Tag Archives: National Marine Fisheries Service
Earthjustice files Oceana Lawsuit Against Federal Government to Save Dusky Sharks in Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
In the lawsuit filed today, Oceana claims the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary law governing federal fisheries, by failing to end the overfishing of dusky sharks. Oceana also claims the federal government failed to establish an annual catch limit and measures to enforce such a limit as well as failed to revise dusky shark management measures once it became apparent that the current measures were not rebuilding the population to healthy levels, as required by law. Read the rest here 17:54
National Marine Fisheries Service Accepts Petition to List Thorny Skate under the Endangered Species Act
In response to a petition from Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) to list thorny skate (Amblyraja radiata) under the Endangered Species Act, we have prepared a 90-day finding. We accept the petition and are initiating a review of the status of the species. The petitioners claim that the species numbers have been declining since the 1970s, and that the species is threatened by illegal landings, bycatch and discard mortality, inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms (related to fishing), global climate change and hypoxia, and natural stochastic events. Read the rest here 08:32
American Samoa’s small and developing economy – Closure of fishing grounds helping foreign competitors
Owners of StarKist Samoa, say the National Marine Fisheries Service needs to recognize the unique nature of 
. They say StarKist Samoa has been directly impacted by the closure of access to the high seas. Michelle Faist spokesperson for StarKist told KHJ News these unnecessary restrictions have driven the purse seine fleet into distant waters where they are now catching fish under a U.S. flag to benefit competitors to American industry. She said as a result, StarKist is forced to buy its fish at a premium with reefer vessels coming in from distant fishing grounds. Read the rest here 12:05
Tri Marine disappointed with NMFS decision – Purse seiners will continue to fish but…
The decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service not to issue an emergency rule to exempt purse seiners that deliver at least half of their catch to the local canneries from the ban on fishing in the high seas, puts fish supply for the canneries in jeopardy. In early statements Tri Marine said that locally based purse seiners would have to fish in waters close to Papua New Guinea and would find it uneconomical to travel all the way to Pago Pago to off load. Read the rest here, Meanwhile, The president of the American Tunaboat Association Brian Hallman says the ban on high seas fishing is very costly to US purse seiners, and while they will continue to fight on, at some point boat owners cannot continue to lose money and stay in business. Read the rest here 17:29
Dredging restrictions on winter flounder habitat to be lifted because they don’t live there!
STONE HARBOR – The big announcement at a dredging forum sponsored by the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce Monday, Oct. 19, was that restrictions on dredging related to winter flounder are going to be lifted locally. LoBiondo said the announcement came as the result of a renewed commitment on the part of state and federal governments with work with local officials. LoBiondo said it was the work of a local task force that convinced the NMFS that the winter flounder don’t live here. Read the rest here 13:32
Sex and Summer Flounder
Dr. Sullivan, a highly respected researcher in the dynamics of fish populations, has been working with the 
to create a stock assessment model that includes a very important element that has been left out of prior models – sex. He was also going to talk about another vital element that’s been missing from the process – cooperation. In an unprecedented effort, members of the recreational and commercial fishing communities are working together with university scientists and the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop,,, Read the rest here 13:03
Florida Keys commercial fishermen critical of proposed dolphin changes
The head of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association contends that a proposed increase to the dolphin fish allocation to the commercial fishing sector does not go far enough. Kelly proposed federal fishery managers increase the commercial catch in 5, 10 or 20 percent increases a year, depending on how much the recreational side of the fishery harvests the previous year, he said. The South Atlantic and could look at the harvest data each year and make adjustments. Read the rest here 08:17
Hawaii Tuna Fishery Reopens, But Judge Could Quickly Close It
Despite pending litigation and concerns about disrupting international agreements, the U.S. government has decided Hawaii’s longline fishing fleet can reel in an extra 1,000 tons of bigeye tuna by making payments one of the Pacific island territories. The National Marine Fisheries Service plans to publish a rule Wednesday that sets a 2,000-ton limit on bigeye for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and allows the territory to allocate up to half of its quota to the U.S. “in exchange for payments to support responsible fisheries development.” Read the rest here 10:58
Hawaii’s $100 Million Fishery Reopens in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean
HONOLULU (13 Oct. 2015) After a closure that lasted more than two months, Hawaii’s longline vessels can fish again for bigeye tuna in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Since Aug. 5th, the 145 active vessels in the Hawaii longline fleet have been prohibited from catching bigeye tuna in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO), i.e., waters east of 150 degrees West longitude. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) determined that the fleet had reached its 2015 US bigeye tuna limit of 3,502 mt, developed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, to which the United States is a party. Read the rest here 11:35
Fed money for fish study a good sign
As part of $6.9 million in federal disaster relief, the National Marine Fisheries Service approved federal funds for an industry-based survey of Gulf of Maine cod, a species whose apparent decimation led to drastic reductions in catch limits and a fisheries disaster declaration. Gov. Charlie Baker and other Massachusetts elected officials have criticized federal fishery regulators for refusing to consider alternative scientific methods for estimating fish stocks. The School for Marine Science and Technology at UMass Dartmouth has developed new methods for assessing sea life. Read the rest here 08:34
Northeast Fisheries Science Center say’s key fishing area for Atlantic cod in dire shape
New data from the
says research boats caught less of the fish this past spring than in all but one spring season dating back to 1968. A report from the centre, given to The Associated Press on Tuesday, states that the boats caught about 3.3 pounds of cod each time the net went in and out of the water last spring, compared to more than three times that amount two years earlier. “Is that coming as a surprise from anybody who knows what the water temperature is out there? No, it shouldn’t be,” said David Goethel, a New Hampshire-based fisherman. “These fish are declining because of climate change.” Read the rest here 22:13
Activists, NMFS face off in federal court over ahi quotas “This is allowing them to fish without limits,” ??
