June 12, 2013 — Around two hundred seals were seen on a sandbar at Head of the Meadow Beach in North Truro on the morning of June 12, 2013. Watch the video from the Cape Cod Times at Youtube
Senate farm bill amended to help fishing industry
June 12, 2013 — The 2013 farm bill emerged from the U.S. Senate this week with two amendments to help the fishing industry, introduced by Massachusetts Sen. William "Mo" Cowan, his staff announced Monday.
One amendment calls for some sort of catch insurance similar to crop insurance used by farmers.
The other would make low-interest loans available to the fishing industry to cope with the economic disaster declared in the fishery last year by acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank.
But the bill still has months to go. The House is expected to pass its own version, then the two will be reconciled in committee, where support for new spending on the fishing industry might face an uphill battle.
"Our fishermen are hurting and they need our help. I was pleased that the Senate-passed farm bill included my provision to resolve an inequity in the law and provide fishermen access to disaster loans just like other agriculture producers," Cowan said in a written statement. He was unavailable for an interview.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times
MASSACHUSETTS: Markey, Gomez carve out fishing stands
June 13, 2013 — The crisis facing the Massachusetts and New Engand fishing industry wasn’t a focal point of the second debate between U.S. Senate hopefuls Republican Gabriel Gomez and Democrat Edward Markey in Springfield Tuesday night, but the two men vying for the seat previously held by John Kerry staked out their fishery stands in the hours prior to the event.
In a question-and-answer session with the State House News Service, both candidates staked out claims to support the state’s fishermen, but from different angles.
“I stand with the Attorney General (Martha Coakley) for standing up for these fishermen and suing regulators in Washington who think they know or care more about the ocean than the fishermen who make their lives from it,” said Gomez, referring to Coakley’s lawsuit that aims to put a halt to new catch limit cuts that are crippling the industry.
“I’ve sat with the fishermen in New Bedford and Gloucester,” he said. “They described how their way of life is being threatened and drastic catch limits being imposed by NOAA will bankrupt a proud livelihood that has been a part of our coastal economy since before there was a Massachusetts.
“This program currently relies on flawed science and overreaching regulations that don’t account for the regional economic impact,” Gomez added. “Local fishermen don’t want welfare, they want to be allowed to work.”
Markey also acknowledged that “Massachusetts fishermen and their families are hurting right now.”
“I recently sat down with fishermen in Gloucester, and they told me how they need more help. I’ve heard that in New Bedford, on the Cape, and around the fishing communities of Massachusetts,” he said.
Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times
Owner sentenced in fishing boat-sinking scheme in southern New Jersey
June 12, 2013 — A southern New Jersey fishing boat owner has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for his role in a botched scheme to sink the boat for insurance money.
Scott Tran of Cherry Hill was also ordered Wednesday to pay $280,000 in restitution.
The 40-year-old Tran was among four people who pleaded guilty to charges in the unsuccessful sinking of the Alexander II about 80 miles southeast of Cape May in 2009. Tran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to destroy a vessel on the high seas.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at NorthJersey.com
What’s the Latest on Atlantic Sturgeon?
June 12, 2013 — In February 2012, NOAA Fisheries listed five distinct population segments of Atlantic sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Gulf of Maine population was listed as threatened and the New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina and South Atlantic populations were listed as endangered. Listing determinations under the ESA must be made based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time.
The Atlantic sturgeon listing determination was based primarily on an analysis of the ongoing and future threats to the species because there were no overall population estimates available. In the listing determination, we used estimates of spawning adults in the Hudson and Altamaha Rivers, which indicated that these populations were quite low (867 total adults in the Hudson and 343 spawning adults per year in the Altamaha). The primary threats to the species identified in the listing determination were incidental catch in fisheries, vessel strikes, water quality and quantity, and dredging.
Since the listing, we have been working on obtaining more comprehensive population estimates for the species. These population estimates are useful for recovery planning and to complete required consultations under the ESA. Whenever a federal or state agency conducts an activity that could potentially impact a species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA that is managed by NOAA Fisheries, they are required to consult with our agency so we can provide recommendations to help mitigate impacts on the species.
New Population Estimates
At our request, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center developed a new population estimate for the Atlantic sturgeon that are mostly living in the ocean, rather than rivers, using a new model. The resulting population estimate for oceanic Atlantic sturgeon was between about 165,400 and 744,600 fish. This does not include young fish that have not yet left the rivers in which they were born or Atlantic sturgeon that occur outside of the sampled area (e.g., in Canadian waters or south of Cape Hatteras).
