February 5, 2016 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
At its Jan. 26-28 meeting in Portsmouth, NH, the Council approved actions related to the development of several fishery management plans. The issues involved:
February 3, 2016 — PORTLAND — Last October, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) drastically constrained the ability of midwater trawlers to fish for herring in offshore waters for a period of more than six months, because the herring fleet had bumped up against its quota for the incidental catch of Georges Bank haddock.
As a result, at its December meeting, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) heard a request from herring fishery interests to reconsider the level of constraint for the upcoming fishing year of May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017, and for future years, since Georges Bank haddock appears to be plentiful and, they said, estimates of haddock catches by the herring fleet were inaccurate.
“A seven-month closure of a major fishery is very significant,” said NEFMC member Mary Beth Tooley, who is the government affairs representative for Rockland-based O’Hara Corp., which owns and operates two herring vessels. “We in the herring fishery don’t want to catch haddock. But that biomass is like locusts: They’re unbelievably abundant. It’s two-pronged: Let’s get groundfishermen catching haddock, and not close the herring fishery.”
Tooley said the herring industry agrees that there should be a limit on what the herring fishery takes from the haddock resource, and that accountability measures to enforce the limit are needed. But the methodology currently used to extrapolate estimates of how much haddock the herring fleet incidentally catches isn’t accurate, she said, and monitoring of harvesting operations, through observer or electronic programs, is inadequate for providing an accurate count of haddock catch.
“We need to have accountability,” Tooley said. “But with our current level of [observer] coverage…it’s become a real issue.”
In an action that became effective Oct. 22, 2015, herring midwater trawl vessels were prohibited from fishing for more than 2,000 pounds of herring per trip or day in the “Herring Georges Bank Haddock Accountability Measure Area,” a limit that will remain in place until the quota becomes available for the 2016 fishing year, on May 1.
The action effectively limited the midwater trawl fishery in Herring Management Area 3, because Area 3 falls within the Georges Bank Haddock Accountability Management Area.
Federally permitted herring vessels, all together, are allowed to catch 1 percent of the Georges Bank haddock resource. The overall allowable haddock catch on Georges Bank for 2015 was 53.7 million pounds (24.3 metric tons); 1 percent, which is further reduced a bit to account for management uncertainty, is 500,449 pounds (227 mt), according to NMFS.
According to data reported on Dec. 21, 2015, based on estimated haddock catches, the herring midwater fleet had reached 93.09 percent of its quota by September, and 104.49 percent by October.
The amount of haddock caught by the herring fleet is extrapolated from the amount of haddock caught on observer trips.
February 1, 2016 — WOODS HOLE, Mass. — The cart of food wouldn’t look totally out of place at an upscale sushi restaurant: capelin and herring, both whole and neatly chopped, mysis shrimp and cubes of gelatin packed with ground fish, broccoli, carrots and spinach.
But these restaurant-grade meals aren’t for fine dining; they’re for the fish and other marine animals that call the Woods Hole Science Aquarium home.
The free aquarium is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service and is open five days a week. But fish need to eat even on weekends or federal holidays. So every morning, usually before the doors open at 11 a.m., one of the three staff members or five regular volunteers comes to dole out a specific mix of edibles to the critters in each tank, clean the tanks or perform other behind-the-scenes maintenance at the nation’s oldest public aquarium at 166 Water St.
Alison Brodet, a marine biologist who volunteers at the aquarium once a week, briefly conferred with senior biologist Kristy Owen about the morning’s feeding. Some usually ravenous fish were being slower to the food today, but Owen wasn’t worried. The bigger fish will eat more than once a day, but the smaller fish may eat only once a day or less, depending on their temperament.
Read the full story at Cape Cod Times
January 28, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The Northeast Fisheries Science Center, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council, announces that two research projects have been selected for support through the 2016-2018 Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program.
Current research priorities for the program include reducing river herring bycatch in the Atlantic herring fishery, developing port side sampling in the fishery to better characterize catch, exploring ways to passively monitor net performance for a variety of purposes, and investigating video monitoring to document fishing and catch processing.
Find out more about the projects receiving the awards.
Questions? Contact Shelley Dawicki at 508-495-2378 or shelley.dawicki@noaa.gov.
January 27, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
Supplemental meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2016 Winter Meeting have been posted at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2016-winter-meeting for the following Boards/Sections (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information).
