Saving Seafood

Council Actions

Contract Opportunity for Scallop Dredge Vessels

November 16, 2023 — The following was released by The New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is broadly sharing the following information in support of our federal partners at NOAA Fisheries.

 
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT:  The Northeast Fisheries Science Center is looking for appropriate scallop dredge vessels to participate in the annual Atlantic sea scallop survey.  Vessels must be available between May and July 2024 – ideally in June – to participate in the survey.
 
FIRST STEP:  Step #1 is a call for information to help NOAA Fisheries identify vessels that meet a list of required specifications related to sufficient berth space, adequate deck space, equipment requirements, and more.  Interested applicants are being asked to respond to this initial request for information by November 22, 2023.
 
IMPORTANT:  Step #1 is important because it will lead interested vessel owners to register inSAM.gov.  Anyone who is not registered in SAM.gov cannot receive a government contract.  SAM stands for System for Award Management.  If you need help with this initial step, feel free to contactAmanda Rossiter or Carina Topasna, who are both contract specialists.
 
SECOND STEP:  Under Step #2, NOAA Fisheries will issue a solicitation for a vessel contract opportunity, which will happen “in the near future.”  Remember, Step #1 is critical to being able to participate in Step #2.  Each awarded contract will have a one-year base period in 2024 with “option years through 2028.”
 
SURVEY RANGE:  The Atlantic sea scallop survey is currently conducted along the U.S. continental shelf from New England to the Mid-Atlantic region and includes the U.S. waters of Georges Bank.
 
SURVEYS SUPPORT MANAGEMENT:  Survey data helps fishery managers make informed decisions.  The Atlantic sea scallop fishery is managed by the New England Fishery Management Council and administratively overseen by NOAA Fisheries.
 
QUESTIONS:  Additional information about this important scallop survey contract opportunity isposted here.  Questions should be directed to the contacts listed at the bottom of the webpage, which, in addition to Amanda Rossiter and Carina Topasna, include: Ecosystems Surveys Branch Chief Peter Chase; and Shellfish Survey Program Lead Chad Keith, who also is with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Ecosystems Surveys Branch.

MREP Fisheries Science and Management Workshop: February 12-16, 2024

November 10, 2023 — The following was released by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) is accepting applications for the next Greater Atlantic Fisheries Science and Management Workshop, to be held in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

MREP is designed to equip fishermen with tools to engage in shaping regulatory action and to participate in collaborative science. Created by fishermen, for fishermen, this workshop will bring commercial, charter, and recreational fishermen from North Carolina to Maine together with regional scientists and managers to learn the processes, share insights, and network.

The workshop is free and includes hotel lodging, meals, and travel reimbursement for accepted participants.

Space is limited, and preference will be given to applications received by November 13, 2023. The application takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Accepted participants will be notified in early January 2024.

For more information about MREP, please visit https://mrep.gmri.org/faqs or contact Liz Moore, MREP Greater Atlantic Program Manager, (207) 228-1680 or emoore@gmri.org. Liz can also put you in contact with fishermen who have participated in past MREPs for their perspective on the program!

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Advisory Panel & Section to Meet to Review 2022 Traffic Light Analysis & Discuss the Future of Northern Shrimp Management

November 7, 2023 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Advisory Panel (AP) and Section (Section) will meet on November 30 and December 1, 2023, respectively, at the Westin Portland Harborview, Portland, Maine. The AP will meet November 30 (1 – 4 p.m.) to review the 2022 traffic light analysis for northern shrimp, the ongoing fishery moratorium set to expire in 2024, Management Strategy Evaluation Work Group discussions, and the Technical Committee’s wake-up index proposal for the Section’s consideration. The wake-up index was developed to serve as a trigger to indicate when the northern shrimp stock approaches a healthy population level that may be able to support a viable fishery. Under the wake-up index, the fishery would remain in a permanent moratorium until the index is triggered.

The Section will meet December 1 (9 a.m. – Noon) to review the 2022 traffic light analysis and consider initiating action to implement the wake-up index. Meeting materials will be available athttp://www.asmfc.org/home/meeting-archive by November 17th.

