Management & Regulation

May 28, 2014 — The 2014 commercial herring fishing season hasn’t hit the halfway point, yet bad news has already come calling for the Atlantic herring fishery in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has imposed severe restrictions for the remainder of the Atlantic herring season in the federally managed offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine, saying 92 percent of the total allowable catch for this area already has been caught.

Until Dec. 31, vessels holding federal permits for Atlantic herring may retain no more than 2,000 pounds of the fish caught per trip or per day in this section of the Gulf of Maine.

More significantly, vessels holding federal permits will be restricted from any fishing for herring in what NOAA refers to as Area 1B from Jan. 1, 2015, until April 30, 2015.

Read the full story from The Gloucester Daily Times

May 28, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Atlantic coast states of Maryland through Georgia have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Draft Addendum to both the Spot and Atlantic Croaker Fishery Management Plans for public comment. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled hearings follow.
 
Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
June 12, 2014 at 6 PM
C-1 Conference Room
580 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Contact: Harry Rickabaugh at 410.643.6785

Virginia Marine Resources Commission
June 16, 2014 at 6 PM
2600 Washington Avenue
4th Floor Conference Room
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Joe Grist at 757.247.2237
 
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
June 17, 2014 at 6 PM
Central District Office
5285 Highway 70 West
Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
Contact: Michelle Duvall at 252.808.8011
 
Georgia Coastal Resources Division
June 18, 2014 at 5:30 PM
Susan Shipman Environmental Education Building
One Conservation Way
Brunswick, Georgia
Contact: Pat Geer at 912.264.7218
 

The Board initiated the development of new management options in response to concerns over trends in the spot and Atlantic croaker fisheries and the extent of bycatch and discards of both species in the shrimp trawl fishery. The Draft Addendum proposes a new method (Traffic Light Approach, TLA) to evaluate the status of the fisheries and potential coastwide or state-specified management actions (e.g. bag limits, size restrictions, time & area closures, and gear restrictions) based on the annual fisheries evaluation.
 
The TLA has been used as a precautionary framework for fisheries with limited data to allow for a reasonable level of resource management. The name comes from assigning a color (red, yellow, or green) to categorize relative levels of indicators on the condition of the fish population or fishery, which can help clearly illustrate trends in the fishery.  The current management of Atlantic croaker and spot compares annual changes in various indices (e.g. recent landings and survey information) to review trends in the fisheries. The most recent review found declines in the commercial and recreational landings for both Atlantic croaker and spot fisheries. However, there is concern that this annual review does not illustrate long-term trends in the stock nor does it include specific management measures to implement in response to declines in the stock or fishery.
 
The 2010 Atlantic croaker stock assessment indicated that overfishing is not occurring, while the stock status of spot is currently unknown. As both spot and Atlantic croaker are scheduled for benchmark stock assessments in 2016, the management options proposed in the Draft Addendum are intended to provide an interim approach until the benchmark assessments for both species are completed.
 
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Spot and Atlantic Croaker Draft Addendum, either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum is available on the Commission website on the Public Input page. It can also be accessed directly at http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/538635a6DraftSpotCroaker_Addenda_PublicComment_May2014.pdf. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 2, 2014 and should be forwarded to Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (fax) or via email at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org (Subject line: Croaker/Spot Draft Addendum).

Arlington, VA — May 23, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section is seeking comments on the Public Information Document (PID) for Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the PID; the dates, times, and locations of those hearings follow.

Maine Department of Marine Resources
June 5, 2014; 11:00 AM
Rockland Terminal
517 Main Street
Rockland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
 
New Hampshire Fish and Game
June 23, 2014; 7:00 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095
* NH will also conduct a public hearing on the
American Eel Draft Addendum IV
immediately following this hearing
 
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
June 4, 2014; 5:00 PM
MA DMF Annisquam River Station
30 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Contact: David Pierce at 617.626.1532
 
The PID presents four issues the Commission is seeking public input on to inform the development of management measures for the Atlantic herring fishery. The issues focus on (1) spawning area boundaries and closures in Area 1A, (2) a fixed gear set-aside rollover provision, (3) declaration of fishing gear prior to the beginning of a quota period in order to provide fishery managers a more accurate estimate of effort to inform harvest control measures, and (4) requirement for a vessel’s hold to be emptied of fish before a fishing trip departure in order to allow for full accounting of catch and to discourage dumping of unsold fish.
 
The PID is the first step in the Commission’s amendment process. It is intended to gather information concerning the Atlantic herring fishery and provide an opportunity for the public to identify and comment on major issues relative to the management of these species. A tentative schedule for the completion of Amendment 3 is included in the PID.
 
