Saving Seafood

Management & Regulation

Native American tribe wins U.S. waiver to resume hunting Pacific gray whales

June 14, 2024 — After a decades-long struggle, a Native American tribe won the right to resume its hunting traditions off Washington state’s coast when federal regulators granted a waiver on Thursday allowing the Makah people to hunt up to 25 gray whales over a decade.

As part of its 1855 treaty with the U.S. government, the Makah Tribe secured the right to continue hunting whales, a tradition it describes as at the heart of their spiritual beliefs and practices. But the practice was stymied by 20th-century conservation measures.
In 2002, a federal court ruled that the tribe must secure a waiver of a moratorium on whale hunting under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.

NOAA Fisheries authorizes Makah Tribe to resume gray whale hunt

June 13, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced the final rule and decision to grant the Makah Tribe a waiver from the take prohibitions in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This waiver provides for a limited subsistence and ceremonial hunt of Eastern North Pacific gray whales in accordance with the Treaty of Neah Bay of 1855 and quotas established by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). This waiver authorizes the Makah Tribe to resume hunting up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over a 10-year period in U.S. waters. 

Prior to a hunt, NOAA Fisheries and the Tribe must enter into a cooperative agreement under the Whaling Convention Act, and the Tribe must apply for and receive a hunt permit. The final rule includes time and area restrictions, harvest limits, low population thresholds, restrictions on the use of gray whale parts and reporting and monitoring requirements.

“This final rule represents a major milestone in the process to return ceremonial and subsistence hunting of Eastern North Pacific gray whales to the Makah Tribe,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “The measures adopted today honor the Makah Tribe’s treaty rights and their cultural whaling tradition that dates back well over 1,000 years, and is fundamental to their identity and heritage.”

Under this final rule, there will be no change to the number of Eastern North Pacific gray whales that can be hunted under a quota first established by the IWC in 1997. The IWC quota is shared between the Makah Tribe and the Chukotkan Natives in Russia. This action will allow the Makah Tribe to use the quota which has in past years been transferred to Russia. No more than 2-3 whales may be hunted each year by the Tribe in U.S. waters. In addition, NOAA Fisheries will maintain adaptive management strategies to ensure the protection of endangered Western North Pacific gray whales and the Pacific Coast Feeding Group of Eastern North Pacific gray whales.

Earlier this year, NOAA Fisheries closed the Unusual Mortality Event for the Eastern North Pacific gray whale population, which included 690 gray whale strandings from December 17, 2018 to November 9, 2023, with peak strandings from December 2018 to December 2020. The most recent gray whale population estimate, based on counts of southbound whales during the winter of 2023/2024, is approximately 17,400 to 21,300 whales. 

Historical Background

On February 14, 2005, NOAA Fisheries received a request from the Makah Tribe for a limited waiver of the MMPA moratorium on take of Eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus). The Tribe requested that NOAA Fisheries authorize a Tribal hunt in the coastal portion of the Tribe’s usual and accustomed fishing area for ceremonial and subsistence purposes, in addition to authorizing the making and sale of handicrafts created from the harvested whales. 

On April 5, 2019, NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule to issue a waiver under the MMPA and proposed regulations governing the hunting of Eastern North Pacific gray whales by the Makah Tribe for a 10-year period. At this time, the agency also published a related notice of hearing before an administrative law judge to consider the waiver and proposed regulations. In November 2019, a public hearing led by an administrative law judge took place in Seattle, Washington. 

On September 23, 2021, the judge’s recommended decision was transmitted to NOAA Fisheries along with the hearing transcript and other required documentation. These documents — and public comments on them — informed the agency’s final decision on the Makah Tribe’s waiver request. 

More information about the Makah Tribe’s request for a limited waiver of the Marine Mammal Protection Act moratorium on take of gray whales — including a flowchart — is available on the NOAA Fisheries’ website as well as a historical chronology leading up to this milestone.

BOEM says ‘no significant impacts’ from Central Atlantic wind lease sale

June 11, 2024 — An environmental assessment of three planned offshore wind energy areas off Delaware, Maryland and Virginia predicts “no significant impacts” from future lease sales on 365,545 acres of seafloor, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy said this week.

Dubbed the Central Atlantic region by BOEM planners, lease sales are already tentatively scheduled for Aug. 14, and the environmental study summarizes “site assessment and site characterization activities such as geophysical, geological, and archaeological surveys,” according to an agency announcement. “The EA concluded that there would be no significant impacts from lease issuance.”

BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein said the agency will work with other government agencies, ocean users and the public “to ensure that any development in the region is done in a way that avoids, reduces, or mitigates potential impacts to ocean users and the marine environment.”

Supporting documents to the environmental assessment do note caveats. Potential conflicts with U.S. military uses and NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia are continuing to be assessed for Wind Energy Area B-1 off Maryland and Virginia.

Read the full article at WorkBoat

The UN says more aquatic animals were farmed than fished in 2022. That’s the first time in history

June 11, 2024 — The total global volume of fish, shrimp, clams and other aquatic animals that are harvested by farming has topped the amount fished in the wild from the world’s waters for the first time ever, the United Nations reported Friday.

The U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, in its latest report on fisheries and aquaculture — or farming in water — says the global catch and harvest brought in more than 185 million tons of aquatic animals in 2022, the most recent year for which statistics are available.

Experts say the milestone in human history had been expected, as the hauls from fisheries have largely stagnated over the last three decades — largely because of limits in nature.

