Council Actions

May 8, 2012 – There will be a meeting of the Recreational Advisory Panel on May 15, 2012 at the Sheraton Colonial, Wakefield, MA and a Groundfish Advisory Panel meeting on May 22, 2012 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland, ME.

Information about the Recreational Advisory Panel on May 15, 2012

Information about the Groundfish Advisory Panel meeting on May 22, 2012

 

 

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – MAY 8, 2012 — Dr. John Sweka with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was presented the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Technical Achievement Award in recognition for his work in advancing the assessment and management of several Commission-managed species.

"On behalf of our Commissioners, I would like to commend Dr. Sweka for his keen technical and analytical support to our American Eel, Atlantic Striped Bass, and River Herring Stock Assessment Subcommittees as well as the Horseshoe Crab Adaptive Resource Management Subcommittee. His efforts and leadership have contributed to improved stock assessments and the use of innovative management tools," stated ASMFC Executive Director John V. O'Shea.

As Chair of the River Herring Stock Assessment Subcommittee, Dr. Sweka provided strong leadership in the development of the 2012 benchmark stock assessment for river herring. The assessment, endorsed for management use by an independent panel of scientists this May, analyzed and determined stock status for 52 river-specific populations of river herring.

In addition, Dr. Sweka played a key role in furthering horseshoe crab management by aiding in the development of the Adaptive Resource Management framework, incorporating both shorebird and horseshoe crab abundance levels to set horseshoe crab management measures for the Delaware Bay area. As a result of his efforts, horseshoe crab will be the first interstate fisheries management program to explicitly address multispecies objectives.

 

 

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 April 24-26, 2012 in Mystic, CT.

At its April meeting, the Council addressed issues related to protected species, groundfish, a report by the Scientific and Statistical Committee, scallops, habitat, small mesh fisheries, monkfish and dogfish.

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

    •   Overviews of the potential implications of the April 6, 2012 Atlantic sturgeon ESA listing on NEFMC fishery management plans and recent changes to the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan;

    •   A summary of the assessment and data updates for 13 Northeast groundfish stocks through 2010;

    •   Northeast Fisheries Science Center plans for future Atlantic sea scallop surveys, including details

about the testing and use of the towed underwater camera “HabCam”; and

    •   An overview of the Scientific and Statistical Committee’s most recent meeting.

 View the complete NEFMC Council report

 

 

 

 

 

Alexandria, VA — May 4, 2012 – An independent panel of scientists endorsed the findings of the 2012 Benchmark Stock Assessment for River Herring, concluding the overall coastwide population of river herring (alewife and blueback herring) stocks on the US Atlantic coast is depleted to near historic lows. The "depleted" determination was used instead of "overfished" and "overfishing" because many factors, not just directed and incidental fishing, are contributing to the declining abundance of river herring. In addition to reducing harvest, recovery of river herring will need to address issues such as fish passage, predation, water quality, and climate change.

River herring are an anadromous species, spending the majority of their life at sea and  returning to their natal streams to spawn. While at sea, mixing is believed to occur among multiple river-specific stocks and the incidental catch of river herring in non-targeted ocean fisheries is known to include both immature and mature fish.

Ideally, river herring should be assessed and managed by individual river systems. However, with over 200 river-specific stocks, population estimates were difficult to develop for the majority of these due to insufficient data. For the 52 river-specific stocks of alewife and blueback herring for which data were available, 23 were depleted relative to historic levels, one stock was increasing, and the status of 28 stocks could not be determined because of the data’s limited time-series (see Table below).

In 2008, in response to perceived declines, the Management Board initiated the development of Amendment 2 to the Shad and River Herring FMP. Under Amendment 2, states and jurisdictions without an approved sustainable fisheries management plan were required to close their river herring fisheries by January 1, 2012. States with approved plans are Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina. Prohibitions on harvest currently occur in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. The Commission will continue to coordinate with the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils in monitoring and reducing river herring bycatch in at-sea fisheries.

