Tag Archives: Regional Administrator

Dear Mr. Pentony and Dr. Hare: On behalf of the MAFMC I am writing to express our deep concern about the plan to redeploy observers

On behalf of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, I am writing to express our deep concern about the plan to redeploy observers on vessels in the Greater Atlantic Region on August 14, 2020. Given the continued transmission of the COVID-19 virus, we do not believe the observer program can be safely operated at this time. >click to read<  14:49

Coronavirus: NOAA Fisheries is temporarily waiving requirement for vessels to carry a fishery observer or at-sea monitor.

As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NOAA Fisheries is temporarily waiving the requirement for vessels with Northeast fishing permits to carry a fishery observer or at-sea monitor. The waiver will be in effect through April 4, and future extensions of this waiver will be evaluated weekly.
For details, please read the letter from the Regional Administrator Dear Partners and Stakeholders: As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NOAA Fisheries is temporarily waiving the requirement for vessels with Northeast fishing permits to carry a fishery observer or at-sea monitor. The waiver will be in effect through April 4, and future extensions of this waiver will be evaluated weekly. >click to read the rest< 15:56

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

HOOKED UP! PART II: Gulf Council chief talks about IFQ’s

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council manages the fishery resources in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It’s one of eight regional fishery management councils in the United States.  The Gulf Council essentially manages the fishery from the nine-mile mark out to the 200-mile limit.  “Before the IFQ, we tried a variety of ways to address the race for fish that was taking place,” says Dr. Roy Crabtree, regional administrator for the Gulf Council. “We had a limited commercial quota for red snapper. The fishermen were catching it up as quick as they could. They were flooding the market with fish  Fishery was closed most of the year, so we didn’t have year-round production. And we had safety-at-sea issues. Because fishermen were fishing in unsafe sea conditions. And we were having overruns of quota. Crabtree says the IFQ program was designed largely to address these problems. The article continues here 18:00

Ludger (Lu) W. Dochtermann, Kodiak, AK Responds to NOAA TIGHTENS HALIBUT BYCATCH LIMITS FOR GULF OF ALASKA GROUNDFISH FISHERIES.

To: Dr. James W. Balsiger, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region, & United States Commissioner, International Pacific Halibut Commission.

Dear Jim:  While NOAA puts a public spokesperson name on the news release for Amendment 95, let’s face facts — you are the Alaska administrator, and a voting member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Accordingly, your news release was considered insensitive and not well received by disappointed GOA hook and line halibut fishermen: on line with other pro-trawler actions by the NPFMC and NMFS/NOAA. Amendment 95 is not fair and equitable in practice. You and the agency and NPFMC are not doing what is feasible, not obeying the UN FAO precautionary principle, not balancing the economic impact among sectors, not doing what is best for overall national benefit and not serving USA consumers. Read more here 14:30

 

Announcement of the notice of availability for Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan

John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office  Click here to see the Notice – Comments must be received by October 11, 2013 – You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2013-0128, by any of the following methods: Info here

John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service to hold Constituen​t 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.