Saving Seafood

Council Actions

ASMFC Schedules Horseshoe Crab Management Objectives Workshop for July 15-16 in Lewes, Delaware

May 20, 2024 — The following was released Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board is convening a stakeholder workshop aimed at generating recommendations for Board consideration regarding horseshoe crab management in the Delaware Bay region. The workshop responds to public concern and differing positions related to use of the Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework, which describes acceptable harvest levels for the Delaware Bay bait fishery based on the abundance of horseshoe crabs and shorebirds. The participants represent a broad range of perspectives reflecting various stakeholder interests, including horseshoe crab and shorebird/rufa red knot biologists; environmental organizations; commercial harvesters and dealers; biomedical industry representatives; and resource managers.
 
Following a revision to the ARM Framework in 2021 that incorporated new data and modeling approaches, the ARM-calculated harvest level included limited female harvest in the Delaware Bay region for the first time since its implementation in 2012. While the ARM Framework output has provided for limited female harvest since 2023, the Board has not implemented female harvest to date. Nonetheless, this possibility drew extensive public concern focused in large part on the potential for female horseshoe crab harvest to impact the threatened shorebird rufa red knot. While environmental groups continue to advocate for zero female horseshoe crab harvest from the Delaware Bay population, commercial industry participants have indicated they would value the opportunity to harvest limited number female horseshoe crabs.
 
The workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Kristina Weaver, who recently moderated a Virginia Institute of Marine Science workshop to develop a plan for the study of Atlantic menhaden in Chesapeake Bay. Dr. Weaver brings expertise in facilitation and mediation to empower communities to create shared solutions for complex social and environmental problems.
 
The public is welcome to attend the workshop. Since the workshop will be a working meeting, there may be a limited opportunity for the public to provide comments at the end of the meeting. The workshop will be conducted from July 15-16 at the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control Lewes Field Office, 901 Pilottown Road, Lewes, Delaware 19958; 302.855.7290.
 
It is important to note that no management decisions are being formulated or acted upon at the workshop. The meeting is intended to initiate discussions on ecosystem and management objectives, identify common ground among divergent stakeholder views, and develop options for Board discussion and consideration. For more information or if you plan to attend the workshop, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org, or James Boyle, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at jboyle@asmfc.org.

South Atlantic Council to Hold King and Spanish Mackerel Port Meetings in New England and New York

May 9, 2024 — The following was released by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled several port meetingsto gather stakeholder perspectives on the future of the king and Spanish mackerel fisheries. Three New England-focused meetings will be held via webinar on May 14, 15, and 16, 2024. An in-person port meeting will be held on June 4, 2024 in conjunction with a meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Council in Riverhead, New York.

Background: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council manages King and Spanish Mackerel along the Atlantic coast in federal waters from Florida through New York. Members of the South Atlantic Council’s Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel requested the Council hold a series of port meetings to gather more information and take a focused look at the fisheries given changing environmental conditions that alter fishery dynamics. The informal port meetings allow stakeholders to share their insights and help determine the future of these fisheries.

Port Meeting Schedule

New England Port Meetings (via webinar) 

New England Meeting Flyer

  • Tuesday, May 14, 6:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 16, 6:00 p.m.

Webinar registration is required. Visit the South Atlantic Council’s website for registration links and other information. 

New York Port Meeting (in person) 

New York Meeting Flyer

  • June 4, 2024, 6:00 p.m. (in conjunction with June 2024 Mid-Atlantic Council Meeting) – Atlantis Banquets and Events431 East Main Street, Riverhead, NY 11901

Learn more about the King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel Port Meetings by visiting the Council’s website.

Questions? Contact Christina Wiegand at Christina.Wiegand@safmc.net.

New England-focused king mackerel and Spanish mackerel port meetings

May 6, 2024 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled three New England-focused webinar port meetings to gather stakeholder perspectives on the future of the king and Spanish mackerel fisheries given that changing environmental conditions are altering fishery dynamics.

New England: The New England-focused meetings, which all begin at 6:00 p.m., will be held:

  • Tuesday, May 14, 2024;
  • Wednesday, May 15, 2024; and
  • Thursday, May 16, 2024.

Webinar registration is required.  Visit the South Atlantic Council’s website for registration links and other information.

  • Download a copy of the New England Mackerel Port Meetings flyer.

The South Atlantic Council said, “Input gathered during these port meetings will directly affect future management efforts for king and Spanish mackerel.”

