Council Actions

July 31, 2012 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

DOVER, DE—The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has released a final report summarizing the ideas, concerns, and recommendations from more than 1,500 individuals who provided input for the Visioning and Strategic Planning Project.

The Stakeholder Input Report outlines 55 themes/concerns and 123 recommendations from three of the Council’s primary stakeholder groups—the commercial industry, the recreational sector, and the environmental community. Participants commented on topics ranging from decision-making and communication procedures to management strategies for specific fisheries.

Outreach and data gathering for the report occurred over a five month period beginning in September 2011. Online and mail surveys were available to anyone interested in providing input on fisheries management, and council members and staff met with more than 200 individuals in 20 locations throughout the Northeast region in roundtable sessions. Organizations also had the opportunity to submit position letters describing their concerns and priorities for Mid-Atlantic fisheries.

Common themes were identified by members of the commercial fishing industry, the recreational fishing sector, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), and the general public.  These themes included:

– There is a lack of confidence in the data that drive fishery management decisions.

– Stakeholders are not as involved in the Council process as they can and should be.

– Different jurisdictions and regulations among the many fishery management organizations result in complexity and inconsistency.

– There is a need for increased transparency and clearer communications in fisheries management.

– The dynamics of the ecosystem and food web should be considered to a greater extent in fisheries management decisions.

– Stakeholders are not adequately represented on the Council.

– Pollution is negatively affecting the health of fish stocks.

In addition to voicing concerns and providing recommendations, stakeholders identified elements of a “Vision” for successful fisheries and fisheries management in the Mid-Atlantic.  Five common characteristics of a vision were identified across all stakeholder groups, including:

– Fish populations are thriving and are harvested at sustainable levels.

– Management decisions are based on sound data and science.

– There is equitable consideration of the needs of diverse stakeholder groups; the interest of no one stakeholder group outweighs another.

– There is little waste in the fisheries, and regulatory discards are minimal. 

– More stakeholders are involved in the management process.    

 

Read the full release here.

Read the report here.

 

 

July 26, 2012 — In a letter to Capt. Paul Howard, executive director of the New England Fisheries Management Council, Daniel Morris, Acting Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office stated that authorizing a year-to-year carryover on Gulf of Maine cod allocation would require a council action or the industry to voluntarily set aside a portion of their 2012 allocation for 2013.  The Commerce Secretary does not have the ability to implement the carryover through an interim or emergency rule.  It also explains that overfishing for Gulf of Maine cod must end in 2013 as the interim measures that were implemented in 2012 only can be in place for a period of one year.

Read the letter here.

 

 

The discussion documents are available here.

 

 

July 25, 2012 —

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's 2012 Summer Meeting are now available.  Please note the complete schedule for Tuesday (August 8, 2012) has been adjusted to allow for the addition of a meeting of the Winter Flounder Board from 5:00 – 6:00 PM.  

Supplemental materials will be posted to the website on Wednesday, August 1, 2012.

Final Agenda and Meeting Materials for ASMFC's 2012 Summer Meeting

 

 

On June 29, 2012, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has written to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to oppose seismic testing on the US east coast due to their "grave concerns of the enormous Level A and Level B marine mammal takes and the unexamined but suspected deleterious effects on other marine species" that the Council manages.

The text of the letter follows:

Gary D. Goeke
Chief, Regional Assessment Section Office of Environment (GM23E)
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394

Dear Mr. Goeke,

Please accept these comments from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC or "Council") in response to the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PElS) to evaluate potential environmental effects of multiple geologic and geophysical (G&G) activities in the Mid- and South Atlantic OCS Planning Areas. After receiving briefings on the proposed seismic activities and the potential impacts at the June Council meeting, the Council made the following motion:

Move to submit written comments opposing the BOEM seismic testing on the US east coast due to our grave concerns of the enormous Level A and Level B marine mammal takes and the unexamined but suspected deleterious effects on other marine species that our Council manages.

