May 8, 2012 – Campaigners want to see businesses take a more active role in negotiations to reform the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and tackle controversial issues such as ‘discards’.
May 8, 2012 – Campaigners want to see businesses take a more active role in negotiations to reform the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and tackle controversial issues such as ‘discards’.
May 7, 2012 – The special judicial master whose initial investigation into NOAA enforcement action against the fishing industry yielded a Cabinet-level apology and reparations is believed to have completed and filed with Commerce Secretary John Bryson a second and final report.
The report is expected to document additional violations of fishermen's rights.
The initial report was submitted to Bryson's predecessor Gary Locke — now ambassador to China — on April 14, 2011, and, after extensive redacting, made public on May 17, 2011.
Bryson's communications office did not respond to telephone calls and emails Monday, but Pamela LaFreniere, a New Bedford attorney, said she believes Special Master Charles B. Swartwood III has completed his work and submitted it to Bryson.
One of Lafreniere's clients, former scallop fisherman Larry Yacubian, was given $400,000 in reparations last May, and she said Swartwood had delved into the complaints of more than an additional dozen of her clients in the still unresolved package.
In a letter updating Bryson last December, Swartwood said he was looking into 66 separate claims of justice miscarried by agents and litigators at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In that letter, Swartwood said he hoped to have his case studies, together with finds, conclusions and recommendations resolved by March 15. But about then, he also told the Times in a telephone interview that he was not close to finished.
Read the full story at the Gloucester Times.
May 8, 2012 – Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay was speaking at the World Fisheries Congress in his role as the founder of The Prince's International Sustainability Unit.
He called for "urgent and collective action" to allow global fish stocks to recover.
The event is being attended by about 1,000 delegates from more than 65 countries around the world.
The prince warned global fisheries leaders that significant progress would only be achieved if governments, international institutions and even the smallest fishing communities work together.
Among those taking part in the conference is Scottish Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead and UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon.
Mr Lochhead said: "As one of the foremost fishing nations, Scotland is at the centre of international efforts to sustain the world's fisheries.
"Bringing together leading scientists and experts will provide stimulating and thought provoking discussions, and I look forward to building on our work and exchanging ideas with international partners."
He added that fishing made a "massive contribution" to Scotland's economy and stressed: "The Scottish government is committed to doing all we can to preserve the marine environment and to ensure a sustainable, long-term future for the fishing industry in Scotland."
A so called "report card" on the state of fish stocks was also launched at the conference.
The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) brings together scientists, government, its agencies, non-governmental bodies and industry.
Its latest findings give clear indications that climate change is affecting fish stocks.
The report said warming sea temperatures were related to changes seen in the depth, distribution, migration and spawning behaviours of fish.
It said cultivated fish and shellfish were both susceptible to climate change.
The partnership also suggested controlled or closed fishing areas that can be adapted in response to climate change have the potential to help protect commercial and vulnerable fish stocks.
The report highlighted the wider impact of climate change on the wider marine food chain and said if some fish species, which are key to the integrity of food chains, are affected then extensive restructuring of the chains will follow.
Read the full story at the BBC.
May 8, 2012 – The world’s fisheries community gathered in Edinburgh today (Tuesday, 8 May) to discuss the future of sustainable fishing at the 6th World Fisheries Congress.
Organised by The World Council of Fisheries Societies, the congress is being held at Edinburgh International Conference Centre and will address “Sustainable Fisheries in a Changing World”. The event draws leading international figures influential in driving debate and shaping global policy on fishing.
The Duke of Rothesay addressed the conference on sustainability in His Royal Highness’s capacity as the founder of The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit (ISU). Established in January 2010, the ISU works to build consensus on how to resolve some of the key environmental challenges facing the world, specifically those concerning food security, ecosystem resilience and the depletion of natural capital. The ISU works with governments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations with the aim of building partnerships to help address these challenges.