Mid-Atlantic: A Mid-Atlantic-focused in-person port meeting will be held June 4, 2024 in Riverhead, New York in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s scheduled June meeting.

QUESTIONS?  Please contact the South Atlantic Council’s Christina Wiegand at Christina.Wiegand@safmc.net.

 

ASMFC Presents 2024 Annual Awards of Excellence

May 2, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Last evening, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission presented its Annual Awards of Excellence to a number of individuals for their outstanding contributions to management, scientific, and law enforcement efforts along the Atlantic coast. Specifically, the 2024 award recipients are Phil Edwards for management and policy contributions; Nicole Lengyel Costa and Laura Lee for technical and scientific contributions; and Deputy Chief Jason Snellbaker for law enforcement contributions.

“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 Awards Committee Chair Spud Woodward of Georgia. “I am humbled by the breadth and extent of accomplishments of the recipients and am grateful for their dedication to Atlantic coast fisheries.”

Management and Policy Contributions

Phil Edwards of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Phil has been an active and integral member on several Commission species management boards over the years, including serving as Chair of the American Eel, and Shad and River Herring Boards. Management of these diadromous resources is challenging due to data limitations and the various threats they face throughout their extensive range between freshwater and ocean ecosystems. Under his leadership, Phil has been able to deftly guide management of these species. As board chair and member on other boards, Phil has brought a wealth of knowledge and policy acumen to all his Commission endeavors, and the Commission at-large has benefitted from Phil’s work ethic, leadership, and expertise.

Phil’s strong policy and fisheries management skills are backed by over 20 years of participation on various technical committees and assessment work for Commission species. His extensive knowledge and years of work on fish passage has improved conservation of diadromous fish in Rhode Island, and by extension along the East Coast, and serves as an example of his dedication to these efforts.

Scientific and Technical Contributions

Nicole Lengyel Costa of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

For many years, Nicole has been an engaged and important member of several Commission technical committees, fish ageing projects, and plan development teams, and has served as Chair of the Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee for the past few years.

Aside from her technical contributions, Nicole has helped the Commission develop several particularly tricky management actions for striped bass, including recent actions to stop overfishing and aid in stock rebuilding. These actions were structurally complex and Nicole, working closely with her colleagues at the Commission, put together well-crafted documents in order for the public to understand and comment on these complicated proposed measures.

In addition to her efforts with striped bass, Nicole is a long serving member of the ACCSP Operations Committee and has been involved with age and growth work used in stock assessments across Commission species. Nicole brings to all her endeavors a strong scientific skill set and a keen understanding of fisheries management policy. Her efforts not only benefit Rhode Island but fisheries science and management activities along the entire East Coast.

Laura Lee of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and formerly with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NC DMF)

Laura has been involved in Commission stock assessments for nearly 25 years, including some of the first stock assessments for species such as Atlantic croaker, American eel, and spot. She has advanced fisheries science through the development of innovative approaches to common issues faced by stock assessments and the contribution of years of expertise and mentorship to numerous stock assessment subcommittees and scientists along the Atlantic coast. There is hardly a coastal Atlantic species Laura has not worked on, having been involved with or serving as chair on technical committees or stock assessment subcommittees for a multitude of species. During her time as a stock assessment scientist with NC DMF, she developed numerous codes for routine analyses used by the majority of Commission stock assessments today. With her new position as an ecologist at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Laura will continue her productive fisheries career.

Aside from these professional accomplishments, Laura is an invaluable resource on Atlantic coast fish species and stock assessment methods. She is generous with her time and has mentored several fisheries scientists through complex analyses and approaches. Laura provided advanced statistical analysis and guidance to DMF staff for virtually every FMP adopted during her tenure. Some of these scientists have 3 gone on serve on Commission technical committees and to further their careers at other state agencies, NOAA Fisheries, and in academia. Despite her formal transition off Commission and Division committees due to her new role, she has continued to show her dedication to Atlantic species by regularly participating in committee meetings and providing valuable feedback to keep science projects moving forward.

Law Enforcement Contributions

Deputy Chief Jason Snellbaker of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Law Enforcement

Since becoming a member of the Commission’s Law Enforcement Committee (LEC) in 2014, Jason has promoted the role of law enforcement in fisheries management. He has represented the Committee on a number of species management boards, including tautog; summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass; Atlantic sturgeon; and bluefish. He has been the voice of the LEC on critical topics such as commercial tautog tagging and the summer flounder research set aside program.