The Council's primary mission is to manage fishery resources in federal waters off the coast of the Mid- Atlantic region through the implementation of management measures that prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield (OY) from each of 13 managed fisheries. Although the Council's focus is on sustainable fisheries management, this objective is only feasible in the context of a healthy and resilient ecosystem. It is clear that G&G activities have substantial impacts on marine environments, yet the Draft PElS provides insufficient information about how the specific proposed G&G activities may affect fish, marine mammals, benthic communities, and ecosystem structure and function. We understand that these impacts are difficult to predict or quantify, but given the existing value of marine resources to the region and the nation, it is clear that the potential benefits do not outweigh the risks of initiating the proposed G&G activities at this point.

Marine fisheries provide food, employment, recreational opportunities for millions of people in the Mid- Atlantic region, and many coastal communities depend on the utilization of fishery resources. For example, in 2009, the dockside value of commercial landings in the Mid-Atlantic region was $511.6 million. In addition, more than 2.6 million recreational anglers took 17 million fishing trips and spent more than $800 million on trip expenses. The commercial and recreational fishing industries in the Mid-Atlantic region support more than 166,000 jobs with an associated income exceeding $6 billion. In light of the insufficient data and analysis about potential impacts of G&G activities on these valuable marine resources, the Council cannot support the Draft PElS.

Over the past decades the Council has implemented management strategies to maintain sustainable levels of fishing and, in some cases, to rebuild overfished stocks. These efforts have often necessitated sacrifices from both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in the form of economic losses and foregone fishing opportunities. After many years of working to rebuild Mid-Atlantic fisheries to sustainable levels, the potential negative impacts of G&G activities on these rebuilt resources are extremely troubling.

The Council recently hosted two scientists, Chris Clark and Aaron Rice of Cornell University, at a meeting in June. Dr. Clark reviewed the physical propagation of sound from seismic air gun surveys, and Dr. Rice addressed the potential for negative impacts of acoustic surveys on fish and fish populations. Their remarks suggest that highly mobile fish are able to easily relocate within 50 meters to avoid lethal effects of the air gun array. They may also avoid sub-lethal damage by maintaining even greater distances from areas subject to noise disturbance from the survey. However, the extensive (months long) survey timeframe makes it likely that prolonged avoidance of the arrays will be necessary and could lead to interruptions in fish spawning and access to forage. More importantly, the area under consideration in the PElS, which includes the entire continental shelf along the mid- and South Atlantic, is enormous, and much of the shelf is at a depth « 50 m) that would place the entire water column within the "lethal range" of the array.

The Council also has substantial concerns about the potential and unknown adverse impacts of G&G activities on marine mammals. The Council has participated in the development of Take Reduction Plans under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for Atlantic Large Whales, Harbor Porpoise and Bottle-nose Dolphin. These efforts have resulted in area and gear restrictions for several fisheries within the Council's

jurisdiction. In the case of north Atlantic right whales, which are among the most endangered whales in the world, protection measures have been extended to include seasonal vessel speed restrictions along the U.S. East Coast where endangered right whales travel to protect them from being injured or killed by ships. Initiating the activities described in the PElS, many of which could harm or endanger marine mammals, would counteract many of the conservation measures that have taken years to enact.

The general lack of information included in the PElS relative to impacts of G&G activities on fish, marine mammals, and the surrounding ecosystem is of serious concern. The Council recognizes the importance of energy exploration to U.S. economic security, but the activities described in the Draft PElS have the potential to contravene the Council's efforts to conserve and manage living marine resources and habitat. Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on this Draft PElS. The Council looks forward to working with BOEM to ensure that any future G&G activities in the Mid-Atlantic region are conducted in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on the marine environment.

Christopher M. Moore, PhD
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

 

View the original letter here

 

 

June 24, 2012 — After their meeting earlier this week, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), announced new rules impacting the Atlantic herring, groundfish, and sea scallop fisheries.

After their meeting earlier this week, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), announced new rules impacting the Atlantic herring, groundfish, and sea scallop fisheries.

The rule with the most impact is that Atlantic herring fishermen are now subject to a comprehensive monitoring program that includes full observer coverage on all of the fleet's 46 vessels. The council chose to focus on boats that land about 97 percent of the herring quota, therefore excluding smaller vessels that catch only small amounts of herring.

