Saving Seafood

NOAA to end SIMP “informed consent” period in April

February 16, 2018 — The date when the United States will begin enforcing full compliance with a program designed to prevent illegally fished and counterfeit products has been set as 7 April, according to a statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Seafood Import Monitoring Program officially took effect on 1 January, nearly 13 months after officials revealed its regulations that required importers to keep records on selected products. However, officials opted to begin the program with an “informed compliance” phase, choosing to allow shipments with missing or misconfigured data.

“NOAA Fisheries has observed an encouraging and steadily increasing rate of compliance with SIMP filings,” the agency said in a statement.

SIMP requires importers to maintain records for Atlantic cod, blue crab, dolphinfish, grouper, king crab, Pacific cod, red snapper, sea cucumber, sharks, swordfish, and tunas detailing how they were caught or harvested and tracking the products until they reach the U.S.

In January 2017, the National Fisheries Institute and a group of seafood companies sued the government, claiming SIMP violated federal law. However, a federal judge in August ruled against the plaintiffs, saying Congress gave the authority to agencies to issue regulations.

On Tuesday, a spokesman for the NFI said that programs like SIMP experience “growing pains” and that the industry will look for opportunities to help NOAA handle such issues as the April deadline draws closer.

“NFI members will work to ensure they are prepared for full implementation of SIMP,” said Gavin Gibbons, the NFI’s vice president of communications.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

SAFMC: Meeting of the Council’s Socio-Economic Panel

January 25, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee’s Socio-Economic Panel February 6-7, 2018 in North Charleston, SC.

The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 4831 Tanger Outlet Boulevard, N. Charleston, SC 29418.

Agenda items include: 

  • Electronic reporting for recreational anglers in the South Atlantic
  • An update on the Council’s Citizen Science Program
  • Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota Review
  • Preliminary results from the Socio-Economic Profile of the Commercial Snapper Grouper Fishery report

Members of the public are invited to attend. Public comment will be accepted at the meeting and via an online public comment form. The meeting will also be available via webinar. Webinar registration is required.

Additional information, including the meeting agenda, briefing book materials, public comment form, and links to register for the daily meeting webinars is available from the Council’s website: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/scientific-and-statistical-committee-meetings/.

Learn more about the SAFMC by visiting their site here.

 

Reduction in Golden Tilefish Catch Limits in Federal Waters of the South Atlantic Region

January 1, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

KEY MESSAGE:

In response to a request from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries will publish a final interim rule on January 2, 2018, which will temporarily reduce golden tilefish catch limits for 2018 based on the most recent population assessment. The purpose of the action is to reduce overfishing (rate of removal is too high) of golden tilefish while management measures are being developed to end overfishing. The reductions in the catch limits are effective beginning January 2, 2018.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:

  • The final interim rule will temporarily reduce the total catch limit for golden tilefish from 558,036 to 323,000 pounds gutted weight. Using the existing allocations, the temporary catch limits will be 313,310 pounds gutted weight for the commercial sector and 2,187 fish for the recreational sector. For commercial fishermen, the hook-and-line catch limit will be 78,328 pounds gutted weight and the long-line catch limit will be 234,982 pounds gutted weight.
  • The interim measures will be effective for 180 days after the date of publication and may be extended for an additional 186 days while the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council develops Regulatory Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery in the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 28).

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Why is the temporary reduction in the catch limit needed? 

  • In April 2016, a population assessment update for golden tilefish was completed using data through 2014 (SEDAR 25 Update 2016). The updated assessment indicated that the golden tilefish population is undergoing overfishing but is not overfished (population abundance is too low).
  • As mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries must end overfishing of golden tilefish.
  • These temporary regulations reduce overfishing of golden tilefish while long term management measures are developed in Regulatory Amendment 28 to end overfishing.

What are the actions in the interim rule? 

  • Temporarily revise the commercial and recreational catch limits for golden tilefish for 2018 (See Table 1 below).Table 1. Commercial and recreational catch limits for golden tilefish.
Total catch 

limit

 Commercial 

catch limit

 Commercial Hook-and-Line catch limit Commercial

 Longline catch limit

 Recreational catch limit
(pounds gutted weight) (pounds gutted weight) (pounds gutted weight) (pounds gutted weight) (numbers of fish)**
323,000 313,310 78,328 234,982 2,187**

**An average weight conversion factor of 4.43 pounds gutted weight was used for converting

the recreational catch limit into numbers of fish.

Where can I find more information on the environmental assessment and the interim rule? 

  • Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

 

Access this and other Fishery Bulletins from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office by clicking here.

