Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: Trump official’s fish ruling could harm conservation

July 17, 2017 — A row with an appointee of President Donald Trump’s administration over the regulation of flounder fishing off New Jersey jeopardizes conservation of marine species all along the East Coast, interstate fishing managers said Monday.

The flatfish in question is the summer flounder, which is popular with sport fishermen and commercial fishermen from Maine to Florida. The regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission announced in June that it had found New Jersey out of compliance with management of the summer flounder fishery.

But Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross needed to sign off on the ruling, and he instead reversed it. The commission said in a statement that Ross’ ruling represents the first time since passage of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act in 1993 that a commerce secretary has failed to uphold such a noncompliance recommendation.

Ross’ ruling has the potential to soften the regulatory authority of the commission, which is tasked with managing fisheries along the coast, said Toni Kerns, director of the interstate fisheries management program for the Atlantic States.

The Atlantic States found that New Jersey was not implementing conservation measures, and Ross could have called for a federal moratorium on fishing for summer flounder in New Jersey’s state waters, Kerns said. Instead, his reversal sends a message that Atlantic States’ rulings lack teeth, she said.

“If the secretary of commerce isn’t agreeing to use that tool, then other states will see that and start not implementing measures,” Kerns said.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The News & Observer

Retention Limit of Aggregated Large Coastal Shark and Hammerhead Shark Management Groups Increased to 36 Sharks per Trip Effective July 16th

July 17, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has increased the retention limit for the commercial aggregated large coastal shark (LCS) and hammerhead shark management groups (Appendix 1) for directed shark limited access permit holders in the Atlantic region from 3 to 36 LCS (other than sandbar sharks) per vessel per trip effective July 16, 2017. The revised retention limit will remain in effect for the rest of the 2017 fishing season or until NMFS announces another adjustment to the retention limit.

This action is intended to promote equitable fishing opportunities in the region, while allowing quota to be harvested throughout the year. All other retention limits and shark fisheries remain unchanged in the Atlantic region.

As agreed upon by the Commission’s Coastal Sharks Management Board, the Commission will follow NMFS for in-season changes to the commercial retention limit. Therefore, no more than 36 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip may be retained from the aggregated LCS and hammerhead management groups by a state licensed fishermen effective July 16, 2017.

The Federal Register commercial retention limit notification can be found at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/species/sharks/news/shark_news_2017.html. 

Shark landings can be found at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/species/sharks/Landings/index.html.

Please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at (703) 842-0740 or krootes-murdy@asmfc.org if you have questions.

A PDF of the announcement can be found here.

ASMFC Reacts to Commerce Secretary Decision to Reject Commission Advice on Summer Flounder

July 14, 2017 — ARLINGTON, Va. — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

On July 11th, Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, notified the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that he has found the State of New Jersey to be in compliance with Addendum XXVII to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan. According to the letter sent to the Commission, Secretary Ross’s decision was based on the assertion that “New Jersey makes a compelling argument that the measures it implemented this year, despite increasing catch above the harvest target, will likely reduce total summer flounder mortality in New Jersey waters to a level consistent with the overall conservation objective for the recreational fishery.” This is the first time since passage of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act) in 1993 and the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act in 1984 that the Secretary of Commerce failed to uphold a noncompliance recommendation by the Commission.

“The Commission is deeply concerned about the near-term impact on our ability to end overfishing on the summer flounder stock as well as the longer-term ability for the Commission to effectively conserve numerous other Atlantic coastal shared resources,” stated Commission Chair Douglas Grout of New Hampshire. “The Commission’s finding of noncompliance was not an easy one. It included hours of Board deliberation and rigorous Technical Committee review, and represented, with the exception of New Jersey, a unanimous position of the Commission’s state members. Our decision was based on Technical Committee’s findings that New Jersey’s measures were not conservationally-equivalent to those measures in Addendum XXVIII and are projected to result in an additional 93,800 fish being harvested. Additionally, we had an obligation as a partner in the joint management of summer flounder with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) to implement measures to end overfishing immediately or face the possibility of summer flounder becoming an overfished stock.”

