Tag Archives: National Marine Fisheries Service
Ever wonder if federal officials jumped the gun in declaring the Atlantic sturgeon an endangered species?
In its listing proposal, the agency, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said that Atlantic sturgeon population numbers in the Carolina region had declined to less than 3 percent of historical levels. Data collected by state agencies seems to suggest otherwise. continued@starnewsonline
NOAA wants fewer lobster fishing buoy lines to protect whales
Fed
eral officials want Northeast fishermen to use more traps on fewer buoy lines to keep whales from getting entangled in vertical ropes, according to an announcement Friday — a proposal at least one Cape Cod fisherman says is dangerous. continued@bdn
Red snapper fishing ‘haves’ are suing the ‘have-nots’
Several highline commercial red snapper IFQ fishermen (they own maximum shares) filed suit against the National Marine Fisheries Service on June 28. Many of these commercial fishermen either are now or have been in the past working for and been sponsored by the Environmental Defense Fund. Indeed, the plaintiffs’ attorneys have connections to EDF. continued@thenewsherald
The National Marine Fisheries Service Unacceptable Response to the New England Groundfish Disaster – Where is the Groundfish Mitigation?
From the letter; In July 2012, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) Executive Committee met with the National Marine Fisheries Service Acting Assistant Administrator Sam Rauch, and Regional Administrator John Bullard to “brainstorm the future of groundfish in 2013 and beyond, especially mitigation alternatives for low ACLs.” Read the statement from the Associated Fisheries of Maine
National Park Service ignores National Marine Fisheries Service FishWatch Program while endorcing two private enterprises eco-labeling programs
Last month the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service (NPS) announced that it was now requiring that vendors at all of the food service establishments in its parks, monuments, etc. serve seafood that is certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council or identified as “green” or “yellow” in reports prepared by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Read the Seafood Coalition notice
The Long Haul:Cooperative Research Improves Fishery Science and Relationships
Credit WCAI
Heather Goldstone /
Tensions between fishermen and the scientists and managers that oversee their industry are more than just unpleasant. They actually affect the quality of fishery research and management. There’s a catch phrase that’s adorned the tailgates of pick-up trucks up and down the New England coast for years: National Marine Fisheries Service: Destroying Fishermen and Their Communities Since 1976. Joel Hovanesian claims to be the creator of the once-pervasive bumper sticker. listen:continued@wcai
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance filed lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C
John Bullard,NE Regional Administrator,National Marine Fisheries Service,Seeking Input on Draft Working Resource Document for Groundfish Industry
From the Moderator – Let’s be fair John Bullard, You’re the Master of Folksy Feel Good Babble
John Bullard, NE Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, which is his official title, began his comments at the NEFMC meeting this Tuesday morning recalling his interactions with Richard Gaines, Staff Reporter, Gloucester Daily Times The recollections of Bullard of a relentless technician of journalistic excellence were interesting, and are telling of the new revisionist history era that we are entering. , continue here scroll down
John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service to hold Constituent Call on Draft Resources Document for Groundfish Industry
On Monday, June 24th, from 3:00 – 5:00 PM, NOAA Fisheries National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Regional Administrator John Bullard will be hosting a public conference call to solicit feedback from fishermen and other stakeholders on the draft Working Document on Resources to Support the Northeast Groundfish Industry. details here from an agency that skews details! Like their official name.
National Marine Fisheries Service is revising its regulations for weighing fish at-sea – Federal Regulators Crack Down on Fish Fraud
The Bering Sea’s large catcher-processors weigh their harvest as it heads to the processing line on what’s known as a flow-scale – a section of conveyor belt that takes dozens of measurements per second. When properly calibrated, flow-scales give fisheries managers a very accurate estimate of the amount of fish being harvested. But like all scales, they can be manipulated. continued@KUCB – Unalaska The changes could start being implemented as soon as January 2015. 2015???
American Samoa adamant shark protection is adequate
The US National Marine Fisheries Service had sought public comments following a petition by two NGO groups which claimed the sharks are threatened by fishing. continued@radionewzealand
North Pacific council makes observer program recommendations
The motion asked for certain updates to the 2014 deployment plan, suggested information the council would like to see in future reports from the National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS, and adopted the agency’s strategic plan for electronic monitoring, or EM. The council’s motion was largely in line with the recommendations from the Observer Advisory Committee, or OAC, and came after significant public testimony. continued @ Alaska Journal
Council hears agency, public feedback on marine observer program – Much of today’s discussion at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council revolved around the restructured marine observer program and work towards an electronic monitoring option. continued here
National Marine Fisheries Service proposed five species of sawfish for endangered listing status under the Endangered Species Act
WASHINGTON (CN) – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed five species of sawfish for endangered listing status under the Endangered Species Act, according to a new regulation. The action is in response to a 2010 petition from WildEarth Guardians (WEG), the environmental group’s press release stated. continued @ courthouse news
Brownsville judge saves Texas Red Snapper season
A federal judge in Brownsville has ruled in favor of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) in a joint lawsuit brought by both agencies challenging an emergency regulation enacted by the federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). continued
Judge: NMFS Erred in Beluga Whale Estimates, Maybe the 18 Beluga’s waiting for import permit approval would give them a benchmark!
JUNEAU- A federal judge says the National Marine Fisheries Service made mathematical errors in estimating how many endangered beluga whales in Cook Inlet could be harmed or harassed by seismic testing. continued The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), is the agency responsible for approving the beluga permit to import 18 Beluga’s from Russia, captured in Russia’s Sea of Okhotsk.
