Management & Regulation

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — August 7, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)

The Atlantic States  Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Eel Management Board met to consider final approval of Draft Addendum IV to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for American Eel. Draft Addendum IV proposes a suite of options to address the commercial glass, yellow, and silver eel fisheries along the Atlantic coast. Management options under consideration include glass and yellow eel quotas, a catch cap for the yellow eel fishery, and a seasonal closure and license cap for the silver eel fishery in the Delaware River in New York. The Draft Addendum also includes glass eel harvest allowances for aquaculture purposes and as credit for habitat restoration programs.

The Board reviewed public comment from state public hearings conducted along the coast and written comment submitted to the Commission. After lengthy deliberations of the extensive proposed management options and in recognition of the states’ varying interests and needs, the Board decided to postpone final action on the Draft Addendum IV. In the interim, Board will convene a subcommittee of its members to identify preferred management measures to be considered by the Board for final action at the Commission’s Annual Meeting in Mystic, Connecticut the week of October 27, 2014.

The Draft Addendum is the second phase of management action in response to the 2012 American Eel Benchmark Stock Assessment indicating the American eel population in U.S. waters is depleted. Causes of decline are likely due to a combination of historical overfishing, habitat loss, food web alterations, predation, turbine mortality, environmental changes, toxins and contaminants, and disease. The stock has declined in recent decades and is currently under consideration by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

August 6, 2014 — Many anglers and conservation groups are putting pressure on fish managers to tighten limits on recreational and commercial fishing of striped bass. Recreational fishermen who target striped bass (particularly from shore) have witnessed a sharp decline in the species. Avid shore anglers who once caught and released as many as 500 fish a year are now catching fewer than 100. The pressure for more conservation has had its impact on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages striped bass in the region.

The 2013 striped bass stock assessment released earlier this year indicates the resource in not overfished or experiencing overfishing. However, the female spawning stock biomass (SSB) has continued to decline since 2004 and is estimated at 128 million pounds, below the target of 159 million pounds.

Additionally, total fishing mortality is estimated at 0.20, a value that is between the proposed new fishing mortality threshold (0.219) and fishing mortality target (0.18).

The marine fisheries commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved the benchmark stock assessment for management use earlier this year. This week, the commission is considering measures to reach these new SSB and fishing mortality targets. These will likely translate into new, more restrictive, regulations.

The question is, what options commission approve for public comment? I read several of the letters the commission received from U.S. senators, fishing clubs and conservation groups prior to its meeting this week. These included 20 letters from one group, 40 from another and a petition with 1,429 signatures advocating for a reduction from two fish at 28-inch minimum size to one fish at 32-inch minimum size in 2015. Most of the petitions and letters advocated for more restrictive striped bass regulations as soon as possible.

Read the full story from the Providence Journal

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] — Aug 7, 2014 — According to a report from Share the Gulf, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committee (SESSC) unanimously agreed that instead of reallocating red snapper to the recreational fishery (Amendment 28), the Gulf Council should shift its work toward finding management solutions that could improve fishing opportunities for recreational fishermen.

Amendment 28 is a controversial proposal being considered by the Gulf Council that would take a portion of the red snapper fishery out of the consumer seafood market and move into the recreational fishery.
 
The SESSC, a 13-member panel that includes many experts on fisheries economics who are appointed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, is tasked with providing impartial, science-based recommendations on proposals being considered by the Council.
 
The public, scientists and fishermen across the Gulf of Mexico have made it clear that reallocating fish is not the answer to the problems recreational fishermen are facing. We need new management that can improve fishing for all anglers and we hope the Gulf Council will pursue these ideas.
 
In recent months, the Council has begun to move forward with amendments that may improve recreational red snapper management and provide more fishing opportunities for everyone. These ideas include giving charter boats and individual anglers separate quotas, delegating certain individual angler management responsibilities to the states, improving recreational data collection and an individual allocation-based system for the charter industry.
 
Share the Gulf believes that if managed correctly, the red snapper fishery can provide enough fish for everyone. In recent months, the coalition of more than 30,000 Gulf residents have urged the Gulf Council to halt all work on Amendment 28 until the recreational fishery has new management that improves fishing access for all anglers.
 
The Gulf Council will meet August 25-28 in Biloxi, Mississippi, to consider the recommendations made by the SESSC and other important fisheries management issues.

This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] — August 7, 2014 — The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has asked NMFS to implement an information collection program in the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog individual transferable quota (ITQ) fisheries.

The purpose of this information collection is to better identify the specific individuals who hold or control ITQ allocation in these fisheries. The Council will use the information collected to inform the development of a future management action intended to establish an excessive share cap as part of the Council's Surfclam/Ocean Quahog FMP.

The Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries have been managed under an ITQ system since 1990. Vessel owners received an initial allocation of quota share based on a formula of historical catch and vessel size. Each year, the total commercial quotas for the surfclam and ocean quahog ITQ fisheries are divided among the individuals who hold quota share. Annual allocations take the form of cage tags for the standard 32-bushel (1,700L) cages, which must be used to land the product. The quota share or cage tags are both considered types of ITQ allocation, and may be leased or sold to anyone, except foreign owners.

