Fishing Industry Alerts

While the Conservation Law Foundation is correctly worried about the status of the critically endangered right whale, it's unlikely that the modifications to the closed areas recommended under Framework 48 will negatively impact right whales or other marine mammals.

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — May 9, 2013 — Marine mammals are among the many species that merit consideration in the debate over modifying fishing area closures in Georges Bank. While the Conservation Law Foundation's article ("Wrong Move for Right Whales", 4/16) is correctly worried about the status of the critically endangered right whale, it's unlikely that the modifications to the closed areas recommended under Framework 48 will negatively impact right whales or other marine mammals.

The bottom trawlers that stand to benefit from Framework 48 are not themselves a significant threat to right whales. They do not disturb right whale habitats, and do not interfere with the whales' food sources. Trawlers will not be in direct contact with right whales in much of the area covered by Framework 48, as most right whale sightings have occurred in areas outside of the closures or in areas closed for habitat protection. These habitat areas are not under consideration for updating in this proposal.

Trawling gear also has limited contact with the whales, as most of the gear operates on the ocean bottom. The largest fishing-related threat to right whales comes from gillnets and other fixed gear, like lobster traps, that are placed vertically in the water column and therefore positioned in such a way that whales are much more likely to encounter them.

There is little concrete evidence that the proposed changes to the closed areas would actually harm right whales: "These analyses are almost always qualitative. It's very difficult to come up with any definitive answers," said Pat Fiorelli, a spokesperson for the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC).

Maggie Mooney-Seus, Communications Officer at NOAA's Northeast Regional Office in Gloucester, Massachusetts, also emphasized that NOAA maintains ultimate control over protecting marine mammals. The closures are not open on an unlimited basis: the sectors in which the groundfish fishery is currently organized will need to apply for exemptions in order to enter them. So rather than a blanket opening, access to the sectors will be managed on a case-by-case basis, with NOAA evaluating the environmental effects of each individual exemption application. This still provides a mechanism for NOAA Fisheries to control right whale mortality in the closures, as they can restrict access based on the environmental impact of the exemptions or the number of right whale takes, an interaction resulting in injury or death, that occur.

Because of these possibilities, the NEFMC concluded in Framework 48 that "the management actions proposed are consistent with the provisions of the MMPA [Marine Mammal Protection Act]" and that "the measures will not alter the effectiveness of existing MMPA measures, such as take reduction plans, to protect those species based on overall reductions in fishing effort that have been implemented through the [Fishery Management Plan]."

Read the Conservation Law Foundation story "Wrong Move for Right Whales"

 

 

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — NOAA approved Framework 48, a proposal to modify mortality closures off the coast of New England. Allegations from environmental groups suggested that this would endanger marine mammals, particularly right whales. 

In her online article, "Reopening New England's Closed Fishing Areas Would Be Bad For Mammals, Too," the Blue Ocean Institute's Elizabeth Brown echoes these claims, stating: "We need to fully evaluate these effects before any areas are reopened." But Framework 48 will not simply "open" these closures. The proposal only allows fishing sectors the ability to apply for access to these areas, after which, NOAA will weigh their requests against any possible environmental impacts.

In arguing that the closed area updates will endanger right whales, Ms. Brown makes several statements that are misleading, and some that are historically inaccurate.

MYTH: "[Managers] closed these areas to help rebuild depleted fish populations of commercially important species…"

Ms. Brown conflates mortality closures, which are under review for modification through Framework 48, with habitat closures, which will not be affected. Habitat closures were designated because of their value or unique habitat features that can protect fish populations. Mortality closures, on the other hand, are part of a system of fisheries management replaced two years ago that limited catch sizes by determining when, where and with what gear fishermen could operate. NOAA has acknowledged that in light of new management, these closures, which are geographically arbitrary and do not protect important fish habitat, are now outdated.

MYTH: "New England closed areas protect marine mammal habitats and provide them year-round protection from fishing"

Mortality closures were not designed to protect important habitat areas or provide any marine mammal protections. They are comprised mostly of sandy, gravelly areas of the seabed that are highly affected by currents and inhospitable to many marine species.  Furthermore, these areas are not entirely closed to fishing. Many gear types — including dredge gear, longlines, gill nets and mid-level trawls — can already access these mortality closures. Habitat closures, which will not be modified under Framework 48, are the only closures that prohibit all fishing year-round. Seasonal marine mammal closures will also remain in effect.

