Saving Seafood

News for the Gulf of Mexico Region

Gulf of Mexico charter operators fight back against lawsuit mandating electronic monitoring

June 15, 2021 — A week after receiving class-action status in its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, and NOAA Fisheries, a nonpartisan civil rights group has filed an amended lawsuit regarding NOAA Fisheries plan to monitor charter boats in the Gulf of Mexico.

A group of 11 small businesses and fishing-boat owners claim that a policy requiring electronic monitoring and reporting infringes on their operations. Last July, NOAA Fisheries issued an order to electronically submit reports for each fishing trip, even if no fish were caught. It also requires boats to notify the agency before departing on any kind of trip.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Engaging Anglers to Improve Catch and Release Practices and Restore Reef Fish in the Gulf

June 14, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA’s Deepwater Horizon restoration partners at the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission selected three new partners to conduct studies on reef fish restoration in the Gulf of Mexico. They were chosen through a competitive process, and the awards total approximately $690,000.

These studies are contributing to a $30 million project to encourage anglers to use fish descending devices. These devices increase survival of reef fish experiencing barotrauma in the Gulf’s recreational fisheries approved by the Deepwater Horizon Open Ocean Trustees.

Barotrauma is damage caused by the rapid expansion of gases in fish that are caught in deeper water and quickly brought up to the surface. As the gases expand, they can damage the eyes, stomach, and other parts of the fish. This makes it difficult for them to swim back down and survive once released. Descending devices help fish by quickly releasing them at their normal depth, reducing the number of reef fish that die from catch and release fishing.

Read the full release here

Biden eyes Gulf of Mexico for wind energy opportunities

June 10, 2021 — Fresh off announcing its intent to explore wind energy initiatives on the U.S. West Coast, the Biden administration is now looking for opportunities to do the same in the Gulf of Mexico.

On Tuesday, 8 June, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it would release a request-for-information (RFI) solicitation to determine if there’s interest in employing wind technology off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Online sessions to discuss Louisiana’s future in wind energy

June 10, 2021 — Online sessions will take a closer look at how offshore wind energy could become part of Louisiana’s future.

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Wednesday, June 9, that the Governor’s office and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Louisiana Economic Development and the Department of Natural Resources will host Louisiana Wind Week 2021 from June 21-25.

“While Louisiana’s onshore wind resources are limited, Louisiana’s coast is ripe for wind energy development,” said Gov. Edwards. “Thanks to years of oil and gas exploration experience, Louisiana’s existing infrastructure, workforce and business community give us a strategic advantage in developing offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico and all coastal waters of the United States.”

The state says that many Louisiana companies have already leveraged their experience to help design, fabricate and install the nation’s first commercial offshore wind farm at the Block Island project off the coast of Rhode Island.

Read the full story at KATC

NOAA Fisheries Offers More Ways to Receive News and Updates About the New Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting Program

June 10, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office continues to look for and offer ways to communicate news and updates related to the Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting program.  Fishermen may now sign up for three new fishery bulletins specific to where they fish.  These bulletins are designed for this program and all Southeast federal for-hire/charter boat permit holders.  They will contain important information not covered in the other bulletins you may already be receiving.

More Information on How to Sign-Up:

  • NOAA Fisheries has created three new fishery bulletin groups:
    • For-Hire Electronic Reporting General Interest Updates: information relevant to all program participants
    • For-Hire Electronic Reporting Gulf of Mexico Updates: information relevant to Gulf of Mexico program requirements only
    • For-Hire Electronic Reporting South Atlantic Updates: information relevant to South Atlantic program requirements only
    • You may sign up for one or all of the bulletin groups.

To sign up for these bulletins, go to: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNOAAFISHERIES/subscriber/new.

Once you are on the sign up page follow these directions:

  • Bulletins are listed under the Regional Updates subscription topic.
  • Under the Southeast Updates sub-topic, click the + sign to expand the list,
  • Check the boxes for the bulletins of interest,
  • Then click submit

NOAA Fisheries implemented the Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting program in January 2021.  This program is expected to provide more timely catch, effort, and discard information from federally-permitted for-hire vessels, be used in future fish population assessments, and inform management decisions.

Please call our customer service hotline with any questions (available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30, EST) at 1-833-707-1632 or email us at ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov.

To access additional information, such as tool-kits and instructional videos, go to: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing-data/southeast-hire-electronic-reporting-program.

FLORIDA: Tampa Bay area Congress members reintroduce legislation for fishing industry relief

June 10, 2021 — A group of Tampa Bay area Congress members has reintroduced legislation seeking tax relief for Florida fishers.

