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NORTH CAROLINA: Commission delays vote on southern flounder

October 6, 2015 — A state commission will delay until November a decision on whether the state should impose new restrictions on southern flounder in an effort to protect the potentially over-fished coastal stock.

Some recreational fishermen and conservationists claim the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission put off the protections under political pressure from a handful of state lawmakers and the state’s commercial fishing interests. Waiting until November means the new limits won’t be in place for this year’s fall season.

The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina has written to the commission chairman, Sammy Corbett, saying it is “infuriated” at his decision not to take up the topic until the next scheduled meeting, in mid-November. In August, Corbett said a special meeting would be held in September to consider the restrictions.

“This is not your commission, but a governor-appointed body that includes diverse interests, tasked with the duty to safeguard and manage public fisheries resources for all of the citizens of North Carolina,” Bud Abbott, the organization’s president, wrote.

Read the full story at The News & Observer

Maine Technology Institute awards grants to 4 early-stage companies

October 7, 2015 — The Maine Technology Institute has awarded grants totaling $92,414 to four Maine startups developing products in the aquaculture, information technology and building supply industries.

MTI, a state-backed agency that supports innovative companies, provided Business Accelerator Grants to the following companies:

• Acadia Harvest in Brunswick, developing a land-based aquaculture facility, received a grant of $49,975, which the company matched with $657,685 from other sources;

• Joseph Associates Inc., an information technology firm in Farmingdale, received $22,977, which the company matched with an equal amount;

• Revolution Research Inc., an Orono-based company started by two University of Maine students that is developing new insulation products for the building supply industry, received $15,000, which the company matched with a $224,996 investment raised from other sources.

Read the full story at the Kennebec Journal

Huge Schools of Menhaden Cause Headaches at Houston Port

October 6, 2015 — Vessels on the Houston Ship Channel faced big problems this summer from the tiniest of traffic hazards: finger-long fish called menhaden, which showed up in record-size schools and temporarily idled at least 17 ships.

Weather patterns the last several years helped the menhaden population in the channel grow to 10 times its typical size, making it more likely the young fish get sucked into the ships’ filter systems that suck in seawater to cool off the engines. When they get lodged in high enough numbers, they can shut down an engine.

“It’s a mess,” said Houston Pilot Capt. Clint Winegar, who sat aboard at least one ship waiting for the crew to clear its filter before he could navigate it through the Ship Channel. “It’s amazing how much fish get caught in those strainers.”

When engines fail, pilots use towboats to control the ships, and all other vessels in the channel have to slow down to avoid collisions. These delays cost money, as the industry average cost to operate an oceangoing ship in port is more than $1,000 per hour.

Read the full story from the Houston Chronicle

Woman shot on fishing vessel in Port of Cape May

October 5, 2015 — The New Jersey State Police said a Lower Township man was arrested for attempted murder after he shot a Whitesboro woman aboard a fishing vessel docked at Lund’s Fisheries.

Capt. Stephen Jones of the State Police said Ernest Davis, 43, of Lower Township was being held in the Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $1 million cash bail, charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons charges related to the shooting.

Jones said Lower Township Police Department called in the state police after they responded to Lund’s Fisheries at the Port of Cape May, Oct. 3, at around 10:32 p.m., after the report of a person being shot. After determining the shooting was aboard the fishing vessel Storm, the LTPD called the State Police, which responded with officers from their Marine Bureau.

Read the full story from Shore News Today

MAINE: NOAA Allows State Waters Scallop Exemption Program

October 6, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Through a final rule published today, scallop vessels holding both Northern Gulf of Maine Federal permits and Maine commercial licenses may fish inside Maine state waters, even if the Federal Northern Gulf of Maine fishery is closed.

Maine requested this exemption as part of the Scallop State Water Exemption Program, which allows Federal permit holders to be exempted from a few specific regulations when fishing in a state waters scallop fishery where the state’s program does not jeopardize the objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan.

This rule goes into effect on November 6.

This exemption will benefit approximately 40 Federal Northern Gulf of Maine permit holders.

Read the rule as filed in Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-6175 or Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.

Atlantic Sea Scallop. Credit: NOAA

NORTH CAROLINA: Correction for Coastal Habitat Protection Plan Meeting

October 6, 2015 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

CORRECTION

The Coastal Habitat Protection Plan Steering Committee Meeting scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. will be held at the NC Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office, 5285 Hwy. 70, Morehead City.

Maryland DNR gets new fisheries director

October 2, 2015 — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has a new director of fisheries, David Blazer, who has been on the job since Monday, Sept. 21.

Blazer, most recently before being hired as the director of fisheries, was the deputy director for harbor development at the Maryland Port Administration.

But it’s not his first go-around at DNR, as Blazer started his career with DNR as a sports fishing specialist. He established, coordinated and managed education and promotional programs before being promoted to legislation and regulation program chief, overseeing programs related to fin and sport fish in Maryland. He previously worked at DNR between 1990 and 1998.

Read the full story from The Star Democrat

NORTH CAROLINA: NCFA Board meeting postponed!

October 5, 2015 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

NCFA BOARD MEETING POSTPONED!

The meeting, which was scheduled for this afternoon, has been rescheduled due to the weather.

The Board will meet on Tuesday, yes TUESDAY, October 27th at the Civic Center in Washington, NC, beginning at 2:00pm

Vetlesen Distinguished Lecture Series: Size-based methods to understand marine ecosystems, fisheries potential and impacts

October 5, 2015 — The following was released by the University of Rhode Island:

Size-based methods to understand marine ecosystems, fisheries potential and impacts

by Simon Jennings, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK

Friday 9 October at Noon in the Coastal Institute Auditorium Narragansett Bay Campus

Abstract: Body-size-based methods provide insights into marine systems and fisheries impacts that complement those from more complex species-based analyses. These methods are applicable to many systems since they have relatively low parameter demands and are based on established ecological principles. However, they may omit structures, processes and outliers that “matter” to science or fishery managers. Drawing on examples from highly abstracted system models through to tactical models being considered for fisheries management, I review the strengths and weaknesses of size-based methods and challenge them with data. Having highlighted and sought to address some of the uncertainties, I examine what size-based methods can contribute to predicting global fish production, biomass and catch potential, biodiversity, fish contributions to biogeochemical cycles, climate change effects and tradeoffs between fisheries yields and impacts.

Maine scallop fishery to see cutbacks to ensure conservation

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — October 2, 2015 — A plan to place new restrictions on Maine’s scalloping industry is the right way to ensure that the fishery keeps rebuilding, some fishermen say.

Maine’s meaty scallops, which are harvested by drag boats and cold-water divers, are prized in restaurants and fish markets. Their value per pound surged to an all-time high last year, frequently topping $20 – several dollars more than other scallops.

The fishery is also on the mend, as fishermen caught nearly 4.9 million pounds of the scallops last year, up from less than 700,000 pounds five years earlier. Catches sometimes topped 10 million pounds in the 1990s.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Jersey Herald