Recent statistics indicate that about 144 million pounds of Atlantic herring were sold by federally permitted dealers generating about $17.9 million for the boats. This represents a 22 percent decrease in revenues from 2009 because the council approved fishery specifications for 2010-2012 which lowered the herring catch limits for 2010-2012 to ensure sustainability.

The council also proposed measures to address the very low quota of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder that will be available to groundfish fishermen in 2012. The allowable catch has and will continue to severely constrain New England boats that harvest cod, haddock, flounders and other bottom-dwelling species.

A majority of the council voted to request that NMFS take action to re-apportion the amount of Georges Bank yellowtail allocated to the scallop fishery by reducing it to 346,185 pounds while increasing the groundfish fisheries' allocation to 811,440 pounds. In addition, they asked the agency to approve a one-time measure through an emergency action that would allow the scallop fishery to continue its operations next year without any additional restrictions unless it exceeded its original yellowtail allocation of 674,730 pounds.

 

Read the full story here

 

 

June 29, 2012 — The Council Report summarizes major issues voted on or discussed at each regularly scheduled meeting of the NEFMC. The Council’s 18 members met most recently on June 19-21, 2012 in Portland, ME.

At its June meeting, the Council addressed issues related to Atlantic herring, groundfish, small mesh multispecies, monkfish and habitat.

A number of presentations were received on the following topics and are available on the Council’s website, www.nefmc.org:

    • An update on a new amendment to address Standard Bycatch Reporting Methodology in NEFMC fishery management plans (Doug Potts, NERO);

    • An overview of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s new social science data collection efforts (Dr. Tammy Murphy, NEFSC);

    • A review of issues and work completed to date concerning the “state of the science” as it relates to climate change and its impact on fisheries in the Northeast (Dr. Jon Hare, NEFSC); and

    • A summary of issues and a solicitation for comments as part of the scoping phase of the Amendment 7 (bluefin tuna management) to the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species FMP; (Tom Warren, NERO).

 

Read the full report here 

 

 

July 27, 2012 – New York State doggedly held on to an additional at-large seat on the influential Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, after New Jersey fishermen did not agree to support charter fishing captain Paul Eidman’s nomination to the position.

Tony Dilernia, a New York charter captain with long experience on the council, will return to take the at-large seat, the Department of Commerce stated Monday in announcing final choices for the quasi-government panel that sets fishing limits in federal waters.

Eidman had been nominated by Gov. Chris Christie as a candidate for the at-large seat — a post in addition to the obligatory seats filled by state representatives. One of New Jersey’s members, Chris Zeman, was reappointed.

But the Garden State Seafood Association, a commercial fishing industry group, and the New Jersey-based Recreational Fishing Alliance lobbied members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation not to support Eidman.

Eidman aroused the alliance’s ire by his criticism of efforts to change federal fisheries law, while commercial groups focused on his outspoken support for new limits on menhaden and herring commercial fisheries.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press.

 

June 22, 2012 – The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC):

Atlantic Herring The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) took several actions this week that will significantly affect two major fisheries operating out of ports in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. Atlantic herring fishermen saw new rules approved that would institute a comprehensive monitoring program including 100 percent observer coverage on the full-time fleet of 46 vessels. The Council excluded smaller vessels that catch only small amounts of herring, choosing instead to focus on those boats that land about 97 percent of the herring quota.

Also supported in the herring package were measures to encourage avoidance of depleted river herring species that can swim with Atlantic herring and are incidentally taken as bycatch. The two-phase avoidance approach is based on a pilot program developed in cooperation with the fishing industry, represented by the Sustainable Fisheries Coalition, working in partnership with Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and UMASS Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. Bycatch limits or caps were approved for consideration in a subsequent herring action.

Recent statistics indicate that about 143,666,000 pounds of Atlantic herring were sold by federally permitted dealers generating about $17.9 million for the boats. This represents a 22 percent decrease in revenues from the 2009 fishing year, primarily because the Council approved fishery specifications for 2010-2012 which lowered the herring catch limits for 2010-2012 to ensure sustainability.

