September 5, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA:
If you would like to be approved to provide at-sea monitoring services to sectors in fishing year 2015 (May 1, 2015, through April 30, 2016) you must submit an application by November 3, 2014. Applications must include a cover letter, and the information and statements identified in the regulations.
Click here for further details.
ELLSWORTH, Maine — September 4, 2014 — Maine fishery officials are set to host the last of three meetings with fishermen and the public about the proposed rules for the 2014-15 scallop season.
Officials say they want to shut down several waterways to scallop fishing in the upcoming season as they attempt to rebuild the fishery. The 2014-15 proposal maintains the number of fishing days from last season. Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher says he expects to have to cut days if scallops become too heavily depleted during the season, which starts in December.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Republic
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Commercial Fisheries News] — September 2, 2014 — At its June 10- 12 meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved specifications for the butterfish fishery that will increase allowable landings by more than 500% for the 2015-2017 fishing years and allow for the re-establishment of a substantial directed fishery.
(This article is reprinted with permission from the current issue of Commercial Fisheries News. To See More of that publication on line, click here.)
The specifications, which were in line with those recommended by the council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), give the industry full benefit of a new stock assessment that determined butterfish is not overfished – and has not been overfished all along.
“The butterfish stock size is above the size that produces maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and has been for the entire time series of the assessment – 1989- 2012, ” stated a summary document provided by the council staff. After some discussion, the council adopted an annual acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 33,278 metric tons (mt), 31,422 mt, and 30,922 mt respectively for 2015-2017. Compared to the 2013 ABC of 2,489 mt and the 2014 ABC of 9,100 mt, this represents a sizable increase.
In addition, the council adopted directed annual harvest (DAH) levels of 22,530 mt, 21,014 mt, and 20,652 mt respectively for 2015-2017. The DAH is the landings target for each year and is less than the ABC to account for discards and management uncertainties, council staffer Jason Didden explained.
The council opted not to increase the butterfish cap of 3,884 mt for 2015- 2017, though.
In the recent past, butterfish was a choke species for the longfin squid fishery. In April 2012, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) closed the longfin squid fishery when it approached its butterfish catch cap, which, at the time, was 1,436 mt. “The cap has worked for the past several years without causing closures and, at the current cap level, it should not close the longfin squid fishery if the fishery can continue to minimize butterfish discards, ” said Didden. Follow the science The five-fold increase in DAH was worrisome for some council members but strongly supported by others based on the SSC’s recommendations. “There’s a promise that the markets are being developed now and there’s a place for these fish, ” said council member Laurie Nolan of New York, who offered the motion to adopt the SSC figures. “And, if the fish are there, I say they should have access to them. ”
Council member and charter boat captain John McMurray of New York attempted a substitute motion that would have slowed the increase incrementally by thirds over three years. Uncomfortable with the large jump proposed in Nolan’s motion, he noted that the council had yet to adopt a forage fish policy as recommended in the council’s strategic plan. “I don’t have a bluefin fishery in the fall if I don’t have the butterfish, ” McMurray said.
The substitute motion did not garner enough support to pass. NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Regional Administrator John Bullard suggested following the council’s Mackerel-Squid-Butterfish (MSB) Monitoring Committee’s recommendation, which proposed a slightly more conservative DAH increase to 18,161 mt.
Council member Jeff Kaelin of New Jersey objected to this approach. “We ought to be happy about our success, ” he said, pointing out that the ecosystem analysis of butterfish habitat helped create a more accurate stock assessment.
“I don’t know why we shouldn’t be pleased as punch to allocate all of these fish after all we went through with butterfish for years, ” Kaelin said. Greg DiDomenico, executive director of the Garden State Seafood Association, said he went back to his records from 2006 when the butterfish ABC dropped from 5,900 mt to 1,681 mt because of the limited data available at the time. Each year since, fishermen were told they had to reduce butterfish bycatch because “the science said so, ” he said.