Even As Fishers and Regulators Celebrate a Management Milestone, Calls for Reform of the Law
Recently, the New York Times forecast a “milestone in fisheries management” — by May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will have set catch limits under the 2006 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act amendments for all covered species, which the newspaper heralded as a triumph and a model for bipartisan cooperation in achieving environmental improvement. Some are calling it the most important environmental law since the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. (The original law was passed in 1976 and it was reauthorized once before, in 1996.) A heralded achievement, but even now — five years before reauthorization is required — efforts are underway in Congress to weaken the law. A rally in Washington, D.C., in March brought together commercial and sportfishing interests under the banner of “United We Fish” to expand allowable catches under the catchwords of “Fix Magnuson Now.” But there is also legislation in the House, introduced by Edward J. Markey (D.-Massachusetts), that would heighten the role of science in setting catch limits, which might mean more restrictions for anglers and the seafood industry as regulators work to rebuild fish stocks. Before there is action on Capitol Hill, we would like to honor the catch-limits milestone by asking, “Is the 2006 law succeeding in restoring fish stocks? Are adjustments needed to ensure robust stocks and sustainable commercial and recreational fisheries in the future?”
The Council Report summarizes major issues voted on or discussed at each regularly scheduled meeting of the NEFMC. The Council’s 18 members met most recently on April 24-26, 2012 in Mystic, CT.
At its April meeting, the Council addressed issues related to protected species, groundfish, a report by the Scientific and Statistical Committee, scallops, habitat, small mesh fisheries, monkfish and dogfish.
• Additionally, a number of presentations were received on the following topics and are available on the Council’s website, www.nefmc.org:
• Overviews of the potential implications of the April 6, 2012 Atlantic sturgeon ESA listing on NEFMC fishery management plans and recent changes to the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan;
• A summary of the assessment and data updates for 13 Northeast groundfish stocks through 2010;
• Northeast Fisheries Science Center plans for future Atlantic sea scallop surveys, including details
about the testing and use of the towed underwater camera “HabCam”; and
• An overview of the Scientific and Statistical Committee’s most recent meeting.
View the complete NEFMC Council report
Alexandria, VA – May 4, 2012 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board increased the 2012/2013 spiny dogfish quota from 30 to 35.6 million pounds. The increase is consistent with proposed regulations for federal waters as well the recommendations of the ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Technical Committee and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee. The table below shows preliminary regional and state commercial quotas for the 2012/2013 season as adjusted for overages and rollovers.
The Board also approved Draft Addendum IV to the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes allowing exemptions (with Board approval) to the 5% maximum quota rollover provision as well as measures to update the spiny dogfish overfishing definition based on recommendations of the ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Technical Committee. The rollover provision exemption seeks to provide states the opportunity to rollover more than 5% of their unharvested quota from one year to the next. It responds to concerns by states in the southern region that early closure of federal water fisheries often leaves more than 5% of their quota unharvested.
The Draft Addendum also proposes providing the Board the flexibility to update or modify the management program’s overfishing definition by Board action based on the recommendations of its Technical Committee and best available science. The current overfishing definition is based on the number of pups per female that recruit to the stock and was adopted in 2002 from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Plan. Since that time, the Council has updated its definition based on maximum sustainable yield or a reasonable proxy, consistent with the best available science. Adjusting the overfishing definition is a technical consideration and will not impact management significantly.
States will be conducting public hearings on the Draft Addendum; information on those hearings will be released when they are finalized. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum. The Draft Addendum will be available on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Breaking News by May 11, 2012. The public comment deadline is 5:00 PM (EST) on June 15, 2012 and should be forwarded to Christopher Vonderweidt, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Spiny Dogfish Draft Addendum IV).
View the chart of Preliminary 2012/1013 regional and state commercial spiny dogfish quotas adjusted for overages and rollovers from the 2011/2012 fishing season (in pounds) here. Quotas are subject to change as landings are finalized.
The MA Department of Fish and Game, Division of Marine Fisheries has scheduled two public meetings to review portions of the 2011 Program Element Evaluation Report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which recommends changes to how oysters are harvested and handled in eastern Cape Cod Bay.