MYTH: "Without these protected areas, fishing entanglements of marine mammals would likely occur more often"

There is little evidence that the proposed changes will have any effect on marine mammals. "These analyses are almost always qualitative. It's very difficult to come up with any definitive answers," said Pat Fiorelli, spokesperson for the NEFMC.

Marine mammals, including right whales, are most susceptible to entanglement by mid-level trawls and fixed gear fishing equipment like drift nets and gill nets. These gear types already have access to the mortality closure areas. Commercial groundfishermen, who primarily use bottom trawl gear, pose little added threat to mammal species by gaining access to mortality areas.

Moreover, when vessels apply for access, NOAA will evaluate each proposal individually to determine any potential risks to marine mammals. Managers have an understandably strong interest in protecting these species and will take precautions to ensure that any changes in management will not harm marine mammals or endangered species populations. 

MYTH: "Sightings of this [right whale] species show it often concentrates within several of New England's closed areas."

The map that Ms. Brown includes in her story fails to distinguish between mortality closures and habitat closures. The illustration implies that all of the encircled areas will be modified. But many concentrated right whale sightings lay within the habitat closures that will not be altered. In fact, the largest areas being considered by Framework 48 experienced very few whale sightings.
                   
MYTH: "[Managers are considering Framework 48 to] give New England fishermen the opportunity to catch more fish and make up for the current lack of fish in the open fishing areas."

This statement is misleading. While the proposed changes will improve fishing capabilities, they also will correct redundant management efforts that strain the marine environment. Framework 48 enables fishermen to catch their quotas more easily by modifying the mortality closures that decrease fishing efficiency. This will allow fishermen to catch the same set amount of fish with less fishing effort — which means less stress on the marine environment. This is a win, not just for fishermen, but for habitat as well.

By asking: "Is catching a few more fish really worth that risk?" Ms. Brown misdirects attention from the current economic crisis in the New England groundfish fishery. This is not a struggle over "a few more fish." Fishermen are only allocated a set quota of groundfish, a quantity deemed sustainable by managers, which will not change under Framework 48. By helping fishermen reach that with less fishing effort, managers are offering some much-needed relief to fishing families, as well as reducing any affects of gear on the marine environment. Fishermen and fishing communities already face severe economic uncertainty — and the situation is only expected to worsen with the allocation cuts that went into effect earlier this month. 

Concerns for marine mammals and endangered species permeate all aspects of fisheries management. Regulations are in place to protect these species against human harm, and the suggestion that managers are neglecting to consider marine mammals is unfounded. The NEFMC is legally mandated to decrease long-term adverse fishing impacts. To mitigate any unforeseen environmental harms, NOAA will require sectors to apply and gain approval for access, seasonal closures will remain intact, and NOAA will retain the right to revoke access to these areas. NOAA is also considering mandatory monitoring on all fishing vessels inside of the mortality closures. These measures will help ensure that as management moves forward, marine mammals remain protected.

Read the Blue Ocean's Institute's blog post here

Read the Saving Seafood analysis here

Work Cited

Department of Commerce "Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 48; Proposed Rule," Federal Register, March 25, 2013

Harris, Bradley; Stokesbury, Kevin, "The Spacial Structure of Local Surficial Sediment Characteristics on Georges Bank, USA," Continental Shelf Research, Volume 30, Issue 17, October 15, 2010, p.1840-1853
 
Johnson, Amanda; Salvador, Glenn; Kenney, John; et al.,"Fishing Gear Involved in Entanglements of Right and Humpback Whales," Society for Marine Mammalogy, 2005
 
New England Fishery Management Council, "The Swept Area Seabed Impact (SASI) Model: A Tool For Analyzing The Effects of Fishing On Essential Fish Habitat ," January 21, 2011
 
NOAA NERO, "NOAA Fisheries announces catch limits for 2013-2014 Northeast groundfish stocks; remains committed to mitigating effects on New England fishermen," April 30, 2013
 
For more information

Saving Seafood has analyzed similar claims emerging from the Conservation Law Foundation in recent days. For more information on this topic see:

Analysis of the Conservation Law Foundation's Top Ten Reasons to Protect New England's Closed Areas

 

The paper "A Case for Precautionary Management of Forage Fish" presented by Pew’s Peter Baker at the Managing Our Nation’s Fisheries Conference on May 8, is based on several assumptions about “forage fish” and predator species that are unproven.