National Marine Fisheries Service made mathematical errors??? No! estimating how many endangered beluga whales in Cook Inlet
and.com – This week’s decision by U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason was a partial victory for conservation groups and the Alaska Native village of Chickaloon. They sued last year, claiming that seismic testing related to oil and g
as exploration in Cook Inlet in south-central Alaska would harm the belugas and that the fisheries service improperly issued exploration permits to Apache Alaska Corp. for high-intensity seismic work. continued
National Marine Fisheries Service wants to see at least four Southwest Washington streams identified as wild steelhead strongholds
theColumbian – 
The National Marine Fisheries Service wants to see at least four Southwest Washington streams identified as wild steelhead strongholds with no planting of hatchery fish beginning in 2014. Rob Jones, hatcheries and inland fisheries chief for NMFS in Portland, said determining which streams will be a joint effort between the federal fish agency and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. continued
Yellowtail Snapper harvest might increase – Allocation for the commercial segment would rise by nearly 460,000 pounds
keysnet.com – After it took an emergency rule to keep Florida’s commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper open through all of 2012, federal managers want to boost the allowable catch. The National Marine Fisheries Service now proposes to establish an annual catch limit of 3 million pounds of whole yellowtail, up from 2.2 million pounds. Allocation for the commercial segment would rise by nearly 460,000 pounds, to 1.59 million pounds of yellowtail. continued
Environmental group Oceana Inc. sues’ National Marine Fisheries Service for inadequate monitor coverage
Gib Brogan, Oceana’s representative in Boston, said fishermen fish differently when monitors are on board, yet only 22 percent of boats in the groundfish fleet have them. “Under sector management and catch shares, very high levels of
observers are generally necessary,” Brogan said. It accuses NOAA of changing the rules at mid-game, describing new guidelines that are different from the ones in Magnuson and in a previous settlement with Oceana. continued
Environmental Group Sues Over Seismic Work in Cook Inlet
23:33:26 – Oral arguments are being heard Friday in US District Court in Anchorage for a lawsuit that challenges the decision made by the National Marine Fisheries Service to authorize the first of at least three years of seismic exploration in Cook Inlet. continued
Bureaucratic miracle of cooperation saves sturgeon fishery – Why we must increase industry based collaberative research
21:20:25 – Ron Arnold – On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a draft document called a “biological opinion” — more powerful than the nice name implies — that commercial fishing posed “no jeop
ardy” to the endangered sturgeon in seven key Atlantic Coast areas. Why is that worth headlines? Because it’s extraordinary: Ultrapoliticized NOAA officials rarely fail to bludgeon commercial fishermen out of business with “jeopardy” findings based on virtually no information. continued
Homer-based North Pacific Fisheries Association has received a $147,400 NFW Foundation grant to use electronic monitoring
Homer-based North Pacific Fisheries Association has received a $147,400 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Fisheries Innovation Fund grant for a two-year project to use electronic monitoring in the pot and longline cod fisheries. National Marine Fisheries Service is providing another $120,000 in matching funds. NPFA president Buck Laukitis said the focus would be on the small boat cod fleet. The grant was awarded while NPFA was wrapping up a similar grant project for smaller halibut boats. continued
Do Iliamna Lake Seals Warrant an Endangered Species Listing? Video
ktuu.com – Last week, National Marine Fisheries Service officials made the decision to consider listing a harbor seal population in Lake Iliamna as endangered or threatened–yet another piece of wood on the controversial fire that is the Pebble Mine project.”It’s a small population of seals,” Center for Biological Diversity biologist Kiersten Lippmann said. “There are only 250 to 350 individuals in the lake and small variations in their environment can push the population towards extinction.” continued
NOAA: Don’t take it out on monitors
Gloucester fisherman Joe Orlando, a 40-year veteran, said he doesn’t mind taking out observers, as long as the government pays, because he can’t afford it. He said it frustrates him that a kid who knows almost nothing about a fishing boat can climb on his and declare it unsafe. Orlando said he hasn’t heard about increasing confrontations between observers, captains or crew, but understands why they encounter resentment among fishermen facing ruin. continued
National Marine Fisheries Service to consider listing for lake harbor seals
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS – ANCHORAGE — The National Marine Fisheries Service announced Thursday it will consider listing a population of harbor seals that live in a freshwater Alaska lake as a threatened or endangered species, a decision that could affect the massive Pebble Mine development project. continued
The National Marine Fisheries Service announce proposed sea lion protections that could benefit fishermen
and.com – ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking public comment on proposed revisions to Steller sea lion protections in the western Aleutian Islands that could lead to more commercial fishing of Pacific cod, pollock and Atka mackerel. continued
Marine mammal predation – “Sea lion solutions are scarce as the 2013 salmon run
The Oregonian – It was a sea-lion kind of week, with lots of media attention (spurred by The Oregonian’s John Canzano) brought to 
. Marine mammal predation on angler-hooked salmon has been worse than ever — so bad, in fact, most anglers have quit fishing during the traditional peak of the run. The blubbery slaughter was well-covered, but no one paid more than lip service to the real question: What can be done? Not much in the short term, said Brent Norberg of the National Marine Fisheries Service office in Seattle. continued
Big skate retention prohibited for Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, central Gulf of Alaska
Fishermen in Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound targeting halibut and groundfish may not retain incidentally-caught big skates as of noon today. Skates cannot be retained for the rest of the year. Instead, they must be released with minimum injury. continued
The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both Texas and federal waters closing May 23
The Texas closure applies to gulf waters from the coast out to nine nautical miles. The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced federal waters out to 200 nautical miles also will be closed to conform to the Texas closure. continued