Based on the latest stock assessment information, summer flounder is currently experiencing overfishing. Spawning stock biomass has been declining since 2010 and is just 16% above the threshold.  The vast majority of fishery-independent surveys show rapidly declining abundance. Any increase in overall mortality puts the stock at risk for further declines and increases the probability of the stock becoming overfished. If the stock falls below the biomass threshold, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires the Council to initiate a rebuilding program, which could require more restrictive management measures.

New Jersey was not the only state to be concerned about the impact of the approved measures to its recreational fishing community. Two other states submitted alternative proposals that were rejected in favor of the states equally sharing the burden of needed reductions. Those states, as well as other coastal states, implemented the approved measures in order to end overfishing and support the long-term conservation of the resource.

“The states have a 75-year track record of working together to successfully manage their shared marine resources,” continued Chairman Grout. “We are very much concerned about the short and long-term implications of the Secretary’s decision on interstate fisheries management. Our focus moving forward will be to preserve the integrity of the Commission’s process, as established by the Atlantic Coastal Act, whereby, the states comply with the management measures we collectively agree upon. It is my fervent hope that three-quarters of a century of cooperative management will provide a solid foundation for us to collectively move forward in achieving our vision of sustainably managing Atlantic coastal fisheries.”

The Commission is currently reviewing its options in light of Secretary Ross’s action, and the member states will meet during the Commission’s Summer Meeting in early August to discuss the implications of the Secretary’s determination on the summer flounder resource and on state/federal cooperation in fisheries management under the Atlantic Coastal Act.

For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Director, Interstate Fisheries Management Program, at tkerns@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

NEW JERSEY: Rep. LoBiondo Applauds Decision on Summer Flounder

July 13, 2017 — After months of fighting against proposed reductions on summer flounder harvest limits for New Jersey commercial and recreational fishermen, U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) applauded U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ decision late last night to accept New Jersey’s management plan.

“Commerce Secretary Ross’ decision to adopt New Jersey’s conservation equivalency plan for summer flounder signals a win-win for our fishing industry and conservation efforts,” said LoBiondo. “For months I have argued that NOAA and ASMFC were flawed in their data and decision-making process, creating a significant and arbitrary disadvantage to New Jersey fishermen. Going forward we must reform the use of questionable methodologies and outdated science by federal bureaucrats that, left unchecked, will again threaten fishing operations in South Jersey. I will continue to work with my colleagues and Commerce Secretary Ross to protect the critical fishing industry in South Jersey as well as the summer flounder stocks.”

Earlier this month LoBiondo joined with fellow New Jersey Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04) and other members of the Congressional delegation to urge delaying 2017-2018 restrictions on New Jersey fishermen proposed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

The letter requested Commerce Secretary Ross consider the management plan proposed by the state of New Jersey, and urged him to, “work administratively with the State of New Jersey to approve, implement and enforce New Jersey’s 2017 Summer Flounder regulations.” The full letter is available here.

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald

NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator Announces Retirement

July 12, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator John Bullard today formally announced he will retire on January 5, 2018. Bullard, who took the top job in the agency’s Gloucester-based office in 2012, will leave a legacy of improved relationships with the regulated community, the research community, environmentalists, local, state, and federal officials and agency partners, including the New England and the Mid-Atlantic fishery management councils and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

As the regional administrator responsible for leading the agency’s approach to fisheries, habitat, sea turtle, and marine mammal issues from Maine to North Carolina as well as the Great Lakes region, Bullard also provided a much-needed conduit helping the regulated communities understand the critical role of science in informing management decisions.

“As the former Mayor of New Bedford, Bullard brought with him a unique connection to the fishing industry, and used that connection to improve communication with all aspects of the industry and Congress during a very challenging period for the agency,” said Sam Rauch, NOAA Fisheries Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs.

As Regional Administrator, Bullard worked with the fishery management councils and the commission to manage 44 fish stocks, including two, scallops and lobster, worth more than $500 million each.

During his tenure, he faced the daunting New England groundfish crisis. Bullard met the challenge head on, making the tough and unpopular decision to impose emergency closures when the New England Council failed to act.