 

New study highlights benefits of recreational fisheries reform

December 22, 2017 — A new paper published in the current issue of Fisheries Research finds that giving recreational fishing businesses the flexibility to take customers fishing when they want to in exchange for carefully tracking what they catch is a win-win for the environment and the economy. The results of a pilot program show that this added flexibility and accountability enables more fishing trips over a year-round fishing season, higher earnings for businesses, better data collection, adherence to science-based catch limits, and improved conservation of fish populations.

A growing number of commercial fisheries are operating under effective management that provides economic benefits to communities while ensuring fishermen stay within sustainable catch limits and contribute to rebuilding progress. This is good for the environment, the economy, and seafood consumers around the country. But unlike their commercial fishing counterparts, marine recreational fisheries have seen little policy innovation. Instead, they have been stuck in management that relies on season, size, and bag limits, promoting a “race to fish” resulting in even tighter regulations and growing waste of fish populations. The cost of inaction is high, as recreational fisheries are increasingly important to ocean ecosystems and coastal economies.

This failure of recreational fisheries management is showcased in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, where large overharvests have become the norm and fishing seasons for popular species like red snapper, grouper, and many others are now closed for much of the year. The policy response has been business as usual – mostly characterized by conflict over who gets the fish rather than how to make better use of them. The system is failing anglers and fishing businesses alike. But a recent trial of an innovative management approach – one that combines flexibility to fish throughout the year with sustainable catch limits and improved monitoring – shows that recreational fisheries can escape the broken system just like many commercial fisheries have done.

Read the full story at the Environmental Defense Fund

 

SAFMC: January 1, 2018 brings changes to federal fishing regulations in the South Atlantic!

December 21, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council reminds commercial and recreational fishermen about several fishery openings and closures in federal waters of the South Atlantic effective January 1, 2018. Below is a summary of the changes to regulations on January 1, 2018. Other regulatory openings and closures not listed here will occur later in the year. For detailed regulatory information including trip limits, size limits, and bag limits, please visit the Regulations & Fish ID page of the Council’s website.

Commercial Openings:

The following species REOPEN* to harvest on January 1, 2018:

• Golden tilefish • Gray triggerfish • Blueline tilefish • Jacks complex (includes almaco jack, banded rudderfish, and lesser amberjack) • Snowy grouper • Vermilion snapper • Hogfish (FL and FL Keys) • Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia (GA-NY)

Commercial Closures:

The following species are CLOSED to harvest effective January 1 through April 30, 2018. These fisheries will reopen May 1, 2018:

• Shallow water grouper, spawning season closure (includes gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney) • Red porgy

Recreational Openings:

The following species REOPEN* to harvest on January 1, 2018:

• Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia (GA-NY)

Recreational Closures:

The following species are CLOSED to harvest effective January 1 through April 30, 2018. These fisheries will reopen May 1, 2018:

• Shallow water grouper, spawning season closure (includes gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney) • Snowy grouper • Blueline tilefish

Additionally, harvest of wreckfish is CLOSED January 1 through June 30, 2018 and will reopen July 1, 2018.

Read the full release from the SAFMC here.

 

Reminder: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting December 4-8, 2017 in Atlantic Beach, NC

November 28, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: 

Agenda Highlights  

  • Snapper Grouper Committee

The Committee will address measures to reduce the annual catch limit for red grouper to end overfishing. Members will continue to work on long-term management measures for red snapper, improving recreational data, and the use of powerhead gear through actions currently in draft Amendment 46.  The Committee will also discuss a proposed moratorium on federal For-Hire/Charter permits in the snapper grouper fishery.

  • Citizen Science Committee

Program partner Rick Bonney (Cornell University, Lab of Ornithology) will provide an update on an upcoming pilot project addressing scampgrouper discards and other items of interest. Development of the program continues as the committee receives Action Team progress reports.

  • Data Collection Committee

The committee will receive an update on the status of an amendment approved by the Council in December 2016 to require federally permitted for-hire (6-pack) vessels to provide electronic reports. An update on outreach efforts for the proposed reporting requirement will also be provided.

Workshop: Recreational Reporting

Join Council members Tuesday, December 5th from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon as they receive an update on the 2017 results of the red snapper recreational reporting pilot program MyFishCount.com and receive presentations relative to recreational reporting of red snapper and other reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as big game tagging.

Additional Meeting Information

Can’t attend? Watch the meeting live via webinar at it occurs! Webinar registration is required for each day of the meeting. Registration information – along with meeting materials including committee agendas, overviews, presentations, and documents – is available from the December 2017 Council Meeting page.

Public Comment Session

Wednesday, December 6 – 4:30 PM 

Formal public comment

The Council will be accept comments on meeting agenda items. The Council Chair, based on the number of individuals wishing to comment, will determine the amount of time provided to each commenter.