“Now it’s time to do what is to our benefit because the science says so, ” DiDomenico continued. “I have a better understanding of the science because people from the agency allowed people from the industry to sit in and participate. This is the best available science. ”
DiDomenico noted that the SSC recommendation set aside 70% of the butterfish stock for forage. Eric Reid, operations manager of SeaFreeze Shoreside in Narragansett, RI, recalled the time when processing plants existed primarily to pack butterfish.
“The SSC has already taken into account overfishing, MSY, forage, and uncertainties in the model, ” Reid said. “And, I won’t argue with the SSC. The science says the fish are there. I say, ‘Let’s go get ’em. ’”
Promising signs
In summarizing the history of the butterfish fishery, the council staff document explained that the fishery declined in the 1990s “due to a lack of availability and market forces. ” Since 2005, landings were restricted by regulations. However, as evidence began to mount of the relative strength of the butterfish resource, the council and NMFS re-established a limited directed fishery in 2013.
Jason Didden said that only a few vessels participated in the first year of directed harvest and that the low 2013 landings were due in part to market uncertainties since butterfish hadn’t really been sold in bulk into export markets since the mid-1990s.
Also, he said, the increase didn’t go into effect until mid-January 2013, which caused the fishery to miss part of the prime December-March target season, and that industry reported the winter of 2013 was windy, making fishing difficult.
Didden said that re-establishing a market likely will require a consistent supply of high-quality butterfish and, so far, the 2014 fishery has yielded better results in terms of landings, fish size, and fat content, according to industry reports.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — September 3, 2014 — Worried that the poster child for good fishery management, the striped bass, might be sliding backward with fishermen potentially catching more fish than the spawning adult fish can replace, fishery managers proposed cutting the quotas for both commercial and recreational fishermen by as much as 25 percent.
The measures are intended to reverse a seven-year trend of declining adult bass population within three years.
Staff from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which regulates fishing in state waters from Florida to Maine, and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries held a public hearing Tuesday night at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to get public comment on a suite of options to reverse a steady decline in the spawning population over the past seven years.
That has resulted in a 19 percent drop in landings since 2008.
Regulators aired proposals for the next year that included the 25 percent cut in landings as well as other plans that advocated a 17 percent cut, or that phased in a 21 percent reduction in 7 percent increments over three years. Other measures to help achieve these goals included decreasing the daily limit for recreational fishermen to one fish and a variety of options to bump up the minimum size.
The approximately 60 striped bass fishermen who attended the hearing were vocal in their support for quick and effective action.
"There will be economic hardships, but this is not about an economic study, it's about sustaining a fishery, to have it be productive," said Charlie Gregory of Fall River, who fishes commercially from the beach and from a kayak. Like many in the room, Gregory supported the 25 percent cut done in one year.
Read the full story from the Cape Cod Times
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh — September 2, 2014 — Coming up in October the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources (CCAMLR) will meet to hash out TACs for toothfish fisheries that fall under the Commission's regulatory scope.
Since a majority of the region's catch comes from fisheries that will get underway in the fourth quarter, following is a rundown of some of the driving forces behind toothfish stock management along with how the fishery performed under these regulations during the 2013/14 fishing season.
There are 13 toothfish fisheries that fall under the CCAMLAR’s management jurisdiction; another five fisheries fall under the management scope of EEZ’s in Argentina, Australia, Chile and the Falkland Islands/Isles Malvinas – the TAC for the combined fisheries was 23,991 tons during the 2013/14 fishing season, representing virtually the total availability of legal toothfish. Members of the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO) caught about 80 percent of this TAC.
Generally CCAMLAR sets the seasons when fishing conditions are more favorable. Since toothfish is a Southern Hemisphere fishery, this means most fishing takes place during the region’s summer season which coincides with the fall and winter months for those of those of us living in the Northern half of the world.
Additionally, seabird abundances are at their lowest level during the winter months – again this would be the summer time for those in the Southern half of the globe. So while some toothfish fisheries can remain open all year depending on gear types and other regulations, seabird bycatch is a major factor that managers consider when setting the fishing calendar.
