Fishing Industry Alerts

It is with distinct sadness that we at Saving Seafood report that longtime House of Representatives staff member Dave Whaley has announced his retirement "due to a restructuring of the House Committee on Natural Resources."

December 16, 2014 –According to Dave's e-mail to friends and colleagues this evening, decisions regarding the new committee structure will be finalized once the new Congress is sworn in, but tentative plans are for all ocean-related issues to be folded into the current Water and Power Subcommittee.  The new Subcommittee will be the Water, Power and Oceans Subcommittee.   Questions about how the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization will be handled by the Committee should be directed to Todd Ungerecht, who will be staying on with the Committee as the Deputy Staff Director. 

Dave reports that his understanding is that Mr. Young will be taking the lead on the reauthorization in the 114th Congress.

The text of Dave's email follows:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is with mixed emotions that I want to let you know that as of January 3rd, due to a restructuring of the House Committee on Natural Resources, I will no longer be working for the Committee and will retire from the House of Representatives.

I have had the honor to work on Capitol Hill for more than 30 years and that would not have been possible without dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable bosses that have mentored me throughout my career – Bob Davis from Michigan, Jack Fields from Texas, Don Young from Alaska, Jim Hansen from Utah, Richard Pombo from California, and Doc Hastings from Washington (as well as a number of Subcommittee Chairman including Dr. John Fleming from Louisiana).   At a time when many Americans are frustrated with the Federal government and Congress in particular, I think it is important to point out that while Congress has its "showboats" and Members who are here for the wrong reasons, the vast majority of Members and Congressional staff are working hard to make things better for their constituents and for America.    With your help we have been able to accomplish a lot of positive things for fishermen, coastal communities, and the fishery resources they depend on.  Maybe more importantly, have also been able to prevent bad things from happening.  None of that would have been possible without your help, your advice, and your friendship.

There are just too many people who have helped me throughout my career and too many to thank in an email, but most importantly, I would not have stayed on Capitol Hill as long as I have without my subcommittee colleagues – Harry Burroughs and Bonnie Bruce.  We have been an efficient and close team for twenty years and they are not just colleagues, but family. 

I have been blessed with great bosses, tremendous colleagues, and many, many friends as a result of my time on Capitol Hill.  No matter what challenges life has in store for me in the future, you can rest assured that I will continue to keep an eye on and advocate for coastal communities and fishermen. 

Thank you again for your friendship.

At this point, decisions regarding the new committee structure will need to be finalized once the new Congress is sworn in, but tentative plans are for all ocean-related issues to be folded into the current Water and Power Subcommittee.  The new Subcommittee will be the Water, Power and Oceans Subcommittee.   For those of you with questions about how the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization will be handled by the Committee, please feel free to contact Todd Ungerecht, who will be staying on with the Committee as the Deputy Staff Director and many of you already know.  My understanding is that Mr. Young will be taking the lead on the reauthorization in the 114th Congress.

In sum, the recommendations will be an important step in constructing a more systematic, coordinated program for tackling IUU and seafood fraud domestically while also increasing our leadership role in this area internationally.

December 16, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, the Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud released its recommendations for establishing a comprehensive framework to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud. The recommendations are available on-line and open for a 30-day comment period, specifically seeking input and guidance on how to implement them. The comment period will begin on December 18, 2014, and close on January 20, 2015.

Based on robust input received during the public comment process, the Task Force developed 15 recommendations reflecting the need to level the playing field for legitimate fishermen and businesses in the seafood industry, support sustainability in our global fisheries, increase consumer confidence in the sustainability of seafood sold in the U.S., and maximize existing resources and authorities. The recommendations also recognize that–based on our reputation as a global leader in sustainable fisheries and seafood consumption–the U.S. has a responsibility to more effectively influence and enforce against practices that undermine the sustainability of our global ocean resources.

