April 19, 2016 — Sustainability has been a constant concern within the omega-3s industry. While questions remain, the general consensus is that the fisheries that supply most of the world’s servings of long chain fatty acids are in good condition and are well managed.
Journey to Sustainable Fisheries – 40 Years Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act
April 14 2016 — How did the United States get to where it is today with sustainable fisheries? Through 40 years of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
On April 13, 1976, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was signed into law, and since then it has remained the primary law governing our fisheries.
Andy Mays Honored with Maine DMR Award of Excellence
March 14, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:
Andy Mays a scalloper and lobster fisherman from Southwest Harbor has received the first annual Maine Department of Marine Resources Award of Excellence. The award, presented by DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher during the Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport, recognizes industry members who participate with the Department to ensure a sustainable future for Maine’s commercial fisheries. Mays was honored for his long-term service on DMR advisory councils.
“Through his work on DMR advisory councils over the years, Andy has set an exemplary standard of engagement and active participation for industry. As Commissioner I have come to rely on Andy for his informed, colorfully blunt and straightforward opinions and ideas. His advice and input is always a welcome and valuable contribution to the fisheries management process. There is no one more deserving of this first annual award.”
(Caption: Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher presents Andy Mays of Southwest Harbor with the first annual Award of Excellence. Photo courtesy of Mark Russell Photography)
ASMFC Releases 2015 Annual Report
March 2, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is pleased to provide you with our 2015 Annual Report, http://www.asmfc.org/files/pub/ASMFC_AnnualReport_2015.pdf. It describes the Commission’s activities and progress in carrying out our public trust responsibilities for the valuable marine fisheries under Commission stewardship. Included in this report are figures displaying the historical trends in stock status or landings for each species managed by the Commission. Also provided is a summary of the significant management actions Commissioners took in 2015 to maintain and restore the abundance of Commission managed species.
This report reflects our Commissioners’ commitment to accountability and transparency in all they do to manage and rebuild stocks under their care. We hope that you will find the information contained within this report useful and interesting.
Can the Market Save the World’s Fisheries?
March 1, 2016 — A new plan to save the ocean is coming from somewhere surprising: Wall Street. An investment firm thinks they can nurture sustainable fisheries in developing countries and make a buck at the same time. Some are calling it a big deal. Others think they’re naive.
The reality is, fish are in bad shape. The United Nations says about 30 percent of world fish stocks are being harvested at an unsustainable pace. Some researchers think that figure is as high as 45 percent.
Efforts to rebuild fish populations—mostly in the past half-century—have had some successes. But just as often, efforts to manage fish stocks sustainably fail because money and political will dry up, laws aren’t enforced, or fisheries managers are simply overwhelmed by the complexity of an ecosystem.
A firm called Encourage Capital thinks they have an approach that can succeed. The firm’s particular brand of investing is about trying to encourage positive social or environmental changes through targeted capital investments.
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s philanthropic organization and the Rockefeller Foundation tapped Encourage to develop an investment strategy as part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans initiative.
Please Comment on the NOAA Fisheries Draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy
March 1, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Recently, we released a draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy for your review and comment.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to reducing bycatch in U.S. fisheries to ensure our fisheries remain sustainable and protected species are given their best chance to recover.
We created the strategy to better align our resources and authorities to track and minimize bycatch by encouraging cooperation and innovation. This draft was informed by the many groups and individuals who provided feedback during the scoping period this past summer.
You are invited to join us for either of two informational webinars on March 1 and March 2. You will find the draft strategy and other helpful materials that explain more about NOAA Fisheries’ role in reducing bycatch on our website.
The comment period is open through June 3. Please submit your comments via email to nmfs.bycatch@noaa.gov
We welcome your feedback and ideas for improving the policy.
Vietnam Shrimp Farmers Suffer from Uncontrolled Expansion, Gov’t Vows Enforcement on Antibiotics
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [ Vietnam News Brief Service] January 5, 2016 — Authorities in the Mekong Delta, the biggest aquatic pond in Vietnam, are striving to tighten control over local shrimp farming toward sustainable way amid rising concerns on antibiotics contamination, disease outbreak and polluted environment.
Tran Quoc Tuan, director of the Industry and Trade Department of Tra Vinh province, said he supported efforts to tighten the management of antibiotic use in shrimp farming and boost dissemination of information to farmers and processing companies.
He said state management agencies still have to make farmers aware of the risks, and companies must change their way of doing business by co-operating with farmers to build clean material areas. In doing so, the seed, farming methods, feeding and medicines will be strictly controlled in order to produce quality products, he said.
Profitable shrimp farming produced a rapid transformation in the quality of life for Vietnamese people in the Mekong Delta region, but the unplanned expansion in production has also had negative effects on the environment and domestic shrimp trade.
Due to its favorable natural conditions, farmers in coastal communes of many Vietnamese southern provinces started to switch from rice cultivation to shrimp farming 15 years ago. The rapid success and high income that the industry ushered in pushed many local people to invest in this sector.
Due to attractive profits, farmers in other areas of unfavorable natural conditions also did whatever it took to raise shrimp. Farmers spontaneously drilled wells to bring in salt water and made ponds to raise shrimp.