Given time sensitivities and the uncertainty associated with the new estimates, we used another estimate that the Center generated from Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) data to complete a “batch” biological opinion for 7 Northeast Fisheries. Using these NEAMAP data, the Center calculated ocean population estimates, which entail fewer assumptions about Atlantic sturgeon than the ASPI model. The minimum biomass estimate from this approach is approximately 67,800 oceanic Atlantic sturgeon. This is a conservative estimate of fish in the majority of the area affected by the seven Northeast Fisheries.
Read the full story from NOAA Fisheries
Northeast Seafood Coaltion expresses gratitude to U.S. Senate for bipartisan effort to pass legislation for fishermen
June 12, 2013 — The following was released by the Northeast Seafood Coalition:
Gloucester, Mass. — The Northeast Seafood Coalition (NSC) is thankful to the United States Senate, and in particular Sen. William “Mo” Cowan and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for a bipartisan effort to pass the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (“the 2013 Farm Bill”), which includes legislation to support fishermen. The bill expands the Emergency Disaster Loan program to include fishermen, and directs the USDA’s Risk Management Agency to study and propose a tool to insure seafood harvesters.
The commercial Northeast groundfish fishing industry is in the midst of a declared fishery disaster. Despite remaining within allowable catch limits, fishermen are currently faced with draconian reductions of up to 78% in the amount they are allowed to harvest. Many fishing dependent businesses are currently on the brink of financial collapse due to no fault of their own.
During their tenure in the Senate, both Warren and Cowan have been strong advocates for fishermen in Massachusetts and the Northeast region. On April 29, both senators attended the NSC-sponsored Groundfish Industry Rally on the Boston Fish Pier and expressed their unyielding support for the commercial groundfish fishery, and their concern for the industry’s current state. As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Cowan was in the position to shepherd amendments that will help struggling fishermen.
The bill passed by the U.S. Senate includes two provisions to help commercial fishermen: to direct the USDA’s Risk Management Agency to study and propose a tool for insuring seafood harvesters, akin to crop insurance for farmers; and a provision that would make fishermen eligible recipients of Emergency Disaster Loans, which are low-interest loans available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency to help recover from production or physical losses.
NSC is grateful to U.S. Senators Cowan, Warren, Blumenthal, Murphy, Menendez, Chiesa, Collins, King, Gillibrand, Schumer, and Shaheen for their bipartisan support for the 2013 Farm Bill. We are encouraged by the Senate’s ongoing support for New England’s small fishing dependent businesses. It is clear they continue to pursue every legislative opportunity to help our fishermen.
Statement of Senator Elizabeth Warren on Farm Bill
June 11, 2013 — The following statement was released by the office of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren:
Yesterday, I voted for the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (the “Farm Bill”), which makes important reforms such as ending the practice of direct payment agricultural subsidies, and provides strong support to our local farmers which will help stabilizes our food policies and increase access to fresh produce for the next decade.
I especially want to acknowledge and thank Senator Cowan, with whom I worked closely, for his successful effort to include in this bill a provision that was also advocated by former Senator Kerry to help our struggling fishermen in Massachusetts. This provision extends eligibility in the Emergency Disaster Loan program to fishermen.
When our farmers are struck by disasters, they have access to low-interest emergency disaster (EM) loans available through USDA's Farm Service Agency. These loans have been used in the past by farmers, ranchers, and aqua farmers to help recover from crop production losses. Now, our nation’s fishermen will also have access to this important loan program. I am also proud to have worked with Senator Cowan on his amendment to authorize the Department of Agriculture to conduct a study to propose a method for a voluntary crop insurance program for seafood harvesters. Fisherman and farmers face the same economic hardships when there are significant drops in production. This study is an important step towards providing the seafood industry with an insurance product to reduce their risk. I thank Senator Cowan and former Senator Kerry for their leadership on these efforts to help out fisherman who experiencing very difficult economic hardships.
Although I am proud to support the broad policies in this legislation, there are certain measures in this bill that I strongly oppose and that I will push to modify when the bill is considered in conference.
In particular, I am deeply concerned with the changes that the farm bill makes to the SNAP program. I will continue working to ensure that assistance is available to all families that need help putting food on the table.
Status quo tightens squeeze on fishermen
June 12, 2013 — Just six weeks into the new fishing year, Gloucester and other New England fishermen and their federal regulators share a common belief that the very existence of the fishery is in peril, yet both sides remain entrenched in their feelings regarding how to deal with the crisis the federal Department of Commerce acknowledges is an “economic disaster.”