• Wednesday, May 9th at 6:30 pm at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History at 869 Main Street/Route 6A in Brewster.
• Tuesday, May 15th at 6:30 pm at the Nauset Regional High School Auditorium at 100 Cable Road in North Eastham.
The recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration include the development of a Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) Control Plan by MA Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health, Food Protection Program, and the MA Department of Fish and Game, Division of Marine Fisheries. Such a plan might include faster cooling and delivery of oysters, changes in oyster handling for harvesters, and additional HACCP and recordkeeping requirements for primary buyers of oysters.
The area impacted would most likely include the state waters of eastern Cape Cod Bay adjacent to the towns of Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, and Truro. All other state harvest areas would be exempt from this plan.
During the meetings, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and Food Protection Program will welcome suggestions to help ensure that any control plan is practical and enforceable while meeting the Food and Drug Administration temperature control guidelines. Implementing these controls for the upcoming summer season would require the adding of conditions to permits issued to harvesters and dealers.”
The following is an excerpt from the Public Trust Project story:
April 30, 2012 – Nine members of Congress — five Republicans and four Democrats — have urged the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to consider corporate-funded research in assessing Atlantic menhaden, a forage fish vital to the Atlantic ecosystem.
In a letter to the ASMFC, the politicians expressed concerns that the agency has not included the “latest information” in its most recent menhaden stock assessment.
The letter refers to information from an aerial survey conducted by University of New England scientist James Sulikowski, who flew in a spotter plane for 50 hours last fall looking for schools of menhaden in what has historically been the fish’s northern range, from Long Island to Portland, Maine.
Sulikowski’s flyover observations were sponsored by Omega Protein, a company that removes a quarter of a billion pounds of menhaden from Atlantic waters each year – the largest industrial harvester of the fish by orders of magnitude. The company has argued that menhaden stock assessments have not adequately accounted for menhaden schools in the north. According to Omega, that might have skewed the results of the most recent assessment, which showed menhaden abundance down 88 percent in the last 25 years and that overfishing had occurred in the majority of the last 50.
The letter suggests that Omega Protein is using a time-tested corporate tactic: If the existing science doesn’t support your bottom line, fund some of your own. And then get Congress to support it. The nine elected signatories seem more comfortable aligning with monied interests than with rigorous, science-based policy making.
The letter, dated April 9th, 2012, calls on the ASMFC to address the work of Dr. Sulikowski and other “independent scientists” in this year’s assessment of the menhaden population.
Read the full story at the Public Trust Project.
Analysis: In its article Congressmen Push Use of Corporate Science in Fisheries Management, the Public Trust Project criticized a recent letter issued by nine Congressmen for asking the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to consider an aerial study of older menhaden in northern waters from New Jersey to Maine, which lie outside the traditional bounds of the reduction fishery. The study was conducted by Dr. James Sulikowski. Dr. Sulikowski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of New England, and has a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire.
The Public Trust Project’s disdain for the research and its Congressional support was not due to the study’s validity, but rather that it was funded through a grant provided by the reduction fishery. Because of this, the Public Trust Project dismisses Dr. Sulikowski’s work as “corporate-funded research”. In doing so, they ignore the value of the study and imply that the researchers had an industry-slanted bias without offering evidence to support that claim.
The Public Trust Project correctly notes that, in order for the results of the aerial survey to be useful to future stock assessments, it will have to be part of a multi-year survey that includes both aerial and boat-based data. But by making unfounded attacks on the existing data, the Public Trust Project does not advance the cause of better fisheries science.
Currently, the menhaden stock assessment receives most of its data from the fishery, and as a result looks at menhaden in a particular geographic range, from Virginia to New Jersey. The fish in this area range from age 0-3. There is little information available on the fish that school outside the range, and as a result fish older than age 3 are not factored in the assessment, even though older menhaden are known to migrate north. This could lead to an underestimation of stock size and spawning, as fish over age 3, which are mostly outside the traditional survey area, tend to lay proportionally more eggs.
