NEFMC Archives - Page 10 of 99

Directed herring fishery closed for rest of the year, incidental catch still allowed 

October 19, 2021 — The directed herring fishery has been closed for the rest of the year for the inshore Gulf of Maine, according to officials.  

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board voted late last month to set the number of landing days at zero for the second half of the herring season, meaning a vessel can’t go out fishing directly for herring.  

Fishermen are allowed to fish for other species and may land up to 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip as incidental catch only, said Emilie Franke, the fishery management plan coordinator at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.  

Herring is a prized bait fish for lobstermen in Maine, though many have resorted to other species, such as  pogies,  as  herring numbers have  declined  and quotas have tightened. Herring is considered overfished, but overfishing  by fishermen  is  not  currently happening, leaving officials searching for an answer on how to help the species  rebound. 

The New England Fishery Management Council met late last month to talk about how to move forward with the conservation of the species across New England. The council decided to go forward with an acceptable biological catch strategy that allows for sustainable harvest of the fish while accounting for the species role as a forage species  and baitfish. The rule works by allowing fishing mortality rate to fluctuate with the highs and lows of the species’ biomass, allowing flexibility depending on how the fish is doing. It also adds accountability measures.  

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Wednesday, October 25, 2021 – Groundfish Issues

October 18, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to groundfish. The public is invited to listen live. Here are the details.

WHEN: Monday, October 25, 2021

START TIME: 9:00 a.m.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar. The Remote Participation Guide is posted here.

CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (562) 247-8422. The access code is 206-777-773. Please be aware that if you dial in using this number without joining the webinar at the link above, you will be unable to speak during opportunities for public comment. This is a listen-only telephone option. Your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA: The SSC will meet to:

Review recent stock assessment information from the 2021 Groundfish Management Track Assessments and information provided by the Council’s Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT);

Recommend overfishing limits (OFLs) and acceptable biological catches (ABCs) for Georges Bank cod and Gulf of Maine cod for fishing years 2022-2024;

Review information presented by the Groundfish PDT and consider recommending revised OFLs and ABCs for Georges Bank haddock and Gulf of Maine haddock for fishing year 2022;

Review information presented by the Groundfish PDT and consider recommending revised OFLs and ABCs for white hake under the recently implemented rebuilding plan for this stock; and

Consider other business as necessary.

COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 21, 2021. Address comments to Council Chairman Eric Reid or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org. Additional information is available in the meeting notice.

MATERIALS: All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC October 25, 2021 meeting webpage.

QUESTIONS: Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492, ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

Atlantic Herring: NEFMC Approves Stock Rebuilding Plan and Adjustments to Accountability Measures in Framework 9

October 7, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its September 28-30, 2021 webinar meeting, the New England Fishery Management Council selected preferred alternatives for Framework Adjustment 9 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and then voted to submit the framework to NOAA Fisheries for review and implementation.

The framework contains two components:

• A stock rebuilding plan for Atlantic herring; and
• Adjustments to accountability measures that are triggered when overages to catch limits occur in individual herring management areas.

Stock Rebuilding Plan: The Council received a letter from NOAA Fisheries on October 13, 2020 saying the agency “formally determined that the Atlantic herring stock is overfished based on the best scientific information available.”

The Council was given two years from the date of the letter to develop a rebuilding plan that could be implemented by NOAA Fisheries within that timeframe, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The Council’s Herring Committee initially developed three rebuilding alternatives for this action, and the Scientific and Statistical Committee reviewed the technical basis of the projections that were prepared to evaluate the alternatives. In mid-September, the Herring Committee added another alternative, known as 3A, for the Council to consider. The options presented to the full Council are summed up in the Framework 9 Decision Document.

Aside from “no action,” which was not a viable alternative given the letter from NOAA Fisheries, the Council had two distinct paths to choose from: (a) use the acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rule that was developed under Amendment 8 to guide the rebuilding program; or (b) go with a constant fishing mortality rate target that would remain fixed – regardless of increases or decreases in biomass – for seven or five years depending on which alternative was selected.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

NEFMC Seeks Scientific and Statistical Committee Nominees to Serve for 2022-2024

October 6, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by other individuals or organizations. Appointments are for three years with the term beginning in January 2022 and ending December 2024. All relevant materials should be sent to the Council office and must be received by 8 a.m. on December 20, 2021.

