FishNews
February 06, 2004
WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS
National – Ecosystem-Based
Management Makes a Splash In NOAA Fisheries’ In 2005 Budget Request
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A key goal of NOAA’s new strategic plan is to protect, restore and manage
the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem-based approaches to
management. The President’s 2005 budget request moves this effort forward
by dedicating $1.158 billion to ecosystem management, an increase of over $145
million. As NOAA’s lead
agency for ecosystem management, NOAA Fisheries’ and the living marine
resources they manage will receive the majority of this investment. The primary
focus of these investments is continuing to improve the collection of scientific
data on which the management of living marine resources
depends.
Highlights
include:
- $33.8 million increase to complete construction of a third acoustically
quiet fisheries survey vessel to collect data for stock assessments on 54
fish species in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Caribbean, including shrimp,
snapper, grouper, shark, tuna and swordfish.
- $9.9 million increase to expand and modernize the data collected by fisheries
observers in 15 fisheries, including Northeast Groundfish. Observers are
currently deployed in 43 fisheries, with an adequate level of coverage in
only 29.
- $6.0 million increase to more adequately assess fish stocks around the
country, including monkfish, white and blue marlin, thornyhead and yellowtail
rockfish, Pacific mackerel and bottomfish around Hawaii.
- $5.3 million increase to expand the use of satellite monitoring of commercial
fishing vessels for enforcement of fishing rules and collection of scientific
data.
- $12.0 million increase for research and management programs to help restore
12 species of threatened and endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest and
the Klamath Basin.
- $2.0 million more to conduct additional surveys and improve population
estimates and predictive models for whales, loggerhead sea turtles and other
key species.
Additional information regarding budget details and program highlights will
be posted to our Management & Budget web page in coming weeks so keep checking.
For a copy of NOAA’s 2005 request go to http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2004/s2162.htm |
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New England – ‘Local
Fisheries Knowledge’ Website Launched
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NOAA Fisheries has created a new website to provide information about the
'Local Fisheries Knowledge Project', a pilot education project in which students
interview fishermen and others in related industries. The site includes a description
of the project, its educational framework, a description of the communities
in which the 2003-2004 pilot is taking place, and some general information
about local fisheries knowledge research. Transcripts from the interviews will
be accessible from the website within the next few months as students populate
the database. http://www.st.nmfs.gov/lfkproject
(For best results, view
in Internet Explorer.) For more information on this project, contact Susan.Abbott-Jamieson@noaa.gov.
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Mid-Atlantic – Proposed
Regulations for Virginia Poundnet Fishery to
Protect Sea Turtles
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The proposed rule would establish a closed area in the lower Chesapeake Bay
where the majority of sea turtle interactions in pound net leaders have been
documented in past years. It would decrease the allowable length of stretched
mesh in leaders from 12 inches to 8 inches, because sea turtles have been documented
entangled in the smaller mesh leaders, and would lengthen the restriction period
by two weeks to account for annual variation in water temperatures that affects
sea turtle migration patterns.
These measures would be in effect from each year. Comments on
this proposal will be accepted until . Written comments
on this action or requests for copies should be sent to:
Assistant Regional
Administrator for Protected Resources, NMFS
One Blackburn Drive
Gloucester,
MA 01930
Comments and requests for supporting documents may also be sent via
fax to 978-281-9394. For more information, contact Carrie Upite at 978-281-9328
x6525 or Barbara Schroeder at 301-713-1401.
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EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
California – Marine Wildlife
Viewing Workshops, February 2004
NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources and NOAA’s California National
Marine Sanctuaries Program are hosting a series of Marine Wildlife Viewing
Workshops.
Each workshop brings together area user groups to discuss issues regarding
responsibly viewing California marine life and will allow NOAA to receive input
on the draft publication "Responsibly Watching California's Marine Wildlife:
A Handbook for Ocean Users" available online at: http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/library/national/wwhandbook.pdf
Each workshop includes a plenary session on the importance of watchable wildlife
practices and break-out sessions with roundtable discussions. Target participants
include recreational and commercial boaters, kayaking shops and guides, dive
shops and dive vessel operators, whale watching vessels/ sightseeing vessels,
volunteers, naturalists, and small aircraft operators. Interested members of
the general public are also invited to attend.
The Marine Wildlife Viewing Workshop will be repeated at four locations. All
participants are asked to RSVP. For more information on the workshop or to
RSVP, please see the contact for each location.
