Saving Seafood

New England council votes to increase scallop catch allowance for 2016

December 11, 2015 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) has elected to increase fishing days at sea for the 2016/17 scallop season.

Total landings are projected to increase on the 2015/16 season, to around 47 million pounds, NEFMC told Undercurrent News.

The council chose its final preferred recommendations for ‘framework 27’, the sea scallop management plan, at its December meeting.

Days at sea have been recommended at slightly higher levels for next year — 34.55 compared to 31, per full-time vessel, this year, while the level of catch from access areas is the same as in 2015: 51,000 pounds per full-time vessel, or about 17 million pounds in total.

All limited access trips were assigned to the Mid-Atlantic access areas. The general category individual fishing quota increased from about 3m pounds this year to about 4.5m pounds.

If approved, they will be allowed to take about 1.5m pounds of that total from access areas, mostly the Mid-Atlantic access area, and around 300,000 pounds were made available from the northern part of Nantucket Lightship.

These remain recommendations; they still need to be approved. The National Marine Fisheries Service will publish a proposed rule in several months with what it plans to implement, before taking public comment and then publishing a final rule.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Fishermen say lack of moorings could disrupt Maine scallops

December 5, 2015 — Fishermen in Maine’s lucrative scallop fishery say this year’s season could be disrupted somewhat by a lack of mooring space in one of the state’s most important fishing grounds.

Maine scallops were worth nearly $7.5 million in 2014 – the most in more than 20 years and by far the most since the industry recovered from a near-collapse in the mid-2000s. The richest scallop fishing grounds in the state are in Cobscook Bay on the northeastern coast, an area that fishermen said suffers from a lack of places to tie boats this year.

The collapse of the Eastport breakwater, which also damaged docked scalloping boats, contributed to the lack of space, scallop fisherman Alex Todd said. The loss of space in Eastport led to residual lack of moorings in nearby communities, he said.

However, Todd said he still expects a productive season, as Maine scallops have sold for high prices in recent years. The scallops, which are prized in the culinary world, sold for nearly $13 per pound at the dock last year, slightly edging the much larger Massachusetts fleet for the highest price per pound among states with a significant scallop fishery.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

 

MAINE: Industry confronts access issues as scallop season opens

December 1, 2015 — ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Maine scallop fishery opened Tuesday morning, with predictions that the boat price will be high, the season short and the pressure to let more people into the fishery intense.

Last week, Trisha Cheney, the Department of Marine Resources’ scallop resource coordinator, hosted an outreach meeting in Ellsworth to give industry members a heads-up about what to expect for the coming season and to hear their concerns about the fishery and the way it is managed by DMR.

The department is in the midst of developing a formal fishery management plan for scallops, but no draft will be available for industry review any time soon. In the near term, and of more immediate interest, Cheney said Downeast harvesters are likely facing “a lean season,” especially in Zone 2, which covers the waters from roughly the middle of Penobscot Bay eastward to Lubec.

This season, harvesters will have access to seven areas in Zone 2 that have closed to scalloping under the state’s 10-year rotational management program. Encompassing locations in and around Machias Bay, Wohoa Bay and Western bays, Gouldsboro and Dyer bays, upper Blue Hill Bay and the Union River, eastern Eggemoggin Reach and Southeast Harbor on Deer Isle, lower Jericho Bay and, finally, lower Penobscot Bay and the outer islands seaward of North Haven, the newly opened areas were closed for just one season. As a result, these areas have had less time during which the scallop resource would be undisturbed and allowed to rebuild.In 2014, scallop landings totaled 584,172 meat pounds (without the shell) compared to just 33,141 pounds in 2005. Value jumped from a low of $272,703 in 2005 to $7,464,690 in 2014. Because each scallop season extends over parts of two calendar years, the 2014 numbers reflect landings for the period January through April and the month of December. In recent years, DMR has frequently closed the fishery by the end of March.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

Maine scallop fishermen to get ready for season amid cuts

November 12, 2015 — MACHIAS, Maine (AP) — Maine fishing regulators are meeting with scallop fishermen around the state as they get ready for the 2015-16 season amid some cutbacks.

The state approved a proposal to cut back the number of scalloping days in the southern scalloping zone from 70 to 60. The upcoming season begins in early December and ends in mid-April. It’s happening in a time of record high prices for Maine scallops, which are typically more expensive per pound than others.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at WCSH6

 

From croaker to clams: Commercial fishing in Ocean City

November 8, 2015 — Ocean City is home to a substantial commercial fishing fleet that works our surrounding waters to harvest marketable resources from clams to swordfish.

Visitors to the resort can see the commercial boats tied up at the West Ocean City harbor and some might wonder what they fish for and how. The following is a short description of a few of the commercial fishing operations that go on around Ocean City.

Local “trawlers” are typically large steel or wood hulled fishing boats that pull trawl nets across the bottom and catch a variety of fish such as flounder, striped bass, croaker, sharks, bluefish, squid, rays, horseshoe crabs and anything else they might scoop up in their net. Also known as “draggers,” these boats can sometimes be seen working the waters just a mile or two from the beach.