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — May 8, 2013 — These unproven assumptions, as well as a lack of peer-review of the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force that the paper extensively cites, should raise significant questions and engender in-depth review before its recommendations become standard practice in fisheries management. 

The paper’s recommendations are based around the assumption that “forage fish” is a legitimate and useful categorization of species to be used in fisheries management, and that the various “forage species” can be managed under the same broad guidelines. Specifically, the paper recommends implementing restrictions intended to leave forage species biomass at 75 percent of unfished levels. The paper argues that adopting this conservative management strategy will lead to an increase in the amount of forage available and will benefit predator species.

However, these species have a variety of biological differences, and don’t have much in common outside of their common role in the marine food web. These significant differences–including fecundity, spawning periods, migration, predator-prey relationships, and habitat–are much more relevant variables for fisheries management than a shared trophic role.

It is more likely that different forage species will respond in different ways to management measures. For example, one of the species mentioned in the report, Atlantic herring, has lower levels of fecundity when the stock biomass is high. Another species mentioned, Atlantic menhaden, has historically shown a poor correlation between harvest levels and biomass. Some of the peak years in menhaden biomass, particularly in the early 1980s, followed years of heavy fishing. The paper’s recommendations do not factor in these differences.

The paper’s economic analysis also rests on unproven assumptions about predator species. In asserting that “forage fish” are more valuable if left in the water than if caught, the paper assumes both that all of these fish species left in the water will be consumed by predator species, and that predator species are currently constrained by a lack of forage. For the paper’s assumptions to be correct, the current state of predator species in its analysis would need to be such that they were prevented from growing due to a lack of adequate forage. The report does not provide evidence that this is the case.

And this is simply not true for several predator species. Some, like weakfish, are currently overfished, and an increase in available forage would not be an effective solution to problems facing the stock. Other species, like striped bass, have not historically been abundant at the same time as their forage. Bass are known to have an inverse relationship with one of its primary forage species, menhaden: during periods where striped bass are abundant, menhaden are not, and when menhaden are abundant, striped bass are not. Recent research from Maryland’s Oxford Cooperative Lab suggests that menhaden and striped bass are both affected by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, a climate pattern of alternating warm and cold ocean temperatures in the North Atlantic. The climate conditions that favor menhaden do not favor striped bass, and conditions that allow for a relative abundance of one species contribute to a relative scarcity of the other.

An increase in forage is also not automatically beneficial to predators, and an increase in predator species is not the only possible outcome. There are instances where a larger amount of forage may have negative influences on predator stocks. For example, an overabundance of Atlantic herring – which feed on cod eggs and plankton — may negatively impact cod reproduction and attempts to rebuild cod stocks. This increase in cod egg predation by herring would exist even as an increase in herring would provide more abundant forage to adult cod.

Regulations are constantly evolving to incorporate new science and research to better manage stocks. Where information is available, managers are involving ecosystem interactions in species regulations. Several stocks, including menhaden and Atlantic herring, are currently managed to account for the needs of predators. Considerations like natural mortality and predation are among the factors that are considered when setting catch limits. These steps are currently being taken under single species management to better account for the needs of the ecosystem.

Read a PDF version of A Case for Precautionary Management of Forage Fish

Works Cited

Collie, Jeremy; Minto, Coilin; Worm, Boris; Bell, Richard, "Predation on Prerecruits Can Delay Rebuilding of Depleted Cod Stocks", Bulletin of Marine Science, vol. 89 No. 0, 2013

Kelly, Kevin H.; Stevenson, David K., "Fecundity of Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus), from Three Spawning Areas in the Western Gulf of Maine, 1969 and 1982", Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science, vol. 6, 1985

Martino, Edward J.; Houde, Edward; Wood, Robert; Zhang, Xinsheng, "Disentangling causes of striped bass recruitment variability in Chesapeake Bay: forecasting year-class strength", University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and NOAA Cooperative Oxford Laboratory

 

The hallmark of the scallop fishery is extensive cooperative research conducted with fishermen and by scientists from both agency and independent universities and institutes.