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID for Draft Amendment 3 either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The PID is available here or by contacting the Commission at 703.842.0740. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 10, 2014 and should be forwarded to Melissa Yuen, FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) (Subject line: Atlantic Herring PID).

May 22, 2014 — Scientists, industry representatives and others interested in fisheries science, management and policy discussed all things bycatch at the Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium in Anchorage May 13-16.

From January through May 10, commercial fishermen targeting primarily pollock and other groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea have caught about 5,868 king salmon and 2,294 metric tons, or more than 5 million pounds, of halibut while targeting other species in federal fisheries offshore from Alaska.

Those fish are classified as prohibited species catch, or PSC, and can’t be sold although in the case of Bering Sea king salmon they are required to be retained for a full count. Other PSC is discarded or sometimes donated to an organization that funnels them to food banks and organizations feeding hungry Alaskans.

Symposium presenters talked about the value of those discarded fish, as well as ways to minimize discards and other possible uses for them, although the symposium took a somewhat wider view of bycatch, including fish released by sport anglers and other discards in the discussion.

Lee Benaka talked about the 2014 update to the National Bycatch Report, which updated the first edition of that bycatch report to provide more recent information — the report now goes through 2010 — and change some methodology.

Read the full story at the Alaska Journal of Commerce 

May 14, 2014 — To achieve both the conservation and utilization goals of the MSA, regulators should provide guidance to fishery managers to assist them with developing additional tools for dealing with uncertainty in ways that do not compromise sustainability objectives. Providing alternative pathways for dealing with uncertainty can reduce the policy polarization existing under the current regulatory regime.

The Economic Importance of Fisheries

U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries are a financial mainstay in many coastal communities, generating billions of dollars of economic activity annually. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency tasked with implementing the MSA, the most recent data show that the U.S. commercial seafood industry generated approximately $55 billion in value added impacts in 2011.

The commercial industry also supports approximately 1.2 million full- and part-time jobs and provides nearly $37 billion in annual income to industry workers. Similarly, recreational fisheries generated about $32 billion in value added impacts in 2011, supporting over 455,000 full- and part-time jobs. In addition, the depressed status of many stocks suggests that the economic importance of the U.S. fishing industry has not reached its full potential, because fishing could increase as depressed stocks rebound.

The economic importance of the U.S. fishing industry cannot be overstated. The survival of many coastal communities largely depends on whether Congress and fishery managers can establish policies allowing fisheries to generate yield over the long term, rebuild overfished stocks and achieve the conservation objectives of the MSA.

History and Purpose of the MSA

Signed into law April 13, 1976, the MSA was enacted "to prevent overfishing, to rebuild overfished stocks, to ensure conservation, to facilitate long-term protection of essential fish habitats, and to realize the full potential of the nation's fishery resources." The MSA was enacted at a time when unregulated foreign fishing fleets were depleting fishery resources off the coasts of the United States. In response, the MSA established a fishery conservation zone extending 200 nautical miles from the coast. In that zone, the United States would exercise exclusive regulatory authority over fishing practices. As noted during the Senate debate on the MSA, the 200-mile limit was intended to "protect and conserve fishery resources," as well as to "revitalize the American fishing industry." By effectively controlling foreign and domestic use of fish stocks, the MSA would provide "greater economic stability within the fishing industry," thereby "enabling the industry to sustain itself in a healthy condition."

Pursuant to the MSA, there are approximately 45 fishery management plans, or FMPs, providing a framework for managing the harvest of 230 major fish stocks or stock complexes comprising 90 percent of the commercial harvest. These FMPs are developed by Regional Fishery Management Councils in eight regions nationwide. Once an FMP is developed, it must be approved by the U.S. secretary of commerce, who has delegated that authority to the National Marine Fisheries Service. An FMP will be approved only if it is consistent with 10 national standards of fishery management.

The management tools Congress included in the MSA reflect the goals of rebuilding overfished stocks, generating fishery yield and preventing overfishing. As required by National Standard 1, each FMP must "prevent overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield … from each fishery for the U.S. fishing industry."

In other words, the MSA's focus is to provide optimum yield for fishermen, processors and fishing-dependent communities. Optimum yield is defined as the amount of fish that: "(a) will provide the greatest overall benefit to the nation …; (b) is prescribed as such on the basis of the maximum sustainable yield from the fishery, as reduced by any relevant economic, social or ecological factor; and (c) in the case of an overfished fishery, provides for rebuilding to a level consistent with producing the maximum sustainable yield in such fishery." Achieving optimum yield means managing fish stocks to produce "a long-term series of catches" that do not result in overfishing.

