FishNews - December 5, 2011

WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

International – U.S. Delegation Makes Significant Progress at Annual ICCAT Meeting

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) made significant progress on key U.S. priorities to improve science, management of fish stocks and their ecosystems, monitoring of fishing activities, and compliance with commission decisions at their recent annual meeting in Turkey. U.S. stakeholders, including fishermen, will benefit from the actions that ICCAT has taken:      • The U.S. delegation was able to preserve the current North Atlantic swordfish annual quota of 3,907 metric tons for U.S. fishermen, recognizing the sacrifices of U.S. fishermen to help rebuild swordfish and helping the industry continue on its economic rebuilding path.      • ICCAT agreed to expand a time/area closure in the Gulf of Guinea off Africa to protect young bigeye and yellowfin tunas and to strengthen monitoring and control measures in the fishery. As these fish grow, they travel across the Atlantic Ocean where they are important to U.S. recreational and commercial fishermen. Although the U.S. believes that ICCAT needs to do more with respect to these stocks, they are moving in the right direction.      • ICCAT continued its efforts to protect vulnerable species of sharks in adopting a measure co-sponsored by the U.S. to require release of silky sharks, a vulnerable species, in ICCAT fisheries, with a limited exception for developing nations that depend on these sharks for food. The U.S. hopes that next year ICCAT can make more progress on measures to protect porbeagle sharks and to require that all sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached, measures that the commission was unable to agree on this year.      • ICCAT advanced the U.S.-promoted plan to adopt electronic, real-time tracking of Atlantic bluefin tuna from the landing through international trade, a measure that will help prevent fraud and reduce the burden of the existing paper-based system.      • ICCAT adopted conservation and management measures for blue and white marlins, bycatch reporting, and the protection of seabirds.      • ICCAT adopted several measures to help combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, allowing for smaller vessels to be listed on IUU vessel lists and requiring greater transparency on bi-national fishing agreements to help improve catch reporting.      • Several measures were adopted to strengthen the link between scientific advice and management, which build on efforts to ensure that ICCAT applies a precautionary form of management that takes uncertainty into account. Read more

National - Fishermen 'Get Smart' about Reducing Bycatch

On November 17, 2011, NOAA presented the Grand Prize at World Wildlife Fund's 2011 International Smart Gear Competition in Seattle, WA. The competition recognized three fishing devices – including two from U.S. teams – that save lives of seabirds, fish, turtles, and other marine life. The biennial Smart Gear competition seeks innovative, environmentally friendly ways to reduce the amount of fisheries bycatch. The science and innovation that define this competition and others like it, is a high priority for NOAA Fisheries because bycatch contributes to overfishing and declining marine ecosystem health and endangers food security around the world. NOAA helps fund and further develop winning gear so they may be adopted quickly by fishermen. This year's $30,000 grand prize was awarded to Kazuhiro Yamazaki, a captain on a Japanese tuna vessel. Mr. Yamazaki also received a special tuna prize of $7,500 offered by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) for his idea, which would reduce the amount of bycatch occurring in tuna fisheries. The 2011 International Smart Gear Competition also offered two $10,000 runner-up prizes. The runner-up prizes were awarded to a team from Florida that developed a device to reduce fishing mortality in recreational fisheries and a team from San Diego that developed gear that will reduce the bycatch of sea turtles. Read more

National – NOAA Fisheries Publishes Final List of Fisheries for 2012 as Required by Marine Mammal Protection Act

NOAA Fisheries recently published its final List of Fisheries for 2012, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The final list reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. NOAA Fisheries is required to classify each commercial fishery on the list into one of three categories under the Marine Mammal Protection Act based upon the level of serious injury and mortality of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The classification of a fishery in the list determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan requirements. Read more

National – NOAA Fisheries Finds that Listing Scalloped Hammerhead Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act May Be Warranted; Seeks Information and Comments for Status Review through Jan. 27

NOAA Fisheries has found that a petition to list the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini), or multiple distinct population segments of the scalloped hammerhead shark, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and to designate critical habitat concurrently with the listing, may be warranted. NOAA Fisheries will conduct a status review of the species to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, the agency is soliciting scientific and commercial information pertaining to this species from any interested party. Information and comments on the subject action must be received by January 27, 2012. Read more or submit information or comments.