In sum, the recommendations will be an important step in constructing a more systematic, coordinated program for tackling IUU and seafood fraud domestically while also increasing our leadership role in this area internationally.

In brief, the recommendations will:

– Combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud at the international level;
 
– Strengthen enforcement and enhance enforcement tools to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud;
 
– Create and expand partnerships with state and local governments, industry, and non-governmental organizations to identify and eliminate seafood fraud and IUU seafood in U.S. commerce; and
 
– Establish a risk-based traceability program to track seafood from harvest to entry into U.S. commerce to prevent entry of illegal product into the supply chain and better inform retailers and consumers.

These recommendations will be open for a 30-day comment period beginning December 18, 2014, and closing January 20, 2015. We are specifically seeking suggestions and guidance on implementation of these recommendations. Based on the comments received, the Task Force will develop an action plan to be released in early 2015.

Read more from NOAA Fisheries online here

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) aren't sufficient to solve some of the most pressing issues affecting our oceans, despite our nation's recent enthusiasm for promoting them.

December 9, 2014 — The following is an excerpt from an op-ed, written by Dr. Ray Hilborn, Dr. Brian Rothschild, Dr. Steve Cadrin, and Thor Lassen, that was published online today by The Hill's Congress Blog.

Dr. Ray Hilborn is Professor of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences at the University of Washington and the author of Overfishing: What Everyone Needs to Know by Oxford University Press. Dr. Brian Rothschild is Dean Emeritus of the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology. Dr. Steve Cadrin is the immediate past President of the American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists. Thor Lassen is the founder and President of Ocean Trust.

Environmental sustainability was one of the top concerns at the mid-November Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing, as shown by the potentially groundbreaking climate agreement reached between the United States and China. The fate of the world's oceans, from issues ranging from climate change to overfishing, was also in the spotlight, being mentioned by Secretary of State John Kerry as one of many challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region. Unfortunately, the solutions we're focusing on are not enough to solve the problems that our marine environments face.

The APEC summit is the most recent instance in which the US has touted the expansion of marine preserves as a tonic for global overfishing, especially as climate change and ocean acidification threaten to radically alter our ocean ecosystems. This past September, the Administration created the largest marine reserve in the world when it expanded the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, moving this strategy to the forefront of our international ocean policy. Secretary Kerry hailed this development as "critical" at the summit, going on to note, "most of the fisheries of the world are overfished."

But Secretary Kerry gets some key facts wrong here. For one, most of the fisheries of the world are not overfished. In 2014, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) placed that number at 29 percent, and reported that approximately 70 percent of the stocks that they assessed were being fished within biologically sustainable levels. If the U.S. is going to promote sustainability worldwide, it should acknowledge current management successes.
And more importantly, these Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) aren't sufficient to solve some of the most pressing issues affecting our oceans, despite our nation's recent enthusiasm for promoting them.

MPAs are certainly very useful for certain conservation goals. They can protect vulnerable habitats like coral reefs as well as benefit some species of fish that make those habitats their home. But their widespread adoption presents several challenges and raises several concerns. The biggest issue is that-especially in the developing world-people still need to fish. It's a valuable source of employment, and an even more valuable source of protein. The FAO estimated that in 2011, 2.3 billion people relied on fish as a significant source of animal protein. A shift from seafood to other, land-based food sources like meat and agriculture may actually increase greenhouse emissions and pollution, making these threats to our oceans even worse.

Read the full opinion piece at The Hill

Writing that existing measures are both recent and without statistical and scientific analysis of their effects so far, the WPRFMC encourages the WCPFC to examine current management measures before enacting further restrictive regulations.

December 2, 2014 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

In a letter made public today, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) writes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries Russell Smith expressing opposition to proposed harvest cuts on Pacific bigeye tuna. New measures under consideration at a meeting this week of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), of which the United States is a member, would cut bigeye tuna harvests by 36 percent of average landings from 2008-2011.