SSC nominees should have expertise in statistics, fisheries biology, marine ecology, economics, sociology, anthropology, or other social sciences as they apply to fisheries management. SSC members are expected to provide independent, scientific advice to the Council.

The purpose of the SSC is to assist the Council in the development, collection, and evaluation of statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information relevant to the development of fishery management plans. Responsibilities are outlined in the solicitation announcement and in the Council’s Operations Handbook.

SSC members are reimbursed for travel expenses up to specified limits for attending official meetings at the Council’s request and receive a daily stipend subject to funding.

The duties and responsibilities of this position require nominees to file the Statement of Financial Interests to fulfill the requirements of the Magnuson‐Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The purpose of this report is to assist potential candidates and NMFS in avoiding conflicts between official duties and private financial interests or affiliations. Please complete the form and include it with your application.

Nominations and supporting materials may be submitted by regular mail to the Council office or by email to Joan O’Leary at joleary@nefmc.org. All nominations must be received by 8:00 a.m. on December 20, 2021.

If you have questions or need further information about this process, please contact Council Deputy Director Chris Kellogg at (978) 465-0492 ext. 112; ckellogg@nefmc.org.

A sea of choices confronts Biden admin in ocean protection

October 5, 2021 — When it comes to meeting its aggressive conservation pledge, the Biden administration appears to have a head start on protecting the United States’ oceans — after all, on paper, the nation is already more than two-thirds of the way to the goal.

But as the administration puts together a tracking mechanism for its pledge to conserve 30 percent of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030, environmental activists warn that frequently cited statistics provide a misleading picture of ocean conservation.

At the same time, advocates for the fishing industry question counter the nation is much closer to the final objective — if not already there. They argue that conservation shouldn’t always mean activities like fishing are banned and say their industry has shown itself willing to help protect vulnerable species.

Managed waters

Opponents of new marine monuments, however, argue that managed waters are sufficient to meet the conservation goals.

“If it’s not conserved unless it’s in a marine sanctuary that excludes fishing — which is a fairly radical and extreme point of view — then I think you get into a very different set of calculations about how you get to 30 percent,” said Roger Mann, a marine sciences professor at the College of William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

Mann pointed to language in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the nation’s primary fisheries law, that calls for “conservation and management” of the oceans.

“If you’re conserving sustainable resources … then all of the area that is managed under Magnuson is already a conservation area,” argued Mann, who previously served on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

“The councils can all sit there and scratch their heads and say, ‘We’re not 30×30. We’re 100 percent by 2021. What’s the problem?’” he said.

Former Garden State Seafood Association Executive Director Greg DiDomenico said he is optimistic that the Biden administration will adhere to its vow for scientific integrity, but remains staunchly opposed to the idea of new monuments.

“What we expect from 30×30, ultimately, is that it be conducted under rigorous science and an open, transparent policy,” said DiDomenico, who is now with Lund’s Fisheries.

DiDomenico pointed to the creation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument during former President Obama’s tenure, which closed the area to commercial fishing.

Former President Trump reversed that closure in 2020, and the New England Fishery Management Council subsequently implemented protections for deep-sea corals in more than 80 percent of the monument (E&E News PM, June 5, 2020).

“The proof is in the pudding,” DiDomenico said, pointing to what is formally known as the Omnibus Deep-Sea Coral Amendment.

He added that: “No one is running from this. We’ve been here before.”

Read the full story at E&E News

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed Rule for Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan

October 5. 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule for Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The New England Fishery Management Council developed Amendment 21 to adjust the management of the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) as well as the limited access general category (LAGC) individual fishing quota (IFQ) program to support overall economic performance of the fishery while allowing for continued participation in the general category fishery.

Amendment 21 would:

•Account for biomass in the NGOM as part of the Overfishing Limit and the Acceptable Biological Catch to be consistent with other portions of scallop resource management.•Develop landing limits for all permit categories in the NGOM and establish an 800,000 lb NGOM Set-Aside trigger for the NGOM directed fishery.

