Saving Seafood

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Friday, May 5, 2023 – Groundfish and Other Issues

April 28, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to groundfish, National Standard Guideline revisions, and other topics.  The public is invited to listen live.  Here are the details.

WHEN:  Friday, May 5, 2023

START TIME:  9:30 a.m.

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

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 930-5321.  The access code is 916-377-054.  Your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA:  The SSC will meet to discuss:

  • The challenges the SSC has faced when applying acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules for Northeast multispecies (groundfish) stocks;
  • Progress made on scoping a model for enhanced use of the SSC’s sociocultural and economic expertise in the SSC and Council process;
  • An update on plans for the eighth meeting of the Council Coordination Committee’s Scientific Coordination Subcommittee; and
  • Other business, including: (1) an update on the SSC’s 2023 work plan; and (2) an upcoming opportunity for the SSC to comment on NOAA Fisheries’ soon-to-be-published advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to update Guidelines for National Standards 4, 8, and 9.

COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.  Address comments to Council Chair 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 May 5, 2023 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.

Council Presents 2022 Award for Excellence to Maggie Raymond

January 26, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council honored Maggie Raymond, former Executive Director of Associated Fisheries of Maine and a 25-year participant in the Council process, by presenting her with the 2022 Janice M. Plante Award for Excellence.

Council Chair Eric Reid called the recognition “long overdue.”

“Maggie represents the epitome of someone dedicated to both the commercial fishing industry and sustainable fisheries management,” said Chair Reid. “Her tenure covers a period of tremendous change, stretching from the early days of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to our evolving adaptation to climate change and the challenges of coping with offshore wind development.”

Maggie’s strongest connection with the Council is with groundfish, beginning around the time the Council adopted limited entry and was transitioning the entire fishery to days-at-sea management. It was a period of intense conflict between fishermen and managers, driven by fear in the industry that the changes would collapse the fishery.

“Maggie helped people navigate these tumultuous changes and served as an invaluable conduit to explain the science and management implications to fishermen,” said Chair Reid. “She was a fierce advocate for industry interests.”

Read the full release here

Monkfish: Council Takes Final Action on Fishing Year 2023-2025 Specifications/Measures; Revises Research Set-Aside Priorities

January 26, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council voted on a package of measures during its January 2023 meeting that set the stage for how the monkfish fishery will operate during the 2023-2025 fishing years.

The measures were developed through Framework Adjustment 13 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan and include the following:

• Acceptable biological catches (ABCs) and other specifications for both the Northern and Southern Monkfish Fishery Management Areas (see map on page 2);

• Days-at-sea allocations and a days-at-sea usage cap for both the northern and southern areas; and

• A 12″ minimum mesh size requirement for monkfish gillnets with implementation delayed until 2026.

The monkfish fishery is managed jointly between the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The New England Council has the administrative lead, but joint management means both Councils must vote on new measures before an action can be submitted to NOAA Fisheries for review, approval, and implementation. The Mid-Atlantic Council will discuss and vote on Framework 13 on February 7, 2023.

The New England Council also revised its 2023-2024 priorities for the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program during the January meeting in Portsmouth, NH.

Read the full release here

 

New England council honors Maggie Raymond of Maine

January 26, 2023 — The New England Fishery Management Council honored Maggie Raymond, former executive director of the Associated Fisheries of Maine and a 25-year participant in the council process, by presenting her with the 2022 Janice M. Plante Award for Excellence.

Council Chair Eric Reid called the recognition “long overdue.”

“Maggie represents the epitome of someone dedicated to both the commercial fishing industry and sustainable fisheries management,” said Reid. “Her tenure covers a period of tremendous change, stretching from the early days of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to our evolving adaptation to climate change and the challenges of coping with offshore wind development.”

Raymond’s strongest connection with the council is with groundfish, beginning around the time the council adopted limited entry and was transitioning the entire fishery to days-at-sea management. It was a period of intense conflict between fishermen and managers, driven by fear in the industry that the changes would collapse the fishery.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

NEFMC January 24-26, 2023 Meeting

January 18, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, January 24 through Thursday, January 26, 2023. This will be an in-person meeting coupled with a webinar option for individuals who cannot or prefer not to attend in person.

 

COVID PROTOCOLS:  The Council continues to follow all public safety measures related to COVID-19 and intends to do so for this meeting.  Please participate remotely if you are experiencing COVID symptoms or do not feel well.  Updates will be posted on the meeting webpage as needed.

 

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. each day.  The first day will begin with a short closed session. The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

 

Here are a few items of note for Tuesday, January 24, 2023.

 

NGOM CONTROL DATE:  The Council will discuss and then decide whether to recommend a control date to potentially limit the movement of limited access general category (LAGC) permits in the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) scallop fishery.  A control date by itself is not binding, and it does not commit the Council to taking any specific management action. The purpose of a control date is to discourage speculative entry or fishing activity while the Council considers if and how participation in the fishery may be affected or controlled.  If the Council decides to recommend a control date for the NGOM scallop fishery, the control date itself will be the day NOAA Fisheries publishes a notice in the Federal Register.

