Saving Seafood

Conservation & Environment

U.S. wild-caught shrimp is a sustainable choice

November 1, 2024 — U.S.-harvested shrimp has long been an economic backbone and cultural icon for commercial fishing communities, particularly in the Gulf and Southeastern coasts. Known for being nutritious and downright delicious, it’s a sustainable choice that’s not just good on the plate but also responsibly harvested. With the United States setting the global standard for shrimp trawl bycatch reduction, our shrimp fishery is designed to safeguard both marine ecosystems and the fishing industry’s future. But despite this commitment to sustainability, our shrimp industry is struggling to keep afloat. Let’s break down the facts about wild-caught U.S. shrimp and why this fishery is worth supporting.

What Makes Wild-Caught U.S. Shrimp Sustainable?

Thanks to solid science and a dynamic management approach, U.S. fisheries are among the largest and most sustainable in the world, and our shrimp fishery is no exception. NOAA Fisheries carefully manages shrimp harvested here to protect the long-term health of the shrimp populations and their ecosystems. White, pink, and brown shrimp are the backbone of the industry in the Southeast, providing jobs and sustaining generations of fishing families.

Shrimp are fast-growing crustaceans, often hitting 7 to 8 inches within just two years, making them resilient to overfishing. Monitoring programs like fishery-independent surveys and stock assessments help NOAA Fisheries determine the shrimp populations’ health and manage their harvest. Temporary closures are sometimes enforced to allow shrimp to migrate offshore and reach larger, more valuable sizes, ensuring they meet economic goals while maintaining population levels.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

Maine offshore wind auction draws a few takers

October 31, 2024 — Two companies have won development rights to construct floating offshore wind turbines off Maine’s coastline, but lackluster interest in the bids highlights the impact of inflation and other economic challenges that have slowed the industry.

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced that the federal government’s “first-ever” wind energy lease sale resulted in nearly $22 million in lease payments for four parcels off the coast of Maine and Massachusetts.

Connecticut-based Avangrid Renewables submitted winning bids of $4.9 million and $6.2 million for two parcels about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. In comparison, Invenergy NE Offshore Wind won a $4.9 million bid to develop wind energy more than 46 miles off Maine’s coastline and another project off Cape Cod for $5.8 million. Combined, the companies leased nearly 440,000 acres of federal waters.

However, only half of the areas offered for lease by the federal agency were bid on, far less than offshore wind leases in previous rounds. In 2022, developers bid $4.37 billion on six lease parcels off the coast of New York and another $757 million on areas off California’s shores, according to agency data.

Read the full article at The Center Square

CALIFORNIA: A third straight year with no California salmon fishing? Early fish counts suggest it could happen

October 31, 2024 — Farmers can estimate the size of a harvest months in advance by counting the blossoms on their trees. Similarly, salmon fishers can cast an eye into the future by counting spawning fish in a river. Fishery managers are doing that now in the Sacramento River and its tributaries, and what they’re seeing could be a bad sign for next year.

The low count of returning adult salmon, made by the federally operated Coleman National Fish Hatchery, is preliminary, with several weeks left in the natural spawning period for the Sacramento Valley’s fall-run Chinook, backbone of the state’s salmon fishing economy.

There is even some possible good news in the numbers — a large percentage of immature Chinook, called “jacks.” This demographic slice of the salmon population can be a predictive indicator of ocean abundance for the coming season, and it could be a sign there are more fish in the ocean than many expected — though officials say it’s too early to tell.

Overall, the unwelcome numbers, mirroring similar figures from last year, are alarming to people who fish, for they portend the possible continuation of the two-year-and-counting statewide ban on salmon fishing, imposed in 2023 following a weak spawning season.

Read the full article at Cal Matters

MARYLAND: Maryland selects locations for three new oyster-restoration sanctuaries

October 31, 2024 — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will create three new oyster-restoration sanctuaries, continuing the work of the department to restore the historic oyster beds of Chesapeake Bay.

The sites, in Herring Bay, the Nanticoke River, and Hoopers Straight, will build on the success of previous efforts to rebuild the Chesapeake’s oyster population, which once sustained one of the most valuable fisheries in the bay but has since reached historic lows due to decades of overfishing, pollution, and disease.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

ALASKA: Adjudicator rejects conservationists’ concerns, recommends MSC recertification of Alaska salmon

October 31, 2024 — An independent adjudicator in Canada has recommended the Alaska salmon fishery be recertified as sustainable under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fishery Standard, rejecting objections raised by two conservation groups.

“This decision is disappointing and very misleading,” SkeenaWild Conservation Trust Fisheries Biologist Kaitlin Yehle said in a statement. “This is a fishery that does not adhere to internationally recognized best practices with respect to handling and release of bycatch species, basic catch monitoring and data collection, and is intercepting millions of south-migrating salmon from populations of conservation concern yet is marketed to consumers as ‘sustainable.’”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Recent whale deaths highlight risks from Antarctica’s booming krill fishery

October 31, 2024 — Two humpback whales were found dead and another seriously injured this year in huge nets used to collect krill for fishmeal and omega-3 pills near Antarctica, The Associated Press has learned.

The whale deaths, which have not been previously reported, were discussed during recent negotiations between the U.S., China, Russia and two dozen other countries in which officials failed to make progress on long-debated conservation goals and lifted some fishing limits in the Southern Ocean that have been in place since 2009.