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — May 8, 2013 — Today NOAA is announcing Atlantic sea scallop measures for 2013 that include tighter measures supported by the industry. The hallmark of the scallop fishery is extensive cooperative research conducted with fishermen and by scientists from both agency and independent universities and institutes. Unlike in many other northeastern fisheries, the industry has faith in this science, and is supportive of NOAA's regulations.

NOAA is approving new measures for the scallop fishery for the 2013 fishing year, including revised catch limits, adjustments to the time of year when scallop fishermen can fish in the Georges Bank scallop access areas, continuation of the current closures of the Elephant Trunk and Delmarva Access Areas to protect young scallops, refinements to the scallop fishery yellowtail flounder accountability measures, adjustments to the industry-funded observer program, and other changes that provide more flexibility for fishermen in the individual fishing quota program to transfer unused quota among vessels.

The scallop industry continues to support measures to protect young scallops and maximize future fishing potential. This will result in reduced quotas for 2013 and 2014 and the continued closure of two special access areas in the Mid-Atlantic.

Read the notice in the Federal Register

 

The meeting will address, among other things, the September 2013 expiration of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, potential improvements, and innovative solutions.

May 3, 2013 — Congressman Bill Keating and New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell are inviting you to participate in a joint meeting of the Federal Fishing Advisory Board and the Mayor's Ocean and Fisheries Council. The meeting will take place on Monday, May 13, 2013, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

The meeting will address, among other things, the September 2013 expiration of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, potential improvements, and innovative solutions.  It is important to the Congressman and Mayor that you, the fishery stakeholders, have the opportunity to provide input into this process.  The text of the letter from Congressman Keating and Mayor Mitchell follows:
 
May 2, 2013

Thank you for your continued participation as an active Member of the Federal Fishing Advisory Board and/or the Mayor's Ocean and Fisheries Council. As key stakeholders in Massachusetts' marine and fishing communities, we have found your knowledge and expertise to be invaluable in keeping up to speed on issues of concern to the industry.

On Monday, we stood before many of you at a rally at the Boston Fish Pier with members of Congress and state and local officials to once again highlight the devastating impact of the expected cuts to groundfish quota for the 2013 fishing year. Together, we pledged our continued support for the Massachusetts fishing industry.

The reality before us, as we discussed in detail at the most recent meeting of the Federal Fishing Advisory Board and as we again highlighted at Monday's rally, is that a "perfect storm" of external
factors has put the livelihoods of this historic industry at risk of extinction. What the industry needs now are creative solutions to a complex crisis.

Thus, we would like to invite you to attend a joint meeting of the Federal Fishing Advisory Board and the Mayor's Ocean and Fisheries Council, to discuss the upcoming expiration of the Magnuson-Stevens Act at the end of September and room for improvement. As key stakeholders in Massachusetts' marine and fishing communities, we look forward to hearing your insight regarding existing discrepancies in federal fisheries management.

Date: May 13, 2013
Time: 1:00-3:00PM
Location: New Bedford Whaling Museum
RSVP: Brian Rothschild- brothschild@umassd.edu

Again, we thank you for your continued participation and we hope to see you at the meeting on May 13. Sincerely,

William R. Keating
Member of Congress

Jon Mitchell
Mayor of New Bedford

Read a PDF of the letter announcing the meeting from Congressman William Keating and New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell 

 

Vito Giacalone from the Northeast Seafood Coalition and Tom Dempsey from the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fisherman's Association sat down to discuss the recent groundfish allocation cuts.

Vito Giacalone explained how stricter regulations have made it difficult for fishermen to get re-permitted to abundant stocks.
 
"What's happened over 20 years is people have become specialized in the permitting process," said Giacalone. "We used to be very diversified…Now through specialized permitting, most of the fishermen are stuck with what they've got." Giacalone concluded that fishermen "can't just switch."
 
Giacalone also empasized how current management measures have created a smaller fishery that is more difficult to access.
 
Dempsey expressed serious concerns for the current status of Gulf of Maine cod, saying that the species is currently at "critically low levels." He explained that fishermen are facing an apparently dire future if current trends continue. As it stands, many are unable to locate and harvest cod stocks, he said.
 
He also spoke of the value of annual stock assessments, a policy that he'd like to see put in place. Currently, stock assessments are conducted every several years, depending on the stock being assessed.

