

An aide to Senator Kennedy told the Gloucester Daily Times "the request was not accepted into the recovery package." She declined to describe the circumstances that brought about the demise of the effort, except to say that "nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. Read the complete story>