The U.S. Atlantic herring fishery occurs over the Mid-Atlantic shelf region from Cape Hatteras to Maine, including an active fishery in the inshore Gulf of Maine and seasonally on Georges Bank. The Atlantic herring resource is healthy and is classified as “not overfished.” If the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the agency which acts on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce and is responsible for final approval of federal fishery rules, approves the Council’s actions, most of the new measures will be in place by early 2013.

Groundfish and Sea Scallops The Council moved ahead to propose proactive measures yesterday to address the very low quota of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder that will be available to groundfish fishermen in 2012. The allowable catch has and will continue to severely constrain New England boats that harvest cod, haddock, flounders and other bottom-dwelling species.
A clear majority of the 18-member Council voted to request that NMFS take action to re-apportion the amount of Georges Bank yellowtail allocated to the scallop fishery by reducing it to 156.9 metric tons or to about 346,185 pounds while increasing the groundfish fisheries’ allocation to 368.3 metric tons or 811,440 pounds. In addition, the Council asked the agency to approve a one-time measure through an emergency action that would allow the scallop fishery to continue its operations next year without any additional restrictions unless it exceeded its original yellowtail allocation of 307.5 metric tons (approximately 674,730 pounds).

 Read the release here.

 

 

Here is a summary of the major Council actions on groundfish at the June 19-21, 2012 Council meeting in Portland, ME. As always, this brief summary does not capture the entire discussion. Sound files are available on our web page, and motions will be available in about a week. Please contact me if there are any questions or corrections.

1. Amendment 18 Scoping Comments: Council staff presented a summary of comments received during the Amendment 18 scoping period. The purpose of this amendment is to consider accumulation caps and issues related to fleet diversity. The presentation and a written summary, as well as all comments are available on the Council web page. Progress on this amendment is likely to be delayed as the Council addresses other groundfish issues.

2. Georges Bank Yellowtail Flounder: The Council discussed measures to address the low quota in FY 2012 for GB yellowtail flounder. They also received an updated estimate of the amount of GB YTF the scallop fishery is expected to catch in FY 2012. The following steps were taken; please note that these actions have to be approved by NMFS before they will be effective.
       a. The Council agreed to request NMFS take action to reduce the scallop fishery sub-ACL for GB YTF to 156.9 mt and increase the groundfish fishery sub-ACL to 368.3 mt. In addition, the Council asked NMFS to adopt an emergency action that would keep the trigger for scallop fishery AMs for GB YTF at the original sub-ACL (307.5 mt). This is a one-time measure and only applies to FY 2012.
       b. The Council added a measure to the sector framework that would define an area within the GB YTF stock area where sector vessels could continue to fish if their sector’s ACE for GB YTF was caught.
       c. The Council requested that NMFS allow SAPS in CAII for haddock to open May 1 rather than August 1.
       d. Tasked US TMGC members to work with NERO to compare the advantages and disadvantages of readdressing the US/CA Resource Sharing Understanding.
       e. Fast track the Omnibus Habitat Amendment.

3. ABC/ACL/AM Issues: The Council addressed several issues related to specifications that will be adopted in a framework action later this year. This included adopting an option for a SNE/MAB windowpane flounder sub-ACL for the scallop fishery, consideration of the Mixed Stock Exception for this stock, and two options for allocating GB YTF to the scallop fishery. The Council will also send a letter to the MFAFMC and ASMFC advising them that it will consider SNEMAB windowpane flounder sub-ACLs for the fluke and scup fisheries. Modifications to the timing for the AMs for non-allocated stocks were also adopted.

4. Sector Framework: Several options for changes to the sector management measures were added for consideration.

5. The Council formally decided to combine the ABC and sector actions into one framework, to be approved in November. Draft measures text will be posted on the web page and updated frequently as the framework is developed over the course of the summer.

6. The Council also voted to send several letters to NMFS or the NEFSC. These will clarify the Council’s intent on electronic monitoring, request a discussion of the discard mortality assumptions for halibut and wolffish, request full funding of monitoring costs in FY 2013, and request advice from NMFS on whether it is possible to authorize up to 50 pct. carryover of GOM cod sector ACL to fishing year 2013.