 
Watch the full discussion at WGBH Boston

 

 

President Barack Obama rounded out his second-term Cabinet nominations on Thursday by nominating Penny Pritzker as his new Commerce secretary and Michael Froman to be the next U.S. trade representative.

May 2, 2013 — The following is an excerpt for a story originally published by Politico on May 2. The Commerce Department oversees NOAA, among other agencies.

Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, Obama called Pritzker “one of our country’s most distinguished business leaders” and “an extraordinary civic leader.”

Obama made the announcement before heading off on a three-day trip to Mexico and Costa Rica.

If confirmed Pritzker, would fill a post that’s been vacant since John Bryson resigned amid health problems last June.

Pritzker, a longtime Chicago-based Obama fundraiser, is a businesswoman worth an estimated $1.85 billion and sits on the board of her family’s Hyatt Hotels empire. That experience, according to a White House official, makes her “one of the most accomplished and highly respected women in business today.”

But the pick also draws attention to the failure of a bank partially owned by the Pritzker family and to Hyatt’s turbulent relationship with labor unions, though labor groups held off criticizing Pritzker on Thursday morning.

Pritzker was previously considered for the Commerce job in late 2008, but was not ultimately nominated. There were concerns then that she was too controversial a pick in the midst of the financial crisis, especially as other Cabinet nominees were facing heightened scrutiny.

But after a lengthy vetting process this time around the White House decided to go with Pritzker, and an official said Thursday there is confidence that she will have an easy path to confirmation in the Senate.

Read the full story at POLITICO

 

 

Two former Commerce Department agents who publicly smeared the Office of the Inspector General under the leadership of Inspector General Todd Zinser pleaded guilty on Tuesday to filing false expense claims and committing attendance fraud, according to the Justice Department.

While under investigation, the former agents made allegations against Inspector General Zinser and his senior staff with complaints to the Commerce Secretary, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the Office for Civil Rights.
 
Reports produced by Inspector General Zinser and his staff, and their investigations have been instrumental in addresssing problems in fisheries enforcement and management. (See links below.)
 
Inspector General  Zinser said Tuesday that the former agents waged a smear campaign against his office while they were under investigation.  "In addition to the fraud perpetrated on the U.S. taxpayers, these now former employees also retaliated by carrying out a destructive campaign of disparagement and false allegations against the Office of the Inspector General," the Inspector General said in a statement.
 
Rachel Ondrik, 35, of Frederick, and Kirk Yamatani, 38, of Ashburn, who both worked as special agents for the Commerce Department's inspector general's office, sought payments for more than $36,000 apiece in false relocation expenses, according to their plea agreements.

For more information:
 
Read the full story at the Washington Post

Additional articles on the Office of Inspector General's investingations into fisheries enforcement:
 
Summary of the Inspector General's Report on NOAA Fisheries Law Enforcement
 
Inspector General releases final report on serious problems with NOAA's fisheries enforcement
 
IG questions summary of NOAA asset fund audit 
 
SAVING SEAFOOD RADIO: Commerce Department Inspector General Todd Zinser and New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang discuss the upcoming IG investigation of rule-making
 
IG cites NOAA for lack of response 
 
Fed IG auditing NOAA policies 
 
Reports issued by Inspector General Todd Zinser on NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement:
 
Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Programs and Operations
 
Final Report – Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Programs and Operations 
 
Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Asset Forfeiture Fund

  

NOAA Fisheries has advised Members of Congress of its intention to file in the Federal Register catch limits for 2013 to 2015 for Northeast groundfish stocks.

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) April 30, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries has advised Members of Congress of its intention to file in the Federal Register catch limits for 2013 to 2015 for Northeast groundfish stocks, including 2013 total allowable catch for both US and Canadian fishermen on Georges Bank. The Federal Register notice is expected at approximately 4:15 p.m. today. A press release (see below) was released by the NOAA Fisheries office in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

The following information was provided to Members of Congress at noon today:

Reductions

– Many of the catch limits are substantial reductions from 2012, and are necessary to ensure stocks are not subject to overfishing.