Directed Atlantic Herring Fishery Closure for Management Area 1A: Effective November 6 at 6 PM

November 6, 2023 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

NOAA Fisheries and the states of Maine and New Hampshire, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts project the Atlantic herring fishery will catch 92% of the Area 1A sub-annual catch limit by November 6, 2023. The Area 1A directed fishery will close effective 6:00 p.m. on November 6, 2023 and remain closed until further notice. Vessels that have entered port before 6:00 p.m. on November 6, 2023 may land and sell, from that trip, greater than 2,000 pounds of herring from Area 1A.

 
During a closure, vessels participating in other fisheries may retain and land an incidental catch of herring that does not exceed 2,000 pounds per trip or calendar day. In addition, directed herring vessels traveling through Area 1A must have all fishing gear stowed.
 
In accordance with the Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring, the fixed gear set-aside of 30 metric tons will continue to be available to fixed gear fishermen operating in Area 1A west of Cutler, Maine through December 31, 2023.
 
For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 703.842.0716 or efranke@asmfc.org.
 

States Schedule Public Hearings on Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Addendum II

November 3, 2023 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic coastal states of Maine through Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass, which considers management measures designed to support stock rebuilding by reducing fishing mortality to the target in 2024. Some hearings will be conducted in-person, and some hearings will be conducted via webinar, or in a hybrid format. Additional details on participating in the webinars can be found later in this release.

The public hearing details follow:

Date and Hearing Format State/Agency Contact
Wednesday, November 15

Webinar Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection & Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below. 

 Joe Cimino (NJ)
609.748.2063

 

Kris Kuhn (PA)

814.359.5115
Thursday, November 16

In-person Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 Connecticut Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection

 

Hearing Location:

CT DEEP Marine Headquarters

Boating Education Center (“Back Building”)

333 Ferry Road, Old Lyme CT 06371

 Justin Davis

860.447.4322
Tuesday, November 28

Hybrid Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 

 Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife 

 

Note: This is a hybrid meeting (both in-person and virtual). The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below. 

 

Hearing Location:

Kent County Conservation District

1679 S. Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901

 John Clark302.739.9108
Thursday, November 30

In-person Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management

 

Hearing Location:

University of Rhode Island Bay Campus

Corless Auditorium

215 South Ferry Road, Narraganset, RI 02882

 

 Jason McNamee401.222.4700
x2772414
Monday, December 4

In-person Hearing

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

 New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation

 

Hearing Location:

NYSDEC Division of Marine Resources

123 Kings Park Blvd (inside Nissequogue River State Park), Kings Park, NY 11754

 

Note: NYSDEC will provide a listen-only livestream link to be posted on the NYSDEC calendar.

 

 John Maniscalco631.444.0437
Tuesday, December 5

In-person Hearing

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

 Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

 

Hearing Location:

Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Admiral’s Hall

101 Academy Dr., Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

 Michael Armstrong978.619.0012
Wednesday, December 6

In-person Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources 

 

Hearing Location:

Calvary United Methodist Church, Basement Room

301 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD 21401

 Michael Luisi443.758.6547

 

 

 
Thursday, December 7

In-person Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 

 Virginia Marine Resources Commission

 

Hearing Location:

Virginia Marine Resources Commission

380 Fenwick Rd, Building 96

Fort Monroe, VA, 23651

 Pat Geer

757.247.2236

 
Monday, December 11

Hybrid Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 New Hampshire Fish and Game Dept.

 

Note: This is a hybrid meeting (both in-person and virtual). The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below. 

 

Hearing Location:

Urban Forestry Center

45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801

 Cheri Patterson603.868.1095
Tuesday, December 12

Webinar Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 Potomac River Fisheries Commission & 

District of Columbia Dept. of Energy and Environment

 

The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar details are below. 

 

 Ingrid Braun-Ricks(PRFC) 804.750.3824

 

Daniel Ryan (DC) 202.597.1244
Thursday, December 14

Hybrid Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 

 Maine Dept. of Marine Resources

 

Note: This is a hybrid meeting (both in-person and virtual). The virtual Microsoft Teams link is here, and additional instructions are below. 