Writing that existing measures are both recent and without statistical and scientific analysis of their effects so far, the WPRFMC encourages the WCPFC to examine current management measures before enacting further restrictive regulations. The letter, submitted on November 18, is also signed by the Hawaii Longline Association and American Tunaboat Association.

The WPRFMC is one of several fishery management councils in the United States tasked with ensuring the sustainable harvest of commercialized marine species. It was created in 1976 by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Current measures regulating the species (CMM 2013-01) require the rules to be examined annually for successes and possible shortcomings, but as the WPRFMC's letter notes, these measures have not yet been in place for even one year. The same existing measures also note that, "It is anticipated that significant new information will enable a further review in 2014." Without any formal inquiry of the results of current regulations, the WPRFMC objects to additional and substantially restrictive measures until the WCPFC establishes with certainty that current regulations are not working. According to the WPRFMC, it is not possible to reevaluate the CMM 2013-01 with respect to eliminating bigeye tuna overfishing as the scientific information for the basis of that reevaluation is not available.

The WPRFMC's letter makes clear the Council's opposition to additional WCPFC restrictions on U.S. tropical tuna fisheries until an evaluation of current measures under CMM 2013-13 have been conducted and analyzed. The WPRFMC notes that the Commission is unable to create meaningful regulations without full knowledge of the performance of CMM 2013-01.

Since its founding, the WPRFMC has successfully implemented groundbreaking innovations in fisheries management and conservation, including ecosystem-based fishery management plans and vessel monitoring systems. The WPRFMC emphasizes public participation and the involvement of local communities in science-based fisheries management.

Read the letter here

Just before the U.S. Senate took its Thanksgiving holiday recess, two bills were introduced to extend the exemption for commercial and sport-charter fishing vessels from incidental vessel discharge rules that is about to expire.

November 25, 2014 — The following was released by the West Coast Seafood Processors Association:

Just before the U.S. Senate took its Thanksgiving holiday recess, two bills were introduced to extend the exemption for commercial and sport-charter fishing vessels from incidental vessel discharge rules that is about to expire. By the end of the day today, 50 individuals and groups from around the country had come together to urge the Senate to take whatever action it could before Congress adjourns for the year.
 
In a letter to the 17 sponsors of the two bills (S. 2943 and S. 2963), a diverse group of fishermen, processors, and fisheries support businesses urged the Senators to "operate in a bi-partisan, cooperative spirit to resolve a problem that faces vessel owners and operators throughout the nation" and pass whichever bill can get through the end-of-session Congressional morass and be signed into law.
 
"We wanted to make the point that this is an urgent problem that transcends party politics, regional differences, and allocation battles," said Rod Moore, Executive Director of the West Coast Seafood Processors Association. "We have sport groups and commercial groups, trawlers and trollers, gillnetters and long-liners, fishermen and processors, big boats and small boats, all coming together in support of a common cause. We appreciate that there are different strategies being attempted in the Senate to meet our concerns and we are grateful for the attention being given to us. But the bottom line is that the issue needs to be addressed in the next couple of weeks."
 
Earlier this year, the U.S. House passed a permanent exemption by a bi-partisan vote as part of the U.S. Coast Guard authorization bill. Senate action has been stymied by issues unrelated to the fishing vessel exemption.
 
The following letter was sent to the 17 sponsors of the two bills (S. 2943 and S. 2963):

Honorable Barbara Boxer
Honorable Mark Begich
Honorable Maria Cantwell
Honorable Susan Collins
Honorable Edward Markley
Honorable Lisa Murkowski
Honorable Bill Nelson
Honorable David Vitter
Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse
Honorable Marco Rubio
Honorable Cory Booker
Honorable Benjamin Cardin
Honorable James Inhofe
Honorable Jeff Merkley
Honorable Patty Murray
Honorable Jack Reed
Honorable Elizabeth Warren 

U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510 

Dear Senators:
 
As members of the commercial and sport-charter fishing industries, many of us have been on record for several years seeking an exemption from Environmental Protection Agency regulations governing incidental discharges due to normal operations of commercial fishing vessels, regardless of the size of the vessel. Those regulations, which are scheduled to go into effect on December 19, 2014, can impose a significant burden on men and women working in U.S. waters.
 
