Tag Archives: New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC
Government Officials Ignore Public Comment, Create New Financial Burden on Fisherman
In a letter acquired by Cause of Action Institute (CoA Institute), it appears that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce have approved a controversial fishery management proposal while ignoring public comments critical of the plan. This approval also seems to have been issued before the close of a second public comment period for implementing regulations. The NOAA rulemaking is expected to seriously impact commercial fishing on the Eastern seaboard by applying costly new burdens on fishermen. >click to read<19:23
NEFMC fails to agree on scallopers’ wish to enter long-closed areas
Thursday the council failed to come to terms about the specifics of the plan in Georges Bank, which centers on an area on the Canadian line called the Northern Edge. On Wednesday the council approved several measures in the Gulf of Maine, delineating protected areas where certain forms of fishing gear will not be permitted. Georges Bank was another matter. NOAA Fisheries regional administrator John Bullard had signaled his disapproval of preliminary plans on the grounds that they weren’t protective enough of habitat. And when council member introduced an amendment to make the plan more acceptable to NOAA fisheries, the meeting collapsed into disarray. Read the rest here 08:28
Council closes scallop beds; raises crew levels
The closure will cost millions of dollars in the short term, but are predicted to have a payoff in years beyond 2017 when the areas can reopen and the grown scallops harvested. The council also voted to raise the maximum crew levels aboard scallop boats from seven to eight to allow boats to train new crew members. Read the rest here 08:32
In the Guest Writers Column, Jay Andersson – The Reasons For The New England Groundfish Collapse Are An Inconvenient Truth For Regulators
As federal disaster funds roll into New England and hopeful recipients line up to fight for what amounts to pennies on the dollar for the investments and livelihoods lost, the regulatory blunders that caused this crisis are being swept under the rug. The sad premise that individual ownership of the fish in the sea is a cure-all for fishery managment issues has been exposed for the lie that it always was, yet the issues caused by introducing this new system of effort controls for New England groundfishing remain unaddressed by bumbling regulators who seem to be unwilling to admit that sector allocations have been a dismal failure and cause more problems than they solve. Read more here 08:54
Consolidation Limits Officially Accepted By NE Fishery Management Council
The New England Fishery Management Council has accepted a report titled “Recommendations for Excessive Share Limits in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery” prepared by the economic consulting firm Compass Lexecon. Read more@mpbn 16:10
Editorial: Fishery talks show fatal flaw in (regional fishery management) council credibility
But the council system has an absolutely fatal flaw – and it is one that took center stage again just this week. Despite all the input, all the debate, and yes, even emphatic votes by the council’s members — including John Bullard, who serves as NOAA Northeast regional administrators and heads up fishery regulation from Maine to the Carolinas from his office in Gloucester’s Blackburn Industrial Park — if Bullard and NOAA decree that a council-approved policy will not go forward, it’s dead in the water. more@gdt 02:20
Conservation Law Foundation twists law, science in latest attack on Omnibus Habitat Amendment
In effect, CLF narrows the terms of acceptable debate by treating its own position on the Amendment — dealing with the management of closed areas in Georges Bank — as the only acceptable choice. But in fact, there are many scientifically acceptable outcomes of the Omnibus Amendment process that CLF does not mention in its report. [email protected] 17:20
Proposed restrictions on Stellwagen Bank could sink fishermen – “In order for us to be effective, we must speak with one united voice,”
With a view of Green Harbor in the distance nearly 200 fishermen met at Haddad’s Ocean Café to discuss the future of their livelihood and what actions they could take to protect its longevity. At issue were proposals before the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) to establish further restrictions in the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, an area critical to the success of local fishermen. more@wickedlocal 09:49
NMFS Announcement Puts TMGC Yellowtail Quota at 400 Metric Tons Despite Advice that Would Have Allowed More
Eyebrows were raised recently when National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) representatives announced in several forums that the agency would only approve an allocation of 400 metric tons of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, despite determinations by the more@savingseafood 07:39