 

Hearing Location:

Maine DMR Office – Augusta

Room 118, Marquardt Building

32 Blossom Lane, Augusta, ME 04330

 Megan Ware

207.446.0932

 
Monday, December 18

In-person Hearing

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation

 

Hearing Location:

NYSDEC Region 3 Headquarters

21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561

 

Note: NYSDEC will provide a listen-only livestream link to be posted on the NYSDEC calendar.

 Jessica Best
845.256.3009

 

The Board initiated Draft Addendum II in May 2023 in response to the low probability of meeting the 2029 stock rebuilding deadline if the unexpectedly high 2022 fishing mortality rate continues. The Draft Addendum builds upon the 2023 emergency action by considering management measures intended to reduce fishing mortality to the target level in 2024. For the recreational fishery, the Draft Addendum proposes recreational bag and size limit options for the ocean and Chesapeake Bay regions, including options with different limits for the for-hire modes. To address concerns about recreational filleting allowances and compliance with recreational size limits, the Draft Addendum includes an option that could establish minimum requirements for states that authorize at-sea/shore-side filleting of striped bass. For the commercial fishery, the Draft Addendum proposes a quota reduction option. The Draft Addendum also proposes an option that would enable the Board to respond to the results of the stock assessment updates more quickly, via Board action, if the stock is not projected to rebuild by 2029.

 

Webinar Instructions

For all virtual or hybrid hearings (except for Maine), please note that in order to comment during virtual webinar hearings you will need to use your computer or download the GoToWebinar app for your phone. Those joining by phone only will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. In those cases, you can send your comments to staff via email or U.S. mail at any time during the public comment period. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 631.992.3221 and enter access code 895-407-507.

 

For all virtual or hybrid hearings (except for Maine), please click HERE and select the hearing(s) you plan to attend from the dropdown menu to register for a public hearing webinar. Hearings will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone.If you are new to GoToWebinar, you can download the software by (clicking here) or via the App store under GoToWebinar. We recommend you register for the hearing well in advance of the hearing since GoToWebinar will provide you with a link to test your device’s compatibility with the webinar. If you find your device is not compatible, please contact the Commission at info@asmfc.org (subject line: GoToWebinar help) and we will try to get you connected. We also strongly encourage participants to use the computer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) so you can ask questions and provide input at the hearing.

 

For virtual participation at the hybrid Maine public hearing, the Microsoft teams meeting link is available here. The Meeting ID is 249 648 735 389 and the Passcode is UXEtrQ. For audio only, you can call 207.209.4724 with conference ID 397 100 101.

 

For the listen-only livestream of the New York public hearings, the livestream links will be posted to the NYSDEC calendar at https://www.dec.ny.gov/calendar/.

 

Hearing Presentation Recording

For those who cannot attend any in-person or virtual hearings, the Commission will also post a recording of the hearing presentation on the Commission’s YouTube page so that stakeholders may watch the presentation and submit comment at any time during the comment process. This recording will be available by mid-November.

Submitting Comments

The Draft Addendum is available at https://asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/AtlStripedBassDraftAddendumII_PublicComment_Oct2023.pdf or via the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. All those interested in the management of Atlantic striped bass are encouraged to provide input either by participating in public hearings, which may be conducted via webinar, or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on December 22, 2023 and should be sent to Emilie Franke, FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; or atcomments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Striped Bass Draft Addendum II).

 

If your organization is planning to release an action alert in response to the Draft Amendment, please contact Emilie Franke at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740, so she can work with you to develop a unique subject line to enable us to better organize and summarize incoming comments for Board review.

ASMFC Begins Preparations for American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment

November 1, 2023 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has initiated a benchmark stock assessment for American lobster (Homarus americanus) to be completed in the summer of 2025. The goals of the assessment are to evaluate the health of stocks along the US Atlantic coast and inform management of this species. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to the public, with the exception of discussions of confidential data*, when any meetings will be closed to the public.