We appreciate your introducing S. 2943 and S. 2963, bills which would exempt our vessels for an additional one year period (S. 2943) or permanently (S. 2963). Obviously, we would prefer a permanent exemption but knowing the difficulties inherent in passing legislation in the waning days of a Congressional session we would accept a one year exemption if that is the only option available.
 
At this point, we ask only that you operate in a bi-partisan, cooperative spirit to resolve a problem that faces vessel owners and operators throughout the nation and, if a simple extension is all that is feasible, that you not forget the importance of addressing this issue early on in the 114th Congress.
 
Sincerely,
 
Rod Moore, West Coast Seafood Processors Association
Kurt Englund, Englund Marine
Russell H. Hudson, Directed Sustainable Fisheries, Inc.
Dale Beasley, Columbia River Crab Fishermen's Association
Bob Jones, Southeastern Fisheries Association
Pete Leipzig, Fishermen's Marketing Association
Al Carter, Ocean Companies / Ocean Gold Seafood
Butch Smith, Ilwaco Charter Association
Mike Cornman, Westport Seafood Inc.
Mark Cedergreen, Westport Charterboat Association
Wayne Heikkila, Western Fishboat Owners Association
American Fishermen's Research Foundation
Kevin Dunn, F/V IRON LADY
Mike McCorkle, Southern California Trawlers Association
Travis Hunter, Hunters Offshore Enterprises
Jerry Schill, North Carolina Fisheries Association
Heather Mann, Midwater Trawlers Cooperative
Marion J. Larkin, Ocean Hunter Enterprises
Jim Gilmore, At-sea Processors Association
Hobe Kytr, Salmon For All
Kent & Irene Martin, F/V FLOOZIE
Brent Paine, United Catcher Boats
Diane Pleschner-Steele, California Wetfish Producers Association
Brian E. Allison, Puget Sound Crab Association
Joe Dazey, Washington Trollers Association
Brian Sheldon, Willapa-Grays Harbor Oyster Growers Association
Dan Waldeck, Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative
Rex Leach, F/V MS. JULIE
Sean Martin, Hawaii Longline Association
Paul Kujala, F/V CAPE WINDY
Natalie Webster, American Albacore Fishing Association
Bonnie Brady, Long Island Commercial Fishing Association
Brad Pettinger, Oregon Trawl Commission
Dennis Phelan, Pacific Seafood Processors Association
Nils Stolpe, Garden State Seafood Association
Point Conception Groundfishermen's Association
 South Bay Cable Fisheries Liaison Committee
Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara
Terri Beideman, Blue Water Fishermen's Association
Mark Worley & Lisa Newland, F/V GOLDEN CHALICE
Mark Gleason, Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers
John Connelly, National Fisheries Institute
Giuseppe Pennisi, F/V PIONEER
Jerry Sansom, Organized Fishermen of Florida
Bill Kelly, Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association
Ray Toste, Washington Dungeness Crab Fishermen's Association
Bob Alverson, Fishing Vessel Owners Association
Scott McMullen, Bandon Submarine Cable Council
Ken Franke, Sportfishing Association of California
Chad See, Freezer Longline Coalition

WASHINGTON (Menhaden Fisheries Coalition) — The following was released by the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition:

New commendations and a report from the top U.S. agency overseeing commercial fisheries show the commercial menhaden industry to be operating sustainably and in support of some of the nation's biggest fishing ports. With the release of their annual Fisheries of the United States report last month, NOAA revealed that in 2013 five of the nation's top ten fishing ports are primarily supported by commercial menhaden fisheries. Friend of the Sea also recently recertified the Gulf menhaden fishery as sustainable, a title also currently held by the Atlantic menhaden fishery. Friend of the Sea is an international sustainability certification program dedicated to the conservation of marine resources.

