Saving Seafood

Virginia’s bluefish catch is shrinking — so is the state’s quota for commercial fisherman

July 20, 2021 — A long-term drop in Virginia’s commercial catch of bluefish has sparked a deep cut in the state’s share of the coastwide quota.

The latest amendment to the fishery’s management plan cuts Virginia’s share of the Atlantic coast quota from 11.88% to 5.87% — the biggest reduction for any of the coastal states.

New York and Massachusetts are the biggest gainers, with New York’s share rising from 10.39% to 19.76% and Massachusetts’ from 6.72% to 10.12%.

In addition to the new state allocations, the total coastwide allocation for commercial fishermen is declining from 17% of all bluefish landed to 14%. The difference means an increased share for recreational fisherman, from 83% to 86%.

All those changes are to be phased in over seven years, according to the fishery plan managers, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

The aim is to rebuild the total stock of bluefish. Bluefish have been overfished, but with the total catch down from a peak of about 180 million pounds in 1987 to just under 19 million pounds in 2019, they are not currently overfished.

Read the full story at The Daily Press

MAFMC August 9-12, 2021 Hybrid Meeting (In-Person/Virtual)

July 15, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a hybrid in-person/virtual Council meeting August 9-12, 2021. Council members, other meeting participants, and members of the public will have the option to attend the meeting in person at the The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia, PA or participate online via Webex webinar. Portions of the meeting will be conducted jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Bluefish Management Board, Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Management Board, and ISFMP Policy Board. All attendees, regardless of whether they choose to attend in-person or virtually, will be given an equal opportunity to provide comments.

Please see the August 2021 Council Meeting Page for further updates and details regarding webinar connection and participation instructions, briefing materials, and public comment deadlines. A detailed agenda is available here. Most briefing materials will be available on the meeting page by July 30.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo, msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

Northeast summer flounder: Prices return, landings on track to beat 2020

July 6, 2021 — The 2021 quota for summer flounder, or fluke, is 12.48 million pounds — up from last year. As of late May, almost 37 percent of quota had been landed, according to NOAA. So far, since the start of the 2021 fishing year, landings are up, compared to last year for January to April. In general, state allocations vary each year, based on the overall quota.

Not surprisingly, 2020 was defined by major market disruptions as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. But in some respects, the pandemic may not have had as large an impact on summer flounder compared to other species, in part, because it is a very well-established staple item in many regions. At times in 2020, fishing effort may have gone down, but some in the industry were lucky to be able to pivot to retail sales when restaurant markets tanked.

Average commercial ex-vessel price for fluke consistently increased from 2011 to 2017, reaching a peak at $4.40 per pound, but then fell in 2019. Total ex-vessel value in 2019 was $28.54 million. The 2020 average price per pound was depressed, relative to recent years — coastwide average ex-vessel price was $2.58 per pound (whereas in 2016-19, it averaged around $3.75 per pound.)

“2020 was definitely an odd year due to covid,” says Kiley Dancy of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. “We observed a clear decline in landings compared to 2019, starting in April last year and lasting for a few months.” But eventually, adds Dancy, landings did return to “normal,” relative to the 2019 trajectory. When all was said and done, 2020 commercial landings ended up very close to 2019. “Preliminary data indicate 9.11 million pounds landed in 2020,” Says Dancy, “compared to 9.06 million pounds in 2019.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

MAFMC to Host Research Set-Aside Workshops

June 23, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will host a series of four workshops (three webinars and one in-person) to explore the possible redevelopment of the Research Set-Aside (RSA) program. The Mid-Atlantic Council’s RSA program was established in 2001 as a mechanism to generate funds for fisheries research through the sale of a portion of each species’ total allowable landings. In 2014, the Council voted to suspend the RSA program in response to enforcement violations and other concerns with the program.

The goal of these workshops is to develop recommendations regarding whether and how the RSA program should be redeveloped. The first three webinar workshops will each target a separate topic related to RSA: Research, Funding, and Enforcement. During the final in-person workshop, participants will review the outcomes from the first three webinars and develop final recommendations for RSA program redevelopment.

Workshop participants will include a core group of individuals who will be invited to attend all four workshops, along with additional participants with topic-specific expertise who will participate in individual workshops. All workshops will be open to the public, but registration is required.

Registration

Visit the registration page below to register for the first workshop on July 15 and to pre-register for the August, October, and November workshops.