For Joe Orlando, who skippers the 65-foot dragger Padre Pio out of Gloucester with his son Mario as the only crew member, a recent Saturday proved a good day in a season he thinks is bound for the rocks.
Hot sun and calm waters buoyed the Padre Pio and her catch, mostly flounder, that Orlando expected would fetch $1,300 on the market Monday. But with most catch limits cut by about three quarters in the fishing year that began May 1, a few more good days and Orlando may have to hang it up by midsummer, he said.
But Orlando, who went out fishing about 100 days annually in recent years, estimates he hauled in about 10 percent of his flatfish quota in that one day, during just 13 hours at sea, a few miles off the coast of Cape Ann. And other fishermen who gathered with him at Fisherman’s Wharf Tuesday told of being caught in a similar squeeze.
The drastic catch limit cuts — cuts of 78 percent for Gulf of Maine cod, and more than 50 percent for several other stocks — were set by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration were a response to a crisis that could doom the once mighty cod and other fish that live near the seafloor, according to NOAA and the environmental scientists who helped draft the stock assessment for the New England fishery.
Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times
Proposed Measures to Limit Trap Fishing Effort in Federal Waters — DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS IS JULY 29
June 12, 2013 — The following was released by NOAA:
At the request of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which has the lead for American lobster management, NOAA Fisheries today announced proposed measures to control trap fishing effort in Area 2 (Federal inshore waters–Southern New England) and the Outer Cape Area (Federal inshore waters east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts) and to provide a way for lobster fishermen to scale their businesses to optimum efficiency through the purchase and sale of lobster trap allocations.
Proposed measures include capping the number of Federal lobster trap permits in these two areas based on a permit’s lobster trap fishing history and implementation of a transferable trap program in Area 2, the outer cape and Area 3 (offshore fishery from Maine to North Carolina). Implementation of these measures would ensure consistency in management between state and federal waters as similar measures have already been approved for state waters. As always, we welcome your comments on these proposed measures. The deadline for submitting comments is July 29.
Click here for more information. To view the federal register notice, click here and then on tab that says June.
PLEASE NOTE: We have updated our American Lobster Page. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Fishing Vessel Crew Survey Effort Enters the Last Lap
June 11, 2013 — The following was released by NOAA:
Social scientists at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center are encouraging crew members to take advantage of the time remaining to respond to a new survey aimed at gathering data on broad social and economic conditions in the Northeast’s commercial fisheries.
Tammy Murphy of NOAA’s Social Sciences Branch at the NEFSC is the point person on several of the center’s ongoing economic and social survey efforts. “We know next to nothing about crew, this critical part of the fishing community, which also includes hired captains. This survey collects basic demographic data that we do not have and that we need to understand what’s going on in fishing communities,” she said, emphasizing how essential crew cooperation is to the effort.
The socio-economic survey focuses on information such as availability of work, perceptions of fisheries management, the effectiveness and fairness of fisheries regulations, and fishermen’s day-to-day experiences in their fishing communities. To help design the survey, and to train and deploy interviewers, the science center contracted with QuanTech, a professional survey research firm that specializes in fishery and environmental subject areas and based in Arlington, Va.
Interviewers have been working to survey crew in fifteen ports in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic since last October and plan to finish in August. So far, about 300 crew interviews have been collected. In June, interviewers are focusing on Rockland and Portland, Maine; Portsmouth, N.H.; New Bedford, Mass.; and Newport News, Va.
Fishing ports were selected in a way intended to capture a representative sample of crew proportional to participation in the fisheries. That means collecting data in different seasons and from crew that work in different fisheries, on vessels that vary length and in gear type.
The crew surveys are being conducted face-to-face and take about half an hour to complete. Interviewers come to the water front, and are trying to time their efforts with when crew are most likely to be available and not busy working. It isn’t easy to get that timing right, and sometimes people are just reluctant to participate.
However, Murphy stresses, the data are extremely valuable and she hopes number of crew responses will increase significantly as expected activity in many ports increases over the summer months.
“To communicate to decision makers how regulatory actions have affected the people in the fisheries-the fishermen and their families–to tell that story and have it be heard, we need that data,” Murphy said.
Taking any of the surveys is entirely voluntary and responses are strictly confidential. The completed surveys do not include information on the crew member’s name, or names of the vessels, captains or vessel owners that crew work with.
Most of the responses are being collected on the docks, but interviews can also be arranged for other places or times by calling Coleby Wilt at 805-233-4128 or Tammy Murphy, 508-495-2137.