“I know how difficult these issues are, and I tried to tackle them with courage and compassion,” says Bullard.

Bullard worked with Congress and state directors to deliver $32.8 million in disaster assistance to affected fishing families and communities. In close collaboration with the New England Council, Bullard then put quotas and closures in place to protect cod and other depleted fish stocks.

“We wish John well,” said New England Council Executive Director Tom Nies. “He is always willing to work with the council to find management solutions and empowers those around him to actively participate in the process, which is one of his key accomplishments. That may go unnoticed by many, but it is one of the reasons our council has been able to complete so many management actions during his tenure.”

Bullard’s leadership in protecting living marine resources included removing approximately 30,000 miles of rope from Atlantic coastal waters to reduce whale entanglements and expanding critical habitat for North Atlantic right whales in the region by more than 25,000 nautical miles. He also oversaw development of a strategy to restore river herring populations, imposed catch caps on mackerel and herring fisheries, and removed dams and created fish passages to double fish runs in key Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts rivers.

“For me, John is an example of public service and more importantly, an example of working with stakeholders to have a positive impact on tough issues,” said Dr. Jon Hare, science and research director at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “I will miss working with him and am thankful for his time as regional administrator.”

Bullard strongly supported groundbreaking actions created to bolster the Mid-Atlantic region’s important recreational and commercial fisheries. In 2016, he approved the Mid-Atlantic Council’s deep-sea coral amendment that protects 15 deep-sea canyons and a total area of 24 million acres, about the size of Virginia, where fragile, slow-growing corals live. These hotspots of biodiversity provide important habitat, refuge, and prey for fish and other marine life. Bullard has also advanced an action to protect small schooling fish, also known as forage fish, which serve as prey for larger fish, marine mammals, and sea birds. This would be the first ever action on the Atlantic coast to designate forage fish as important parts of the ecosystem and provide protection for them.

“Throughout his tenure as regional administrator, John has been an engaged and dedicated participant in the council process, and he has played an important role in increasing focus on the Mid-Atlantic portion of the Greater Atlantic Region,” said Chris Moore, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. “His insight and leadership have been especially valuable to the Mid-Atlantic Council during the development of several new initiatives such as the Deep Sea Corals Amendment, the Unmanaged Forage Fish Amendment, and the development of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management.”

Bullard also led the charge to modernize access and sharing of fishery dependent data in cooperation with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the fishing industry, the councils and the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program. He championed electronic monitoring pilot projects on fishing vessels with partners in the industry and environmental non-government organizations to increase coverage and improve the data on which our science is based.

“It’s been an honor and pleasure to work with John. He has been a strong supporter of state/federal cooperation in the management of our shared marine resources,” said Bob Beal, executive director of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. “We are grateful for his contributions to sustainable management and wish him the very best.”

“I’m really proud of the work I’ve done with the GARFO team. They are intelligent, hard-working, and caring professionals, and I rely on them every day to make me smart on the many issues we face,” said Bullard, who has no plans to slow down before he leaves. “There is work left to do before I leave—very important work. Still on my list are the Omnibus Habitat Amendment, the New England Council’s Deep Sea Coral Amendment, some critical dam removals, electronic monitoring, the Carlos Rafael situation, the summer flounder crisis, and the continuing groundfish challenge, among others.”

However, once he does bid the agency goodbye, he plans to literally sail into the sunset, provided the weather is warm enough!

The agency will launch a search for Bullard’s replacement within the next several months.

Read the full release here

How Trump administration ended great New Jersey fish fight

July 11, 2017 — President Donald Trump’s administration sided with New Jersey Tuesday in a dispute over catch limits for summer flounder that threatened to shut down the entire fishing season.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross approved the state’s Marine Fisheries Council proposal for 24 fewer fishing days but a smaller minimum size for fish, rather than the limits imposed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) called Ross’s decision “great news for the state of New Jersey, our fishing community, our economy and all who visit the shore.”