Menhaden are a key source of omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients shown to be essential for regular and healthy body functions and growth in both humans and animals. Omega-3s also help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of serious, prevalent chronic diseases such as heart disease. The American diet typically does not include enough omega-3s, and humans and pets alike obtain omega-3s exclusively from dietary, not internal, sources. Foods enriched with menhaden oils containing omega-3s can fill that nutritional gap.

The two key types of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are almost exclusively derived from marine sources. Of the top landed fish species in the United States, menhaden provided by far the most EPA and DHA. 2013 menhaden landings provided nearly 34 million pounds of EPA and DHA, more than twice as much as supplied by the second best source. Salmon harvests provided about 15.4 million pounds of the nutrients. According to a recent report by the USDA , fish oil from menhaden is also the top source of DPA, surpassing all other fish and meat. DPA is an intermediary of EPA and DHA, and several studies suggest that DPA contributes to cardiovascular, cognitive, and neurological health.

  Infographic: Menhaden is the top source of omega-3s from US commercial fish landings

The recent achievements of both the Atlantic and Gulf menhaden fisheries reflect a strong commitment by this industry to serving local communities and consumers nationwide through sustainable operations, local investments, and high quality nutritive products.

About the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition
The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition is a collective of menhaden fishermen, related businesses, and supporting industries. Comprised of over 30 businesses along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition conducts media and public outreach on behalf of the menhaden industry to ensure that members of the public, media, and government are informed of important issues, events, and facts about the fishery.

View a table of EPA and DHA omega-3 content of major U.S. domestic species groups

BOSTON — "My continued concern about this is there's only one source of truth," Baker said Tuesday. "And it's NOAA. There is no other source of truth."

Questioning the federal estimates used to essentially ban commercial cod fishing in the Gulf of Maine, Governor-elect Charlie Baker said it is time for other scientists to have a say.

Baker and Senate minority leader Bruce Tarr, who represents Gloucester, said Massachusetts must do its own analysis of what is happening with the cod population in the waters off its shores instead of relying solely on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"My continued concern about this is there's only one source of truth," Baker said Tuesday. "And it's NOAA. There is no other source of truth."

The state must tap into such brain trusts as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, MIT, and marine fisheries on Cape Cod, Baker said.

"And if it turns out that NOAA's right, then NOAA's right," he said.

NOAA said this week that the new restrictions, which expand the areas where commercial cod fishing is already banned, are necessary to halt dramatic declines in the region's iconic species.

Baker and Tarr had an "intense" discussion on Monday about how the federal ban will affect one of the state's oldest industries and plan to continue the conversation, both men said.

"We need a multifaceted approach here," Tarr said Tuesday. "We need to understand the science better. We need to have a much better grasp of what's going on, but right now we're facing an immediate crisis."

Tarr said the first step is exploring "every possibility of financial assistance for folks who aren't going to be able to catch fish."

The second, he said, is to "explore every option for regulatory flexibility."

Read the full story at the Boston Globe

The latest science tells us that Gulf of Maine haddock stock condition has improved.  The stock is abundant. However, this good news is tempered by the bleak news about Gulf of Maine cod.

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (NOAA Fisheries) — November 10, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The latest science tells us that Gulf of Maine haddock stock condition has improved.  The stock is abundant. However, this good news is tempered by the bleak news about Gulf of Maine cod.  Stock abundance is just 3-4 percent of levels deemed sustainable — the lowest levels in the 40 years that we have been monitoring this fish stock.

Based on this new science, the New England Fishery Management Council requested that NOAA Fisheries implement immediate, short-term management measures in the 2014 fishing year for the groundfish fishery.