The rapid growth of shrimp farming and poor infrastructure has led to disease outbreaks, massive shrimp death and huge losses for farmers in many places.
Many farmers in Ben Tre, Bac Lieu, Kien Giang and Tra Vinh have been forced to give up shrimp farming as shrimp disease broke out.
Meanwhile, a large volume of Vietnamese seafood, including shrimp, has been rejected by importing countries. According to statistics of relevant agencies, in the last two years, 32,000 tons of Vietnamese seafood, mainly shrimp were not allowed to enter foreign markets because of antibiotic contamination.
In the first nine months of 2015, 38 foreign countries returned 582 batches of seafood products to Vietnamese providers for the same reason, stating that they would tighten the inspection of shrimp shipments from Vietnam.
There are various types of antibiotics displayed for sale, but farmers are mostly unaware of their toxicological effects. On the other hand, processing factories keep buying shrimp without proper inspection, so farmers become negligent in utilizing antibiotics.
This opinion piece originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.
Seafood Restaurants Cast a Wider Net for Sustainable Fish
December 22, 2015 — Michael Chernow doesn’t want people to step inside Seamore’s, his fish-fixated restaurant on the rim of Little Italy, worrying that they’re about to get a heap of science homework dumped onto the table.
“Our goal is not to say: ‘Welcome to Seamore’s School. We’re going to teach you all about sustainable fish,’” said Mr. Chernow, who is also one of the entrepreneurs behind the Meatball Shop chain.
But there is a blackboard. Labeled “Daily Landings,” it covers a wall of the restaurant, operating as a shortcut syllabus for anyone who wants to learn not only what fish are being cooked in the kitchen at Seamore’s, but also what species have been deliciously available for human consumption for centuries: dogfish, tilefish, Acadian redfish, porgy, hake, cusk, striped black mullet.
“Once they see the board, everybody gets pumped,” Mr. Chernow said. “‘Wow, look at all these fish, and I’ve never tasted them before.’”
Over the last decade or so, restaurant diners in this country have become more sophisticated about, and open to, ingredients that used to throw them for a loop: bone marrow, pork belly, sunchokes, orange wine, the ubiquitous kale.
Read the full story at The New York Times
Sen. Maria Cantwell Secures Key Provisions to Protect Pacific Northwest Seafood
December 15, 2015 — The following was released by the Office of Senator Maria Cantwell:
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell today announced that her bipartisan bill—which will change the market name of “Alaska pollock” to “pollock”—will be included in the Congressional spending bill, also known as the ‘omnibus.’ The bill will legally change the acceptable market name essentially outlawing Pollock harvested in Russia from being passed off as “Alaskan Pollock” in the supermarket. Representative Jamie Herrera Butler (WA-3) sponsored the bill in the House.
In 2012, 113 million pounds of Russian Pollock—which is less sustainable and lower quality than pollock from Alaskan fisheries—was sold to U.S. consumers as “Alaska pollock.”
“Alaskan pollock is one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world,” said Cantwell, a senior member of the Commerce Committee, “And American consumers deserve to know whether they are purchasing this high quality product or a cheap alternative with a misleading label. By changing the acceptable market name to pollock, it will be illegal to label pollock caught in Russia, as Alaskan. Americans will be able to shop with confidence, knowing that they are buying the real thing and not a knock–off.”
The Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) supports these efforts and have previously cited several reasons for the requested change:
• The use of “Alaska pollock” as an acceptable market name is misleading to consumers;
•“Alaska pollock” is understood by consumers to connote a geographic origin, not a particular kind of food from any geographic origin;
• The use of “Alaska pollock” as an acceptable market name is inconsistent with other similar fish species; and
• U.S. government programs support other efforts to provide accurate information to consumers about the seafood they purchase.
NOAA Awards Funding for Research Projects to Study Climate Impacts on Fish and Fisheries
December 15, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Seven projects to increase understanding and response to climate-related impacts on living marine resources
Following release of the NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy, today the agency announced $5 million in new research funding to study the impacts of climate change on fish and fisheries of the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem. The funds, which will be distributed over the next two to three years, will support seven new projects designed to increase our understanding of how climate change can affect fish stocks, fisheries, and the communities that depend on them for their livelihood.
“Warmer coastal and ocean waters and ocean acidification are already affecting our nation’s fisheries,” said NOAA Fisheries chief science advisor Richard Merrick, Ph.D. “NOAA is working to ensure the resilience of healthy, productive fisheries that are essential to U.S. coastal communities. Sustainable fisheries create jobs, stabilize coastal economies, enhance commerce, and help to meet the growing demand for seafood.”
NOAA Research’s Climate Program Office and NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology funded the projects through a competitive process and include collaborations between NOAA and academic scientists. In addition, these projects support the Administration’s Priority Agenda for Enhancing the Climate Resiliency of America’s Natural Resources.
Six projects support research to understand and respond to climate impacts on fish and fisheries in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem and the seventh will support a workshop focused on ecosystem tipping points in the North Pacific.
More details on the listed projects can be found on the following web pages:
NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology
NOAA Research Climate Program Office