Northeast – NOAA Fisheries Extends Closure of Temporary Paralytic Shellfish Poison Closure Area off the Coasts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Seeks Public Comment through Dec. 23

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined that oceanographic conditions and alga sampling data suggest that the northern section of the Temporary Paralytic Shellfish Poison Closure Area remain closed to the harvest of bivalve molluscan shellfish, with the exception of sea scallop adductor muscles harvested and shucked at sea, and that the southern area remain closed to the harvest of whole or roe-on scallops. NOAA Fisheries has issued a temporary rule extending the closure of Federal waters. Comments on the temporary rule must be received by December 23, 2011. Read more or submit a comment.

Northeast – NOAA Fisheries Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Cap on Federal Area 1 Lobster Trap Permits through Jan. 3

NOAA Fisheries is proposing new Federal American lobster regulations that would limit entry into the lobster trap fishery in Lobster Conservation Management Area 1 (Federal inshore waters-Gulf of Maine). Upon qualification, permit holders would be allowed to fish in Area 1 with up to 800 lobster traps. The proposed limited entry program responds to the recommendations for Federal action in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. Comments are due no later than 5 pm, EST on January 3, 2012. Read more or submit a comment.

Northeast – Study Suggests Changing Environmental Conditions and Predators Affect Survival of Atlantic Salmon in the Gulf of Maine

Stocks of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), which have been steadily declining for the past few decades, are facing new challenges in the Gulf of Maine, where changing spring wind patterns, warming sea surface temperatures and new predators along altered migration routes are affecting their survival. In a paper published online in the journal Fisheries Management and Ecology, Kevin Friedland, a researcher at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center, and co-authors suggest post-smolts are entering an increasingly warmer coastal ocean, where they are facing mortality risks associated with a changing climate, such as changing distributions of potential predators. The authors also suggest Gulf of Maine salmon survival during their first months at sea is related to predation, possibly by populations of silver hake, red hake and spiny dogfish increasingly found along the salmon's extended migration routes in the western Gulf of Maine. Read more

Mid-Atlantic - Teaching Kids to Save the Chesapeake Bay; New Pre-K – 12 Environmental Literacy Strategy Open for Comments through Dec. 19

Environmental education in the Chesapeake Bay watershed took another big step forward with the release of a federal pre-K–12 Environmental Literacy Strategy. The strategy is now available for informal public comment. If you have comments, suggestions, or questions, please email them to cbtraining@noaa.gov by December 19. The document was released as part of the kickoff session to the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Environmental Literacy Summit. Read more

Northeast/Southeast - Reminder on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Regulations

Recently, a New England groundfish vessel incidentally caught an 881-pound bluefin tuna in a trawl net. At the dock, an officer with the Massachusetts Environmental Police conducted a routine boarding of the vessel. Knowing that bluefin tuna are carefully monitored and regulated, the officer notified NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement that a bluefin tuna had been caught. NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement examined whether the vessel's permits allowed it to catch, retain or sell the fish. The vessel had an Atlantic Tunas General category permit, which allows it to catch bluefin tuna, but only by using handgear (such as rod and reel, handline, and harpoon). There is no permit that allows bluefin tuna to be caught with trawl nets, even incidentally. If a bluefin tuna is caught with fishing gear that is not authorized, even incidentally, the bluefin tuna must be released and cannot be retained. This is important for the long-term sustainability of the species. Fishermen with questions about bluefin tuna regulations can contact Brad McHale in NOAA's Office of Highly Migratory Species at (978) 281-9260 or by email at brad.mchale@noaa.gov. Fishermen with other questions about complying with fishing regulations can contact Don Frei in NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement at (978) 675-2198 or by email at don.frei@noaa.gov. Read more