– Final Fishing Year 2013 catch limits for Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank cod are 78 percent and 61 percent lower than the FY 2012 catch limits, respectively.  Substantial reductions in the FY 2013 catch limits for other key stocks including Gulf of Maine haddock, Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, American plaice, witch flounder, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder. However, for 4 of these stocks, 2013 catch limits are higher than what has been caught so far by the fishery in 2012.

– We are implementing a quota of 500 mt for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, which was recommended by the joint US/Canada management body for fishing year 2013 based on the most recent assessment.

– The New England Fishery Management Council recommended a 2013 catch limit of 1,150 mt for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, which is inconsistent with scientific advice from US and Canadian scientists and is nearly twice the quota level recommended during joint discussions with Canada.

– We are also modifying recreational fishing measures to reduce recreational catch of Gulf of Maine haddock (i.e., increasing size limit from 18 to 21 inches).

Increases

– We are either increasing catch limits or catch limits will be the same in 2013 as they were in 2012 for several other stocks including healthy redfish, pollock and white hake.

– For white hake, knowing the challenges facing groundfish fishermen, when we received new science, we immediately took emergency action to increase the 2013 white hake quota.

– The 2013 quota is a 15 percent increase over what was initially proposed in Framework 50 (from 3,638 mt to 4,177 mt).

– We are revising the rebuilding program for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder in 2013, which will allow more than a 150-percent increase to the catch limit compared to 2012.

– We are allocating Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder to sectors beginning in 2013, and allowing groundfish vessels to land this stock, which has been prohibited since 2009.

– According to Council analysis, this could generate an estimated $5.4 million in additional ex-vessel revenue for the fishery.

Mitigation and Other Measures contained within these three actions

– We are allowing sectors to continue to carryover up to 10 percent of their 2012 uncaught quota into the 2013 fishing year for all stocks except Gulf of Maine cod, for which we are only allowing a carryover of just under 2 percent.

– The reason for only allowing a 1.85 percent carryover for Gulf of Maine cod is because allowing a higher percentage would result in overfishing of this stock.

– We are reducing the minimum fish sizes for most fish stocks to turn fish that would have otherwise been discarded into landed revenue.

– We are revising the administration of recreational and common pool accountability measures, which gives the Northeast Regional Administrator the authority to adjust measures proactively to facilitate the recreational fishery catching but not exceeding its quota and to relieve in season common pool accountability measures for small vessels using handgear.

– We are eliminating the dockside monitoring program that would have otherwise returned in FY 2013.  This will reduce operating costs for the commercial fishery.

– We have approved 23 regulatory exemption requests submitted by sectors for 2013. For some of these exemptions we will be requiring 100 percent industry-funded at-sea monitoring coverage to gather more data on the impacts of activities and enable us to respond quickly should adjustments need to be made in these exemptions.

– We denied a previously approved seasonal Gulf of Maine sink gillnet mesh exemption which was designed to target Gulf of Maine haddock, given that this stock is experiencing overfishing and is approaching an overfished condition.

– We also disapproved a measure to allow multiple mesh sizes to be fished on the same trip due to concerns for enforcing minimum fish sizes and mesh sizes.

– At the Council’s request we removed a prohibition so that now sectors can request through their annual sector operations plans access for their vessels to portions of year-round groundfish closed areas. 

– With this prohibition now removed, we will be able to consider sector access requests on a case by case basis through a separate rule.

– We expect to complete our analysis on these requests and make available a proposed rule in June.

– During the Framework 48 proposed rule comment period, we received a substantial number of public comments (about 75,000) on the issue of granting access to closed areas, which we are currently reviewing. 

– We share the concerns raised over the importance of protecting spawning and juvenile fish, sensitive habitats and protected species.

– That is why when the issue of potentially granting access was first raised during the council meeting last fall, we clearly stated that areas established for habitat protection would not be reopened and requests for access to other sensitive areas such as the western Gulf of Maine closure and Cashes Ledge would probably not be viable.

– Should access be granted to these areas, it will be done in a responsible and sustainable manner providing protections for spawning fish, vulnerable groundfish stocks, habitat and protected species.

– At the Council’s request we are also correcting and simplifying reporting requirements for Georges Bank groundfish stocks.

Other Important Mitigation Measures

– We intend to cover at-sea monitoring costs in 2013 for the groundfish fishery.

– We are allowing groundfish fishermen participating in sectors to use smaller mesh trawl gear to more effectively target redfish, a healthy groundfish stock in some areas.

