National Marine Fisheries Service Archives - Page 97 of 101

Court backs seal protections on climate change grounds

October 25th, 2016 — A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Obama administration had the right to use climate change to justify federal protections for the bearded seal.

The ruling from the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed a lower court ruling from 2014 and upheld the 2012 decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to designate the bearded seal as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The ruling is an important victory for the Obama administration and could help build a precedent of using climate change forecasts for decisions like species protections.

The case hinged on an argument from the oil industry and the state of Alaska that the NMFS relied on climate projections that were not reliable for the time period for which the agency used them.

“This case turns on one issue: When NMFS determines that a species that is not presently endangered will lose its habitat due to climate change by the end of the century, may NMFS list that species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act?” the appeals court asked in its ruling, answering in the affirmative.

Read the full story at The Hill

Climate Change Projections Can Be Used To List A Species As Threatened, US Court Rules

October 25th, 2016 — In a landmark ruling Monday, a U.S. appeals court said that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) — a federal agency — had acted reasonably when it proposed to list certain populations of bearded seals in Alaska as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The decision, which reverses a 2014 ruling by a lower court, could pave the way for other species being accorded protections based on their vulnerability to projected changes in climate.

“This is a huge victory for bearded seals and shows the vital importance of the Endangered Species Act in protecting species threatened by climate change,” Kristen Monsell, attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity — which had, in 2008, filed a petition to list the species as threatened, said in a statement. “This decision will give bearded seals a fighting chance while we work to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions melting their sea-ice habitat and keep dirty fossil fuels in the ground.”

The Pacific bearded seal is one of the two subspecies of bearded seals. Although it is currently listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Center for Biological Diversity and the NMFS estimate — based on data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — that the seals’ winter sea-ice habitat in the Bering and Okhotsk seas off Alaska and Russia would decline by at least 40 percent by 2050, and that the subspecies would be endangered by 2095.

Read the full story at the IBT Times

Hawaii’s Longline Fishermen Pushing To Catch More Tuna

October 18th, 2016 — Hawaii’s longline fishermen will be able to go after similar amounts of bigeye tuna next year under a policy passed last week by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.

But some have their sights set on doubling or even tripling their annual catch limits through new quota-sharing agreements with Pacific Island territories that don’t currently fish commercially for ahi.

Before that can happen though, the fishermen will need to demonstrate that the species is no longer subject to overfishing and convince federal officials that the pending arrangements with Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands do not violate international agreements to conserve fish stocks.

“We are right at the level of overfishing,” said Jarad Makaiau, a scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “We are right on the razor thin line.”

Wespac manages 1.5 million square miles of ocean in the Central and Western Pacific Ocean and advises the National Marine Fisheries Service on catch limits, endangered species mitigation and stock assessments.

Directed Atlantic Herring Fishery Closure for Management Area 1A

October 17th, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) projects the Atlantic herring fishery will catch approximately 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL by October 18, 2016. The Area 1A directed fishery will close effective 12:01 a.m. on October 18, 2016 and remain closed until further notice. Vessels that have entered port before 12:01 a.m. on October 18, 2016, may land and sell from that trip more than 2,000 pounds of herring from Area 1A.

Vessels participating in the herring Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program may continue to fish in Area 1A for the remainder of the fishing year, and land, subject to state landing restrictions, greater than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring provided they are on a declared herring RSA trip.

During a closure, vessels participating in other fisheries may retain and land an incidental catch of herring that does not exceed 2,000 pounds per trip or calendar day. In addition, directed herring vessels traveling through Area 1A must have all fishing gear stowed.

In accordance with the Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring, the fixed gear set-aside of 295 metric tons will continue to be available to fixed gear fishermen operating in Area 1A west of Cutler, Maine through December 31, 2016.

If you have any questions please contact Ashton Harp at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Fishermen Test Weaker Ropes So Whales Can Break Through Them

October 11th, 2016 — Last year, 61 whales were tangled up in fishing gear off the West Coast of the United States, according to data from the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service.

2015 was the worst year since tracking began in the early 1980s.

Fishing ropes can cut off circulation to the whale’s fins and can eventually lead to its death. It’s a growing problem across the globe. Warmer waters are forcing whales into different feeding grounds and successful conservation efforts are increasing the number of whales in the ocean, according to experts that track the issue.

In June, an 80-foot blue whale was found off the coast of Dana Point, California, listing in the water. The crew of Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari filmed the animal dragging 200 feet of rope and buoys from what appeared to be a crab pot.

But what if the problem could be solved with simple modifications to the gear that fishermen use?

Massachusetts lobsterman John Haviland got a grant from the state to test fishing ropes that break more easily under the weight of the animals.

Read the full story at WBUR

NEW JERSEY: Reefs could get special management zone status

October 6, 2016 — The 13 artificial reefs that sit outside of three miles on the New Jersey coastline could get a Special Management Zone designation.