American Lobster Management Board – Preliminary Results of Claw Removal and its Impacts on Survivorship and Physiological Stress in Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) in New England Waters; NEFMC Correspondence on Jonah Crab Permit Holders; Jonah Crab Plan Review Team FMP Implementation Memo; MaineJonah Crab FMP Implementation Program
Atlantic Herring Section – Revised Draft Amendment 3 (please note this version has been revised from January 21st draft); Public Hearing Summary; Written Comment (Summary and Submitted Comments); Advisory Panel Meeting Summary
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Draft Addendum XXVII Public Hearing Summaries; Written Comment (Summary and Submitted Comments); Law Enforcement Committee Comments; General Public Comment
ACCSP Executive Committee (please note meeting materials are available through the main header not supplemental) – Draft Minutes from December 17, 2015; Draft Standard Operating Procedures; 2016 Meetings Calendar
ACCSP Coordinating Council (please note meeting materials are available through the main header not supplemental) – Draft Minutes from November 2, 2015
Executive Committee (please note these materials are the same as those provided for the ISFMP Policy Board) – Memo on Changes to Commission Guidance Documents; Draft ISFMP Charter; Draft Compact, Rules and Regulations; Draft Technical Support Group Guidance and Benchmark Assessment Process
Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Law Enforcement Committee Report on Maryland and Potomac River Fisheries Commission Equivalency Proposals; Public Comment
Atlantic Sturgeon Management Board – 2016 FMP Review
Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Adaptive Resource Management Subcommittee Meeting Summary
Tautog Management Board – Decision Document for Draft Amendment 1; Law Enforcement Committee Report on Commercial Harvest Tagging Program Objectives
Winter Flounder Management Board – NEFMC Presentation on Overview of Federal Management Measures for Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/ Mid-Atlantic Stocks; Scientific and Statistical Committee Report
American Eel Management Board – Advisory Panel Report and Technical Committee Review on North Carolina’s Aquaculture Plan; Final version of North Carolina’s Aquaculture Plan; Public Comment
ISFMP Policy Board (please note these materials are the same as those provided for Executive Committee) – Memo on Changes to Commission Guidance Documents; Draft ISFMP Charter; Draft Compact, Rules and Regulations; Draft Technical Support Group Guidance and Benchmark Assessment Process
As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 9:00 a.m. on February 2nd and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 3:45 p.m.) on February 4th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. To register for the webinar, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/86228471613051649.
January 16, 2016 — GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Gerry O’Neill looks at the water world spinning around him, a world of regulation and re-regulation and over-regulation— in other words, the modern world of commercial fishing —and thinks that he’s seen this movie before.
Two days removed from the public comment hearing at the state Division of Marine Fisheries offices on Emerson Street on potential changes to rules governing the scope and the schedule of the herring season, O’Neill sits in his office on Jodrey State Fish Pier and wonders if his two 141-foot mid-water trawlers Challenger and Endeavour and the Cape Seafood fish processing and sales operations that collectively employ almost 40 full-time workers— and even more when the product is flowing —will survive the future any better than the nearly decimated Gloucester groundfish fleet.
‘‘At the end of the day, the groundfishermen are struggling and everybody knows that and it’s because of over-regulation as well,’’ O’Neill said. ‘‘We’re not dying yet. But if they keep doing what they’re doing, we’re going to go the same way as the groundfishermen.’’
Given the state of the groundfish fleet, that is a chilling phrase, made even more-so by his matter-of-fact delivery in the soft brogue of his native Ireland and his admission that he favors regulations that will sustain the fishery even when they cost him fish and money.
His voice was steady and calm, just as it was at last week’s session in which David Pierce, the executive director of DMF and the state’s representative on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission which governs the Northeast herring fishery, conceded the fishery remains robust.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Boston Globe
January 8, 2016 — Gerry O’Neill looks at the water world spinning around him, a world of regulation and re-regulation and over-regulation — in other words, the modern world of commercial fishing — and thinks that he’s seen this movie before.
Two days removed from the public comment hearing at the state Division of Marine Fisheries offices on Emerson Street on potential changes to rules governing the scope and the schedule of the herring season, O’Neill sits in his office on Jodrey State Fish Pier and wonders if his two 141-foot mid-water trawlers Challenger and Endeavour and the Cape Seafood fish processing and sales operations that collectively employ almost 40 full-time workers — and even more when the product is flowing — will survive the future any better than the nearly decimated Gloucester groundfish fleet.
“At the end of the day, the groundfishermen are struggling and everybody knows that and it’s because of over-regulation as well,” O’Neill said. “We’re not dying yet. But if they keep doing what they’re doing, we’re going to go the same way as the groundfishermen.”
Given the state of the groundfish fleet, that is a chilling phrase, made even more-so by his matter-of-fact delivery in the soft brogue of his native Ireland and his admission that he favors regulations that will sustain the fishery even when they cost him fish and money.
Fishery not broken
His voice was steady and calm, just as it was at Tuesday’s session in which David Pierce, the executive director of DMF and the state’s representative on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission which governs the Northeast herring fishery, conceded the fishery remains robust.
“The stock remains rebuilt and over-fishing is not occurring,” Pierce told the approximately 20 stakeholders that attended. “The mortality seems to be under control and the stock appears to be in a good shape.”
Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times
January 6, 2016 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
9:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Council Chairman Terry Stockwell)
9:05 Reports on Recent Activities Council Chairman and Executive Director, NOAA Regional Administrator (Greater Atlantic Region/GAR), NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, and NOAA Enforcement
11:30 Sea Scallop Committee Report (Mary Beth Tooley)
Receive an update on the February sea scallop workshop being held to explore concerns about inshore scallop fishing in the Northeast
12:00 p.m. Open Period for Public Comments (Terry Stockwell)
Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda for formal discussion (speakers are asked to sign up beforehand and limit remarks to between 3-5 minutes)
12:15 Lunch Break
1:30 Risk Policy Working Group Update (Mary Beth Tooley)
Receive an update on finalizing a “roadmap” that contains guidance on implementation of the NEFMC’s approved risk policy
2:00 Atlantic Herring Committee Report (Peter Kendall)
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
8:30 a.m. Overview of NOAA Fisheries Fishery Dependent Data Project (GAR staff)
Receive a report on the NOAA Fisheries data project prior to Council and public discussion on the topic
9:30 Observer Policy Committee Report (Terry Stockwell)
Select preferred alternatives among the omnibus elements in the Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) Amendment and approve the associated draft Environmental Assessment for purposes of public review; the action will address standard cost responsibilities, framework provisions for IFM programs, service provider requirements, a prioritization process to allocate federal funding, and a monitoring set-aside option; the Council is expected to select preferred alternatives for the herring and mackerel alternatives at its April 2016 meeting
12:00 p.m. Lunch Break
1:15 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Report (Dr. Jake Kritzer)
Review SSC recommendations, if any, for a revised overfishing limit and an acceptable biological catch for witch flounder for fishing years 2016-2018; receive an update on additional topics discussed by the SSC at their January 20 meeting, as appropriate
2:00 Groundfish Committee Report (Frank Blount)
Take final action on the 2016-2018 fishery specifications for witch flounder (preliminary values were selected at the December 2015 Council meeting); receive a committee update on the development of measures to address the 2016 groundfish priorities, including potential changes to the at-sea monitoring program and the management process for recreational fishing
3:30 Review NOAA’s Draft Guidance for Conducting Catch Share Program Reviews (Council staff)
Review NOAA’s Catch Share Guidance document and review/approve NEFMC comments on the draft
Thursday, January 28, 2016
8:30 a.m. Small Mesh Multispecies Committee Report (Mark Gibson)
Review scoping comments for Amendment 22 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP and approve the range of issues to be addressed in the action; the major topic under consideration is the development of a limited access program for the small mesh fishery comprised of whiting (silver and offshore hake) and red hake
9:30 Presentation on the Northeast Region’s Revised Stock Assessment Process (Dr. Bill Karp, Science Director, NEFSC)
Discuss Northeast Regional Coordinating Council-recommended changes to the Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee process
10:30 Other Business
View a PDF of the Meeting Agenda
January 5, 2016 — Interstate regulators are holding a hearing for fishermen in Gloucester today about a plan to amend some of the rules for Atlantic herring fishing.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is soliciting comments about the amended rules. The proposal includes alternatives to the current spawning monitoring program and changes to the requirements about a boat’s condition before it leaves on a fishing trip.
Today’s meeting in Gloucester begins at 2 p.m. at the state Division of Marine Fisheries’ Annisquam River Station at 30 Emerson Ave.
Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times
New England states of Maine through Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Hearing Document for Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled hearings follow.
Maine Department of Marine Resources
Wednesday, January 6th at 1 p.m.
Marquardt Building
Conference Room 118
32 Blossom Lane
Augusta, ME
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game
Tuesday, January 5th at 7 p.m.
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, NH
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Tuesday, January 5th at 2 p.m.
Annisquam River Station
30 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, MA
Contact: David Pierce at 617.626.1532
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Monday, January 4th from 6 – 9 PM
University of Rhode Island Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, RI
Contact: John Lake at 401.423.1942
Draft Amendment 3 was initiated to propose management measures in Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) which reflect changes in the stock structure, integrate recent data into management decisions, and respond to changes in the fishery. The Public Hearing Document proposes (1) alternatives to the spawning monitoring program (protocol, default start dates, area boundaries, and length of the closure period); (2) removing the fixed gear set‐aside rollover provision, and (3) requiring a vessel’s fish hold to be emptied before leaving on a fishing trip.
Today’s rebuilt herring population is comprised of a broader range of age classes with older and larger fish compared to the population during overfished conditions. Analysis of more than a decade’s worth of data suggests larger herring spawn first and the timing of the start of spawning varies from year-to-year. Proposed alternatives to the current spawning monitoring program address inter-annual differences and provide additional measures to more adequately protect spawning fish in the areas where they spawn.
At the request of the fishing industry, the Public Hearing Document includes an option to adjust the fixed gear set-aside rollover provision. Currently, the set-aside of 295 mt is available to fixed gear fishermen through November 1, after which the remaining set-aside becomes available to the rest of the Area 1A fishery. The November 1 date was set because, typically, herring have migrated out of the Gulf of Maine by that time. Anecdotal evidence suggests herring are in the Gulf of Maine after November 1, therefore, fixed gear fishermen requested the set-aside be made available to them for the remainder of the calendar year.
Members of industry also suggested a requirement for fish holds to be empty of fish prior to trip departures. This provision would allow for full accountability and encourage less wasteful fishing practices by creating an incentive to catch herring which meet market demands. The New England Fishery Management Council included a complementary provision in its Framework Adjustment 4 to the Federal Atlantic Herring FMP.
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Public Hearing Document either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The document is available here and can also be accessed on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on January 20, 2015 and should be forwarded to Ashton Harp, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at aharp@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Amendment 3). For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
Notifications