“In our fishery at Heard Island for example, you can pot fish all year round (fishing year aligns with CCAMLR year which runs from December 1 to 30 November). But longline fishing has a “core” season from May 1 to September 14,” said Martin Excel, COLTO’s chairman. “If your vessel has done the right thing the previous year and applied all seabird mitigation measures properly then there are two “seasonal extension” periods from April 15 -30 and from September 14 to November 14.”
According to COLTO, fully 75 percent of the toothfish current TAC are landed during this time. This includes the Heard & McDonald Islands, the Ross Sea and the Kerguelen, Crozet and P. Edward & Marion Islands.
So with Labor Day marking the unofficial end to the summer season in North America, those in the toothfish industry are gearing up for their own summer season. In October, CCAMLR will meet to hash out the fishing quotas for the 2014/15 season. According to Excel it remains much too early to tell what this year’s quota will be.
“For some of the fisheries they will the same, others will change,” Excel said. “At this stage its not possible to work out, as it depends on calculations by scientists from things like random stratified trawls surveys or tagging studies.”
So while it may be a bit early to know how much toothfish will available later this fourth quarter there’s no doubt the global market will be seeing more toothfish volumes trickling in later this year and into 2015.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.
August 27, 2014 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council reviewed and maintained previously established commercial quotas and recreational harvest limits for summer flounder, scup and black sea bass for the 2015 fishing season. In all likelihood this will translate to status-quo recreational and commercial fishing regulations in Rhode Island for these species.
However, the bluefish quota has been decreased from 2014 to account for scientific uncertainty regarding the estimated biomass.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council decided to forgo setting research set asides for the four species in 2015 due to concern regarding misuse and illegal harvest. Earlier this summer the federal government issued 70 grand-jury subpoenas throughout New York as part of two-year investigation into illegal harvest under the guise of research set aside fishing. The council did allow for the possibility of resuming the program in 2016, pursuant to improvements in quota monitoring and program oversight.
Rhode Island will be given its share of new quotas and will develop specie management plan recommendations for consideration by the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council consideration and approval by DEM director Janet Coit. Rhode Island fishing regulations are discussed at advisory panel meetings and public hearings, which are both open to the public. They are considered and approved in winter months.
Read the full story at the Providence Journal
August 28, 2014 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has closed two areas to fishing.
The Eastern U.S./Canada area of Georges Bank has been closed through April 30, 2015 to all Northeast multispecies common pool vessels. The closure is required because 130 percent of the "total allowable catch" for Eastern Georges Bank cod has been caught. Fishing in that area will reopen on May 1, 2015.
NOAA Spokeswoman Marjorie Mooney-Seus said there is only one vessel fishing in the area, which has an annual catch limit of roughly 6,600 pounds.
NOAA has also closed the yellowtail flounder fishery through the end of August and the Eastern part of Georges' Bank for common pool boats through April 30, 2015.
Read the full story from the New Bedford Standard-Times
August 27, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA:
SUMMARY: This action closes the Eastern U.S./Canada Area for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of fishing year 2014, through April 30, 2015. Based on recent data, the common pool fishery has caught 130 percent of its Eastern Georges Bank cod total allowable catch, triggering the regulatory requirement to close the area for the remainder of the fishing year. Between August 15, 2014 and August 21, 2014, the common pool catch went from 38 percent to 150 percent of the trimester TAC. This action is intended to prevent further overage of the common pool’s annual quota of Eastern Georges Bank cod.
This action closes the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to common pool vessels for the remainder of fishing year 2014, through April 30, 2015. We have projected that the common pool fishery has exceeded its Total Allowable Catch for Eastern Georges Bank cod. We are required to close the Eastern U.S./Canada Area when we project that the Total Allowable Catch will be caught to prevent quota overages. The area will reopen at the start of the 2015 Fishing Year, on May 1, 2015.
Additionally, this action closes a portion of Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic to common pool vessels using trawl and gillnet gear for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2014. We have projected that the common pool fishery has caught over 90% of its Trimester Total Allowable Catch for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder. We are required to close a stock area when 90 percent of the Trimester Total Allowable Catch has been caught to prevent quota overages. The area will reopen at the start of Trimester 2, on September 1, 2014.