 

MOBILE GEAR AND GILLNET FISHERMEN:  Gear researchers from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will give the Council a presentation on engaging mobile gear fishermen to visualize ropeless gear positions to prevent gear conflicts.  Ropeless gear is being tested and used by some fishermen to reduce right whale entanglements.  In addition to answering questions during the Council meeting, the gear researchers will be available afterward to meet with fishermen to gather additional feedback and respond to any remaining questions.

 

  • The Council will receive an update on the development of Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Phase 2 measures, including proposals to reduce entanglements of large whales in gillnet fisheries.  Also on the agenda is a short update on Council coordination with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to develop sink gillnet measures to protect Atlantic sturgeon and potentially large whales.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES:  The Council wants to hear from you.  Here’s how you can let the Council know what you think.

 

  • WRITE A LETTER:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 19, 2023.  Please note that written comments must address items listed on the agenda for this meeting.

 

  • TALK TO THE COUNCIL:  You’ll be able to address the Council directly through two different avenues:

 

  1. By commenting on motions at the discretion of the Council chair (if commenting remotely, raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon); and

 

  1. By speaking during the open period for public comment.  Here are the Guidelines for Providing Public Comment.

 

  • OPEN PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:  On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 12:15 p.m., the Council will offer the public an opportunity to provide comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda.  Given the Council’s busy meeting schedule, we ask that you limit remarks to 3-5 minutes.

 

    • SIGN UP:  Interested in speaking?  If attending in person, fill out the sign-up sheet on the table at the entrance to the Council meeting room.  To speak remotely, email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org to get on the list.

 

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

 

 

  • THIS IS KEY!  If you want to speak during opportunities for public comment, you need to: (1) register for the webinar; and (2) actually “join” the webinar.  People who call in by telephone without joining the webinar will be in listen-only mode.  Those who take both steps – register and then join the webinar – will see the meeting screen and be able to click on a “raise hand” button, which will let the meeting organizer know you want to be unmuted to speak.

 

  • We have a Help Desk in case you get stuck joining the webinar or have trouble along the way.  Just email helpdesk@nefmc.org and we’ll get right back to you.

 

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone without joining the webinar, dial +1 (415) 655-0052.  The access code is 424-643-767.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.  Remember, you will not be able to speak if you do not first join the webinar as described above.  This phone number provides a “listen-only” option without the webinar component.

 

AGENDA:  All meeting materials and the agenda are available on the Council’s website at NEFMC January 24-26, 2023 meeting webpage.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

 

THREE MEETING OUTLOOK:  A copy of the New England Council’s Three Meeting Outlook is available HERE.

 

COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS:  Anyone with questions prior to or during the Council meeting should contact Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

NEFMC Takes Final Action on Framework 65 with Gulf of Maine Cod Rebuilding Plan, 2023-2025 Specifications

December 15, 2022 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council selected final measures for Framework Adjustment 65 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan when it met December 5-8, 2022 in Newport, RI. The Council also voted to submit the framework to NOAA Fisheries for approval and implementation. The framework will guide the 2023 fishing year for groundfish, which begins on May 1. Several provisions and specifications in this action will apply to fishing years 2024, 2025, and beyond.

Gulf of Maine Cod:

Gulf of Maine cod is overfished and experiencing overfishing. Framework 65 contains a new 10-year rebuilding plan, which has a 70% probability of rebuilding this stock by 2033. The strategy: (1) utilizes a fishing mortality rate set at 60% of what the rate is that would produce maximum sustainable yield; and (2) produces a fishing mortality rate of 0.104, which is very low and will continue to result in low catch limits during the 10-year rebuilding period.

The Council initially considered a higher fishing mortality rate of 0.121 for Gulf of Maine cod as recommended by its Groundfish Committee. However, the higher rate, while still extremely restrictive, resulted in a lower probability of stock rebuilding during the 10-year period and led to higher catch limits.

After fully debating the best course forward, the Council agreed by consensus to adopt the lower fishing mortality rate to offer more protection for Gulf of Maine cod and give the stock a better chance of rebuilding.

This new rebuilding plan will not change the 551 metric ton (mt) acceptable biological catch (ABC) that the Council adopted for fishing years 2023 and 2024. Allocations to the fishery will be based on these existing ABC values, which the Council supported in part because of uncertainty over stock projections. Also, the 551 mt ABCs will promote stock rebuilding since they are lower than they would be if calculated under the new fishing mortality rate in the rebuilding plan.

The rebuilding plan will begin in 2024 and remain in place for 10 years unless the Council is notified by NOAA Fisheries that Gulf of Maine cod is rebuilt or the plan is modified.