A more detailed overview of the River Herring Stock Assessment is available at http://www.asmfc.org/speciesDocuments/shad/stockassmtreports/riverHerringStockAssessmentOverview_May2012.pdf.  It was developed with the intent of aiding media and interested stakeholders in better understanding the Commission’s stock assessment results and process. Copies of the River Herring Stock Assessment Report and Assessment Peer Review Report will be available on the Commission website under Breaking News on May 7. For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, Fishery Management Coordinator, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexandria, VA – May 3, 2012 –  The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's South Atlantic State-Federal Fisheries Management Board approved the Public Information Document for the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Black Drum for public review and comment. As the first step in the development of the FMP, the PID presents the current status of the fishery and resource, and solicits public input on changes observed in the fishery; actions to be taken in terms of management, enforcement, and research; and any other concerns about the resource or fishery.

The FMP is being initiated in response to concern regarding significant increases in harvest in recent years and the fact that the fishery primarily targets juveniles. The Commission is also moving forward with conducting the first coastwide assessment of this species. The assessment will be developed concurrently with the FMP to support establishment of the interstate management program.

States will be conducting public hearings on the PID; information on those hearings will be released when they are finalized. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The PID can be obtained via the Commission’s website www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at 703.842.0740. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 20, 2012 and should be forwarded to Danielle Chesky, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at dchesky@asmfc.org (Subject line: Black Drum PID).

 

 

 

Alexandria, VA – May 3, 2012 —  In its report to the Commission’s American Eel Management Board, an independent panel of scientists endorsed the findings of the 2012 benchmark stock assessment, which concluded the American eel population is depleted in U.S. waters. The stock is at or near historically low levels due to a combination of historical overfishing, habitat loss, food web alterations, predation, turbine mortality, environmental changes, toxins and contaminants, and disease. The panel urged the Board to examine alternative reference points to provide more protection to the spawning stock biomass.

Both trend and model analyses results indicate the American eel stock has declined in recent decades and the prevalence of significant downward trends in multiple surveys across the coast is cause for concern.  Based on these findings, the stock is considered depleted. No overfishing determination can be made at this time. However, the Commission’s American Eel Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee caution that although commercial fishery landings and effort in recent times have declined in most regions (with the possible exception of the glass eel fishery), current levels of fishing effort may still be too high given the additional stressors affecting the stock such as habitat loss, passage mortality, and disease. Fishing on all life stages of eels, particularly young-of-the-year and in-river silver eels migrating to the spawning grounds, could be particularly detrimental to the stock, especially if other sources of mortality (e.g., turbine mortality, changing oceanographic conditions) cannot be readily controlled. Management efforts to reduce mortality on American eels in the U.S. are warranted.

In response to the findings, the Board tasked the American Eel Technical Committee with developing potential management actions for Board consideration at its next meeting.  A more detailed overview of the American eel stock assessment is available on the Commission website here. It was developed with the intent of aiding media and interested stakeholders in better understanding the Commission’s stock assessment results and process. The American Eel Stock Assessment Report and Assessment Peer Review Report will be posted to the Commission website under Breaking News on May 7. For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, Fishery Management Coordinator, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

 

 

Alexandria, VA — May 2, 2012 – Mr. Dennis F. Abbott, Mr. G. Ritchie White, Mr. William T. Windley, Jr., and Major Harold Knudsen were presented the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Annual Awards of Excellence in Alexandria, Virginia for their contributions to the success of fisheries management along the Atlantic coast. Mr. Abbott received his award in the legislative category, while Mr. White, Mr. Windley, and Major Knudsen received awards in management and policy; scientific, technical, and advisory; and law enforcement categories, respectively.

"Every year a great many people contribute to the success of fisheries management along the Atlantic coast.  The Commission’s Annual Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding efforts by professionals who have made a difference in the way we manage and conserve our fisheries," said ASMFC Chair, Paul J. Diodati of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. "This evening, we honor several individuals for their contributions to the management and conservation of Atlantic coast fisheries."