Highlights:
– We are closing the Eastern U.S./Canada Area for the remainder of the 2014 fishing year through April 30, 2015. The area will reopen at the start of the 2015 fishing year on May 1, 2015. This closure is required by regulation because recent information shows that the common pool fishery has exceeded its Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Eastern Georges Bank cod as of August 189 2014.
– The TAC for Eastern Georges Bank cod for FY 2014 is 3 mt. The common pool has caught approximately 4 mt, or 130 percent of the quota. The overage will be deducted from the following FY.
– We expect this to affect less than 5 vessels.
– We are closing the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder Trimester TAC Area to common pool vessels using trawl and sink gillnet gear for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2014. The area will reopen at the start of Trimester 2 on September 1, 2014. This closure is required by regulation because recent information shows that the common pool fishery has exceeded 90 percent of its Trimester 1 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder as of August 20, 2014.
– Between August 15, 2014 and August 21, 2014, the common pool catch went from 38 percent to 150 percent of the trimester TAC.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic coastal states and jurisdictions have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled hearings follow.
Maine Department of Marine Resources
September 4, 2014; 6-9 PM
Orion Performing Arts Center
MSAD#75, Mt. Ararat Middle School
66 Republic Avenue
Topsham, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
New Hampshire Fish and Game
August 27, 2014; 7 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
September 2, 2014; 10 AM
Nantucket Community Room
4 Fairgrounds Road
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at 617.626.1534
September 2, 2014; 6 PM
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Admiral’s Hall, 101 Academy Drive
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at 617.626.1534
* MA DMF will also be seeking public comment on Spiny Dogfish Draft Addendum V at this hearing
September 3, 2014; 6 PM
MA DMF Annisquam River Station
30 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at 617.626.1534
* MA DMF will also be seeking public comment on Spiny Dogfish Draft Addendum V at this hearing
September 4, 2014; 6 PM
Viking Club
410 Quincy Avenue (Route 53)
Braintree, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at 617.626.1534
Rhode Island Division of Fish & Wildlife
September 17, 2014 at 6 PM
University of Rhode Island, Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Nicole Lengyel at 401.423.1940
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
August 26, 2014; 7 PM
Marine Headquarters, Boating Education Center
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme Connecticut
Contact David Simpson at 860.434.6043
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
September 16, 2014; 7 PM
Stony Brook University Wang Center Theater
Stony Brook, New York
Contact: Carol Hoffman at 631.444.0476
Click here for google map to Wang Center
September 23, 2014; 7 PM
NYSDEC Region 3 Office
21 South Putt Corners Road
New Paltz, New York
Contact: Kathy Hattala at 845.256.3071
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
September 4, 2014; 7-9 PM
Galloway Twp. Branch of the Atlantic Co. Library
306 East Jimmie Leeds Road
Galloway, New Jersey
Contact: Russ Allen at 609.748.2020
* Will immediately follow the NJ Marine Fisheries Council meeting
September 15, 2014; 7-9 PM
Toms River Town Hall
L. M. Hirshblond Room
33 Washington Street
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Russ Allen at 609.748.2020
September 9, 2014; 7-9 PM
Ridgefield Park Elks Lodge #1506
Corner of Spruce Avenue and Cedar Street
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Contact: Russ Allen at 609.748.2020
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
September 17, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Silver Lake Nature Center (http://www.silverlakenaturecenter.org/)
1306 Bath Road
Bristol, Pennsylvania
Contact: Eric Levis at 717.705.7806
Delaware Department of Natural Resources
and Environmental Control
September 11, 2014; 6 – 8 PM
DNREC Auditorium
89 Kings Highway
Dover, Delaware
Contact: John Clark at 302.739.9914
Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Service
September 25, 2014; 6-9 PM
Cadby Theater, Kent Humanities Building
Chesapeake College
1000 College Circle
Wye Mills, Maryland
Contact: Michael Luisi at 410.260.8341
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
September 22, 2014 at 6 PM
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
2600 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Rob O'Reilly at 757.247.2248
Potomac River Fisheries Commission
September 23, 2014; 6 PM
222 Taylor Street
Colonial Beach, Virginia
Contact: Martin Gary at 804.224-7148
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
September 29, 2014; 6 PM
Dare County Government Complex
954 Marshall C. Collins Drive
Manteo North Carolina
Contact: Michelle Duval at 252.808.8011
The Draft Addendum proposes new fishing mortality (F) reference points, as recommended by the 2013 benchmark stock assessment, and associated management measures to reduce F to a level at or below the proposed target within one or three years. It responds to results of the 2013 Atlantic striped bass benchmark assessment indicating F in 2012 was above the proposed F target, and female spawning stock biomass (SSB) has been steadily declining below the target since 2006. This means even though the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, SSB is approaching its overfished threshold and stock projections show SSB will likely fall below the threshold in the coming years. In addition, a similar decline has been observed in total harvest. In response to these factors, the Draft Addendum proposes management options to reduce fishing mortality to the target level.