•Expand the scallop observer program to monitor directed scallop fishing in the NGOM.

•Allocate 25,000 lb of the NGOM allocation to increase the overall Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA).

•Increase the LAGC IFQ possession limit to 800 lb per trip only for access area trips.

•Prorate the daily observer compensation rate in 12-hour increments for observed LAGC IFQ trips longer than 1 day.

•Allow for temporary transfers of IFQ from limited access vessels with IFQ to LAGC IFQ-only vessels.

For more information, read the proposed rule as filed in the Federal Register. The comment period is open through November 4, 2021. Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Travis Ford, Sustainable Fisheries, 978-281-9233

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

NEFMC SSC: Live Listen – Wednesday, October 13, 2021 (Scallop Issues)

October 5, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to Atlantic sea scallops. The public is invited to listen live. Here are the details.

WHEN: Wednesday, October 13, 2021

START TIME: 9:00 a.m.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar. The Remote Participation Guide is posted here.

CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (562) 247-8422. The access code is 606-978-888. Please be aware that if you dial in using this number without joining the webinar at the link above, you will be unable to speak during opportunities for public comment. This is a listen-only telephone option. Your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA: The SSC will meet to:

Review information provided by the Council’s Scallop Plan Development Team;

Recommend overfishing limits (OFLs) and acceptable biological catches (ABCs) for Atlantic sea scallops for fishing years 2022 and 2023, with 2023 being default specifications; and

Consider other business as necessary.

COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 11, 2021. Address comments to Council Chairman Eric Reid or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org. Additional information is available in the meeting notice.

MATERIALS: All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC October 13, 2021 meeting webpage.

QUESTIONS: Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492, ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817,jplante@nefmc.org.

Skates: NEFMC Signs Off on 2022-2023 Specifications; Discontinues Amendment 5 and Initiates Framework 9

October 4, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council dealt with two skate-related actions when it met by webinar in late-September. First, the Council voted to submit a fishing year 2022-2023 specifications package to NOAA Fisheries for review and implementation. Second, the Council agreed to: (a) discontinue work on Amendment 5 now that limited access and several other measures are no longer part of the action; and (b) initiate a simpler framework adjustment to address the last two outstanding components in the amendment.

Skates are managed by the Council under the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The complex covers seven species – barndoor, clearnose, little, rosette, smooth, thorny, and winter skates, which are found in state and federal waters throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic.

The Council sets skate specifications every two years for the entire complex based on an acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rule and a formula that were established under Amendment 3 to the FMP.

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) recommends the ABC. The Council then uses a flow chart (at right) to determine total allowable landings. Expected dead discards and state landings are subtracted from the annual catch target, and the resulting total allowable landings are divided between the skate wing and skate bait fisheries.

The 2022-2023 specifications were based on updated survey data through 2019. The Skate Plan Development Team developed a method for setting the ABC that accounted for missing survey stations in 2018 and no data from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SSC supported this approach and recommended the new ABC of 37,236 metric tons (mt), which is a 14% increase from the 2020-2021 ABC, largely due to trawl survey increases for skates. The Council previously decided that it would not adjust trip limits under this action. Prior to voting on the new specifications, the Council received a presentation that highlighted the following.

• Overfishing is not occurring on any of the seven species in the skate complex, and the risk of overfishing in the next two fishing years is low.

• The only species that is overfished is thorny skate, which is under a 25-year rebuilding plan. Possession is prohibited. The stock remains at a very low level and far below its rebuilding target.

• Little and winter skates, the primary components of the bait and wing fisheries respectively, continue to dominate stock assessment survey biomass for the skate complex. Since 2010, skates have generated between $5 million to $9 million in revenue annually.

• Warming ocean conditions are likely to impact the distribution of many or all skate species, and thorny skates are apt to shift northward into the Gulf of Maine and into deeper water.

• Skate have been landed in roughly 400 different fishing ports since 2018, but the fishery is primarily centered around three major landing ports – Chatham and New Bedford, MA and Point Judith, RI.