Members of the state’s congressional delegation had opposed the more stringent limits of a 19-inch minimum, with a three fish limit per trip over a 128-day season.

At one point, the fisheries commission threatened to impose a moratorium on all fishing.

“The decision to not institute a fishing moratorium, and instead accept New Jersey’s more balanced and reasonable summer catch standards, will sustain New Jersey’s summer flounder industries while upholding conservation standards,” Smith said.

Read the full story at NJ.com

New Jersey’s fluke question will be answered next week

July 7, 2017 — New Jersey will get an answer to the question of whether the state is out of compliance with its 18-inch summer flounder regulation next week.

State officials from the Department of Environmental Protection were able to plead their case to NOAA Fisheries on a June 27 conference call.

“We were able to go into great detail about the data behind New Jersey’s management measures that will conserve more fish and reduce the number of larger breeding females removed from the fishery, and therefore provide stronger recruitment for the future,” said NJDEP Spokesperson Bob Considine.

Biologists with the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife have provided NOAA information demonstrating that an 18-inch size limit would result in far fewer discard mortalities than the 19-inch limit, which was the regulation adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission on Feb. 2, in order to reduce the coastwide catch of summer flounder by 30 percent.

NJ adopted its own summer flounder rules in May. In June the ASMFC made a recommendation to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to find New Jersey out of compliance with those rules.

Toni Kerns, the ASMFC’s director of the interstate fisheries management plan, said the ruling is expected on or about July 12.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

ASMFC 2017 Summer Meeting Preliminary Agenda & Public Comment Guidelines

June 28, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please find attached and below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Meeting, August 1-3, 2017 in Alexandria, VA. The agenda is also available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2017-summer-meeting. Also included in the attachment are the travel authorization form, travel reimbursement guidelines and directions to the hotel.  Materials will be available on July 19, 2017 on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2017-summer-meeting.

A block of rooms is being held at The Westin Alexandria, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA  22314. Cindy Robertson will make Commissioner/Proxy reservations and will contact you regarding the details of your accommodations. Please notify Cindy of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation. 

For all other attendees, please reserve online or call The Westin Alexandria at 866.837.4210 as soon as possible and mention the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to obtain the group room rate of $174.00 plus tax single/dbl. Please be aware that you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment. Hotel reservations must be made by Wednesday, July 5, 2017.  Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date.  If you are being reimbursed by ASMFC for your travel, please make your reservation directly with the hotel. Reservations made through travel websites do not apply toward our minimum number of required reservations with the hotel. Cancellations at The Westin must be made prior to 48 hours of arrival to avoid penalty. If you have any problems at all regarding accommodations please contact Cindy at 703.842.0740 or at crobertson@asmfc.org. For those driving to the meeting, the Colonial Parking Garage, 551 John Carlyle St. near the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Open 24hrs). The $10 daily rate there is a substantial savings over parking at the Westin.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Summer Meeting

August 1-3, 2017

The Westin Alexandria

Alexandria, Virginia 

Preliminary Agenda

The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

Tuesday, August 1

8:00 – 9:30 a.m.                         Executive Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners only)

  • Discuss Council/Commission Line in NOAA Budget
  • Discuss Executive Director’s Contract Renewal

9:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.              South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board

  • Review and Consider Cobia Draft Fishery Management Plan for Public Comment
  • Review and Consider Spot Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for Management use
  • Technical Committee Update of Traffic Light Analysis for Atlantic Croaker and Exploratory Analyses for Incorporation of Shrimp Trawl Bycatch Index

1:45 – 2:45 p.m.                        Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council

  • Program Update
  • Review and Consider Approval of Marine Recreational Information Program Recreational Implementation Plan
  • Recreational Data Collection: Changes on the Horizon

3:00 – 6:00 p.m.                        American Lobster Management Board

  • Consider American Lobster Draft Addendum XXV for Final Approval
  • American Lobster Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank Subcommittee Report
  • Review Draft Addendum XXVI
  • Report on State and Federal Inconsistencies in Lobster Conservation Management Area 4 Season Closure
  • Law Enforcement Committee Report on American Lobster Chain of Custody