While managed jointly, the surfclam and ocean quahog ITQ fisheries are operationally distinct. The commercial quotas, quota shareholders, and cage tags are different for the two species. In addition, vessels may not land both surfclams and ocean quahogs on the same trip. Because these fisheries are managed in the same way, this information collection program applies equally to both fisheries.

Currently, NMFS collects only basic information about the individuals or businesses that hold surfclam and ocean quahog ITQ allocations. This information is collected at the time that an entity first acquires ITQ allocation and is not routinely verified or updated.

The information collection program proposed by this action is intended to identify the specific individuals who have an ownership interest in surfclam or ocean quahog ITQ allocation through a corporation, partnership, or other entity, or control the use of ITQ allocation through the use of long- term contracts or other agreements. This action would also ensure that the ownership information on file remains current by modifying the procedures for receiving and maintaining an ITQ allocation permit.

With this action, we are proposing to change the current surfclam and ocean quahog ITQ allocation permit, which currently never expires, into an annual ITQ permit. A surfclam or ocean quahog ITQ permit would need to be renewed each year before the ITQ permit holder could receive cage tags. In addition, if the permit holder has quota share, the permit would need to be renewed before the end of the fishing year or that quota could be considered voluntarily relinquished, and no longer eligible to receive an annual allocation of cage tags.

To receive a surfclam or ocean quahog ITQ permit, an applicant would need to complete both an ITQ permit application form and an ITQ ownership form. In subsequent years, the permit renewal process would require the applicant to review a pre-filled copy of these forms, make any necessary changes, then sign and submit the forms to NMFS in order to verify that the information on file remains current. Any transfer of ITQ quota share or cage tags would require an ITQ transfer application form.

This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

NEW BEDFORD — August 6, 2014 — As summer flounder, or fluke, migrate northward away from the past population center off North Carolina, fisheries regulators have taken the first steps toward reworking the rules to cope with industry and political pressure.

The Associated Press reported in June that while fluke stocks have fully recovered from overfishing in the 1980s, the fish have steadily moved northward. Now the population peaks off New Jersey, with North Carolina fishing boats chasing them all the way up and back.

The flatfish primarily are landed in North Carolina, which has abundant permits based on history, and North Carolina fishermen are adamant about keeping their permits.

Meanwhile, most recreational fishermen cannot chase the fluke that far. So in the south, annual catch last year was 67 percent short of the target despite loose rules, and 13 percent over targets off New Jersey, where the rules there are tougher.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

August 5, 2014 — A regional fishery management council is preparing to take on the task of trying to reverse a nearly 99 percent decline in Maine’s cod fish catch that has stripped the state’s economy of more than $250 million over the past 22 years.

The Gulf of Maine cod population has continued to drop despite decades of catch restrictions, according to preliminary results of a new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study. Exact causes are unknown, but they likely include warming of the oceans and continued overfishing, marine scientists said.

As the cod stock rapidly approaches what the fishing industry calls “commercial extinction,” regulators must decide whether to reduce catch quotas even further, place certain areas off-limits to cod fishing or impose a complete moratorium, they said.

Before that happens, results of the latest NOAA cod survey must be peer-reviewed and vetted, said Lisa Kerr, a fisheries ecologist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. NOAA followed the same, approved methodology used in its 2012 survey, so the vetting process will focus primarily on the new data itself and not the data-gathering methods, she said.

In 1991, Maine’s cod catch reached an estimated peak of 21.2 million pounds, representing about $16.3 million in sales at the then-average wholesale price of $0.77 a pound, according to the state Department of Marine Resources.

By 2013, the catch had declined to just 286,000 pounds, valued at roughly $736,000 at the average sale price of $2.57 a pound.

The cumulative loss of the catch’s value each year totals more than $250 million since its peak, the department’s records show.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

August 6, 2014 — The Northeast Regional Planning Body (NRPB) met June 25-26 for a Natural Resources Workshop and goal-setting meeting in Cambridge, Mass. The workshop focused on how marine science could be included in NRPB goals. Setting baseline marine habitat conditions in the northeast has been listed as an important goal for the Planning Body and its role within a National Ocean Policy.

Attending the workshop were about 150 individuals – federal employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) the Northeast Science Center (NSC), representatives of the five coastal New England states’ marine resources departments, environmental non-governmental organization interest groups, member university marine studies departments, governors’ appointees from the six New England states and two fishermen. The official membership of the Northeast Regional Planning Body is made up of 11 federal, 11 state and 7 Tribal representatives. There are two additional inactive Tribal representatives.

The White House Executive Order that called for the establishment of a National Ocean Policy did not come with funding. Congress, reportedly under pressure related to the budget, denied funding. Private funding of much of what the Northeast Regional Ocean Council and the Northeast Regional Planning Body have been doing comes from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (http://www.moore.org/programs/environmental-conservation/marine-conservation-initiative) and two grants NROC through NOAA. Gordon and Betty Moore were founders and owners of the Intel Corporation, best known for the development of microchip technology that fueled the rapid increase in the power of personal computers over the last several decades. NRPB and government employees are attending these meetings as a part of their regular workday, said NROC Director John Weber.