Another type of trawler sometimes seen by fishermen 30-40 miles offshore are those that drag nets for scallops which are clam-like critters that lay on top of the sea floor. As soon as the scallops are brought up on deck they’re taken to a little shucking shed on the stern or side of the boat, where they’re opened and the edible meat removed.

Clams are caught both offshore and in the bay. The big, chowder-type clams are taken in the ocean by huge steel-hulled boats that pull a large metal dredge across the bottom. Water is pumped down from the boat to the front of the dredge and used to blast away the mud and sand the clams are buried in, and then the dredge scoops them up.

Read the full story at Delmarva Now

 

First day of Peconic Bay scallop season ‘not so good,’ according to fishermen, shop owner

November 2, 2015 — It’s the day North Forkers wait for all year — the first day of Peconic Bay scallop season, when dinner means delectable, sweet scallops, sauteed with butter and a hint of lemon — the day that can mean a booming season for fishermen, or a disappointing bust.

Unfortunately, according to fishermen and fish store owners, today’s first day signaled a disheartening kickoff to the season.

“It was okay,” said Andrew Myslborski, who set off with high hopes soon dashed this morning. He returned home with 11 bushels, less than last year. “It wasn’t a banner year like last year,” he said.

When asked what he thought the reasons might be, Myslborski shook his head. “It’s just nature,” he said. “We were very lucky last year. But it is what it is.”

Charles Manwaring, owner of the Southold Fish Market, agreed. The first day, he said, was “not so good. Not as good as last year.”

Read the full story at Southold Local

 

Like a Scallop in the Headlights

October 29, 2015 — Scallops, like deer, freeze in the headlights. A blast of artificial light causes scallops to refuse to swim. It’s an unusual reaction, given that marine creatures generally either flock to the light, like moths, or scurry from the intrusion. Understanding this odd behavior might help governments take better care of scallop fisheries.

Liese Siemann, a research biologist at the Coonamessett Farm Foundation in Massachusetts, discovered the mollusks’ motionlessness by accident while watching videos of Atlantic sea scallops off the east coast of Long Island, New York. Traditionally, scientists survey scallop fishing grounds by dredging—scooping creatures from the seafloor to count them. But Siemann and her team were testing video survey equipment, trawling a camera through the sea. She says video surveys are safer for protected species or in protected areas, and are becoming more common.

Looking at the footage, Siemann noticed that when the camera’s light was off, scallops swam away as the sled approached. But when the camera’s light was switched on, the scallops seemed to stay put. Scallops aren’t the most mobile animals, but they can swim a few meters at a time by opening and closing their shells. They can also spin around, jump, and flip over if they get turned upside down.

Read the full story at Hakai Magazine

 

US scallop prices only expected to rise with no supply relief in sight

October 27, 2015 — As landings continue to come in a little shorter than had been predicted for 2015, US sources see no easing in prices for domestic scallops, which are back up near the all-time high levels seen before this fishing season began.

The agreed outlook is for prices to remain where they are now, with limited landings expected between now and Christmas, when demand traditionally picks up from October.

One executive with a scallop catching firm told Undercurrent News that boats landing in Newport News, Virginia, last week, saw U12s earn $15.75 per pound to the boat, and as much as $16 a few days later.

10/20s sold for $12.03 – $12.05. A second source, also operating out of Newport News, confirmed the largest sizes were going in the $16 range. He put 10/20s in the high $11 area, and in the low to mid $12 too. Both sources added these were typical of recent developments, and that they expected prices to remain similar for the rest of 2015.

Meanwhile David Cournoyer, general manager of Marder Trading in New Bedford, Massachusetts, put prices for fresh, dry U10s at $17.50 to the boat, $18- 18.50 sold on the street.

10/20s were $14 sold on the street, give or take 40 cents, he told Undercurrent.

“October demand was down, as it generally is this time of year. Demand tends to increase in November, December, and early January usually.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

September/October 2015 NEFMC Newsletter

October 22, 2015 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The Council Report summarizes major actions approved at NEFMC meetings or highlights items of interest to interested parties.

At its September 29-Oct 1, 2015 meeting in Plymouth, MA, the Council:

  • Approved Amendment 18 to the Groundfish Plan
  • Refined elements of Framework 55 (annual groundfish specs)
  • Approved the 2016- 2018 Atlantic herring specifications
  • Selected preferred alternatives for Scallop Amendment 19 and reviewed information related to Framework 27
  • Modified the red hake specifications
  • Initiated frameworks for the Skate Complex FMP and Habitat Amendment

If you would like to receive notices for committee meetings and other types of Council information via email, please click on Subscribe at the top of the homepage and receive e-notices.

View a PDF of the NEFMC Newsletter

MAINE: DMR approves reduction to scallop fishing days

October 21, 2015 — Scallop fishers in parts of Maine will have fewer days to do their job this season compared to last year.

The Department of Marine Resources has voted in favor of a 10-day reduction for the upcoming season. Scallop season runs from early December to mid-April, at a time when lobster fishing is not as lucrative.

The area that will see a change this year, called Zone 1, runs from New Hampshire to the Penobscot River. Last season, scallop fishing in that zone was allowed on 70 days. This season, it’ll only be allowed on 60.

Read the full story at WCSH6 Portland