Northeast/Southeast – NOAA Fisheries Announces Intent to Issue Exempted Fishing Permits in 2012, Seeks Public Comment through Dec. 27

NOAA Fisheries announces its intent to issue Exempted Fishing Permits, Scientific Research Permits, Display Permits, Letters of Acknowledgement, and Chartering Permits for the collection of Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) in 2012. In general, Exempted Fishing Permits and related permits would authorize collection of a limited number of tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico for scientific data collection and public display. Chartering permits allow the collection of HMS on the high seas or in the Exclusive Economic Zone of other nations. NOAA Fisheries seeks public comment on the proposed permits through 5 pm, EST, on December 27, 2011. Please send comments to Craig Cockrell, Highly Migratory Species Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. You may request permit applications and copies of the regulations pertaining these permits from this address. Comments may also be sent via facsimile (fax) to (301) 7131917 or by e-mail to HMSEFP.2012@noaa.gov. Read more

Northeast/Southeast – NOAA Fisheries Extends Public Comment Period on Shark Catch Shares, Announces Workshops

On September 16, 2011, NOAA Fisheries published a Notice of Intent, announcing the agency's intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Fishery Management Plan Amendment that would consider catch shares for the Atlantic shark fisheries. The notice also established a control date for eligibility to participate in an Atlantic shark catch share program, announced the availability of a white paper describing design elements of catch share programs in general and issues specific to the Atlantic shark fisheries, and requested public comment on the implementation of catch shares in the Atlantic shark fisheries. NOAA Fisheries is now extending the comment period for the notice to 5 p.m. on March 31, 2012 to provide additional opportunity for the five Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions, and other interested parties to comment on the notice. Written public comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2010-0188, can be submitted electronically or by mail to NMFS SF1, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. NOAA Fisheries is also holding five workshops to provide the opportunity for public comment on potential catch share design elements for the Atlantic shark fisheries: • December 6, 2011, 5:00-8:00 p.m. - Cocoa Beach Library, 550 N. Brevard Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 • December 13, 2011, 5:00-8:00 p.m. - Gulf Beaches Public Library, 200 Municipal Dr., Madeira Beach, FL 33708 • January 12, 2012, 6:00-9:00 p.m. - Barnegat Branch Library, 112 Burr St., Barnegat,NJ 08005 • January 31, 2012, 6:00-9:00 p.m. - Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037 • February 16, 2012, 5:00-8:00 p.m. - Manteo Town Hall, 407 Budleigh St., Manteo, NC 27954 Read more

Southeast – NOAA Fisheries Proposes to Implement Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit Amendment for the South Atlantic; Comments due Dec. 19

NOAA Fisheries is proposing regulations to implement the Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, the Golden Crab Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States, and the Pelagic Sargassum Habitat of the South Atlantic Region. If implemented, this rule would specify annual catch limits and accountability measures for the species within these fishery management plans. Comments on the proposed amendment are due December 19, 2011. Read more or submit a comment.

Alaska – North Pacific Fishery Management Council Submits Amendment 93 Regarding Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management in the Gulf of Alaska Pollock Fishery, Comments due Jan. 23

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 93 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. If approved, Amendment 93 would establish separate prohibited species catch limits in the Central and Western Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska for Chinook salmon. NOAA Fisheries would close the directed pollock fishery in those areas if the applicable limit is reached. This action also would require full retention of salmon in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska pollock fisheries until an observer is provided the opportunity to count the number of salmon and to collect scientific data or biological samples from the salmon. This action is necessary to minimize Chinook salmon bycatch in this pollock fishery to the extent practicable while preserving the potential for the full harvest of pollock total allowable catch within prohibited species catch limits. Comments on the amendment must be received on or before January 23, 2012. Read more or submit a comment.

