The following was released by Tom Nies of the New England Fisheries Management Council
Here is a summary of the major Council actions on groundfish at the April 26-28, 2011 meeting in Mystic, CT. As always, this brief summary does not capture the entire discussion. Sound files are available on our web page, and motions will be available in about a week.
1. Framework Adjustment 46: The Council selected a preferred alternative for FW 46, which proposes to modify the haddock catch cap regulations for the herring fishery. The Council selected Option 2 in the draft framework. Option 2 would change the cap to a stock-specific cap that applies to midwater trawl herring vessels. The cap would be set at 1 percent of the GB or GOM haddock ABC. Observed catches of haddock will be expanded to an estimate of total catch through in-season monitoring. If the cap is reached, MWT vessels would be limited to retaining 2,000 pounds of herring in a stock specific area. The option also modifies reporting requirements so that the cap can be monitored. The framework document will be completed by staff and submitted as soon as possible; if approved by NMFS we hope for implementation in late fall (~November).
2. Amendment 17: The Council provided an opportunity for public comment on Amendment 17, which if approved will authorize NOAA-funded state-operated permit banks. No public comments were made. The comment period ends May 18 (see the document on our web page for details on providing comments). A Council vote is expected at the June Council meeting.
3. Accumulation Limits: The Council did not approve a Groundfish Committee motion to delay further work on an accumulation limits and fleet diversity amendment until later this year. The Council approved a motion to establish an ad hoc Groundfish Accumulation Limit Committee made up of members of the Groundfish Committee, Groundfish Advisory Panel, Groundfish PDT, and select members of the SSC to conduct a facilitated meeting on accumulation limits. The Committee was tasked to provide a suite of options for Council consideration. Further details on this Committee will be developed over the next few weeks.
4. Sector Review Workshop: The Council considered Committee advice on planning and execution of a meeting to review the first year of sector operations. The Council directed the Executive Committee to schedule a Council meeting as soon as practicable to receive reports from sector managers. This will likely occur after August.
5. Trading of Quota at the TMGC: At present, the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) agrees on catches of three shared stocks with Canada. Once a total catch is agreed upon, each country’s share is determined through a formula based largely on resource distribution. There has been some interest at the TMGC in modifying the understanding to allow trading of quota between the two countries. The Council reviewed a Committee motion that proposed to pursue this idea, but ultimately rejected the motion. Council members stated they thought the benefits of trading were uncertain and the time necessary to develop this idea would be better spent on other groundfish issues.
6. SNE Cod Issue: The Groundfish Committee received reports of increased recreational cod catches in SNE in late winter and early spring. During the November priorities discussion, the Council will consider taking up this issue next year. There were some reports that state agencies may be addressing the issue.
7. The Council directed staff to submit a letter to NMFS opposing the requirement that dockside monitors board and inspect fishing vessels after offloading to verify catch. Council members are concerned that this practice is unsafe and unnecessary.
8. Management Area Coordination: While not specifically a groundfish decision, the Council discussed coordinating the EFH Amendment review and possible modification of habitat measures (including habitat closed areas) with management areas used in other FMPs (primarily groundfish closed areas). Council staff presented a paper describing four alternative processes for reconciling these issues. The Council decided to expand Phase II of the EFH amendment to consider modification of groundfish closed areas. This will extend the current timeline for the EFH amendment into the future. Work on the groundfish closed areas is not expected to begin until late 2011/early 2012 due to the current workload of the Groundfish Committee and PDT.