Taken together, the whale deaths and rollback of the catch limits represent a setback for the remote krill fishery, which has boomed in recent years and is set to expand even further following the acquisition of its biggest harvester, Norway’s Aker BioMarine, by a deep-pocketed American private equity firm.

AP journalists last year spent more than two weeks in the frigid waters around Antarctica aboard a conservation vessel operated by Sea Shepherd Global to take a rare, up-close look at the world’s southernmost fishery. As part of that investigation, the AP followed the tiny crustacean on its journey from the fragile ecosystem, where it is the main nourishment for whales, to salmon farms in Europe, Canada and Australia, pet food manufacturers in China and a former ice cream factory in Houston that produces 80% of the world’s nutrient-rich krill oil.

Read the full article at the Associated Press

Two NOAA Fish Passage Funding Opportunities Now Open, One Focused on Tribes

October 31, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA is announcing two funding opportunities for fish passage, including one funding opportunity focused on tribes. This significant funding is available under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Projects selected through these opportunities will help support sustainable fisheries, recover threatened and endangered migratory fish, and strengthen the resilience of coastal and Great Lakes communities and tribes. This is the third and final round of these funding opportunities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Through these two competitions, we will prioritize projects that were developed with inclusive practices and incorporate meaningful strategies to engage a diverse range of community groups, including tribes.

Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal

Up to $75 million in funding is available through the Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal funding opportunity. Projects selected through this opportunity will reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish around the country.

This funding will support the locally led removal of dams and other in-stream barriers. Selected projects will sustain our nation’s fisheries and contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. They may also provide community and economic benefits, such as jobs and climate resilience.

NOAA will accept proposals between $750,000 and $8 million for the entire award, with typical funding anticipated to range from $3 million to $5 million. Applications are due by February 10, 2025.

Restoring Priority Tribal Fish Passage through Barrier Removal

Concurrently, up to $20 million in funding is available for fish passage and tribal capacity building through the Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal funding opportunity. This funding will support U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in implementing on-the-ground fish passage work and in building tribal organizational capacity.

Selected projects will reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for tribally important species. They may also enhance community climate resilience by removing or improving aging infrastructure.

NOAA will accept proposals between $300,000 and $6 million for the entire award, with typical funding anticipated to range from $500,000 to $4 million. Applications are due by February 27, 2025.

Tribes are eligible to apply to both funding opportunities.

Fish Passage and NOAA

Every year, millions of fish migrate to their spawning and rearing habitats to reproduce. Some fish need to swim thousands of miles through oceans and rivers to reach their destinations. They are often blocked from completing their journey by barriers like dams and culverts. When fish can’t reach their habitat, they can’t reproduce and maintain or grow their populations. As a result, many fish populations have declined.

NOAA works to reopen these migratory pathways, restoring access to healthy habitat for fish. Our efforts help recover threatened and endangered migratory fish and support the sustainability of commercial and recreational fisheries. They can also eliminate or reduce public safety hazards, improve climate resilience, and provide opportunities for recreation such as fishing and boating.

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation has a long history conducting habitat restoration efforts with large-scale competitive funding opportunities and expert technical assistance through our Community-based Restoration Program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act provide a historic opportunity for us to continue supporting fisheries, protected resources, and coastal communities. To date, we have funded 214 awards totaling $985 million through two rounds of funding competitions.

ALASKA: US House candidates debate Alaskan fisheries management

October 30, 2024 — Candidates for the sole U.S. House of Representatives seat up for election in Alaska were able to make their positions on the state’s struggling seafood industry heard during the 2024 Alaska Fisheries Debate, hosted by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce.

Incumbent U.S. Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) touted her record on providing support to the state’s commercial fishing sector while pointing to the bills she has sponsored as a path forward for the industry.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

New Tool Provides Insight into Coastal Community Well-Being

October 30, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries is working to integrate equity and environmental justice into all we do. Gaining a better understanding of the people who rely on fisheries in the United States has never been more important.

NOAA Fisheries social scientists have launched the new Community Environmental Justice Explorer web tool. It describes environmental justice concerns for nearly 5,000 coastal communities in the United States. By visualizing indicators, such as fishing dependence, gentrification pressure, and poverty, this tool creates a dashboard to explore and compare the different pressures coastal communities can face.

This web tool helps managers, researchers, and the public understand environmental justice concerns. One future user, Corey Ridings, who represents the open California Seat of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, shares her perspective: “Equitable and just U.S. fisheries require a transparent understanding and knowledge of who is benefiting from our ocean. Tools such as the Community Environmental Justice Explorer can help us get there by supporting communities in educating themselves, participating in decision-making, and holding their government accountable.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

US Gulf of Maine offshore wind auction attracts scant interest

October 30, 2024 — A U.S. auction of offshore wind development rights in the Gulf of Maine on Tuesday drew bids for only half of the eight offered leases, for a total of just $21.9 million in high bids, in the latest sign of deep industry malaise.

The sale was a stark display of the lack of industry appetite for new investment after a year of high-profile setbacks that include canceled projects, two shelved lease sales in Oregon and the Gulf of Mexico and a construction accident at the nation’s first major offshore wind project.

It also demonstrated a reluctance to bet big money on projects that will require floating wind turbines, an emerging technology required in very deep waters like those of the Gulf of Maine.

After just one round of bidding, four of eight offered leases sold to developers Avangrid (AGR.N), opens new tab and Invenergy, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said. They were among 14 companies that had been qualified to bid at the sale.

Read the full article at Reuters