Wednesday, August 2

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.                      Shad and River Herring Management Board

  • Review River Herring Stock Assessment Update
  • Review and Consider Approval of Shad and River Herring Sustainable Fishery Management Plans (SFMP)
  • Technical Committee Report
    • South Carolina: Updated River Herring SFMP
    • Florida: Updated Shad SFMP
  • Consider Approval of 2017 FMP Review and State Compliance Reports

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.                   American Eel Management Board

  •  Update on North Carolina Aquaculture Program in 2017
  • Consider Approval of 2016 FMP Review and State Compliance Reports

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.          Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

  • Review 2017 Stock Assessment Update

1:30 – 5:45 p.m.                        Atlantic Menhaden Management Board (continued)

  • Biological Ecological Reference Point Work Group Review of Hilborn, et al (2017) Paper
  • Review and Consider Approval of Draft Amendment 3 for Public Comment
  •  Set 2018 Atlantic Menhaden Fishery Specifications

Thursday, August 3

8:00 – 11:30 a.m.                      Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

  • Executive Committee Report
  • State Director Meeting Overview
  • Consider New Jersey Appeal of Addendum XXVIII to the Summer Flounder FMP
  • Annual Report on the Performance of the Stocks
    • Review 2017 Atlantic Sturgeon Benchmark Stock Assessment Update
  • Consider Standard Operating Policies and Procedures for Standard Meeting Practices
  • Discuss New England Fishery Management Council Participation on the Atlantic Herring Section
  • Review Reports from the Assessment Science Committee, Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership, Habitat Committee, Artificial Reef Committee, Law Enforcement Committee, and Northeast and Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Programs

11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.            Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

  • Update on Summer Flounder Recreational Working Group
  • Review of 2017 Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures
  • Consider Approval of 2017 FMP Review and State Compliance Reports

2:00 – 4:30 p.m.                        Tautog Management Board

  • Consider Amendment 1 for Final Approval 

Public Comment Guidelines

With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings: 

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will use a speaker sign-up list in deciding how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak. 

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances. 

In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action). 

  1. Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included in the briefing materials.
  2. Comments received by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday immediately preceding the scheduled ASMFC Meeting (in this case, the Tuesday deadline will be July 25, 2017) will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.
  3. Following the Tuesday, July 25, 2017 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail, fax, and email.

Atlantic Herring Area 1A Trimester 2 Effort Controls and Meeting Notice

June 28, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (Commission) Atlantic Herring Section members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts revised the effort control measures for the 2017 Area 1A Trimester 2 (June 1 – September 30) fishery as follows. The revised measures are underlined. Please note the time and passcode for the next Days Out Meeting on July 12th have changed. The meeting will begin at 1:30 PM and the new passcode is 222918.

Days Out of the Fishery

  • Vessels with a herring Category A permit that have declared into the Trimester 2 Area 1A fishery may land herring four (4) consecutive days a week. One landing per 24 hour period. Vessels are prohibited from landing or possessing herring caught from Area 1A during a day out of the fishery.
    • Landing days in New Hampshire and Massachusetts begin on Monday of each week at 12:01 a.m.
    • Landings days in Maine begin on Sunday of each week at 6:00 p.m.
  • Small mesh bottom trawl vessels with a herring Category C or D permit that have declared into the Trimester 2 fishery may land herring seven (7) consecutive days a week.

Weekly Landing Limit

  • Vessels with a herring Category A permit may harvest up to 600,000 lbs (15 trucks) per harvester vessel, per week.
  • 80,000 lbs out of the 600,000 lb weekly limit can be transferred to a carrier vessel (see below).

At-Sea Transfer and Carrier Restrictions (no changes were made)

The following applies to harvester vessels with a herring Category A permit and carrier vessels landing herring caught in Area 1A to a Maine, New Hampshire or Massachusetts port.