Environmentalists on Friday asked a federal judge to stop the National Marine Fisheries Service from allowing Hawaii-based fishermen to attribute some of the bigeye tuna they catch to U.S. territories. They argue the agency is enabling the fishermen to circumvent international agreements aimed at controlling the overfishing of the popular tuna species known as ahi. Earthjustice attorney David Henkin told U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi the fisheries service acted illegally when it created a framework allowing Hawaii longline fishermen to record some of their catch as having been caught by fishermen in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. Read the rest here 17:26
VIMs Study shows Blue crabs more tolerant of low oxygen than previously thought
Results of a new study led by researchers at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science show that adult blue crabs are much more tolerant of low-oxygen, “hypoxic” conditions than previously thought. Lead author Rich Brill, a fishery biologist with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and adjunct faculty at VIMS, says “The notion that blue crabs are relatively intolerant of oxygen-poor waters was counterintuitive, because this species often occupies estuarine environments that can become hypoxic even in the absence of human activities.” Read the rest here 12:13
Massachusetts Lawmakers to help small-boat fishermen qualify for third round of federal disaster aid
This is for the third installment of 
designed in 2012 to help fishermen catch some of the dollars they lost under significant cuts to groundfish catch allocations. The initial proposal limited recipients to only those fishermen who caught at least 20,000 pounds of fish each year for the last three years, said Rep. Jim Cantwell, the Democrat who represents two fishing communities in Marshfield and Scituate. National Marine Fisheries Service allocated in February $8.3 million of a $32.8 million federal groundfish disaster aid package to,,, Read the rest here 10:13
Stop wasting money; let marine animals be – Harold K. Isham Jr.
After reading about how the agency (NOAA) was spending $2.75 million for rehabilitating mammals, among other related tasks, I began to wonder why scientists are researching great whites instead of killing them so as to save protected seals; why we’re spending money on protecting and saving seals when numerous seals become great white sharks’ daily meals; and why we simultaneously save and protect seals when they are feeding on so many fish species needed for the fishing industry. Read the rest here 17:18
Federal regulators are eyeing a possible moratorium on eel fishing in Delaware waters
The National Marine Fisheries Service is reviewing a referral from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that found Delaware out of compliance with the interstate management plan for American eel, whose numbers are depleted.If the national agency determines that Delaware failed to carry out its responsibilities, and that the measures the state failed to implement are necessary for conservation, then it must declare a moratorium on eel fishing in Delaware waters. A determination must be made by Sept. 18. link 10:24
More division on Large Vessel Protected Area (LVPA) Amendment
The US National Marine Fisheries Service proposal to allow large US flagged longliners to fish within certain boundaries of the waters now limited to alia fishing has attracted both support and opposition. NMFS is accepting public comments until Sept. 24th on the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council’s recommendation to allow, Local longline vessel owner Edgar Feliciano says he supports amending the LVPA so that U.S. flagged longline vessels, owned and operated in American Samoa can deliver their catch to the local canneries. Read the rest here 10:24
NMFS issues overfishing notice for 4 northwest salmon stocks, and North Pacific swordfish
The federal agency in charge of managing fisheries has ruled four stocks of Pacific Northwest salmon are being overfished. The National Marine Fisheries Service and the Department of Commerce on Wednesday posted a notice in the Federal Register of the excessive fishing pressures on Chinook and Coho salmon in the Columbia River Basin and along the Washington coast. The notice, which included overfishing findings for , is meant to alert fishery managers that fishing pressures are driving salmon populations down. Read the rest here 09:10
Hawaii’s longline fleet dodges hurricanes – Can they survive the Enviro Tsunami?
