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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 36 Number 7
March 2009
Groundfish industry upended by turn of events
GLOUCESTER, MA – The months of January and February were surreal for the Northeast region’s groundfish industry. Fishermen lived day-to-day in a regulatory haze, glued to news accounts and government updates about whether or not they could fish. People fumed, directing their anger at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). And a deep, troubling sense of uncertainty gripped the fleet, leaving many to wonder if they really could make it through the year ahead. ...continued
US court issues mixed verdict in whale case
BOSTON, MA – A US District Court judge has determined that Plymouth lobsterman Dan Holmes did “take” a humpback whale in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). But he also found that Max Strahan, who sued over the incident, failed to satisfy the requirements for the court to respond by banning Holmes from ever fishing again. ...continued
Groundfish history:
Apollonio, Dykstra book a ‘must read’
Since the creation of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 (FCMA), the Northeast US groundfish fishery arguably has been the most controversial and most written-about of all fisheries. Involving complex, never-ending, ever-changing regulatory programs, groundfish has been the major contributing cause of several extensive revisions of what today is known as the Magnuson-Stevens Act. ...continued
Groundfish: Did Congress intend this?
PORTSMOUTH, NH – Responding to a federal judge’s Jan. 26 order to give “serious consideration and analysis of the mixed-stock exception,” the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) acted quickly to prepare an 11-page report outlining why this exception does not apply to groundfish stocks under Framework 42. ...continued
NE council signs off on Amd. 16 alternatives for public hearings
PORTSMOUTH, NH – Amid the chaos of the groundfish Framework 42 lawsuit and upcoming interim action measures for May 1, the New England Fishery Management Council spent several hours on Feb. 10 finalizing public hearing alternatives for Amendment 16. ...continued
2009 scallop year underway; gen cat IFQs on hold
GLOUCESTER, MA – Limited-access scallopers began the 2009 fishing year on March 1 knowing exactly what they were up against in terms of fishing time.
Full-time vessels started out with 37 open-area days for the year and five access-area trips – one in Closed Area II, three in the Elephant Trunk Area, and one in Delmarva – with an 18,000-pound possession limit. ...continued
NMFS revises scallop/turtle BiOp; makes it ‘reasonable and prudent’
GLOUCESTER, MA – Agreeing that its original mandate would have caused more than a “minor change” to the scallop fishery in the Mid-Atlantic, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has revised its March 2008 biological opinion (BiOp) regarding the fishery’s impact on sea turtles. ...continued
Pot hauler configuration critical to rope wear
In anticipation of requirements to use sinking groundlines on lobster trap trawls in most areas, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen’s Association have worked since 2003 to identify durable sinking line and to understand the causes of groundline degradation and failure. ...continued
No big changes in ’09 for herring Area 1A
ALEXANDRIA, VA – After months of agonizing over how to “fix” the Area 1A herring fishery to smooth out catch rates and ensure a steadier flow of bait to the lobster industry, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Herring Section opted not to make any significant management changes in the fishery – at least for this year. ...continued
April 5 effective date for sink rope groundline requirement
GLOUCESTER, MA – The federal broad-based sinking groundline requirement, long feared and fiercely fought by some members of the lobster industry, is scheduled to go into effect on April 5. ...continued
FISH SAFE
Join collaboration to improve winch safety
Fishermen have long been aware of the hazards of winches, which can mangle fingers, hands, arms, and legs in an instant. Some captains and owners have tried to take steps to prevent human contact with the rotating drum, yet tragedies still occur. ...continued
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