Through the measures announced today, we are attempting to help halt the continued decline of cod in the hopes that it may rebuild to support viable fisheries in the future. At the same time, to provide some fishing opportunity on abundant groundfish stocks in the near term, we are increasing the Gulf of Maine haddock quota.

Given the breadth of the measures necessary to protect cod, the benefits to the industry from the haddock quota increase are certainly not going to be as significant as we would like to see.  However, we are trying to find ways to keep fishermen on the water and the businesses that support them operating while taking meaningful steps forward to protect cod.

We intend to work closely with council members, in the coming months, as they develop management measures for the 2015-fishing year, which begins on May 1.  It is important that the council measures build on the efforts that we are undertaking now if we are to end overfishing and encourage cod stock rebuilding.  At the same time, we want to continue to help the industry capitalize on new opportunities to catch abundant groundfish and other fish stocks. 

Read more about these Gulf of Maine cod and haddock measures:

– Statement by John Bullard, Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries
– Gulf of Maine Haddock Emergency Management Measures
– Gulf of Maine Cod Interim Management Measures
– Questions & Answers
– Gulf of Maine Haddock Stock Assessment (2014)
– Gulf of Maine Cod Stock Assessment (2014)

The latest findings from NOAA's Fisheries of the U.S. report highlight the menhaden industry’s contributions to port communities along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

October 29, 2014 — The following was released by the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition:

The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition is pleased to note that five of the nation’s top ten ports are largely supported by the commercial menhaden fishery, according to NOAA's latest Fisheries of the United States report, released today. In Reedville, Va., Empire-Venice, La., Intracoastal City, La., Cameron, La., and Pascagoula-Moss Point, Ms., local economies are benefitting from the menhaden fishery. Those in the Gulf also made recent headlines as the subject of praise for the menhaden fishery’s sustainable operations.

The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition is a collective of more than 30 coastal menhaden businesses and supporting industries representing menhaden fisherman along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

Montgomery Diehl, Senior Director of Fishing Plant Operations at Omega Protein Corporation, which produces fish meal and fish oil derived from menhaden harvested in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, remarked, “We’re proud that our contributions to these port communities through fishing support job creation for local economies. These communities help our business prosper, and we’re committed to their success as well, through continued economic contributions and community service."

Daybrook Fisheries, based in Louisiana with commercial menhaden operations exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico, shared similar sentiments. "This latest data further highlights the important role the Gulf menhaden industry plays not only in the Gulf states, but also in the United States as a healthy, well-managed and sustainable fishery," said Borden Wallace, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Daybrook Fisheries.

Menhaden is a primary source of omega-3 fatty acids, with the most DPA omega-3 fatty acids of any other fish oil. Omega-3 supplements derived from menhaden in the form of fish meal and fish oil help fill the nutritional gap in healthy fatty acids that is prevalent among Americans, reducing the risk of heart disease and many other illnesses.

About Omega Protein Corporation 

Omega Protein Corporation (NYSE:OME) is a century old nutritional company that develops, produces and delivers healthy products throughout the world to improve the nutritional integrity of functional foods, dietary supplements and animal feeds. Omega Protein’s mission is to help people lead healthier lives with better nutrition through sustainably sourced ingredients such as highly-refined omega-3 rich fish oil, specialty proteins and nutraceuticals.

About Daybrook Fisheries, Inc.
One of the first U.S. fisheries companies to adopt a Responsible Fisheries Implementation Plan, Daybrook Fisheries has made responsible, sustainable fishing practices a key component of its business plan. The company actively participates in all state and federal management programs and is an Ocean Trust partner. Daybrook Fisheries’ manufacturing facility is certified by Global Trust as an International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organization-Responsible Supplier (IFFO-RS).

About the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition 

The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition is a collective of menhaden fisherman, related businesses, and supporting industries. Comprised of over 30 businesses along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition conducts media and public outreach on behalf of the menhaden industry to ensure that members of the public, media, and government are informed of important issues, events, and facts about the fishery.