Legislative Contributions: Mr. Dennis F. Abbott
For nearly 15 years, Mr. Abbott has supported fisheries conservation and management activities along the Atlantic coast as both an ASMFC Commissioner and a New Hampshire state legislator. As a Commissioner, Mr. Abbott has served on numerous ASMFC committees and taken on leadership roles, such as Chair of the Atlantic Herring Section and Co-chair of the Legislators and Governor Appointees (LGAs).  When he was first appointed, he championed the increased role of the LGAs on the Commission’s species management boards, helping to establish the current fisheries management decision-making process. He has also worked tirelessly to ensure that interested stakeholders have a voice in the Commission’s management process through its advisory panels.  

As a state legislator, member, and later Chair of New Hampshire's House Fish, Game, and Marine Resources Committee, Mr. Abbott sponsored a $1 fee on all fishing licenses, providing dedicated funds to improve fish habitat such as dam removals and stream restoration projects.  He championed the state’s saltwater license legislation to improve recreational catch data and provide additional funding for the state’s natural resource management. He also sponsored legislation providing state expedited rulemaking to facilitate timely implementation of Commission management actions.

Management & Policy: Mr. G. Ritchie White
A lifelong sportsman and saltwater angler, Mr. White has been actively involved in fisheries management at the state and interstate level for nearly 20 years. He began his involvement with the Commission as an Atlantic Striped Bass Advisor, where he witnessed firsthand the recovery of striped bass and the slow but steady increase of recreational and commercial fishing opportunities. He gained a profound appreciation for the successes that could be achieved when the states and federal government joined forces to rebuild striped bass stocks. His belief that this success could be applied to other species along the Atlantic coast led him to be an important advocate for passage of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act in 1993.

As New Hampshire’s Governor Appointee to the Commission for the past 12 years, Mr. White has actively participated in the Commission’s fisheries management process, serving on a number of species management boards, sections and committees, as well as chairing the Northern Shrimp Section.  In addition, he regularly meets with members of New Hampshire’s commercial and recreational industries, and his state’s congressional delegation on fisheries-related issues.  

Mr. White is a longtime appointee to New Hampshire’s Advisory Committee on Marine Fisheries and spent four years as Coastal Commissioner for the Fish and Game Commission. He is also a founding member of the New Hampshire Coastal Conservation Association, where he has served on the Board of Directors since its inception.        A persistent and staunch advocate for science based management, Mr. White has consistently strived to put the resource first while trying to balance the needs of the various users of marine resources.  

Scientific, Technical, & Advisory: Mr. William T. Windley, Jr.
Mr. Windley has served on the Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden, Atlantic Croaker, and South Atlantic Species Advisory Panels for more than 10 years. He assumed chairmanship of Atlantic Menhaden Advisory Panel in 2002 and the South Atlantic Advisory Panel in 2008, consistently representing the viewpoints and concerns of those panels to their respective species management boards in a fair and even-handed manner. Over the course of his chairmanship, Mr. Windley has participated in stock assessments for Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic croaker, and red drum; new management programs for Atlantic menhaden and several South Atlantic species; and the initiation of a new fishery management plan for black drum.

Mr. Windley is a long-serving member and four-term president of the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association, a member of the Maryland Coastal Conservation Association, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the National Advisory Board of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, as well as Maryland Department of Natural Resource’s Aquatic Resources Committee and Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission.

A strong proponent of science-based management and managing the resource for the greater good, Mr. Windley has long advocated that managers base their decisions on science rather than political pressure. He has firmly held that if resources are managed properly, then recreational and commercial fisheries will not only coexist but thrive.

Law Enforcement: Major Harold Knudsen
A veteran officer of the North Carolina Marine Patrol, Major Knudsen has dedicated his 29-year career to serving the citizens of North Carolina and protecting their fisheries resources. His dedication is steeped in a lifelong appreciation for the vast beauty of the outdoors and the importance North Carolina's nearshore waters and resources to its coastal communities. Major Knudsen supervises all Marine Patrol field operations for the state, covering 2.7 million acres of ocean and coastal waters and 4,000 miles of shoreline in 21 counties.  