 
The Commission welcomes the submission of data sets that will contribute to the goals of the assessment. This includes, but is not limited to, data on abundance (young of year, recruits, adults), biological samples (sex, maturity, weight, carapace length), life history information (growth, natural mortality, shell disease, tagging data), catch (harvest, discards, fishing effort) and information regarding the environmental influence on lobster population dynamics. For data sets to be considered, the data must be sent in the required format, with accompanying description of methods, to the Commission by January 8, 2024. 
 
The Data Workshop will be conducted in February 2024 (dates and location to be determined). This workshop will review available data sources for American lobster and identify data sets to be incorporated in the stock assessment. For those interested in submitting data, please contact Jeff Kipp, Senior Stock Assessment Scientist, at jkipp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740. 
 
* Each state and federal agency is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of its data and deciding who has access to its confidential data. In the case of our stock assessments and peer reviews, all analysts and, if necessary, reviewers, have been granted permission by the appropriate agency to use and view confidential data. When the assessment team needs to show and discuss these data, observers to our stock assessment process are asked to leave the room to preserve confidentiality.

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Seeks Scientific Advisors

November 1, 2023 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is soliciting scientists interested in serving on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) the Socio-Economic Panel. Membership is open to any qualified scientist, regardless of affiliation or geographic location. The Council will review applications at its December 2023 meeting. Applications received by Monday, November 27, 2023 will be submitted to the Council for consideration.

The SAFMC is one of eight regional fishery management councils in the country. Each council has an SSC responsible for reviewing the scientific basis of council management plans and actions and developing fishing level recommendations in accordance with national fisheries management guidelines. The South Atlantic Council’s SSC meets at least twice a year to address a broad range of topics, including stock assessments, management action evaluations, social and economic analyses, habitat evaluations and ecosystem management issues. SSC members also play a key role in developing and reviewing stock assessments through participation in SEDAR: the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review program.

The South Atlantic Council’s SSC has a specific sub-group, known as the Socio-Economic Panel (SEP), that is made up of social scientists and economists who advise the SSC and the Council on social and economic topics that relate to fisheries management measures and analyses. The SEP typically meets once a year over a two-day period. The SEP members serve 5-year terms and may be appointed to multiple terms.

Scientific and Statistical Committee Applications

The Council appoints SSC members to 3-year terms. Membership terms are staggered so that approximately 1/3 of the membership is considered for reappointment each year, and there is no limitation on the number of terms a member may serve. Anyone with expertise and experience in the areas of fisheries biology, population dynamics, fisheries research and monitoring, and social and economic analyses of natural resources, especially as applied to fish species in the South Atlantic, is encouraged to apply by submitting a complete application that includes: (1) Cover Letter, (2) current Curriculum Vitae, and (3) NOAA Fisheries Financial Disclosure Form. The cover letter should highlight qualifications and experience and indicate receipt and acceptance of the SAFMC SSC job description. All applicants will be subject to a background check and required to review the SAFMC’s handbook and code of conduct policies.

Full duties and expectations of SSC members are described in the SAFMC SSC job description. This document along with additional information for the SSC including the financial disclosure form and peer review process, may be found at the SAFMC SSC homepage.

Complete applications should be emailed as a single PDF attachment to Dr. Judd Curtis, judd.curtis@safmc.net by Monday, November 27, 2023. Further details on the application process or questions may be obtained by email or by phone at (843) 302-8441.

Socio-Economic Panel Applications

Anyone with expertise and experience in the areas of social science, economics, political science, anthropology, social and economic research and monitoring, and/or social and economic analyses of natural resources, especially as applied to fish species in the South Atlantic Region, is encouraged to apply by submitting a CV, cover letter, and completing the NOAA Fisheries Financial Statement available from the Council website. The cover letter should highlight qualifications and experience. All applicants will be subject to a background check and required to review the SAFMC’s handbook and code of conduct policies

Questions and completed applications should be submitted to John Hadley at John.Hadley@safmc.net or 843-302-8432. 

Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery Moves to Four Landing Days Per Week Starting November 5 at 6:00 p.m.

