National

National

Atlantic

Atlantic

Atlantic

NOAA Scheduled to Unveil New Marine-Based Weather Radio in Tampa Bay Area That Will Broadcast Fisheries Information

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting, January 20-22, 2004, Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.

National – NOAA Fisheries & Fisherman Develop New Technology That Dramatically Reduces Sea-Turtle Bycatch

NOAA Fisheries announced this week that it has developed new technology to help fishermen reduce accidental capture and harm to endangered sea turtles. In cooperation with fishermen and private industry, NOAA Fisheries has completed three years of fishing-equipment research in the high seas of the Atlantic Ocean to develop turtle-friendly gear and fishing methods for commercial longline vessels. The agency and partners have concluded that encounters with leatherback and loggerhead turtles can be reduced by as much as 90 percent by switching the type of hook and bait from the traditional "J"- style hook with squid to a large circle style hook with mackerel.

National – NOAA Features Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Network’s Process for Solving the Mysteries of marine mammal Unusual Mortality Events

An "unusual mortality event" is a series of marine mammal strandings that are unexpected, involve a significant die-off of any marine mammal population and/or demand an immediate response. The NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program works with national stranding networks to investigate the causes of UMEs. Understanding these events can give us insight into larger environmental issues, which may also have implications for human health and welfare. Full Story Inside.

Atlantic – Update on Scoping Process of Potential Changes to the Management of Atlantic Striped Bass in Federal Waters

NOAA Fisheries has completed the scoping process for the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addressing potential changes to management of Atlantic striped bass in Federal waters (from three to 200 miles offshore). This process, which ended on December 22, 2003, included nine public meetings in states from Maine to North Carolina, and an opportunity for the public to provide written comments. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has recommended that Federal waters be opened for recreational and commercial striped bass fishing and NOAA Fisheries sought public help to identify the scope of issues that the agency should consider as it begins to prepare an EIS to evaluate the provisions of the Commission's recommendation.

Summaries of the issues, concerns, and comments as well as copies of the scoping document, are available at the NOAA Fisheries, State-Federal Fisheries website http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/state_federal/state_federal.htm.

Once all input from the scoping process is reviewed NOAA Fisheries will develop a draft EIS and the public will have additional opportunities to provide comment. For further information contact Anne Lange at (301) 713-2341.

Atlantic – New Brochures Available for the 2004 Atlantic Shark Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division released this week two brochures targeted to commercial and recreational fishing in the Atlantic Shark Fisheries. These brochures summarize changes to the regulations as a result of Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic HMS. Copies are being mailed directly to commercial permit holders and are available on our HMS web page.

Atlantic - NOAA Fisheries Adjusts Certain Commercial Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Seasons and Size Tolerance Limits - Correction Notice

NOAA Fisheries has adjusted several regulations governing the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) fishery including the opening date of the Purse seine category, closure dates for the Harpoon and General categories, and large medium BFT retention tolerances for the Purse seine and Harpoon categories.

To view the details of this Correction Notice, go to the Highly Migratory Species Division web page at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms or contact Dianne.Stephan@noaa.gov or Brad.McHale@noaa.gov (978) 281-9260.

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January 9, 2004