Major Knudsen is widely respected for working effectively across the state’s marine law enforcement districts to enforce North Carolina's marine fisheries regulations. His skill and dedication is evidenced by a recent complex case that detected significant under-reporting of red drum by three North Carolina seafood dealers. The case resulted in the issuing of 32 charges against the seafood dealers, including possession and sale of illegal red drum and failure to complete North Carolina trip tickets.

 

 

Addendum Seeks to Address Illegal Commercial Striped Bass Harvest

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – May 2, 2012 — The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has approved for public comment Draft Addendum III to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Draft Addendum proposes implementing a mandatory commercial tagging program for all states and jurisdictions with commercial striped bass fisheries and increasing penalties for illegally harvested fish. These options are intended to prevent commercial striped bass quota overages and the illegal harvest of striped bass. Both undermine the sustainability of striped bass populations, as well as reduce the economic opportunities of law abiding commercial fishermen. Options include increased accounting of unused tags, timely reporting of catch, the point at which tagging must occur, standardization of tag type, and development of biological metrics for determining state/jurisdiction tag quantity.

The Draft Addendum responds to recommendations of the Interstate Watershed Task Force (IWTF). The IWTF conducted a multi-year, multi-jurisdictional investigation on illegal commercial striped bass harvest within Chesapeake Bay, resulting in over $1.6 million dollars in fines against 19 individuals and three corporations for more than one million pounds of striped bass harvested illegally. The investigation revealed some current control measures for regulating the harvest of striped bass were ineffective or inadequately designed to maximize compliance. The investigation also found that greater accountability of wholesalers would be difficult to achieve without uniform tags (colors, design) and tagging requirements, valid year and size limits inscribed on tags, and increased dealer compliance education.

Several states will be conducting public hearings on the Draft Addendum; information on those hearings will be released when they are finalized. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum will be available on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at 703.842.0740 by May 11, 2012. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 13, 2012 and should be forwarded to Kate Taylor, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or ktaylor@asmfc.org   (Subject line: Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Addendum III).

 

 

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia –  May 2, 2012 –The Commission’s American Lobster Board has approved for public comment Draft Addendum XVIII to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Draft Addendum proposes a consolidation program for lobster conservation management areas 2 and 3 (LCMAs 2 & 3) to address latent effort and reduce the overall number of traps allocated. The specific management tools being considered in the addendum include trap allocations, trap banking, and controlled growth for participants in the fishery. The Draft Addendum proposes unique plans for each area.

The Draft Addendum responds to the depleted condition of the Southern New England (SNE) lobster resource and the Board’s intent to scale the capacity of the SNE fishery to the size the SNE resource, with an initial goal of reducing qualified trap allocation by at least 25% over a five to ten year period. Since the scope of the SNE resource encompasses all or part of six of the seven LCMAs established by Amendment 3, additional addenda will be developed to address effort reductions in the remaining LCMAs.

In order to consolidate the fishery, latent effort must be addressed. Latent effort is traps allocated to an individual that are not fished. The limited entry programs for each LCMA have unique qualifying criteria and eligibility periods, resulting in differing levels of latent effort among the areas. Consequently, measures to remove latent effort from the fishery will need to be developed for each LCMA based on the current amount of latent effort. Consolidation is likely to occur as permit holders respond to the annual trap allocation cuts by obtaining allocation from permit holders who downsize their operations or leave the fishery through the transferability program.  

For trap limits to be effective in reducing harvest and rebuilding the stock, latent effort must first be addressed to prevent this effort from coming back into the fishery as the stock grows and catch rates increase. It is anticipated that long-term reductions in traps fished will occur as a result of this addendum.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum will be available on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org ) under Breaking News by May 14, 2012. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 10, 2012 and should be forwarded to Toni Kerns, Senior FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or tkerns@asmfc.org   (Subject line: American Lobster Draft Addendum XVIII).