October 31, 2023 — The following was released for Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: 

With approximately 1,313 metric tons (mt) of the Atlantic herring Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) remaining available to harvest, the Area 1A fishery will move to four (4) consecutive landing days per week starting Sunday, November 5 at 6:00 p.m.  Landings will be closely monitored and the directed fishery will close when 92% of Area 1A sub-ACL is projected to be reached.

 
Fishing for and possessing herring onboard prior to November 5 is allowed in accordance with published state regulations. However, landing days are still set at zero (0) up until November 5 at 6:00 p.m. While landing days are set at zero (0), harvesters are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A. Additionally, if landing in Maine during zero (0) landing days, those herring cannot comprise more than 10% of the total catch weight.
 
These measures follow up on previous action by the Atlantic Herring Management Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts to set effort control measures for the Season 2 2023 Area 1A fishery. Landing days were initially set at zero (0) for October 1-9 followed by two (2) landing days from October 10-11, and subsequently back to zero (0) landing days from October 12 through November 4. The Board members agreed if there was remaining quota on November 5, the fishery will move to four (4) consecutive landing days starting Sunday, November 5 at 6:00 p.m.
 
Estimates indicate approximately 1,313 mt of the Area 1A sub-ACL remain available to harvest, which accounts for the increase of 1,000 mt based on catch information from the New Brunswick weir fishery, the landings from October 10-11, the 30 mt fixed gear set-aside, and the 8% buffer (Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL).
 
For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
 

December 2023 NPFMC Meeting

October 31, 2023 — The NPFMC will meet in person and online December 4-12 at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska.

The eAgenda, schedule, and the pre-meeting review documents and the release dates are available on the website. Please note the SSC has a separate SSC eAgenda.

Discount code for Alaska Airlines ECMK147. The Hilton room block is now open. Please book your stay by November 17, 2023.

Written comments can be submitted starting November 10, 2023 through the eAgendas. The deadline is 12:00 pm (Alaska time) on Friday, December 1, 2023.Submitted comments will be reviewed then visible online after the deadline closes, as per the Council’s comment policy.  In-person and remote testimony will be available in all three meetings. For questions, email npfmc.admin@noaa.gov.

Upcoming Deadlines

Call for Nominations for Advisory Panel 2024; deadline October 31, 2023; Research Priorities Request for Information deadline October 31, 2023; Call for Nominations for Alaska Native Tribal Advisory Panel Seat; deadline November 17, 2023.

Scheduled Meetings

  • BS FEP Climate Change Taskforce: November 1-2, eAgenda
  • Social Science Planning Team: November 3. eAgenda
  • BSAI/GOA Groundfish Plan Team Meetings: November 13-17, eAgenda
  • PNCIAC Meeting: November 28, eAgenda
  • Crab Plan Team Research Priorities Meeting: December 1, eAgenda
  • Charter Halibut Managemenr Committee Meeting: Decemebr 6, eAgenda

Reminder! Public Scoping Webinars Begin Tonight for Atlantic Spanish Mackerel Catch Level Changes

October 30, 2023 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on proposed catch level changes for Atlantic Spanish Mackerel. The Council will hold two public scoping meetings via webinar this week, beginning tonight at 6 p.m. The second webinar will be held Wednesday, November 1st at 6 p.m. Register for webinar.

Atlantic migratory group Spanish Mackerel are managed in federal waters from the Miami/Dade County line in southeast Florida northward along the Atlantic coast to a line extending from the intersection point of New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. A popular nearshore species for both commercial and recreational fishermen, the stock is not overfished nor undergoing overfishing.

Changes to catch levels are being considered based on Acceptable Biological Catch levels set by the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. The Council is seeking input before moving forward with catch level changes through Framework Amendment 13 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan.

Additional Information

During the scoping webinars Council staff will review the actions being considered in Framework Amendment 13, answer questions, and a Council member will take comments. Register now.

The Public Scoping Summary and CMP Framework Amendment 13 Scoping Presentation is available from the Council’s website: https://safmc.net/events/oct-nov-2023-public-scoping-cmp-framework-amendment-13/.

An online public comment form for written comments is also available from the website.