The designation would allow for restrictive gear rules on the reefs that would limit the taking of fish to hook and line and spear only. It would prohibit commercial fisherman from the use of fixed pots or trap gear.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection petitioned the Mid-Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council to designate the 13 artificial reef sites as Special Management Zones last November.

That, of course, was preceded by a long, turf war between commercial and recreational fishermen on the reefs that culminated with the state’s artificial reef program being shut down in 2011.

A compromise was reached last year on the reefs in state waters where commercial fishermen were given access to portions of two existing reefs and a new square-mile reef was agreed to be constructed in state waters for use by recreational anglers.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

New England Fishery Management Council seeks at-large Research Steering Committee members

September 29, 2016 — The following was released by the NEFMC:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking at-large members to serve on its Research Steering Committee. The committee’s primary mission is to foster collaborations between fishermen and scientists and advise the Council on research priorities aimed at achieving collaborative outcomes. The committee also reviews final reports to ensure that research projects have had adequate technical review and to discuss how information gained from the research may be used in management.

When fully populated, the Research Steering Committee is made up of: four voting Council members who are appointed annually; one Northeast Fisheries Science Center representative; one National Marine Fisheries Service representative from the Greater Atlantic Region Fisheries Office; and eight at-large members.

The Council specifically is seeking applicants for the eight at-large seats, which are broken down as follows:

Two fishery scientists;
Four fishermen;
One representative from the conservation community; and
One representative from academia.

The solicitation announcement states, “The Council Chairman will appoint Research Steering Committee members on the basis of their experience and expertise concerning fishing, fisheries science and research, and/or fisheries policy.”

The committee meets roughly three times per year. Expenses for travel, meals, and lodging will be paid for in accordance with the Council’s travel policy.

Marine mammal expert: Underwater port noise is a legitimate concern

September 26th, 2016 — The Port of Gulfport will spend thousands of dollars on a “bubble curtain” device, designed to dampen sound waves from a pile-driving project.

National Marine Fisheries Service requires mitigation because the underwater sounds could be harmful to fish or dolphins.

The federal requirement came as quite a surprise to several of the port commissioners, but the impact of underwater noise is a significant issue for marine scientists.

Construction sounds from the port not only resonate along the nearby Coast, they sometimes travel underwater into the adjoining Mississippi Sound.

“We have one of the largest dolphin populations in the United States that inhabits the Mississippi Sound. Plus, it’s also a nursing ground for these animals,” said Institute for Marine Mammal Studies director, Dr. Moby Solangi.

Dolphins rely on sound and echoes for their survival.

“They locate their fish through sound, they locate their mates through sound, they find their habitat through sound. If they become deaf, they’re unable to survive,” Solangi said.

Read the read full story at WTVM

WHOI scientists tracking leatherbacks capitalize on moment

September 19th, 2016 — After a summer marked by boat repairs, a paucity of jellyfish and a presidential no-fly zone, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientists finally got what they wanted Saturday — an “epic” day of picture-perfect weather and leatherback turtles swimming off the coast of Nantucket.

It was the best possible outcome for engineer Amy Kukulya and biologist Kara Dodge, the duo behind last year’s TurtleCam crowdfunding project. They were able to tag and track a leatherback turtle for four hours and capture huge amounts of data and video of the creature’s feeding habits and behavior. And best of all, the TurtleCam — a modified REMUS-100 autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with video cameras — was able to hone in on the acoustic tag and follow the turtle, just as designed.

“Everything was just exactly how we wanted it to go,” said Dodge.

The TurtleCam project raised nearly $11,000 last summer through Project WHOI, the institution’s crowdfunding site, and a private donor chipped in another $20,000, Dodge said. That helped the team get a turtle tagged in 2015, but more importantly it allowed them to land a $240,000 National Marine Fisheries Service grant to the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, their partners on the TurtleCam project. In all, the project is now funded for seven full days at sea, Dodge said.

This year, the acoustic tag attached to the leatherbacks has been upgraded with two suction cups and a video camera to get some turtle-eye views of the sea, Kukulya said. She and Dodge won’t review the footage until today, but Kukulya said she couldn’t resist a quick peek Sunday morning.

Read full story The Cape Cod Times

The ‘humpback comeback’ is ‘great news’ for the species

September 8, 2016 — Federal authorities are taking many humpback whales off the endangered species list.

The National Marine Fisheries Service said that nine of the 14 distinct populations of humpbacks have recovered enough in the last 40 years to warrant being removed from the endangered list.

The agency says four distinct populations remain listed as endangered and one as threatened.

The National Marine Fisheries Service last year proposed removing most of the world’s humpback whales from the endangered species list. It said populations of the animals have steadily grown since the international community banned commercial whaling nearly 50 years ago.

Michael Harris of the Pacific Whale Watch Association says members couldn’t be more excited.

“This is great news,” he told KIRO Radio. “These are the poster child of species recovery.”

Read the full story at My Northwest