Thus, the goal of the MSA is to generate yield for the fishery while preventing overfishing. The concept of maximum sustainable yield in the definition of optimum yield links the conservation goals of the MSA with its utilization goals; preventing overfishing ultimately facilitates the long-term economic viability of the fishing industry and fishery-dependent communities.

Thus, optimum yield and maximum sustainable yield reflect the MSA's ultimate purpose of preventing overfishing while generating fishery yield. In reviewing FMPs, courts have agreed that, "Congress' primary goal in passing the MSA was to address overfishing and mandate the sustainable conservation of threatened fish stocks."

Read the full article from the Westlaw Journal Environmental here

May 21, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC):

Last week’s board/section presentations and audio files can be found on the 2014 Spring Meeting page (http://www.asmfc.org/home/2014-spring-meeting) under the respective boards and sections. For reimbursable participants following is a link to the travel reimbursement form – http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/ASMFCElectronicTravelVoucher_Excel097_03-012314.xls. Please submit completed forms and scanned receipts toaccounting@asmfc.org.

May 15, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for one alternate seat on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

“Each of the members brings a unique perspective to the council based on their long experience in the New England area,” said Craig MacDonald, sanctuary superintendent. “Since its establishment, the council has played a vital role in advising the sanctuary and NOAA on critical issues. We are very pleased that council members offer their considerable talents to help us manage the resources of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.”

The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following seat: mobile gear commercial fishing (alternate).

Candidates are selected based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying, community and professional affiliations, and views regarding the protection and management of marine resources. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve a three-year term.

The advisory council consists of 36 non-governmental primary and alternate members representing a variety of public interest groups. It also includes six governmental seats representing Massachusetts Environmental Police; Coastal Zone Management; Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries; New England Fisheries Management Council; NOAA Fisheries; and U.S. Coast Guard.

Applications are due by June 30. To receive an application kit or for further information please contact Elizabeth Stokes via e-mail at Elizabeth.Stokes@noaa.gov; by phone at 781-545-8026 x201; or by mail at 175 Edward Foster Road, Scituate, MA 02066. Application kits can also be downloaded from the sanctuary’s website at http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 842 square miles of ocean, stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. Renowned for its biological diversity and remarkable productivity, the sanctuary is famous as a whale watching destination and supports a rich assortment of marine life, including marine mammals, seabirds, fishes and marine invertebrates. The sanctuary’s position astride the historic shipping routes and fishing grounds for Massachusetts’ oldest ports also makes it a repository for shipwrecks representing several hundred years of maritime transport.

Read the release here

May 19, 2014 — A US fisheries commission has set the total allowable catch for Atlantic menhaden at 169,092 metric tons for 2014.

That is barely 1,000t below last year’s TAC of 170,800t.

Last year’s catches came in at 2.8% below the TAC, at 166,077t, excluding by-catch.

The TAC (detailed below by state) was announced by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic menhaden management board.

The figures show that the first year of the two-year Atlantic menhaden Amendment 2 implementation is showing positive results, said the commission.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News 

May 16, 2014 — In late 2012, Virginia and other Atlantic states adopted the first coast-wide catch limit for menhaden in a historic effort to save the "most important fish in the sea" from years of overfishing.

Now a year into the cap, a national environmental group is touting its success, while the only menhaden fishery left on the Atlantic is complaining that, although Virginia is meeting its harvest obligations, other states are unfairly ignoring theirs.

Jeff Young at The Pew Charitable Trusts says new ASMFC figures show a 25 percent drop in overall catch, which he calls "good environmental news" that leaves "about 300 million more menhaden swimming in the Atlantic."

"And more good news: The sky did not fall," Young said in a release. "Last year the company that's most dependent on the menhaden catch made record profits. Apparently, environmental progress does not have to mean economic pain."

His reference was to Omega Protein Inc., which operates the only menhaden rendering plant left on the East Coast. In March, Omega announced a record gross profit of $82.8 million at the end of 2013, compared to $42.1 million for the same period the year before.

On its website, the company credits that increase primarily to higher sales prices for its fish meal and fish oil, which it produces by grinding and boiling down the oily, bony menhaden at its Reedville plant.

Menhaden are largely inedible for humans, but are vital as a food source for blue crabs, predator fish and waterfowl, as a bait fish and as a filter-feeder to help clean up waterways such as the Chesapeake Bay.

But Omega spokesman Ben Landry complains that even as Virginia abided by its total allowable catch limit last year, other states "far exceeded" theirs. In an opinion piece that appeared Wednesday on the industry site Seafoodnews.com, Landry singled out New York, Maryland, Delaware, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, Florida and Rhode Island.

Read the full story at the Newport News Daily Press