Weber said the meetings are a part of the work necessary to take the NRPB goals into action. “The charge given to any of the efforts is to work within the existing laws and regulations to make progress”, he said. Weber said, the NRPB is developing information on species for developers of projects or for those who want to comment on proposed projects. The planning Body has a self imposed deadline of the end of 2015 or early 2016.

Read the full story at Fishermen's Voice

August 4, 2014 — The following was released by the Northeast Regional Planning Body (RPB):

Engagement

Over the summer and fall, the RPB will proceed with a series of activities, including continued engagement around characterizing ocean uses (e.g., recreational uses, commercial fishing, maritime commerce, etc.), public webinars on specific topics, public meetings, and a regional public forum. Please check the ocean planning events webpage for scheduling and updates. In addition, topic-specific work groups composed of RPB members and staff along with experts from academia and stakeholder groups will be formed to provide technical input on specific topics (rosters will be posted on the website). Lastly, the RPB will be considering the need and ideas for forming a technical advisory committee.

Healthy Ocean and Coastal Ecosystems

A public workshop was held on June 25 to:

1. Inform the development of products characterizing marine mammal, sea turtle, bird, and fish distribution and abundance.
2. Consider the applicability of other ecological assessments, such as identifying ecologically important areas or measuring ocean health, for ocean planning in the Northeast.

A summary of this workshop will be released shortly. A public webinar will be held on August 27 from 12:00 – 1:30pm to provide updates on progress since the workshop and formation of work groups. More information on this webinar will be posted here as it becomes available.

Effective Decision-Making

Throughout the spring and summer, staff and contractors are conducting meetings with federal and state agencies, environmental organizations, and industry representatives to identify opportunities to improve coordination and the use of regional data and information, including the Northeast Ocean Data Portal, in regulatory decision-making. Potential opportunities emerging from these meetings will be a subject of future public meetings, the public forum, and the next RPB meeting.

Fall RPB meeting

Finally, we want to inform you that the next RPB meeting is scheduled for November 13-14 at the Wentworth Marriott in Portsmouth, NH.

Please check the Ocean Planning in the Northeast website for event and product updates like these in the weeks ahead.

Read the summary of the June RPB meeting here

August 1, 2014 — The health of the Gulf of Maine cod stock worsened in 2013 in virtually every indicator, according to the preliminary results of an unscheduled NOAA stock assessment that the federal fisheries regulator said “presents a grim picture for the potential recovery of this iconic fish stock.”

The assessment, according to NOAA, was performed after the most recent survey data for the Gulf of Maine cod showed “all major indicators of stock health appear to have deteriorated since the 2012 assessment.” The agency released the preliminary results of the assessment late Friday afternoon.

The survey and assessment, according to NOAA, showed two major disturbing declines:

— Spawning biomass levels are estimated to be at only 3-to-4 percent of the biomass target for maximum sustainable yield.

— Fishery resource survey indices and spawning stock biomass are at all-time lows.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

July 31, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental meeting materials for the Commission's 2014 Summer Meeting have been posted at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2014-summer-meeting for the following Boards (click on "Supplemental Material" following each relevant board header to access information).

American Lobster Management Board – Technical Committee Report on Addendum XVII Evaluation; Summary and Final Federal Rule on Area 2 and Outer Cape Area Limited Access Program and Trap Transfer Program; Federal Proposed Rule; Report on Consistency Between Federal and Commission Regulations; Draft Public Information Document for Cancer Crab FMP

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Public Comment; Technical Committee Report on Reference Points for the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River Striped Bass Stock; Draft Addendum IV for Public Comment; Board Subcommittee Recommendations on Draft Addendum IV; Advisory Panel Recommendations on Draft Addendum IV

Executive Committee – Draft Policy on Financial Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board – Atlantic Sturgeon Benchmark Stock Assessment Timelines

Business Session – Draft Policy on Financial Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Draft Public Information Document for Amendment 21; Senate Testimony by Emerson Hasbrouck on State-By-State Allocation of Commercial Fisheries Quota and the Impact on New York Fisheries; 2014 FMP Reviews and Compliance Reports for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass

American Eel Management Board – Public Comment on Draft Addendum IV; Summary of Submitted Written Comment; Summary of Public Hearings
South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – 2014 Update on Spot and Atlantic Croaker Management Triggers; 2014 Red Drum FMP Review and Compliance Reports

For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have combined into one PDF – This document includes supplemental materials for the following boards/committees: American Lobster Board; Atlantic Striped Bass Board; Executive Committee; ISFMP Policy Board; Business Session; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board; American Eel Board; and South Atlantic Board. These documents as well as all other meeting materials can be accessed individually by Board/Committee/Workshop within the agenda. Some documents may be large, so please be patient downloading.

As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 8 a.m. on August 5th, continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 4:45 p.m.) on August 7th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. To register for the webinar, please go to https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/867248318