July 2, 2013 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
We would like to remind Limited Access Atlantic sea scallop fishermen that federal fishing regulations prohibit limited access scallop vessels that fish a trip or any part of a trip south of 42 degrees 20 minutes N.Lat from fishing for, possessing, or landing more than 50 bushels (bu) of in-shell scallops once inside the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Demarcation
Line.
For more information click here.
July 1, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries is reminding commercial fishermen and seafood dealers that the minimum fish size for six groundfish species will be reduced on July 1st. Click hear to view the fishery bulletin that contains a useful table of the species affected, their current minimum size, and the new minimum size that will be effective on July 1st.
July 1, 2013 — The following was released by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department:
DURHAM, N.H. — The NH Fish and Game Department will be implementing interim rules on July 1 to change the minimum size limits of some groundfish species and implement a minimum size limit for witch flounder for commercial harvesters. The interim rules will be in place for 180 days and are designed to complement similar federal rules that also will go into effect on July 1 for federal waters (3-200 miles from shore). The minimum size changes are as
follows:
New Hampshire commercial minimum fish sizes for groundfish:
– Cod: Current Minimum Size – 22 inches; New Minimum Size as of July 1,
2013: 19 inches
– Haddock: Current Minimum Size – 18 inches; New Minimum Size as of July 1, 2013: 16 inches
– Witch flounder (gray sole): Current Minimum Size – none; New Minimum Size as of July 1, 2013: 13 inches
– Yellowtail flounder: Current Minimum Size – 13 inches; New Minimum Size as of July 1, 2013: 12 inches
– American plaice (dab): Current Minimum Size – 14 inches; New Minimum Size as of July 1, 2013: 12 inches
– Redfish: Current Minimum Size – 9 inches; New Minimum Size as of July 1, 2013: 7 inches
On May 1, the NOAA Fisheries implemented a management action that greatly reduced the commercial quotas on several groundfish species in order to end overfishing. Since all catch, including both harvested and discarded fish, count toward commercial quotas, NOAA Fisheries also reduced the minimum size limits of some fish to allow more of the fish currently being discarded due to minimum size limits to be harvested and sold. The 6.5 inch minimum mesh sizes for fishermen's nets that allow small fish to escape remains in place and the new size limits are still at or above the length at 50-percent maturity for these species. NOAA Fisheries also delayed implementation of the new size limits until July 1 to provide States the opportunity to make similar changes to size limits in state waters (0-3 miles from shore).
While the interim rules are in place, N.H. Fish and Game will go through the state rulemaking process to propose making these size limit changes permanent and will also include a proposal to raise the haddock minimum size limit for recreational anglers to 21 inches. The proposed rule change to the recreational size limit for haddock would also complement a similar change made by NOAA Fisheries for federal waters on May 1 to reduce the recreational harvest of haddock.
A tentative public hearing for these proposed rule changes will take place at 7 PM on Tuesday, September 3, 2013, at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwin Road in Portsmouth.
FOR MORE DETAILS: The complete rulemaking notices, with original and proposed rule language, will be posted by the end of July and at that time will be available for online viewing here.
Directions to the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth,
N.H.: From Portsmouth Traffic Circle: Take the Route 1 Bypass South exit off circle. Merge with Route 1 and go through five traffic lights. Turn left at sixth light onto Elwyn Road.
June 20, 2013 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
We’ve heard reports that there is some confusion about Atlantic sea scallop fishery allocations for 2014.
The New England Fishery Management Council is currently developing 2014 allocations through Framework Adjustment 25 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. If approved, this action is expected to be implemented in May 2014.
Since the scallop fishing year begins on March 1, the Council set precautionary default allocations for 2014 in their most recent action (i.e., Framework 24). Default 2014 allocations will be updated, as necessary, based on new 2014 allocations set by the Council in Framework 25.
If you have questions about the current 2014 default allocations, please call NOAA Fisheries’ Sustainable Fisheries Division at (978) 281-9315, or please refer to the final rule to Framework 24.
To learn more about the status of Framework 25, please contact the Council. Thank you!
June 20, 2013 — Today, NOAA Fisheries announced new management measures for the summer flounder, scup and black sea bass recreational fisheries, including minimum fish size, possession limit, and fishing seasons.
Based on recommendations of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, we are increasing the overall catch limits for the 2013 and 2014 black sea bass fishery by approximately 1 million pounds.This results in an increase of approximately 0.41 million pounds for the recreational black sea bass fishery, and a 0.39 million pound increase for the commercial fishery. For summer flounder, the Council recommended that states establish their own or region-specific recreational management measures (bag limit, minimum size, and season) to ensure that the 2013 harvest limit is not exceeded. To read more about these measures please click here.
We also have revamped our Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass webpages to make finding information about current regulations and other relevant information easier to find… Check them out!
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.
June 11, 2013 — NOAA Fisheries announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA) has been established 130NM East of New York Harbor to protect an aggregation of 3 right whales sighted in this area on June 10, 2013.
This DMA is in effect immediately through June 25, 2013. Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less. Please visit www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike for a graphic depicting this area and for other information on seasonal management areas that are in place.