Pacific Islands - Hawaii-based Shallow-Set Longline Fishery Closed November 18 through December 31, 2011

NOAA Fisheries closed Hawaii's shallow-set longline fishery north of the Equator effective 9:33 a.m. HST on November 18, 2011, to stop sea turtle interactions. The closure affects all vessels registered with Hawaii longline limited access permits and using shallow-set longline gear to target swordfish. Federal regulations limit the number of sea turtle interactions allowed in this fishery during the calendar year at 17 loggerhead turtles and 16 leatherback turtles. Information reported by NOAA Fisheries scientific observers on board the fishing vessels indicated that the fishery had reached the annual limit of 16 interactions with leatherback sea turtles triggering its closure. The fishery re-opens on January 1, 2012. Read more

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EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dec. 8: NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Pacific Fishery Management Council Host Public Webinar on Groundfish Stock Assessment Process

NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Pacific Fishery Management Council will host a webinar to review and critique its groundfish stock assessment process in 2011. The webinar is open to the public and will take place from 1 pm to 5 pm, PST on Thursday, December 8, 2011. Click here to join the online Groundfish Stock Assessment Process Review Workshop webinar from the U.S. Pacific time zone. Click here to join the online Groundfish Stock Assessment Process Review Workshop webinar from other time zones or to view the webinar in languages other than English. If requested, enter your name, email address, and the meeting number, which is 805–527–249. Click ''join'' when the login process is completed. No password is required to join the online webinar. To join only the audio, call (408) 600–3600 (note: this is not a toll-free number) and use the access code 805–527–249 when prompted. A public listening station for the webinar will also be available in the large conference room at the Council office, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220–1384; telephone: (503) 820–2280; (Driving Directions). Read more

Dec. 14: NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division to Host Workshop on New Electronic Reporting System for Atlantic Swordfish, Shark, and Tunas Dealers

On June 28, 2011, NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule that considered requiring, among other things, Federal Atlantic swordfish, shark, and tunas dealers (except for dealers reporting Atlantic bluefin tuna) to report commercially-harvested Atlantic sharks, swordfish, and bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas to NOAA Fisheries through one centralized electronic reporting system. Under this new system, dealers would submit data electronically instead of in a paper format and include additional information that is necessary for management of highly migratory species (HMS), e.g., vessel and logbook information.

In order to give sufficient time for dealers to adjust to implementation of the new system and the additional requirements, NOAA Fisheries has proposed delaying implementation of the new electronic reporting system for all federally-permitted HMS dealers until 2012. NOAA Fisheries will also conduct outreach to dealers to teach them how to use the, new HMS electronic reporting system. NOAA Fisheries will conduct an initial workshop for HMS dealers in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. on December 14, 2011 from 6-8 pm at Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, 5 Estate Bakkreore, St. Thomas, 00801 Virgin Islands. NOAA Fisheries will announce additional workshops in the near future. Read more

Due Dec. 15: 2012 National Wetlands Award Nomination Process Now Open

NOAA Fisheries, through the Office of Habitat Conservation, annually supports the National Wetlands Awards Program by joining with the Environmental Law Institute and other Federal agencies. Recipients of these awards are solid examples of how individual citizens can and do make a difference, inspiring greater stewardship of our national wetlands heritage. Nominations must be for individuals—not organizations or groups of individuals—whose projects operate at the regional, state, or local level. Federal employees are not eligible. Prior nominations (unselected) may be resubmitted and are encouraged. Recipients are chosen by a selection committee of wetland experts from across the country and honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in May, during American Wetlands Month. The 2012 National Wetlands Awards nomination process is now open. The nomination form is available at http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org.

Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops to be Held in December 2011

Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in December 2011. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. The Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free workshops will be conducted during 2011. Click here for dates, times, and locations.

FEDERAL REGISTER ACTIONS

For a list of only those actions open for public comment, go to http://www.regulations.gov and scroll search for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For a list of all daily actions, check the Federal register online

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