Read the full release here

Vacancy Announcement: NEFMC Seeks Fishery Specialist; Apply by August 23, 2022

August 3, 2022 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) seeks candidates for the position of Fishery Specialist. This is a highly visible, demanding position. The specialist will assist in the preparation of fishery management plans, which requires a broad range of technical and communications skills.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  The application deadline for this position is Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Assist in the preparation of documents, including Environmental Impact Statements for fishery management plans/amendments and other related documents.
  • Compile and objectively analyze fisheries, environmental, biological, socio-economic, or other technical data using appropriate database and statistical analysis software.
  • Prepare meeting summaries and assist in the conduct of public meetings.
  • Develop analyses of fishery management alternatives.
  • Communicate management concepts effectively to decision-makers and the public.
  • Work collaboratively with other fisheries scientists, economists, and social scientists.
  • Conduct other tasks as assigned.

IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR THE POSITION

  • Positivity
  • Leadership
  • Integrity
  • Ability to maintain healthy, positive working relationships with colleagues during times of pressure
  • Flexibility in dealing with unanticipated challenges
  • Ability to help manage multiple work streams simultaneously
  • Ability to continuously foster team cohesion and collaboration

Further details about the work environment, professional qualifications, minimum educational requirements, analytical skills, communication skills, and the application process are available in the Vacancy Announcement.

Council Discusses Climate Change, Research Priorities, EBFM, Sturgeon, Right Whales, and Equity & Environmental Justice

July 14, 2022 — The New England Fishery Management Council met June 28-30, 2022 and received numerous updates over the course of its three-day hybrid meeting in Portland, Maine. Here are a few of the highlights.

CLIMATE CHANGE: The Council received a presentation from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center on the Draft Northeast Climate Regional Action Plan, which is out for public comment through July 29, 2022. Version 1 of the plan was in place from 2016 to 2021. The current draft – Version 2 – will be used by NOAA Fisheries to implement the agency’s Climate Science Strategy in 2022-2024. The document contains information on warming ocean temperatures (see graphic at right) and much more. The Council received input from its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) on the draft action plan and will be submitting its own written comments in advance of the deadline.

The Council also received a progress report on the East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning initiative. The overarching questions are:

• How might climate change affect stock availability and distribution, as well as other aspects of East Coast marine fisheries, over the next 20 years; and

• What does this mean for effective future governance and management across multiple jurisdictions? What tools are needed to provide flexible and robust management strategies to address uncertainty in an era of climate change?

The Core Team working on this initiative hosted a June 21-23, 2022 Scenario Creation Workshop where participants developed scenarios or stories describing eight alternative futures under climate change. Next, the Core Team will review and edit inputs from the workshop to create a draft set of scenarios for further discussion and feedback during three scenario deepening webinars in mid-August. These webinars will be open to the public. The Council will have an in-depth discussion of the scenarios during its September 27-29, 2022 meeting and provide feedback to the Core Team on next steps.

Read the full release here

Atlantic Herring: Council Receives Update on 2023-2025 Specs; Discusses Status of Framework 7, Industry-Funded Monitoring

July 12, 2022 — The New England Fishery Management Council covered three issues related to Atlantic herring when it met June 28-30, 2022 for a hybrid meeting in Portland, Maine.

SPECIFICATIONS: The Council received a brief update on 2023-2025 herring specifications, which are under development. The Herring Plan Development Team (PDT) is working on the action, and the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee will develop the overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations at an August 4, 2022 meeting. The annual catch limit (ACL), area-specific sub-ACLs, and other fishery specifications will flow from the ABC. The Herring Advisory Panel and Herring Committee will meet later this summer to review the specifications and recommend preferred alternatives for Council consideration. The Council will take final action during its September 27-29, 2022 meeting.

The specifications will be informed by the peer reviewed results of the June 2022 Herring Management Track Assessment, which was conducted immediately preceding the start of the Council meeting. Herring was last assessed in 2020 and was determined to be overfished, although overfishing was not occurring. Results from the new 2022 assessment are being finalized, but it does not appear the status of the resource has changed much from the previous assessment.

Read the full release here

 

Scallops: Council Initiates New Framework; Approves 2023-2024 Research-Set Aside Program Priorities

July 1, 2022 — During its June 28-30, 2022 hybrid meeting in Portland, ME, the New England Fishery Management Council initiated a new framework adjustment to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The framework will include specifications for the 2023 scallop fishing year, default specifications for 2024, and other measures. Work on this action – Framework 36 – will continue throughout the summer and fall and address recommendations from the final report on the evaluation of rotational management. The Council will receive an update on Framework 35 in September, and final action is scheduled for December.

RSA PRIORITIES: The Council also approved 2023-2024 priorities for the Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. Once again, the Council selected scallop resource surveys as its highest priority. These industry- based surveys provide important data on scallop length frequencies, abundance, and biomass that directly feed into the Scallop Plan Development Team’s work to develop annual specifications for the fishery. RSA surveys primarily support the fishery’s annual management and science needs.

The Council adopted six “medium priority” research categories – all of which were equally ranked – and two additional priorities under “general research” that also were equally ranked.

Read the full release from the NEFMC