Learn more about the SAFMC at their site here.

 

Changes may be coming in the snapper/grouper fishery

November 15, 2017 — Dr. Michelle Duval of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, chair of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, anticipates a few changes to how the snapper/grouper fishery is managed after fishermen brought up some issues during the SAFMC’s Visioning Project last year.

“One of the things fishermen asked for was simpler regulations that would be easier to understand,” Duval said. “One example of this is in the shallow-water grouper fishery, where the bag limit is aggregate and may contain only one fish of certain species and not one of every species and even includes golden tilefish. Minimum sizes vary even within the grouper family, plus, there are established closures, and some species are prohibited entirely.

Read the full story at Carolina Sportsman

 

Climate Change May Shrink the World’s Fish

A new study suggests warming sea temperatures could result in smaller fish sizes.

August 22, 2017 — Warming temperatures and loss of oxygen in the sea will shrink hundreds of fish species—from tunas and groupers to salmon, thresher sharks, haddock and cod—even more than previously thought, a new study concludes.

Because warmer seas speed up their metabolisms, fish, squid and other water-breathing creatures will need to draw more oxygen from the ocean. At the same time, warming seas are already reducing the availability of oxygen in many parts of the sea.

A pair of University of British Columbia scientists argue that since the bodies of fish grow faster than their gills, these animals eventually will reach a point where they can’t get enough oxygen to sustain normal growth.

“What we found was that the body size of fish decreases by 20 to 30 percent for every 1 degree Celsius increase in water temperature,” says author William Cheung, director of science for the university’s Nippon Foundation—Nereus Program.

These changes, the scientists say, will have a profound impact on many marine food webs, upending predator-prey relationships in ways that are hard to predict.

“Lab experiments have shown that it’s always the large species that will become stressed first,” says lead author Daniel Pauly, a professor at the university’s Institute for the Ocean and Fisheries, and principal investigator for the Sea Around Us. “Small species have an advantage, respiration-wise.”

Still, while many scientists applaud the discovery, not all agree that Pauly’s and Cheung’s work supports their dramatic findings. The study was published today in the journal Global Change Biology.

Read the full story at National Geographic

Mark Your Calendar: Red Snapper Public Hearings and Cobia Scoping via Webinar Scheduled

July 20, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Please mark your calendar now to take advantage of a series of webinars scheduled by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in August. The  Council will solicit public input on management measures affecting red snapper and Atlantic cobia in federal waters.

Red Snapper – Q&A and Public Hearings via Webinar 

Amendment 43 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan

This amendment would modify the current annual catch limit for red snapper in the South Atlantic.  The Council proposes the modification in order to allow options for a limited harvest of red snapper in federal waters in 2018.  

Webinar Schedule: 

  • August 3rd – Informal Question & Answer Session at 6:00 PM
  • August 8th – Public Hearing at 6:00 PM
  • August 10th – Public Hearings at 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM

Atlantic Cobia – Public Scoping via Webinar 

Amendment 31 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan 

  • August 15th – Public Scoping via Webinar at 6:00 PM*
    • *A second presentation and comment opportunity will be repeated at 7:00 PM or later, depending on the end time of the first comment session.

The Council is soliciting public input on options for the management of Atlantic cobia (GA to NY).  The recreational fishery for Atlantic cobia was closed in federal waters earlier this year after NOAA Fisheries determined the annual catch limit would be met.  Options currently in the amendment include continuing efforts to develop a complementary plan with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) or the complete transfer of Atlantic cobia management to the ASMFC. The Council is considering options to allow additional flexibility for managing the fishery. 

Note that webinar registration is required. Written comments will also be accepted. Additional information, including webinar registration, online public comment forms, comment deadlines, and public hearing and scoping documents are being posted on the Council’s website at:  http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearing-and-scoping-meeting-schedule/ as they become available.

Commercial Closure for Blueline Tilefish in South Atlantic Federal Waters on July 18, 2017

July 12, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:

  • The commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m. on July 18, 2017. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of blueline tilefish is prohibited, and harvest or possession of blueline tilefish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational fishery is open.

WHY IS THIS CLOSURE HAPPENING:

  • The 2017 commercial catch limit is 87,521 pounds whole weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit by July 18, 2017. According to the accountability measure, harvest should close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded. This closure date will provide sufficient notice to fishermen to make preparations for the closure, while minimizing the chance that harvest will exceed the commercial catch limit.

AFTER THE CLOSURE:

  • The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper.
  • The 2018 commercial fishing season for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic will open on January 1, 2018, with a commercial catch limit of 87,521 pounds whole weight. 
  • This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or by clicking here.