Framework Adjustment 9

During its April 2021 meeting, the Council voted to stop working on all alternatives in Amendment 5 that involved limited access. During its June 2021 meeting, Framework Adjustment 9 the Council recommended that NOAA Fisheries rescind the control dates for skates, which the agency did on August 31, 2021. Then, during this most recent September meeting, the Council further whittled down Amendment 5 to two elements: (1) clarification of the Skate FMP’s objectives; and (2) alternatives focused on federal skate permits and the interplay between fishing for skates in state and federal waters. Given the greatly narrowed scope of the action and based on a recommendation from its Skate Committee, the Council agreed by consensus to stop further work on Amendment 5 and instead refine and finalize the two remaining items in a framework adjustment. This will become Framework 9.

• The history of Amendment 5 can be found here and in the September 2021 meeting materials.

Questions? Contact Dr. Rachel Feeney, the Council’s skate plan coordinator, at (978) 465-0492 ext. 110, rfeeney@nefmc.org. Also visit the Council’s skate webpage.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

Scallops: NEFMC Receives 2021 Survey Season Overview; Updates on Framework 34 and Other Work Priorities

October 1, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received a high-level overview of the 2021 scallop survey season when it met by webinar for its September 28-30, 2021 meeting. It also received a progress report on Framework Adjustment 34 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan and short updates on: (1) the Scallop Survey Working Group’s recent meeting; and (2) a project to evaluate the scallop fishery’s rotational area management program.

Scallop survey coverage this year was extensive throughout the range of the resource. Several surveys were conducted on Georges Bank and in the Mid-Atlantic. These were done by three survey partners under the Scallop Research Set-Aside Program (RSA) and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Participating RSA partners included:

• Coonamessett Farm Foundation;
• UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST); and
• The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

SMAST and the University of Maine also conducted RSA surveys in the Gulf of Maine, including on Stellwagen Bank.

Overall, the survey groups discovered that biomass in the Mid-Atlantic Access Area is down substantially. While blips of pre-recruit scallops occasionally were found, the survey teams did not see signs of another strong incoming year class. Most of the remaining scallops in this area are nine years old, stemming from the exceptional 2013 year class, which has run its course. As such, 2022 fishing activity in the Mid-Atlantic Access Area is expected to be minimal, and the Scallop Plan Development Team (PDT), Scallop Committee, and Scallop Advisory Panel are discussing the possibility of reverting this area to open bottom.

Two Bright Spots

Survey teams did find evidence of recruitment in the New York Bight and Nantucket Lightship West areas. The Council is considering establishing rotational closures to protect concentrations of small scallops in both locations. Closures such as these are the premise behind rotational management. Areas with small scallops are closed to fishing activity to give the animals time to grow to a harvestable size. A few years down the road, the closure areas are reopened and fishing is allowed to take place on larger scallops.

The New York Bight area that’s under consideration for a closure (see blue box in map at right) contains multiple years classes, including many smaller scallops with growth potential that will not recruit to the fishery in fishing year 2022 (see closeup shots below at right). Establishing a rotational closure in the New York Bight would provide an opportunity to improve yields for all scallops, especially the smaller ones, and increase the potential for downstream recruitment to the Hudson Canyon and Elephant Trunk areas in the Mid-Atlantic, as recent research suggests is possible.

Surveys conducted by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Coonamessett Farm Foundation using a Habitat Camera Mapping System (HabCam) showed high densities of very small scallops – less than 35 millimeters in shell height – in the western portion of Nantucket Lightship (see graphics below). HabCam is a towed underwater camera that takes a constant stream of images along the seafloor. It is a survey tool that can help identify new beds of very small seed scallops, also referred to as spat. The Scallop Plan Development Team will analyze establishing a second rotational closure to cover Nantucket Lightship West in addition to the New York Bight. If the new year class of seed scallops in Nantucket Lightship West survives and continues to grow, these scallops should be ready to start contributing to the fishery several years down the road.