Read the full article at the The Associated Press

Central Atlantic Environmental Assessment Released Preparing for Wind Sale

June 8, 2024 — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) continues to move at a fast pace to advance the U.S. offshore wind energy sector. Today it is announcing the availability of its final Environmental Assessment for potential offshore wind development off the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia coasts collectively known as the Central Atlantic region.

The proposal for the offshore wind lease sale for two areas along the Central Atlantic was announced in mid-December 2023. In January and February, BOEM first released its draft of the environmental impact and then ren the mandated public comment period. The review concluded that there would be no significant impacts from lease issuance after reviews including a site assessment and site characterization activities such as geophysical, geological, and archaeological surveys.

The next step in the process would be publishing a final sale notice at least 30 days prior to the proposed auction. BOEM reports that it plans to hold the sale for the Central Atlantic region later this year.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

The fate of Atlantic cod stocks from optimism to concern

June 6, 2024 — The most recent assessment of Atlantic cod stocks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence does not show an optimistic future for the species. Five years ago, Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a warning that the species’ extinction in the Gulf was probable. However, a fisheries scientist has recently claimed that they are “not ready to throw in the towel” on the northern cod stock.

In 2013, National Fisherman shared that scientific research suggested a rapidly growing gray seal population– 10 times greater (in 2013) than what it was 40 years before. Scientists believed this played a significant role in the high cod mortality in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Similarly to over ten years ago, today’s assessments are drawing the same conclusions; Federal Fisheries and Oceans biologist Daniel Richard claims that between 60% and 70% of cod in the southern Gulf do not survive past the age of five and are likely eaten by vast herds of gray seals in the region.

“It’s a very dire situation,” Richard tells CBC. “The most likely cause of the increase in natural mortality is an increased predation of gray seals.”

According to CBC Canada, cod could withstand large numbers of seals in the past, but that was before overfishing caused cod populations to plummet several decades ago. Scientists believe that the seals are now preventing the recovery of cod stock, even though recent surveys detected increased numbers of young cod.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

BOEM Finalizes Environmental Review of Potential Offshore Wind Lease Activities in the Central Atlantic

June 6, 2024 — The following was released by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management:

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced the availability of its final Environmental Assessment (EA), which considers possible impacts from issuing leases for potential offshore wind development off the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia coasts, including site assessment and site characterization activities such as geophysical, geological, and archaeological surveys. The EA concluded that there would be no significant impacts from lease issuance.

“BOEM is proud to continue to support the clean energy transition in a responsible manner in the Central Atlantic region,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We will continue to work closely with Tribes, our other government partners, ocean users, and the public to ensure that any development in the region is done in a way that avoids, reduces, or mitigates potential impacts to ocean users and the marine environment.”

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects. BOEM has held four offshore wind lease auctions, including sales offshore New York, New Jersey, and the Carolinas; and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. BOEM is exploring additional opportunities for offshore wind energy development in the U.S., including in the Gulf of Maine and elsewhere off the Central Atlantic coast. The Department also continues to take steps to evolve its approach to offshore wind to drive towards union-built projects and a domestic-based supply chain.

Advancing Recreational Fishing Priorities Together

June 6, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries is making important progress implementing the updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy with the support of fishers and other partners. The updated policy, revised with substantial public input, included climate and social equity goals for the first time. We also developed national and regional implementation plans, which are comprehensive roadmaps outlining projects and plans for the next several years.

Making Progress Toward our Policy Goals

Support, Maintain, and Recover Sustainable Saltwater Recreational and Non-Commercial Fisheries Resources, Including Protected Species, and Healthy Marine and Estuarine Habitats

NOAA Fisheries recognizes that sustainable, enjoyable recreational fisheries depend upon healthy fishery resources. In May, announced that just 6 percent of assessed stocks are identified as undergoing overfishing and 18 percent are considered overfished. Some important recreational stocks were removed from the overfishing list, including Atlantic mackerel and Gulf of Mexico jacks.

But, our work isn’t done: Those stocks still require rebuilding. And, two important recreational stocks were added to the list of overfished stocks—including some Chinook salmon runs and quillback rockfish along portions of the West Coast.

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress has provided a historic opportunity to improve the habitats upon which our fish stock rely. In 2023, NOAA provided $480 million to improve habitats across the nation supporting 109 different projects. In May, we were pleased to announce $240 million of FY24 funding and an additional $38 million in future year funding for 46 fish passage projects. They will reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish across the country.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Biden releases management plan for Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument

June 5, 2024 — The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has released its final management plan for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

“I applaud the release of the final management plan, a critical and giant stride by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS] and NOAA to realizing the potential for stewarding our interactions with, teaching about, and studying the inner workings of this ocean wilderness,” Mystic Aquarium Senior Research Scientist Peter Auster said in a statement.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA Shares Plans to Re-envision Recreational Fishing Data Collection

June 5, 2024 — Nationally coherent, regionally specific.

This is the primary goal of our current federal-state effort to re-envision the recreational fisheries data collection program.

We collect recreational fishing data from anglers through our network of surveys. These data result in estimates of recreational catch and effort. Alongside commercial, observer, and biological data, they help inform stock assessments and resulting fisheries management advice. Our aim is to provide optimal fishing opportunities while balancing the need to protect marine fisheries resources.

While our current data collection program has its strengths—including tracking long-term patterns in recreational fishing activity—we acknowledge the program’s challenges. We recognize the need to re-evaluate our approaches and strive for a new collaboratively developed vision for recreational data collection that builds on the strengths of our state and regional partners. This will produce better data and better recreational catch estimates. Alongside our partners, the involvement of the recreational fishing community is crucial to the success of this process.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries