State and Local

June 5, 2014 — Despite last week’s announcement of a $14.5 million federal disaster grant to the Massachusetts fishing industry, area fishermen and marine analysts believe that the funds will only serve as a stopgap for an industry that has nearly collapsed because of declining groundfish stocks.

“You have an investment that is worthless,” said Russell Sherman, who has been fishing for cod, haddock, and other groundfish off of Gloucester’s waters since 1971.

As part of the $14.5 million grant, Sherman — along with 52 other Gloucester fishermen and another 13 along the North Shore who hold federal groundfish permits – will each receive $32,463. The stipends are part of a $32.8 million overall grant to the New England states, which have been hard-hit by federal regulations in the last two decades. Since rules were implemented to rebuild stocks of cod, flounder, haddock, and other groundfish, fishermen such as Sherman have seen their work days shrink from nearly year-round to a quota system that reduced their overall Gulf of Maine cod catch by 78 percent last year.

Throughout the state, 194 fishermen will receive a total of $6.3 million in emergency funds. In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game will spend the coming months creating a plan to distribute another $8.2 million in federal funds to the Massachusetts fishing industry. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokeswoman Marjorie Mooney-Seus said the state could disburse the $8.2 million to assist recreational fishermen, commercial crew members, or shore-based fishing industries, or even allot more funds to permit-holding boat owners.

Read the full story at The Boston Globe

 

June 4, 2014 — The agreement reached last week divides the package into three equal pots. One third will go to direct payments to fishermen, one third to states to spend as they see fit, and the final third will be used to buy boats and permits from fishermen willing to exit the fishery permanently. Because Massachusetts is home to more groundfishermen than any other state in New England, as well as the highest grossing groundfish port, the Commonwealth will receive $14.5 million.

“I think it was the best that could be done,” says Bob Vanasse, Executive Director of Saving Seafood. “The different agencies did their best to slice it up equitably between the states. And a number of the members were adamant that there should be payments to the fishermen.”

But not all fishermen are covered by the federal package. Permit holders who caught less than 5,000 pounds of groundfish in the four years leading up to the disaster declaration aren’t eligible for payments. Neither are the hundreds of crew members who work on nearly every groundfish boat.

“The federal plan just leaves too many fishermen behind,” says Tom Dempsey, Policy Director for the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. “Crew were completely ignored, and I don’t think that’s right.”

Massachusetts could use some of its allotted funds to help permit holders, crew members, and recreational fishermen impacted by the disaster. Regional administrator John Bullard says members of the Massachusetts delegation expressed a desire to do so during the negotiations that led to the current deal. Rhode Island delegates talked about investing in research projects that involve, rather than alienate, fishermen, while New Hampshire expressed a need to support the last remaining fish processing plant in that state.

Some of those state-level investments could help move the fishery toward a more sustainable future, but the final portion of the federal relief package may determine the shape of the groundfish fleet itself. Nearly $11 million has been set aside for buy-back or buy-out programs that would help some fishermen exit the fishery permanently. Talks about the nature of those programs begin in a few weeks, and the uncertainty has some fishermen – even those who might be interested in getting out of the business – concerned.

When it comes to the long-term health of the fishery, though, this relief package is overshadowed by pending changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the federal law that mandates and guides fishery management nationwide. Federal legislators are in the process of amending and reauthorizing the law, as they do every several years.

“The long-term answer to healthy fishing communities is healthy fish stocks, not disaster aid. This is a band-aid,” Bullard says. “The buy-out or buy-back which might help us right-size the fleet could be a long-term solution. But the real answer is building the stocks back.”

There’s disagreement about whether a draft bill released by House Committee on Natural Resources last week would do that. That bill emphasizes flexibility in management, and calls for scientists and managers to do more in the way of taking into account factors other than fishing that may be affecting fish stocks, including climate change, pollution, and predator-prey interactions. It also asks fishery biologists to incorporate new technologies into the process of assessing wild fish populations.

Read the full story at WCAI

Listen to the audio from WCAI and Heather Goldstone on All Things Considered

June 4, 2014 — The Massachusetts Legislature is moving closer to crafting a fiscal year 2015 state budget, as representatives from both chambers met Tuesday in a conference committee to try to iron out differences in their respective budget proposals.

The $36.2 billion Senate budget proposal includes several amendments that relate directly to coastal communities and the fishing industry, including funding to research the growing green crab problem and combat the spread of the insidious phragmite reed marsh plants in the Great Marsh, as well as an amendment to implement a new fee schedule to fund a ventless lobster trap survey program.

There is also an amendment, championed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, that would provide funding for a plan to help the city of Gloucester develop facilities for pretreating wastewater generated by seafood processing businesses.

“There is a lot of productive stuff in this budget,” Tarr said of the Senate budget proposal he helped assemble. “But we still have to negotiate (with the House). From our perspective, this is where the fight is.”

The amendment related to the invasive green crabs seeks $133,000 to fund a state Division of Marine Fisheries three-pronged plan, in conjunction with Salem State University’s Aquaculture Center, aimed at curbing the green crab population by wide-scale trapping.

Read the full story from The Gloucester Daily Times

RALEIGH, N.C. — June 4, 2014 — The state Senate has passed a budget bill that includes a new commercial fishing fund proposed by the N.C. Fisheries Association and backed by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.

This isn’t the only change the Senate has proposed for the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ budget. The Senate proposes closing one of the division’s regional offices and cutting several staff positions.

On May 31, the Senate engrossed – put in final form after committee review and approval – Senate Bill 744, the 2014 Appropriations Act. The bill includes creating an N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Fund, a new fund the NCFA (a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the state seafood industry) proposed in February to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission at its regular meeting.   

This bill, if passed by both sides of the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Pat McCrory, would set the fiscal 2014-15 state budget. The budget bill now goes to the state House for further review and amendments.

Jerry Schill, NCFA president, said Monday that he’s very pleased the Senate included the fund in its budget bill.

Read the full story at the Cateret County News-Times 

 

 

June 3, 2014 — New Jersey’s summer flounder season opened a week ago this past Friday. It was rather cool, cloudy and windy. But, do you know what? No one cared because fish of all species were there waiting and they were hungry. I think it was one of the better opening days in quite some time.

I was out with some friends behind Ocean City. Our take-home was a pair of 20-inch flatties and some very nice bluefish and weakfish. Of the four people on the boat the high hook was using just a bare hook tipped with a strip of shark. He easily outfished the rest of us.

While our 20-inch flounder were nice, there were some real beauties caught all up-and-down the coast. The largest I could turn up was 8.5-pounds that was taken in Absecon Bay, always a hot spot. In Ludlam Bay behind Sea Isle City there was a 7.25-pounder put in the box.

From everything I have heard, almost all of that opening day activity took place in shallow water. I know we frequently had just two feet of water beneath our keel. Yet, where we were fishing the water temp was in the mid 60s so you would think they might be down in deeper water.

Read the full story at The Mercury

June 3, 2014 — The following was released by The Maine Department of Natural Resources:

The 2014 elver season, which concluded May 31, was characterized by less than one tenth the number of poaching violations of last year.

“This season exceeded my expectations in terms of the performance of the new swipe card system and the outcome of the individual quota system,” said Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “One of the main challenges for the department last season, as the value exceeded $2,000 per pound, was poaching, which contributed to a total of 219 violations in 2013 related to fishing without a license. This season, as a result of the new swipe card system and the individual fishing quotas which were intended to discourage illegal trafficking of elvers by unlicensed harvesters, the total number of violations related to fishing without a license has declined dramatically.”

To-date, Maine Marine Patrol reports that have been entered into the DMR database show just 15 violations of laws associated with unlicensed harvesting. “This drastic decline in violations is strong testament to the success of the new system,” said Commissioner Keliher. “The new swipe card system and individual fishing quotas have dramatically reduced illegal activity in Maine, improved our capacity to manage this critically important marine resource, and reduced the enforcement burden on neighboring states.” Overall, violation of elver-related laws decreased from 371 last season to 71 this season.

Preliminary reports indicate that Maine harvesters landed approximately 86 percent of the total overall quota. These numbers are likely to increase as final landings reports are calculated. There are a number of factors the department is still assessing that possibly contributed to the shortfall. Potential factors include the cold weather that Maine experienced this spring which slowed the migration of elvers. Harvesting activity during the first week of the season was also slow, with the most participants on any single day totaling 33 out of the approximately 950 licensed harvesters. In addition, based on landings reports there were 887 active harvesters of which 371 reached their individual quotas.

“We will continue to assess all aspects of this season’s harvesting activity, regulatory and statutory changes, and enforcement efforts as we begin planning for next season,” said Commissioner Keliher. “I am confident that the swipe card system, because it has proven to be such an effective management tool, will continue to be a part of this fishery and that we will be rolling it out into other fisheries in the future.

“I am also very pleased with the service of Bluefin Data, LLC, the vendor we chose for the swipe card system,” said Commissioner Keliher. “Not only did the system work nearly flawlessly, they provided timely and expert technical support which was critical in managing a system like this.”

Plans for the future of the elver fishery in Maine will be discussed during two Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission public hearings on June 30. The first will be from 10:00 AM to Noon in the Natural Resources Service Center Conference Room at 6 Beech Street in Hallowell. The second will be from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Jeff’s Catering and Event Center at 15 Littlefield Way in Brewer. For more information on the public hearings, visit www.maine.gov/dmr.

 

June 1, 2014 — Two blue marlin were boated this weekend during the Wrightsville Beach leg of the North Carolina Governor’s Cup Saltwater Fishing Tournament series. The behemoth fish were the first brought in for weigh-in in more than a decade.

An 821-pound blue marlin caught by Morehead City “Coverage” captain Hunter Blount and angler Jim Holmes earned the biggest bragging rights Saturday, May 31.Needless to say, this team won the local tournament and approximately $26,000 iin prizes in various categories. Their points will follow them throughout the rest of the Governor’s Cup series.

Several days earlier, on May 29, a 447-pound marlin caused a stir among the locals. Boated by captain Alan Murray and angler Harvey Scott of “J&B” from Morehead City, the marlin’s head and tail were reserved while the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries took the rest for testing.

Billfish less than 400 pounds are caught and released said Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament organizer Emily Peace.

Read the full story at Lumina News

May 29, 2014 — Massachusetts will receive more than $14.5 million in federal disaster funds to address the dramatic downturn in the Northeast’s groundfish industry, Governor Deval Patrick’s office announced Wednesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration allocated the money after a federal disaster declaration for the region’s groundfishermen. The state will receive the funds as part of $75 million allocated by Congress to help with six declared fishery disasters across the country.

Local groundfish fisheries have “been impacted very negatively,” said Angela Sanfilippo, president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association. “It’s been tough,” she said.

Changes in fishery regulations, forced by changes in resource conditions, have “consolidated the industry,” said Mary Griffin, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game.

The consolidation leaves some larger fisheries more able to survive the downturn, while smaller fishing boats have seen their businesses affected more dramatically, Griffin said in a telephone interview Wednesday night.

NOAA will be distributing $32.8 million in federal disaster funds to the New England groundfish industry, divided between six states that have declared federal fisheries disasters, according to a statement from the Patrick administration and NOAA.

Read the full story at the Boston Globe

 

 

June 2, 2014 — Inside a colossal assembly and production hall in Ketchikan, with the newly built commercial fishing vessel Arctic Prowler towering over a patriotic stage, Governor Sean Parnell spoke to a special achievement for Alaska.

“This is no ordinary vessel, this Arctic Prowler, because it actually is symbolic of so much,” Parnell said. “It’s proof that Alaskans can and will build Alaska-tough boats and ships to handle these stormy seas.”

The boat has been undergoing final outfitting since the October 5, 2013, christening ceremony at the Ketchikan Shipyard and is expected to start fishing soon.

The Arctic Prowler is one in a wave of new fishing vessels being built to modernize one of Alaska’s main industrial fleets. The boats, known as freezer longliners, target predominantly Pacific cod, among the state’s most valuable fish species.

These new boats are fearsome fish killers—the Arctic Prowler will have the capability of fishing fifty-six thousand hooks per day.

The building boom reflects, on several levels, the continuing evolution of the Alaska fishing industry.

First, the new boats are the product of a fundamental shift in the way the Bering Sea cod fishery works, with Congress playing a big role in making it happen.

Second, the construction signifies the growing role of Alaskans in owning major fishing vessels and in building them. Until recently, vessel ownership and construction was anchored almost entirely out of state.

Third, the new longliners also advance efforts to make Alaska commercial fishing more “green,” or environmentally friendly, by reducing pollution and fish waste.

Finally, the boats are expected to enhance efficiency and safety for fishermen at sea, replacing vessels from the World War II era.

Read the full story Alaska Business Monthly

June 1, 2014 — With all the fishing friends I have, it’s not surprising my Facebook page is awash with red right now, as in red snapper.

But red snapper season isn’t open yet, you say. Oh, but that’s the Red snapper season in federal waters opened today and ends at 12:01 a.m. June 10, the shortest red snapper season ever at only nine days.

The red snapper season in Florida, which has a 9-mile territorial waters boundary, opened on May 24, and plenty of anglers took advantage of that opening. Alabama’s territorial waters extend only 3 miles into the Gulf of Mexico.

So how can an Alabama angler legally catch red snapper in Florida waters? It gets a little tricky, especially for the boat captain.

Chris Blankenship, Director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division, said there are specific regulations that Alabama fishermen must follow to be in compliance with state and federal regulations.

“If people from Alabama are going to fish in Florida and catch red snapper and bring them back to Alabama, they need to stay in Florida waters until they get to 3 miles off the beach,” Blankenship said. “Then they can cut over into Alabama waters. We will allow them to possess fish in Alabama as long as they have an Alabama saltwater fishing license and a Florida saltwater fishing license.”

Therefore, if an Alabama boat is 9 miles south of, say, Gulf Breeze, Florida, the boat cannot take a course that is a straight line back to the Alabama port or boat ramp, because that course would take them into federal waters. And it doesn’t matter where the fish was caught. Possession is the key.

Read the full story from the Montgomery Advertiser