RSA Workshop Registration

Workshop Details

  • RSA Workshop 1 (Webinar): Research – July 15, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • RSA Workshop 2 (Webinar): Funding – August 31, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • RSA Workshop 3 (Webinar): Enforcement – October 14, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • RSA Workshop 4 (In-Person, 1 Day): Final Recommendations – November 2021 (Exact Date and Location TBD)

Quick Links

Questions? Contact Matthew Seeley at mseeley@mafmc.org or 302-526-5262

Northeast coral protection rule finalized

June 22, 2021 — A final rule setting aside coral protection areas on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine was finalized Monday by NMFS, prohibiting the use of bottom-tending fishing gear with exceptions for red crab pots on Georges and lobster pots in the gulf.

The rule was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council after years of consideration with public comment and debate over balancing protection with sustainable long-term fisheries uses. Northeast cold-water corals are an important part of habitat for many fish and invertebrate species, including commercially important fish, according to NMFS.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council went through a similar process before establishing the Frank R. Lautenberg Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area – named for the late New Jersey senator, a sponsor of ocean environmental legislation – in January 2017. The new Georges Bank protection area abuts the northeast edge of that zone on the outer continental shelf.

The Georges Bank Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area runs along the outer continental shelf in waters no shallower than 600 meters (1,968 feet) and extends to the outer limit of U.S. exclusive economic zone boundary to the east and north. The rule restricts use of bottom-tending commercial fishing gear to protect deep-sea corals from damage. Red crab pot gear is specifically exempt from the prohibition.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Bluefish Rebuilding Plan and Revised Allocations

June 14, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Bluefish Management Board (Board) jointly recommended approval of the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. The Amendment updates the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives, initiates a rebuilding plan, establishes new allocations between the commercial and recreational sectors, implements new commercial allocations to the states, revises the process for quota transfers between sectors, and revises how the management plan accounts for management uncertainty.

The Council and Board initiated the Amendment in December 2017 to consider revisions to the commercial and recreational fisheries allocations and the state-specific commercial allocations. In 2019, an operational stock assessment for bluefish indicated the stock was overfished, and the Council and Board subsequently decided to incorporate the rebuilding plan in the Amendment.

During their joint meeting last week, the Council and Board reviewed a summary of the five virtual hearings and written comments submitted by 378 individuals and organizations, in addition to the recommendations of their joint Advisory Panel.

After weighing the pros and cons of shorter and longer rebuilding plan timeframes, the Council and Board ultimately selected the rebuilding plan which utilizes a constant fishing mortality approach and is projected to rebuild the stock in 7 years. Rebuilding progress will be analyzed through management track stock assessments every two years. The management track assessment scheduled for later this month will be the first step in informing specifications for the 2022-2023 fishing years.

The revised sector allocations increase the recreational allocation from 83% to 86% of the acceptable biological catch and decrease the commercial allocation from 17% to 14%. The Council and Board used catch data from 1981-2018 as the basis for sector allocations since it more accurately captures the cyclical nature of the fishery, while providing each sector with sufficient access to the resource considering historical usage.

The Council and Board based state commercial allocations on more recent data to improve efficiency within the commercial fishery and better reflect the current distribution of the stock. As such, the Amendment allocates a baseline quota of 0.1% to each state, and then allocates the rest of the commercial quota based on landings data from 2009 to 2018 (see Table 1 below). Recognizing that several states will be losing quota during a time when the coastwide commercial quota is already at an historic low, the Council and Board decided to phase-in the allocation changes over 7 years in order to reduce short-term economic impacts to the affected commercial fishing industry. The Council and Board also committed to reviewing the approved state allocations within 5 years.

Read the full release here

Webinar Instructions for the June 2021 MAFMC Meeting

June 4, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s June 2021 Meeting will be held via webinar next week, Monday, June 7 – Thursday, June 10, 2021. The meeting will begin with a closed Executive Committee session on June 7. The public portion of the meeting will begin on Tuesday, June 8 at 9:00 a.m.  A detailed agenda and briefing documents are available on the June 2021 Council Meeting Page.

Webinar Connection Instructions

The Council meeting will be conducted via Webex. Before connecting to the webinar, we recommend that you review the Council Meeting Webex Participant Guide for detailed step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. each day. We will have the webinar up and running by 8:30 a.m. to allow time for audio checks and troubleshooting. We recommend connecting a few minutes early.