Current Biomass

The highest concentrations of harvestable biomass were found in Nantucket Lightship South and within Closed Area II on Georges Bank. These are the areas the PDT will analyze for possible access area fishing in 2022. Most of the scallops in Nantucket Lightship South will be 10 years old in 2022. These slow-growing scallops continue to be available in dense concentrations and, despite their smaller size, have drawn high prices on the market.

Survey teams saw some modest signs of recruitment in Closed Area II in the southeast portion, extension, and Habitat Area of Particular Concern (colored orange above).

As part of its work on Framework 34, the Scallop Plan Development Team is analyzing several possible configurations for Closed Areas II access area trips under two trip limit options – 18,000 pounds and 15,000 pounds – with trading allowed in 9,000-pound and 15,000-pound increments. The PDT also will provide a range of possibilities for open area fishing days. Biomass in Closed Area I is no longer high enough to support an access area trip for the limited access fishery. However, the PDT is looking at two options for this area: (1) reverting it to open bottom; and (2) reserving the area for LAGC IFQ access area fishing and RSA trips. LAGC IFQ is the acronym for the limited access general category individual fishing quota component of the fishery.

Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM)

In the Gulf of Maine, most of the biomass is located on Stellwagen Bank. The portion of the biomass that’s inside the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area, meaning north of 42ᴼ 20’, is protected by a closure that will remain in place until changed by Framework 34. The biomass on Stellwagen Bank south of 42ᴼ 20’ is open bottom and available for fishing by the limited access and LAGC IFQ components of the fishery.

Framework Adjustment 34 – What’s Next?

Framework 34 includes 2022 fishing year specifications, 2023 default specifications, and other provisions. It also is the vehicle that will put in place measures developed under Amendment 21, which is under review by NOAA Fisheries. The amendment and framework are expected to be implemented concurrently by the start of the new fishing year, which is April 1, 2022.

The Council will take final action on Framework 34 during its December 7-9, 2021 meeting. Between now and then, the Scallop PDT, Committee, and Advisory Panel will hold several meetings to prepare final recommendations for the Council’s consideration. Keep tabs on the Council’s scallop webpage for a list of upcoming meetings.

• Meeting materials used during the Council’s September scallop discussion are posted HERE.

• View the presentation for a quick overview of what’s in Amendment 21 and the timeline for implementation of the amendment and Framework 34.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

NEFMC Seeks Contractor to Develop and Conduct EBFM Public Information Workshops

October 1, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is looking for an independent contractor to develop and conduct a series of six public information workshops about Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM). The deadline for submitting letters of interest and supporting materials is November 1, 2021.

The Council has been working on an EBFM conceptual approach for several years. It developed an example Fishery Ecosystem Plan (eFEP) that shows how an EBFM approach might be carried out on Georges Bank.

The Council is now ready to fully engage the public in its EBFM work. It will begin this process by conducting public information workshops, utilizing outreach materials that clearly explain EBFM both in general terms in the eFEP and as used in the worked example for 10 fish stocks on Georges Bank. The Council will be communicating with fishermen, conservation groups, the research community, and many other stakeholders through the workshops as it continues to advance EBFM.

This is a short-term, temporary contractor role, commencing on or about December 13, 2021 and ending in April 2022. The contractor will:

•Work at the direction of Council staff to develop public workshop agendas, plan workshop logistics, and coordinate with invited experts in EBFM;

•Utilize and leverage the communications materials that have been developed by the Council; and

•Provide on-site support and facilitate each of the six public workshops.

Note: The scheduling and execution of in-person workshops will be contingent on the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 level of community transmission assessment. This may cause delays in the execution of this work.

The workshop objectives are to: (1) engage with and educate fishery stakeholders about the concepts of Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management; and (2) promote stakeholder participation in the further development of EBFM.

Additional information about the statement of work, expected responsibilities and deliverables, desired experience and demonstrated skills, and application submission details can be found in the request for proposals.

Questions concerning technical aspects of this proposal should be directed to Andrew Applegate at aapplegate@nefmc.org. Questions concerning the contracting process or Department of Commerce – NOAA grant regulations should be directed to Margaret Bernier at mbernier@nefmc.org.

Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council

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