The Draft Addendum includes a suite of management options to reduce recreational and commercial harvest along the coast and in the Chesapeake Bay under three reduction timeframes. The timeframes include (1) reducing F to its target in one year with a 25% reduction in 2013 harvest in 2015 (2) reducing F to its target within three years with a 17% reduction in 2013 harvest in 2015, and (3) reducing F to its target within three years with a 7% sequential reduction in harvest for three consecutive years starting in 2015. Specific options to be considered include bag, size, slot and trophy size limits for the recreational fishery and quota reductions for the commercial fishery.
Given the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River (A/R) stock of striped bass contributes minimally to the coastwide complex when compared to the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware, and Hudson stocks, Draft Addendum IV proposes it be managed by the State of North Carolina using stock-specific biological reference points. These stock-specific reference points, which have been approved by the Board, would result in a separate quota that is set to maintain F for the A/R stock at its target level. The Board tasked the Technical Committee with the continued development of Chesapeake Bay-specific reference points for future use.
The Draft Addendum is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/StripedBassDraftAddendumIV_PublicComment.pdf and can also be found on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org ) under Public Input. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on September 30, 2014 and should be forwarded to Mike Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mwaine@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Addendum IV). For more information, please contact Mike Waine, at mwaine@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
Atlantic coastal states from Maine to Maryland have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) for the Draft Fishery Management Plan for Cancer Crab. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled hearings follow.
Maine Department of Marine Resources
September 22, 2014; 6 PM
Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal
Conference Room
56 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
September 24, 2014; 6 – 8 PM
Fairfield Inn and Suites, Vineyard Room
185 McArthur Drive
New Bedford, Massachusetts
Contact: Dan McKiernan at 617.626.1536
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
September 25, 2014; 6 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus,
Coastal Institute Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jeff Mercer at 401.423.1937
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
September 15, 2014; 7PM
Marine Headquarters
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme Connecticut
Contact: Colleen Giannini at 860.447.4308
Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
September 24, 2014; 5 PM
Ocean Pines Branch Library
11107 Cathell Road
Berlin, Maryland
Contact: Craig Weedon at 410.643.4601 x 2113
As the first step in the development of a FMP, the PID seeks public input on information concerning Cancer crab fisheries, including the identification of major issues and options relative to the management of these species. The PID was initiated in response to concern about increasing targeted fishing pressure for Jonah crab and rock crab (collectively referred to as Cancer crab). Both species have long been considered a bycatch in the lobster fishery, however, growing market demand has doubled landings in the past seven years. Landings of both species in 2012 was over 12 million pounds and estimated to be worth over $9 million. Given the absence of state and federal management programs and stock assessments for Cancer crab, there is concern the current harvest may compromise the sustainability of the resource.
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 is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/Crab_PID_forPublicComment_Aug2014.pdf and can also be accessed on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org ) under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on October 3, 2014 and should be forwarded to Kate Taylor, Senior FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at ktaylor@asmfc.org (Subject line: Cancer Crabs). For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
Press Contact: TINA BERGER, 703.842.0740