Monday, February 2, 2004
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Red Barn
1 Bear Velley Road
Pt. Reyes National Seashore
RSVP: Jennifer.Stock@noaa.gov
Or: 415-663-0314 x104
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Thursday, February 5, 2004
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Monterey Beach Resort
2600 San Dunes Drive
Monterey
RSVP: Heather.Cauldwell@noaa.gov
Or: 831-647-4201
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Tuesday, February 3, 2004
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Aquarium of the Bay
Pier 39
San Francisco
RSVP: Maryjane.Schramm@noaa.gov
Or: 415-561-6622 x205
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Tuesday, February 10, 2004
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Cabrillo Pavillion Arts Center
1118 E.Cabrillo Blvd.
Santa Barbara
RSVP: Shauna.Bingham@noaa.gov
Or: 805-382-6151
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REMINDER - Miami International
Boat Show - Fisheries Administrator, Bill Hogarth, will meet with recreational
fishermen
Bill Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, will meet with constituents
at the Miami International Boat Show on (Conference Room TBA at the show). This is the second year that NOAA Fisheries
has coordinated with other line offices of NOAA (Sanctuaries, Sea Grant, Enforcement)
and other agencies and organizations to provide attendees an opportunity to
visit and obtain up-to-date information from the various government agencies
and organizations dedicated to managing marine resources. The Miami International
Boat Show is held annually at the Miami Beach Convention Center ().
SEDAR Assessment Workshop to
Develop Stock Assessments for Gulf and Atlantic Group King Mackerel
The Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, in cooperation
with the NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Fisheries Science Center, will hold a Stock
Assessment Workshop in Miami, Florida as part of the Southeast Data Assessment
and Review (SEDAR) process to assess the status of Gulf and Atlantic group king
mackerel. The workshop will evaluate the current condition of these stocks based
on established and proposed status criteria (minimum stock size thresholds [MSST]
and maximum fishing mortality thresholds [MFMT]) to determine whether either
stock is overfished or undergoing overfishing and may recommend levels of acceptable
biological catch. A report will be produced by the workshop that will be reviewed
at the SEDAR Assessment Review Workshop beginning April 5, 2004. Final recommendations
will subsequently be used by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management
Councils to develop any additional management measures, if needed, for these
stocks.
The meeting will be held at the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast
Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive in Miami, Florida. The meeting
is to begin at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 16, 2004 and conclude by 3:00
p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2004. An agenda and materials to be reviewed
at the workshop are available from NMFS SEDAR Coordinator John Carmichael (843-571-4366,
e-mail John.Carmichael@safmc.net ).
Gulf & S. Atlantic - Scoping
Meetings on Potential Amendment for Limiting Access in the Commercial Reef
Fish and King Mackerel Fisheries & on Potential Generic Amendment for Management
of Offshore Marine
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold scoping
meetings to solicit input from interested parties to identify issues and potential
impacts regarding alternatives to limit entry in the king mackerel and reef
fish fisheries. A copy of the full news release, meeting times and locations
can be viewed at the Council’s web site at http://www.gulfcouncil.org. 
FEDERAL REGISTER ACTIONS
For a list of only actions open for public comment, try going
to http://www.regulations.gov/ and
scroll search for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For a listing of all daily actions in the
Federal Register.
NOAA FISHERIES ACTIONS
February 2, 2004
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| Rule - 2004
Specs for Atlantic
Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish |
February 4, 2004
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Notice – Endangered
Species Act; Permit No. 1190
Notice - Marine Mammals; File No. 1019-1657
Rule - Trip Limit Increase |
February 5, 2004
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Notice - Fisheries
of the EEZ off Alaska; Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit
Notice - Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Notice - Marine Mammals, File No. 1038-1693-00
Notice - Endangered Species; File No. 1295
Proposed Rule - NE Sea Scallop Fishery; Proposed Emergency
Proposed Rule - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Application
for EFPs; Correction
Rule - To Maintain Area Access Program in Hudson Canyon |
February 6, 2004
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Notice - Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery, Exempted Fishing Permit Application filed
Notice - New England Fishery Management Council
Notice - Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals
Proposed Rule - Sea Turtle Conservation Measures; Restrictions
to Fishing Activities
Final Rule - Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Space Vehicle
and Test Flight Activities From Vandenberg Air Force Base |
February 9, 2004
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| Rule - Fisheries
of the EEZ off
Alaska; Pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the Gulf of Alaska |
For a list of only those actions open for public comment, try going to
http://www.regulations.gov
and scroll search for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For a listing of all actions in the
Federal Register |
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