Bigeye tuna caught by Hawaii’s longline industry is in short supply right now as the fleet dodges Hurricane Ignacio and Hurricane Jimena. Some longline vessels that headed out, turned around without catching anything to avoid the powerful storms. In August, Hawaii’s longline fleet hit the bigeye tuna catch limit of 3,502 metric tons established by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Conservation groups, however, have filed a lawsuit to block the change,,, Video, Read the rest here 08:23
Judge rules against Oceana, Greenpeace in Stellar sea lion lawsuit over increased Aleutians fishing
A US judge ruled against the US arms of Oceana and Greenpeace in a lawsuit in which the NGOs sought declaratory and injunctive relief against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), US Department of Commerce, and others, challenging recent authorization of increased industrial fishing in the western and central Aleutian Islands. Oceana and Greenpeace argued the defendants, groups involved in the federal groundfish fishery, violate the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Read the rest here 18:17
Ocean Global Fisheries withdraws objection to petition
The Partner and Owner of Ocean Global Fisheries and Sea Global Fisheries, Mr. Douglas Hines, now agrees that the US fleet and vessels operating our of American Samoa may be experiencing a disproportionate burden and is hoping that the National Marine Fisheries Service is able to address the concerns raised in Tri Marine’s petition for exemption from the catch limits on fishing in the high seas. There are 37 US purse seiners fishing in this area of which only 18 deliver their catches to the local canneries. Mr. Hines’ companies represent purse seiners that dont send their catches here. Read the rest here 12:21
NOAA/NMFS begins fence-mending with Northeast fishermen – After they killed most of them off!
NOAA/NMFS this week undertook an effort to build trust and cooperation from the New England fishing industry by including the industry in upcoming groundfish stock assessments. Dr. Kevin Stokesbury (SMAST) is concerned about the inaccuracy of the various computer models being used to evaluate trends from year to year. As those who attend fisheries council meetings know all too well, the models regularly show discrepancies from one year to the next. These “retrospective patterns” are corrected by amending previous years’ estimates, which indicate an ongoing problem with the models, Stokesbury said. Read the rest here 07:55
Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. bucks Mid Atlantic Council flounder reduction plan
.“The implications and economic tragedies resulting from such a reduction will have resounding negative consequences on the entire East Coast,” Mr. Thiele said in a letter to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. He’s asked Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to start legal proceedings against the Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service challenging application of the quota allocation to New York. The data supporting the cutback is “based on old, incomplete and faulty information,” justifying legal action, Mr. Thiele said. Read the rest here 18:21
National Marine Fisheries Service deny petition from radical environmentalists to ban cod fishing
A group of radical environmental groups including the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace petitioned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service to shut down the fishery until it shows rebuilding progress. The agency said in a denial published in the Federal Register on July 10 that the current restrictions on cod fishing will “provide sufficient protection” to rebuild the stock. The denial also states that the fisheries service intends to monitor updated information about the cod stock,,, Read the rest here 18:02
National Marine Fisheries Service commercial dolphin season closure forces Keys restaurants to import
Florida Keys restaurants are searching for other sources of mahi-mahi, after federal authorities brought an early closure to the island chain’s commercial dolphin season. In the Keys, mahi-mahi is the usual catch-of-the-day for sandwiches and entrees on most menus. Eateries will soon begin outsourcing the popular dinner fish, after the NOAA Fisheries last week closed the commercial dolphin season early for the first time on record. Any other mahi being served will most likely be imported from elsewhere in the Caribbean, and Central America. Read the rest here 19:53
WPFMC question proposed rule on green sea turtles, address allocation of US tuna catches
The council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee and Protected Species Advisory Committee noted a lack of transparency in the criteria used to make the status determinations, questionable interpretation of existing research and gaps in information considered. The Scientific and Statistical Committee, for example, said the proposal to continue to list the Hawai’i green turtle as threatened is contrary to analysis that showed zero chance of decline in the population in the foreseeable future. Read the rest here 20:15
New Jersey files lawsuit against the United States to stop high-energy seismic blasts
Named as defendants are the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration and its Office for Coastal Management, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is a component of Columbia University’ Earth Institute. New Jersey says the blasts will be felt “far outside of the study area” and will reduce commercial and recreational catch and harass marine mammals. Read the rest here 14:31
Center for Biological Diversity offended by F&WS – NMFS ESA Proposal
The two federal agencies tasked with listing endangered species jointly proposed to revise the Endangered Species Act’s petition process, but conservationists are not happy. The proposal published Thursday by the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service would make the best use of available resources, increase “stakeholder engagement” and improve transparency, according to the agencies’ announcement. Calling the move “boneheaded,” the (CBD), a frequent petitioner and litigant,,, Read the rest here 19:40
Here we go again. Animal Welfare Groups Seek Protection for Thorny Skate
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Defenders of Wildlife have asked the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list the Northwest Atlantic population of the thorny skate as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. “This species is in serious trouble in the Northwest Atlantic, and if we don’t move to protect it now, we may never see it in this range again,” said senior staff attorney Jane Davenport at Defenders of Wildlife. Shut up. Read the rest here 20:48
Frank Mirarchi – A Scituate fisherman’s perspective on government’s fisheries management
Thank you for the editorial “White House puts politics ahead of fishery science” published on Tuesday, May 26. You have provided your readers an insight into the utter dysfunction which pervades the government’s management of New England fisheries. By way of background, the Secretary of Commerce declared the northeast groundfish fishery an economic disaster in September, 2012. Subsequently, Congress appropriated approximately $33 million in disaster assistance to be distributed by the National Marine Fisheries Service,,, Read the rest here 20:20