The goal of the survey was to provide a more complete scientific understanding of menhaden than is currently present in the stock assessment. The aerial survey flew for 50 hours, and was supported by boats catching samples for two days of the survey. The survey estimates they found 17 million pounds of menhaden, and that a large percentage of them, close to 70%, were ages 4 and 5. These results, while not definitive or comprehensive, demonstrate that there is a part of the menhaden population that is not being adequately accounted for in current menhaden assessments.
The Public Trust Project writes, “Omega Protein is using a time-tested corporate tactic: If the existing science doesn’t support your bottom line, fund some of your own.” However, the Public Trust Project failed to produce any evidence in the article to prove the allegation that the $250,000 grant provided by Omega Protein to fund the study biased the results in any way. The article assumes, again without evidence, that a major industry stakeholder would have no interest in accurate scientific data about the fishery in which they operate, and that any attempts by the industry to fund scientific inquiry can be dismissed as “corporate science.”
HARWICH, Mass. — May 07, 2012 — On April 11 at 2:30 in the morning, Sgt. Bob Brackett bumped down a long dirt road bordered by cranberry bogs and woods and pulled into the dirt parking lot of the Bells Neck Conservation Area. There were no other vehicles in the lot, but Brackett noticed two men standing alongside the concrete fish ladder that helps alewives climb upstream from the Herring River into the West Reservoir.
These were not high school revelers or even a couple of guys poaching alewives. The two men had dip nets and battery-powered bubbling aerators pumping oxygen into water-filled buckets. The tiny transparent eels, known as glass eels or elvers, which they were catching illegally, have recently become one of the most expensive delicacies in the world, with fish dealers paying more than $2,000 a pound.
"This year, the (poaching) activity exploded," Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries eel scientist Brad Chase said. Elvers don't have the swimming ability of the river herring and the fisheries division and others have been building special eel runs to get them past the swift flowing waters in herring runs, or over dams. Generally, the eels ascend a pipe into a locked collection box that is checked and emptied into the lake or pond daily by volunteers. Those boxes also have become the object of poachers, said one local volunteer, who noticed the pipe pulled off and the box cleaned out on two consecutive weekends on the run she monitors. She did not want to be identified to protect the run.
The price spike stems from a surge in demand from aquaculturists in Asian countries who purchase the wild juvenile elvers, raise them until they reach a half-pound then sell them in the sushi market, explained Mitchell Feigenbaum, principal of Delaware Valley Fish Co. of Portland, Maine. A significant drop in recent years in the number of wild Asian glass eels, combined with a European ban on exporting their own wild stock, meant the U.S. elvers suddenly commanded high prices. Feigenbaum said the price increase really isn't that large when you consider the profit farmers make selling the adult eels on the high-end sushi market. A good farmer, he said, could turn $2,000 worth of glass eels into $20,000 in sales.
A dozen years ago, the price for glass eels was $25 a pound. In recent years, it climbed to $325 and last year reached $900. Now at more than $2,000, the tiny translucent eels, less than 6 inches long, newly arrived in the Cape's rivers and streams from the Sargasso Sea this spring, were particularly inviting to poachers.
Harwich police Sgt. Brackett had no way of knowing, but the 2 pounds of elvers swimming in those unpretentious buckets could have fetched $4,000 to $5,000 when sold in Maine, one of only two states where it is legal to harvest and sell them. With prices that high, competition for prime spots on Maine's waterways has been fierce and the yields are nowhere near what fishermen get in Massachusetts, where the elver fishery is banned and the competition virtually nonexistent.
"I hear stories of someone coming in (to dealers) with 50 pounds of eels and I think, they must have been to Massachusetts," said Gail Wippelhauser, a Maine Department of Marine Resources scientist specializing in eels. "There's noplace in Maine where you can get that many eels in one night."
Read the Cape Cod Times story by Doug Frasier in the Chicago Tribune