  • A harvester vessel cannot transfer herring at-sea to another catcher vessel.
  • A harvester vessel is limited to making at-sea transfers to only one carrier vessel per week.
  • Carrier vessels are limited to receiving at-sea transfers from one catcher vessel per week and can land once per 24 hour period. A carrier vessel may land up to 80,000 lbs
  • (2 trucks) per week.  The carrier limit of 2 trucks is not in addition to the harvester weekly landing limit. Carrier vessel: a vessel with no gear on board capable of catching or processing fish. Harvester vessel: a vessel that is required to report the catch it has aboard as the harvesting vessel on the Federal Vessel Trip Report.

The initial Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (ACL) is 31,115 metric tons (mt) after adjusting for a carryover from 2015 and the research set-aside. The Section allocated 72.8% of the sub-ACL to Trimester 2 and 27.2% to Trimester 3. After incorporating the 295 mt fixed gear set-aside and the 8% buffer (Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL) the seasonal quotas are 20,625 mt for Trimester 2 and 7,706 mt for Trimester 3.

These effort controls are projected to extend the Trimester 2 fishery through mid-September. Landings will be monitored closely and the fishery will be adjusted to zero landing days when the trimester’s quota is projected to be reached.

The Atlantic Herring Section members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are scheduled to reconvene via conference call to review fishing effort the following days:

  • Wednesday, July 12 at 1:30 PM
  • Wednesday, July 26 at 10:00 AM
  • Wednesday, August 9 at 10:00 AM

To join the calls, please dial 888.394.8197 and enter passcode 222918 as prompted.

Fishermen are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A until June 4 or 5, 2017, depending on the state.  Please contact Ashton Harp, Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740 for more information.

LYNTON S. LAND: Bay fishery to keep deteriorating unless nutrients from land are addressed

June 28, 2017 — The March Bay Journal 2017 commentary, Don’t let menhaden become a case of could have, should have, would have, laments the decline in Bay menhaden populations and blames the reduced number of predatory “sport” fish on Omega Protein’s harvest.

The Atlantic States Marine fisheries Commission is quite clear this year that “Atlantic menhaden are neither overfished nor experiencing overfishing” (asmfc.org/species/atlantic-menhaden).

In Maryland, juvenile menhaden are sampled annually through the Estuarine Juvenile Finfish Survey. The index of juvenile menhaden has been low since 1992, and “environmental conditions seem to be a major factor driving recruitment.” (dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Documents/Section_4_Atlantic_Menhaden.pdf).

Something other than overfishing must contribute to, or even be responsible for, reduced Bay menhaden populations. I contend that the primary cause of depleted finfish stocks, including bottom-feeding fish like croaker that do not eat menhaden, and the menhaden themselves, is poor water quality, not overfishing.

As a child in the late 1940s, I recall visiting my uncle’s cottage on the water near Solomons Island, MD, where we caught large bluefish and rockfish. He would give me a quarter to pull up eelgrass from under his boat so the propeller wouldn’t chop it up and foul the engine’s water pump. Dense meadows of grass were obvious beneath the clear water. I doubt there is much eelgrass anywhere near Solomons Island today and Bernie Fowler’s “Wade-In” documents turbidity and the fact that there has been no recent improvement.

I moved to Virginia’s Northern Neck on the Little Wicomico River, near Smith Point, in 1998. At that time, I could exit the jetties and turn to the southeast into about 30 feet of water and easily catch large croaker, as well as spot, trout and flounder. I haven’t caught fish there, nor seen them on the depth sounder, in many years.

The pound nets nearby still catch menhaden for crab bait, although they are smaller than fish in the past. They no longer catch many “food fish.”

In about 2000, big Omega trawlers fishing for menhaden were common up to the Maryland-Virginia line. Now, I never see the trawlers and most of the plentiful menhaden are being caught outside the Bay, where the population is robust. In late summer, schools of Spanish mackerel and bluefish once chased bait on the bar west of Smith Point Light. Casting into the schools, as they were being worked by birds, or trolling beside them, was great fun and very productive. No more.

Spanish mackerel, my favorite fish, are no longer abundant and I rarely see birds actively working the water. Trolling for big rockfish was almost always successful a decade ago. Lately it is more often unsuccessful, although a few are still being caught.

Read the full opinion piece at the Bay Journal