During Jason’s time with the LEC, he was selected by his peers to serve in a leadership role as Vice-chair and Chair. He accepted these roles during the pandemic, a particularly challenging time for the LEC as members were drawn to other responsibilities in their home states. Jason kept the flow of communication open and provided steady leadership by staying on as Chair for an extended period. At the state level, Jason’s exceptional leadership has been recognized by both NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for his efforts in support of the Cooperative Enforcement Program, and by the Commission for his work as part of a team of officers working in the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife marine region. He has also promoted marine fisheries law enforcement in forums such as the National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs where he took on an advisory role and participated in an exchange program with an agency in Belize. 

NEFMC: Scallop Research Set-Aside Program to Support 14 New Projects; Several 2024 Announcements Include Multi-Year Awards

May 2, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program will support 14 new projects that were selected from the 2024 RSA solicitation. Several awards will support multi-year research, including a four-year regional survey effort. The set-aside harvest is expected to generate $22 million in revenue. Of that total, $5 million will fund the targeted research and $17 million will compensate industry partners who harvest the set-aside scallops. To determine the award amounts, the price of sea scallops was projected to average $14 per pound of meats.

Council Priorities and Research Partners

Seven different institutions will lead the projects, partnering with fishermen, fishing businesses, and non-profit fishery research organizations. The new RSA projects address 2024-2025 research priorities identified by the New England Fishery Management Council in June 2023. At that meeting, the Council asked NOAA Fisheries to modify the Scallop RSA Program to allow for longer-term RSA awards for regional survey work, which the agency accommodated in this latest round of funding with a four-year award. Other Council priorities are listed here on page 1. RSA-funded scallop surveys have been a long-standing priority. They have become increasingly important in: (1) providing information that directly helps scientists determine the status and distribution of the resource; and (2) guiding the Council in making management decisions for this valuable resource.

The new awards were announced on May 2, 2024 by the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) of NOAA Fisheries. The Council and NOAA Fisheries work together to support the Scallop Research Set-Aside Program. While the Council sets the research priorities, NOAA Fisheries manages the RSA competition and administers the program.

Read the full release from the NEFMC

Court shuts down offshore wind challenges over endangered whale

May 1, 2024 — Two attempts to sink the first major offshore wind project in the country over its impact to an endangered whale were shot down this week by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Solar developer Thomas Melone of Connecticut and a coalition of coastal residents in Massachusetts had separately sought to block the 62-turbine Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts. They argued that federal agencies did not address how offshore wind farm construction could threaten the endangered North American right whale population when issuing key permits.

Their appeals are part of a flurry of lawsuits that have sought, and so far failed, to bring down major offshore renewable projects that are keystones in President Joe Biden’s climate policy.

Read the full article at E&E News

 

Deadline Extended (May 24): Request for Proposals for Collaborative Strategies to Adapt Scup Gear Restricted Areas to Changing Ocean Conditions

April 29, 2024 — The following was released by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Overview: The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) continues to seek a contractor to investigate potential modifications to the scup Gear Restricted Areas (GRA). This work will build on previous analyses of commercial scup discards and the GRAs, utilizing available fisheries and environmental data. This project will be funded by Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds and will address the IRA funding priority to develop and implement management changes or processes that address climate vulnerability or improve climate resiliency of fisheries. 

Proposal Deadline: The proposal deadline has been extended to Friday, May 24, 2024. Work is expected to be completed by January 16, 2026.

Background: First implemented in November 2000, the Northern and Southern Scup GRA are intended to reduce juvenile scup discards in small mesh fisheries during certain times of the year. GRA regulations and boundaries have been reviewed and modified several times. Recent analyses have shown that the GRAs contributed to the rebuilding of the scup stock and continue to have a positive effect on reducing juvenile scup discards. However, spatial patterns of more recently observed discards suggest there has been a shift in where and when discards occur.

Scope of Work: The contractor will build on previous Council commercial scup discard and GRA analyses and utilize available fisheries and environmental data to investigate potential modifications to the scup GRAs. Modifications could include consideration of alternative measures based on adaptive management strategies. As described in the full request for proposals, this project should analyze bycatch trends for scup over time, identifying changes in spatial patterns and intensity and their connection to shifts in scup distribution. Hotspot, cluster, or alternative time/area closure analyses may be used to pinpoint areas where regulatory changes could mitigate impacts on juvenile scup. The project should examine regulatory and economic factors influencing scup discards and assessment, including evaluation of potential tradeoffs associated with bycatch reduction strategies. In addition, the contractor will plan and facilitate at least two in-person workshops with fishery stakeholders to solicit input on scup discards and GRAs. 