  1. Click Here to Join the Webinar (If prompted, enter Meeting number: 173 841 2552; Meeting password: mafmc)
  2. If this is your first time using Webex you will be prompted to download and install the application. To join from a mobile device you will need the Cisco Webex Meetings app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
  3. Sign In: On the sign in screen you will be asked to enter your full name.
  4. Connect your audio: On the meeting preview screen you can choose how you want to connect your audio. You will have the option to use your computer mic/speakers or phones for audio.
  5. A note about video: Participant video will be disabled for this meeting. However, depending on your webcam settings you may still see your video on the meeting preview screen before you enter the webinar. This will not be displayed to other participants. You can disable the preview by clicking the “Stop Video” button.
  6. Telephone-only access: For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, dial 1-844-621-3956 (meeting number: 1738412552#). Please only use this option if you are not connecting to the webinar. Participants connected by phone only will need to enter *6 on their keypad to unmute/mute themselves and *3 to raise/lower their hands.
  7. Troubleshooting: If you have webinar issues, please check the Council Meeting Webex Participant Guide and these troubleshooting steps to see if your question is addressed there. This page provides step-by-step instructions for joining a meeting from Windows and Mac computers, IOS and Android devices, and internet browsers. Check the June meeting page for staff contact info if you need help during the meeting.

Live Streaming (New!)

We are excited to announce a new way to tune in to Council meetings through a live stream on our YouTube channel. Links to the live stream will be posted each day on the June meeting page. You can also visit our YouTube live stream page (video will appear once the stream goes live). This is a great option if you are only planning to listen in to the meeting and do not need to participate.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo, Communication and Outreach Coordinator, msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed Rule for the 2021-2023 Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Specifications

May 26, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries proposes Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish quotas for the 2021-2023 fishing years and reaffirms 2021 chub mackerel specifications as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

This action would:

  • Maintain the 2020 specifications through 2022 for Atlantic mackerel, (19,184 mt ABC), through 2021 for Illex squid (30,000 mt ABC), through 2023 for longfin squid (23,400 mt ABC).
  • Reduce the butterfish allowable catch by 72 percent, from the current 22,752 mt to 6,350 mt in for the remainder of 2021. Allowable catch for butterfish in 2022 would increase to 11,495 mt. Given recent catch trends, this reduction is not expected to negatively impact the commercial fishing industry.
  • Maintain the 3,884 mt butterfish catch cap in the longfin squid fishery.
  • Implement 48-hour Illex reporting after July 15 for commercial dealers for the remainder of the fishing year (the current requirement is weekly reporting.).
  • Change the Illex closure threshold to 94 percent from 95 percent.
  • Reaffirm the previously approved 2021 through 2022 chub mackerel specifications.

Read the proposed rule as published today in the Federal Register. Supporting documents for this rule are available on the MAFMC website.

Comments on this rule must be received by 5 pm on June 10, 2021 and may be submitted though the online portal.

Questions?

Industry: Aly Pitts, Regional Office, 978-281-9352

Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

NOAA Fisheries Announces Final 2021 Mid-Atlantic Blueline Tilefish Commercial and Recreational Fishery Specifications

May 25, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is finalizing blueline tilefish quotas for the 2021 fishing year, which began on January 1, 2021. Approved measures include acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limit (ACL), and total allowable landings (TAL) for the commercial and recreational fisheries, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

In 2020, the commercial sector landed 108% of the commercial TAL. By regulation, a commercial overage is deducted from the quota the following year. As a result, the commercial quota has been adjusted because of the overage in 2020. The recreational TAL was not exceeded so the recreational quota remains status quo.

All other requirements remain the same.

For more details, read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register today and the permit holder bulletin.

Read the full release here

Interstate fishery managers postpone action on allocations for multiple species

May 20, 2021 — Local recreational and commercial fishermen will have to wait until December to find out if interstate fisheries managers will make changes to allocations for several fish species.

During a joint webinar meeting May 8, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s summer flounder, scup and black sea bass board voted to postpone a final decision on potential changes to the allocations. The delay is intended to allow for further development of the recreational reform initiative before any decisions are made.

The council and board are now scheduled to take final action on the allocation amendment at a joint meeting in December. Summer flounder, scup and black sea bass are highly sought by commercial and recreational fishermen throughout the mid-Atlantic and southern New England regions, which includes the North Carolina coast.

The allocations for all three species are currently based on historical proportions of catch or landings. Recent changes in how recreational catch is estimated have resulted in a discrepancy between the current levels of estimated recreational harvest and the allocations to the same sector.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times