130NM East of New York DMA — in effect through June 25, 2013
40 20N
39 42N
071 01W
070 12W
Download the whale alert app for iPad and iPhone
Updated Navigational Charts Now Show Seasonal Management Areas
Approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of Federal and State law. Please report all right whale sightings to:
866-755-NOAA (8866)
May 30, 2013 — The following was released by NOAA:
This status review report was conducted in response to a petition to list the scalloped hammerhead shark under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (WildEarth Guardians and Friend of Animals to U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), August 14, 2011, “Petition to list the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) under the U.S. Endangered Species Act either worldwide or as one or more distinct population segments”). NMFS evaluated the petition to determine whether the petitioner provided substantial information as required by the ESA to list a species. Additionally, NMFS evaluated whether information contained in the petition might support the identification of a distinct population segment (DPS) that may warrant listing as a species under the ESA. NMFS determined that the August 14, 2011 petition did present substantial scientific and commercial information, or cited such information in other sources, that the petitioned action may be warranted and, subsequently, NMFS initiated a status review of the scalloped hammerhead shark. This status review report is comprised of two components: (1) the “Status Review” of the species, a document that compiles the best available information on the status of the scalloped hammerhead shark as required by the ESA, and (2) the “Assessment of Extinction Risk” for the species, a document that provides the methods and conclusions of the NMFS Extinction Risk Analysis (ERA) team on the current and future extinction risks of the scalloped hammerhead shark.
The scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) is a circumglobal species occurring in coastal warm temperate and tropical seas (Compagno 1984). Scalloped hammerhead sharks are highly mobile and partly migratory and are likely the most abundant of the hammerhead species (Maguire et al. 2006); however the risk of local depletions is of concern. Scalloped hammerhead sharks have a life history that is susceptible to overharvesting, and according to the most recent stock assessment (Hayes et al. 2009) the Northwestern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico stock has declined to a relatively low level of abundance in recent years. Populations in other parts of the world are assumed to have suffered similar declines, however data to conduct stock assessments are currently lacking.
Based on a review of the best available information, the ERA determined that there exists six DPSs of the scalloped hammerhead shark, as defined by the joint U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-NMFS interagency policy of 1996 on vertebrate distinct population segments under the ESA. Based on information related to genetic variation among populations, behavior and physical factors, and differences in international regulatory mechanisms, the ERA team identified a Northwest Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico DPS, Central & Southwest Atlantic DPS, Eastern Atlantic DPS, Indo-West Pacific DPS, Central Pacific DPS, and Eastern Pacific DPS of scalloped hammerhead sharks.
The ERA team ranked demographic risks and threats to each of the DPSs. In the case of the Northwest Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico DPS, the ERA team ranked the high at-vessel fishing mortality of scalloped hammerhead sharks as the most serious threat, with overutilization by industrial/commercial and recreational fisheries as moderate risks to the persistence of the DPS. For the Central & Southwest Atlantic DPS as well as the Eastern Atlantic DPS, overutilization by industrial/commercial fisheries and the high at-vessel fishing mortality of S. lewini were ranked as high risks, and overutilization by artisanal fisheries, lack of adequate regulatory mechanisms, IUU fishing, and the schooling behavior of the species were ranked as moderate risks to the persistence of these DPSs. In the Indo-West Pacific DPS, overutilization by industrial/commercial and artisanal fisheries, as well as IUU fishing and the high at-vessel mortality of the sharks were ranked as high risks, with habitat degradation, inadequacy of current regulatory mechanisms, and schooling behavior ranked as moderate risks. The main threat to the Central Pacific DPS was the high at-vessel fishing mortality of scalloped hammerhead sharks, with overutilization by industrial/commercial fisheries ranked as a moderate risk. Finally, for the Eastern Pacific DPS, the threats of overutilization by industrial/commercial and artisanal fisheries, as well as the impact of IUU fishing, high at-vessel fishing mortality and schooling behavior of the species were ranked as high risks, with the lack of current adequate regulatory mechanisms ranked as a moderate risk.
Based on an evaluation of abundance trends, growth and productivity, spatial structure, and diversity, as well as the threats listed above, the ERA team determined that the Central Pacific DPS was at a very low risk of extinction now and in the foreseeable future. The Northwest Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico DPS was at a low risk of extinction now and in the foreseeable future. The Central & Southwest Atlantic DPS and the Indo-West Pacific DPS were at a moderate risk of extinction now and in the foreseeable future, whereas the Eastern Atlantic DPS and Eastern Pacific DPS were at a high risk of extinction now and in the foreseeable future. The ERA team did not find any significant portion of range within a DPS that would warrant a different risk of extinction and therefore concluded that the extinction risk for each DPS applied to the entire range of that DPS.
Read the full report from NOAA
NMFS has distributed its Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation on the Continued Implementation of Management Measures for the Northeast Multispecies, Monkfish, Spiny Dogfish, Atlantic Bluefish, Northeast Skate Complex, Mackerel/Squid/Butterfish, and Summer Flounder/Scup/Black Sea Bass Fisheries. Please click here NMFS Atlantic Sturgeon Draft Biological Opinion for Seven New England Fisheries to access the document.
Please contact Maggie Mooney-Seus for further information, her contact information is listed below:
Maggie Mooney-Seus
Communications Officer
NOAA Fisheries
Department of Commerce
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-281-9175
( c ) 774-392-4865
Marjorie.Mooney-Seus@noaa.gov
Follow us on Twitter: @NOAANERfish
Patricia M. Fiorelli
Public Affairs Officer
New England Fishery Management Council
50 Water Street, Mill 2
Newburyport, MA 01950
978.465.0492, ext. 106
pfiorelli@nefmc.org
May 16, 2013 — 90-day Finding on Petitions to List the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Population of Dusky Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act
NOAA Fisheries has found that two petitions to list the dusky shark under the Endangered Species Act present substantial information that the petitioned action may be warranted. Therefore, the Endangered Species Act requires we make a determination of whether listing the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico population of dusky shark as endangered or threatened is warranted within 12 months of the receipt of the first petition (November 14, 2013). NOAA Fisheries is initiating a formal status review of the Northwest A tlantic and Gulf of Mexico population of dusky sharks under the Endangered Species Act and is seeking scientific information to assist our review.
For more information, please see the attached Federal Register Notice (as filed) or go to the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Website at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/