The contractor will be expected to develop a report with recommendations on a set of management alternatives that the Council could consider for implementation through a future management action.

Additional Information: Complete details about the project background, scope of work, contractor qualifications, and proposal submission instructions can be found in the request for proposals.

Groundfish: Council Begins Work on Amendment 25 to Add Four Atlantic Cod Assessment Units to Management Plan

April 28, 2024 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has agreed to develop a new amendment to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to incorporate four new Atlantic cod assessment units into the FMP.

This action, now designated as Amendment 25, was discussed during the Council’s April 16-18, 2024 meeting in Mystic, Connecticut. It is the first step in the Council’s work to adjust the way it manages Atlantic cod based on the new scientific understanding of the composition of this species.

The Council will receive a progress report on Amendment 25 during its June 2024 meeting in Freeport, Maine. It expects to take final action in September 2024 when it meets again in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

IMPORTANT: This amendment will NOT modify the current management units for cod. It is intended to be a simple action to add the new assessment units to the management plan. Currently, the FMP identifies two cod stocks: Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. The amendment will modify the plan to instead identify:

• Eastern Gulf of Maine cod;
• Western Gulf of Maine cod, including winter and spring spawners;
• Georges Bank cod under new assessment boundaries; and
• Southern New England cod (see graphic below).

Northern Edge of Georges Bank: Council Narrows Range of Scallop Access Concept Areas for Further Analysis

April 20, 2024 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has narrowed the range of options to be further analyzed in a draft framework action to potentially allow scallop fishery access to the Northern Edge of Georges Bank. This potential access would occur inside the Habitat Management Area, which is currently off limits to scallop fishing.

During its April 16-18, 2024 meeting in Mystic, Connecticut, the Council reviewed extensive information related to four different “concept areas” initially developed for discussion. The Council then voted to remove Concept Area 1 and Concept Area 3 from the mix. The Council concluded that Areas 1 and 3 were inconsistent with the goal and objectives of the framework. The background information presented to the Council included:

  • Historic distribution of scallops in the Northern Edge region, scallop biomass estimates within each concept area, and the size of each area;
  • Dominant types of sediment in each area – sand, pebble, cobble, and/or boulder –to define high complexity bottom;
  • Estimates of habitat disturbance from scallop fishing activity based on the Fishing Effects Model and estimates of
    habitat recovery time under various fishing scenarios; and
  • Enforceability of concept area boundaries.

The Council also: (1) considered recommendations from its Scallop and Habitat Committees, Scallop and Habitat Advisory Panels, and Enforcement Committee; and (2) took into account the Scallop and Habitat Committees’ rationale for recommending removal of Concept Areas 1 and 3.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Public Hearings on Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements

April 20, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is requesting public comments on a draft amendment to modify the species separation requirements in the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries. Comments may be submitted at any of three public hearings to be held on May 9, 14, and 16. Written comments will also be accepted through May 30, 2024.

This action is intended to address the increased frequency of mixed catches in these fisheries, an issue raised by the clam fishing industry. Current regulations do not allow for surfclam and ocean quahog to be landed on the same trip or placed in the same cages. The mixing of catches has created challenges related to catch monitoring, allocation tracking, and enforcement. Industry has also reported that the increasing frequency of mixed catches will impact onboard fisheries operations, creating logistical and economic challenges in the long-term that need to be addressed.

The Public Hearing Document, which describes a range of management approaches (“alternatives”) that could address this issue and provides a summary of associated impacts, will be posted on the Council website by May 1. At the June 2024 Council Meeting, the Council will review public input and recommend an alternative to NOAA Fisheries for review and rulemaking.

Public Hearings

Comments may be submitted at any of the following public hearings:

  1. Thursday, May 9, 2024. 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Webinar.
  2. Tuesday, May 14, 2024. 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport, 9000 Bartram Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19153. 215-365-4500.
  3. Thursday, May 16, 2024. 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Hyatt Place Boston/Braintree, 50 Forbes Rd, Braintree, MA 02184. 781-848-0600.

Written Comments

Written comments may be submitted by any of the methods listed below. Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on May 30, 2024.

For more information, contact Jessica Coakley (jcoakley@mafmc.org, 302-526-5252) or visit https://www.mafmc.org/actions/scoq-species-separation.