The bill, known as the Fishing Equipment Tax Relief Act, would equalize the tax rate for portable, electronically aerated bait containers with the parts used to assemble them. The legislation is a bipartisan effort, sponsored by U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Charlie Crist, Vern Buchanan and Stephanie Murphy.

“Florida’s dynamic recreational and commercial fishing industry is vital to our economy and an essential part of the Florida way of life,” Bilirakis said in a statement. “The industry has faced many challenges over the past few years. Our bipartisan bill will offer important tax-equity in the fishing business, and represents an important economic boost as the recreation industry continues to recover.”

Currently, portable, electronically aerated bait containers are taxed at a rate of 10% if sold assembled, but the parts used to make the containers are taxed at a rate of only 3% when sold separately, according to a news release. The lawmakers supporting the bill argue that this tax rate penalizes small businesses that manufacture bait containers.

“The Sunshine State is the fishing capital of the world,” Crist said in a news release. “As an avid boater and fisherman, I know just how important fishing is to our economy, culture, and way of life. This bill will provide much needed tax relief to Florida’s fishing industry, safeguarding our small businesses, and keeping our economy strong and vibrant.”

Read the full story at Florida Politics

U.S. explores wind energy potential in Gulf of Mexico

June 9, 2021 — The Biden administration on Tuesday said it will explore the potential of offshore wind energy development in the Gulf of Mexico, part of its goal to supercharge growth in clean energy over the next decade.

“This is an important first step to see what role the Gulf may play in this exciting frontier,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.

While the Gulf of Mexico is a major hub for offshore oil and gas production, it has had little renewable energy development. President Joe Biden has made the expansion of clean energy, especially offshore wind, a cornerstone of his fight against climate change.

Biden faces criticism in Gulf Coast states after putting a pause on federal drilling auctions. States including Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama sued in March to restore the sales, which are on hold pending a government review.

The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will publish a Request for Interest (RFI) on June 11 to see if there is any interest in offshore wind development in the Outer Continental Shelf.

Read the full story at Reuters

Interior Dept. gauging interest in Gulf of Mexico wind power

June 9, 2021 — President Joe Biden’s administration wants to know whether offshore wind companies want to move into the Gulf of Mexico.

The agency that oversees offshore leases will publish a request for interest Friday in the Federal Register, for areas off Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, the Interior Department said Tuesday.

Those areas are largely in shallower waters where many wells have played out rather than the deep seas where the Gulf’s offshore oil and gas industry is now focused.

Biden has said he wants enough wind-generated electricity for more than 10 million homes nationwide by 2030.

Offshore wind development has the potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs across the nation, said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

Her agency’s request for interest from developers “is an important first step to see what role the Gulf may play in this exciting frontier,” she said.

“The Gulf of Mexico is extremely well-positioned for the exploration of new offshore technologies and energy opportunities,” said Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association, which includes companies building both wind and oil and gas facilities offshore.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Commercial Red Snapper Season Opening Announced in South Atlantic Federal Waters

June 8, 2021 — NOAA Fisheries announced the opening dates for both the commercial and recreational seasons for Red snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic.

The commercial sector will open at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 12, 2021, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2022, unless the commercial annual catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date. If the season closes before Jan. 1, NOAA will announce the closing in the Federal Register and publish another Fishery Bulletin.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Meet Jason Letort, Fisheries Methods & Equipment Specialist

June 7, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Where did you grow up?  

I’m a lifelong resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Biloxi).

How did you come to work at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center? 

I was born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and have been a lifelong resident of South Mississippi. I grew up with a passion for anything outdoors, especially fishing and shrimping with my family. I have been a member of the Gear Monitoring Team for 4 years. Before working for NOAA Fisheries, I supported NOAA Office of Marine & Aviation Operations as a contractor since 2008. I provided production oversight during the construction of the Fisheries Survey Vessels including the NOAA Ships Bell M. Shimada and Pisces. After that, I was acting Port Engineer for Pisces successfully executing major dockside and dry-dock repair periods. I addressed several critical casualties during the sailing season, ensuring the ship was available to complete her missions. While performing these duties, I interacted with a lot of people working for NOAA and quickly realized that NOAA Fisheries was the place for me! I was selected for the position and haven’t looked back.

What do you do at the Science Center?

As a member of the Gear Monitoring Team, I provide commercial shrimp fishermen and industry members with education, outreach, and training of Turtle Excluder Device rules and regulations. Our team provides law enforcement training to state and federal agencies. We also conduct courtesy TED inspections during “at sea” patrols and dockside in order to maintain compliance requirements. As a dive team member I participate in the testing of TED design, efficacy, and determining exclusion rate.

Read the full release here