– We are implementing emergency measures to temporarily suspend monkfish trip limits into the Northern Management Area to allow more fishing of this healthy stock.

– Potentially landings and revenue would increase as a result of this action. Projected landings in 2013 potentially could be up by nearly 542,000 lb. generating about $661,000 more revenue than under existing trip limits.

– If fishermen catch the entire annual monkfish allocation in 2013, revenue would increase by about $1.9 million. This assumes that recently observed landing rates and average ex-vessel prices continue throughout fishing year 2013. 

– We are establishing a new exempted fishery so that sectors don't have to use a groundfish day-at-sea to target spiny dogfish in some areas where they only catch a small amount of groundfish.

– Proposed quota increases for dogfish will also provide more opportunity. Proposed quota increases over 2012 levels:  40.842 million lb. in 2013 (+14%), 41.784 million lb. in 2014 (+17%), and 41.578 million lb. in 2015 (+16%).

The following media advisory has been released by the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office:
 
 
NOAA Fisheries announces catch limits for 2013-2014 Northeast groundfish stocks; remains committed to mitigating effects on New England fishermen

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — April 30, 2013 — Based largely on advice from the New England Fisheries Management Council, NOAA Fisheries announced today  final management measures for the Northeast groundfish fishery, including much lower quotas for some key groundfish stocks, and actions that will help fishermen better manage and adjust to these quotas.  In anticipation of these cuts, the Department of Commerce pre-emptively declared a fishery disaster in the fall of 2012 and continues to work with Congress to help mitigate impacts to the region and maintain the long-standing culture of fishing in these communities.

"We know that for some fishing communities that have relied heavily on cod, haddock and flounder, the next several years are going to be a struggle," said John Bullard, NOAA Fisheries northeast regional administrator. "We've done everything we can to include measures that may help soften the blow of quota cuts, but it's going to take a collective effort to find more ways to keep both the fishery and the businesses that support it viable while these stocks recover."        

Quotas will be reduced on nine stocks of cod, haddock, and flounder. For nearly half of these stocks however, the 2013 quotas are higher than what fishermen actually caught in the last fishing year. The majority of these management measures are in line with recommendations from the Council, a body comprising federal and state members, fishermen and other industry representatives. NOAA Fisheries is also pursuing one additional measure by using its emergency authority to set a lower quota for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder to prevent overfishing on this stock for 2013.  This limit is in line with the recommended catch limit provided by a joint U.S. and Canadian working group.

NOAA Fisheries is taking a series of steps to help fishermen adjust to these measures, including:

– Implementing an increase in quota for healthier stocks such as redfish, white hake, and pollock. Knowing the challenges facing groundfish fishermen, NOAA Fisheries adjusted the 2013 white hake quota upward by about 15 percent over the proposed level, because recent analysis shows the stock condition has improved.

– Revising the rebuilding program for southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, at the request of the council. As a result, the catch limit for this stock will be increased by more than 150 percent over 2012, and generate an estimated $5.4 million in additional ex-vessel revenue for the fishery.

– Allowing some uncaught quota from last year to be carried forward into this year, reducing minimum legal sizes to allow more of the fish that are caught to be landed, and reducing some requirements for reporting, monitoring, and on small handgear operations.

– Allowing sector vessels to submit requests to NOAA Fisheries to fish in portions of areas that otherwise have been closed to fishing.

"In considering requests from fishing vessels to access year-round groundfish closed areas, we also want to address public concerns," said Bullard. "That's why we've been clear that areas defined as essential to protect fish spawning, feeding and breeding will remain closed and that access to other sensitive areas such as the western Gulf of Maine closure and Cashes Ledge probably won't be viable. If we do grant access to any portion of these closed areas, we want to do it in a way that is both responsible and sustainable, so spawning fish, vulnerable groundfish stocks, habitat, and protected species are not put at risk."

The mitigation measures approved today build on a suite of management measures NOAA previously developed in coordination with the council and fishermen to help the industry adjust to lower catch limits. For instance, NOAA intends to continue to cover at-sea monitoring costs in 2013 for the groundfish fishery as the budget allows. Through cooperation with the council, NOAA Fisheries also is working to increase access to spiny dogfish and redfish – both healthy stocks and another source of revenue for the industry.