COMMERCE
Subscriber Services
Classified Ads
Subscribe
Advertise
NEWS
This Month
Editorial
Letters
F/V Safety
Past Issues
ABOUT US
Contact Us
Latest Issue
Subscribe
History
MORE CONTENT
CFN Archives
Links
Each month exclusively in the PRINT edition of CFN
Along the Coast
Ask the Lobster Doc
Bearin’s
Classifieds
Coming Events
Editorial
Enforcement Report
FISH SAFE
Fleet Additions
Letters
Lobster Market Report
New Boats
News Catch
Quahog Market Report
|
Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 35 Number 11
July 2008
Lobstermen urged to support sink rope delay
GLOUCESTER, MA - Maine lobstermen and any other fixed-gear fishermen having trouble with the new whale protection rule requiring the use of sink rope for groundlines now have a critical opportunity to tell the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that they need more time to comply.
On June 6, NMFS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register and asked for public comment – by July 7 – on a proposal to delay the effective date of the sinking rope groundline requirement.
“We are strongly urging lobstermen and other industry stakeholders to send in comments supporting the proposed rule for the delay,” said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA). “We fully anticipate that the conservation community will weigh in with some strong opposition, so we need to get a lot of comments on the record in favor of the delay.”
In explaining its proposal, NMFS said it had been monitoring the availability of sinking rope and the progress commercial trap and pot fishermen were making in changing over their groundlines from the float rope being used.
“Based on its findings, NMFS has determined that additional time to convert to sinking groundline is warranted,” the service said.
Only a delay
The proposed rule would delay implementation of the sinking groundline measure for six months. So, rather than it going into effect on Oct. 5, the requirement would go into effect on April 5, 2009.
Additionally, NMFS acknowledged that the original fall deadline for using all sink rope would come during the height of the lobster fishing season. The delay would allow fishermen to switch over float rope for sink rope during the winter months, the time of year traditionally used to repair and replace gear.
NMFS said the impact of the delay on endangered whales would be “minimal” since most of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) amendment measures have already gone into effect and many fishermen, especially those who had to comply with dynamic area management and seasonal area management restrictions, have already switched over to sinking groundlines.
The other change NMFS is proposing is to eliminate the term “neutrally buoyant” line from the ALWTRP so that only the “sinking groundline” term and definition will remain in the plan.
The Ocean Conservancy, which has been advocating strongly for additional whale protection measures, expressed immediate concern about the proposed rule.
“The longer we wait to make changes to fishing gear that would protect endangered whales, the greater the risk we take with whale populations that come closer to extinction with each death,” said Vicki Cornish, vice president of marine wildlife conservation for the organization.
“While we understand the impacts that the sinking groundline requirements will have on fishermen, we are concerned that delaying this rule will leave no protections in place for whales during this time,” she said.
How to comment
The MLA has created a list of “talking points” to help lobstermen put their support for the delay into words so they can submit comments to NMFS no later than 5 pm, Monday, July 7. The list can be found on the MLA web site at <www.mainelobstermen.org>.
Comments may be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed to NMFS as follows.
Mail comments to: Mary Colligan, assistant regional administrator for protected resources, NMFS Northeast Region, 1 Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930. Write “Attn: ALWTRP Proposed Rule” on the envelope.
E-mail comments by going online to the “Federal eRulemaking Portal” at <www.regulations.gov>. Once on the site, type “NOAA-NMFS-2008-0162” in the “Comment or Submission” box, and then click on “Send a Comment or Submission” and type in your comment.
You can fax comments to the attention of Diane Borggaard at (978) 281-9394.
To obtain a hard copy of the proposed rule, call Holly Morin at (978) 281-9300 ext. 6516 or e-mail her at <Holly.Morin@noaa.gov>. The proposed rule also is posted on the ALWTRP web site at <www.nero.nmfs.gov/whaletrp>.
Any other questions may be directed to ALWTRP Coordinator Diane Borggaard. Call her at (978) 281-9300 ext. 6503 or e-mail her at <Diane.Borggaard@noaa.gov>. /cfn/
Back to story list
|
|
Tell us what you think.
