August 2, 2017 — PORTLAND, Maine — An interstate panel that manages fisheries voted on Tuesday against a plan to try to preserve the declining southern New England lobster population with new fishing restrictions.
Trump Administration Decision Signals Possible Shift In Fishing Regulations
August 1, 2017 — When it comes to regulatory issues, the fishing industry often finds itself facing off against environmentalists. And some recent moves by the Trump administration seem to be leaning more in the direction of siding with fishermen.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the regulatory body that sets the rules for the fishing industry, is meeting this week, and one of the topics of conversation is a recent decision regarding fishing in New Jersey.
The ASMFC said the population of summer flounder – also known as fluke –has been declining since 2010 and is at serious risk. So the commission reduced limits on how much could be caught. New Jersey came up with alternative plan which the state asserted would protect the fish, while still allowing more fishing. But the fisheries commission rejected the New Jersey plan, saying too many fish would be caught, and that it would be bad for the population.
Ordinarily, the federal government listens to the commission’s recommendations. But last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce rejected its recommendation, allowing New Jersey to go ahead with its plan. The ASMFC says this is the first time since passage of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act in 1993 and the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act in 1984 that the secretary of commerce rejected a noncompliance recommendation by the commission.
“I do think it’s healthy for the administration to not simply rubber stamp everything that is done by these commissions, but rather have an actual role in it,” said Bob Vanasse, executive director of an industry group called Saving Seafood. “And I do think that elections matter,” he said.
Vanasse said this is an example of Trump administration listening to the fishing industry.
“I think there’s definitely been a shift in how the commercial fishing industry, how their issues are being addressed by this administration,” he said. “And I think, frankly, it’s a mistake to think it’s some kind of right-wing, Trump administration, erroneous action. I think it’s actually, overall, positive.”
Vanasse said another example of that positive impact is the federal review that’s happening now of national monuments, including Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which is about 130 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. The Obama administration designated it an offshore monument near the end of his presidency, closing it off to a lot of fishermen.
Vanasse said the Trump administration’s review of that monument designation is an example of something that’s being handled responsibly by people who have careers in this area — not just political appointees.
Gulf Seafood Leaders Find Aquaculture Doable in Gulf of Mexico
August 1, 2017 — Growing shell and finfish in an aquaculture setting is certainly doable in the Gulf of Mexico according to Sebastian Belle, Executive Director of the Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA). The association recently hosted 20 members of the Gulf seafood community who ventured to the Pine Tree State to examine its innovative aquaculture program.
The tour, organized by the Gulf Seafood Institute and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was designed to showcase the success of Maine’s 40-year-old aquaculture program and give Gulf visitors new insights.
In 2016, NOAA filed a final rule implementing the nation’s first comprehensive regulatory program for aquaculture in federal waters. The rule allowed for the establishment of a regional permitting process to manage the development of an environmentally sound and economically sustainable aquaculture industry in federal waters of the Gulf.
Throughout the process, NOAA Fisheries has worked with stakeholders to address questions and help policy makers understand the challenges and opportunities in aquaculture. By traveling to Maine, Gulf of Mexico fishermen, scientists and state officials were able to explore real-world examples of successful aquaculture companies and seafood farmers and have meaningful discussions with researchers, policy makers and growers.
NEFMC Chairman Testifies Tuesday in D.C.
August 1, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — John Quinn will appear in front of the U.S. Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard as a representative of the nation’s fisheries on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Washington D.C.
The Director of Public Interest Law Program at UMass Law School in Dartmouth is also the chairman of the New England Fishery Management Council and the national chair of the Council Coordinating Committee.
The hearing is the first in a series to examine the nation’s fishery laws and the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which is discussed about every decade. The second is scheduled for Aug. 23 in Alaska.
MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Announces Premiere of Film
August 1, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:
The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce the world premiere of Finest Kind: The New Bedford Fishing Industry on Sunday, August 13th at 7:00 p.m. The screening will be held at Greasy Luck Brewery located at 791 Purchase Street, New Bedford. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to purchase a meal before the screening. The film will begin at 7:00 p.m. followed by a facilitated discussion with some of those featured in the film and director Kevin Kertscher. Free parking is available on the street. The venue is wheelchair accessible. The screening is presented free of charge.
A year in the making, this original documentary was produced by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. Written and directed by Kevin Kertscher of Big Ocean Media, the film interweaves interviews, historic and contemporary footage, and photographs to provide a sense of the rich history and culture of the New Bedford/Fairhaven fishing industry. The expression “Finest Kind” was commonly used in New England fishing communities to mean “the best”. To view a trailer, click here.
The film was made possible with funding from a Maritime Heritage Grant provided by the National Park Service. Beginning in mid-August, the film will be shown regularly at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center as well as at the National Park Visitor Center and the Waterfront Visitor Center. Copies of the film will also be made available to local libraries and schools.
The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. For more information visit www.fishingheritagecenter.org.
MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center presents Nautical Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them: Portraits by Phil Mello
August 1, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:
The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce the opening of Nautical Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them: Portraits by Phil Mello. An opening reception will take place on August 10, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. during AHA. The exhibit will run until October 1, 2017. During the 2015 Working Waterfront Festival’s Nautical Tattoo Contest, contestants and attendees had the opportunity to have their portraits taken by Phil Mello and the story of their tattoo recorded. This exhibit showcases these images and stories.
There is a long history of tattoos in the maritime world dating back to the age of sail. The symbolism of many images is part of the tradition for those who have a connection to the sea. More than just beautiful artistry, tattoos often hold deep meaning for those they adorn. A tattoo can be a talisman or commemorate an important event or person. It can serve as a reminder of what has been or reflect an aspiration for the future.
In the commercial fishing community, tattoos often pay tribute to family or friends lost at sea or pledge loyalty to those left on shore. Some portray real or mythical sea creatures and others illustrate a person’s character traits or work history.
The exhibit is sponsored by New Bedford Tattoo Company and is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, Community Economic Development Center, and the Working Waterfront Festival.
The Center is open Thursday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. Located at 38 Bethel Street in the heart of the National Park, the Center is wheelchair accessible with free off-street parking.
The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. For more information, please email programs@fishingheritagecenter.org or call (508) 993-8894.
Study tracks great white sharks off Maine coast
A UNE professor joins Massachusetts researchers in examining patterns of a population likely to proliferate in the Gulf of Maine.
July 31, 2017 — Marine biologists are embarking on the first study dedicated to learning about the habits of great white sharks off the coast of southern Maine, where the scientists say the fishes’ population is likely to increase.
University of New England professor James Sulikowski will collaborate with Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries to see how often the sharks come near the coast.
Great white sharks are the world’s largest predatory fish. Known for their powerful jaws and serrated teeth, they can grow to more than 20 feet and 4,000 pounds.
They have been protected from harvesting in U.S. waters since 1991. Skomal said the shark population has been rebounding since.
“We definitely believe the entire East Coast population is increasing and that we are likely to see white sharks in the Gulf of Maine increasing,” he said.
NH fisherman takes $700-a-day mandate to have federal agent aboard to Supreme Court
July 31, 2017 — HAMPTON, N.H. — A commercial fisherman who is suing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over its at-sea monitoring program is hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court will hear his case on its merits.
David Goethel, of Hampton, who filed his original suit against the federal government in 2015, has been joined in his efforts by the Northeast Fisheries Sector 13. They represent fishermen from Massachusetts to North Carolina.
Cause of Action Institute, a nonprofit oversight group advocating for economic freedom and individual opportunity in Washington, D.C., is funding the lawsuit. Goethel said their support is evening the playing field for small commercial fishermen who are being forced to pay about $700 per day for at-sea monitors under current regulations.
“We simply just don’t have the money to play in these arenas,” Goethel said Friday.
Lawyers submitted their petition to the Supreme Court earlier this month. It calls for the court to reverse rulings about a 30-day statute of limitations for challenges, but at its heart, Goethel is asking for the case to be heard on its merits.
Goethel said he believes it is illegal for NOAA to require commercial fishermen to pay for at-sea monitors, when NOAA mandates them. NOAA has paid for the monitors on and off in the past, when they can find the money, Goethel said.
New rules to help southern New England lobsters up for vote
July 31, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — A plan to try to slow the decline of southern New England’s lobster population with new fishing restrictions is up for a potential final vote this week.
The population of lobsters off Connecticut, Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts has plummeted in recent years. The regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering a host of new restrictions about lobster fishing at a meeting on Tuesday.
Proposed management tools have included changes to legal harvesting size, reductions to the number of traps and seasonal closures to fishing areas.
U.S. Senate Takes Up Fisheries Reform
Rep. Frank Pallone and Sen. Bob Menendez make the rounds in Atlantic Highlands talking with recreational fishermen, while back in DC their fellow congressmen are tackling fisheries reform.
July 31, 2017 — U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, will convene a hearing on the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 1.
This hearing is the first in a series of Senate hearings to examine the state of our nation’s fishery laws and guide the reauthorization of our federal fisheries law. Witnesses slated to testify include Dr. John Quinn, chairman of the New England Fishery Management Council Chairman, and Christopher Oliver, newly appointed Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
In early July, the recreational fishing and boating community praised the Senate introduction of the Modern Fish Act by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Brian Schatz (D-HI), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). Supported by the American Sportfishing Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Recreational Fishing Alliance, Coastal Conservation Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, International Game Fish Association and other groups, the new bill in the U.S. Senate (S.1520) would improve public access to America’s federal waters, promote conservation of our natural marine resources and spur economic growth within the recreational fishing community.
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