National

Atlantic

Atlantic

Northeast

Southeast/Gulf

Alaska

National – Constituent Sessions Reports From 2003 Are Online

Beginning in 2003, NOAA Fisheries held a series of Constituent Sessions around the country. For the most part, these were held in conjunction with regional Fishery Management Council meetings to take advantage of the constituents who would be attending those gatherings.

The primary objective of these sessions was to assemble and provide a comprehensive analysis of the diverse opinions, attitudes, and perspectives of marine resource stakeholders as they relate to broad themes in fisheries management, with a secondary objective to identify performance measures for the agency. The reports and analysis generated from these meetings have now been finalized and published online by the Office of Constituent Services for easy public viewing. If you have any questions, please contact Gordon Helm, Deputy Director, Office of Constituent Services, (301) 713-2379.

Atlantic – New Strategy Proposed To Reduce Ship Collisions With Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale

On Tuesday, June 1st, NOAA Fisheries proposed a comprehensive strategy for reducing collisions between ocean-going vessels and highly endangered North Atlantic right whales along the East Coast. The strategy includes measures tailored to vessel traffic patterns, ocean conditions, and right whale behavior during times and in areas where collision risk is high.

Public comments will be accepted for sixty days, from June 1, 2004 to August 2, 2004, during which time the Agency will also conduct public meetings to discuss the strategy. Comments will be considered as the agency completes environmental and economic analyses required to develop the final strategy and rules to implement it.

The proposed strategy relies on a combination of routing and speed options, narrowly defined (in time and area) by right whale presence, and tailored to conditions in each of three major regions along the East Coast (mid Atlantic ports, southeast ports and northeast). The proposed measures are adapted to each area’s likely right whale seasonal occurrence, commercial ship traffic patterns and navigational concerns. The strategy also recommends continuing support for existing protective actions, expanded education and outreach initiatives. Measures as proposed would apply to both domestic and international vessels in U.S. waters, 65 ft and longer. Sovereign immune vessels (such as U.S. military and government research vessels) would be exempt from these measures, but can voluntarily comply. To fully implement, the strategy will require both federal regulations and rules negotiated through the International Maritime Organization. Click here for more information on right whales and ship strikes.

Atlantic – 2004 Second Semiannual Fishing Season for the Atlantic Shark Commercial Fisheries

The commercial shark fisheries for all species groups and all regions will open on July 1, 2004. The quotas have been adjusted to account for any over or under harvest in the second semiannual season of 2003. The regions are Gulf of Mexico (Texas through the West Coast of Florida), the South Atlantic (the East Coast of Florida through North Carolina including the Caribbean Sea), and the North Atlantic (Virginia north). Landings in the Florida Keys, the border between the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions, will be counted against the Gulf of Mexico regional quota.

The closure date for the large coastal shark fishery in the North Atlantic region will be announced at a later date once the proposed rule regarding the quota split between the semiannual quotas is finalized (May 13, 2004, 69 FR 26540). For more detailed information on quotas and requirements, visit NOAA Fisheries’ HMS Web page or contact Karyl Brewster-Geisz at (301) 713-2347.

Northeast – Tagged Cod Bring Five Lucky Winners Cash Rewards

The Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program is pleased to announce the winners of its ninth cash lottery. Five winners will each receive $200 after reporting four critical pieces of information following the recapture of a tagged cod – its tag number, recapture location, fish length and date captured. This lottery is drawn for five categories depending on where the tagged cod were found: 1) Gulf of Maine and Canadian
waters, 2) Georges Bank, 3) Cape Cod and vicinity, 4) New Hampshire and Massachusetts Inshore waters, and 5) Processing plants.

The winners for May 2004 are:
Category 1: Tony Fernandes, Acushnet, MA
Category 2: Neil Doucette, South Ohio, Yarmouth Co. Nova Scotia, CA
Category 3: Glen LeGeyt, Hyannis, MA
Category 4: Francis Beaulieu Jr., Rockport, MA
Category 5: Darla Clairmont, Middle West Pubnico, Nova Scotia, CA

The Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program represents the largest cod-tagging program initiated to date along the eastern seaboard of the North American continent. The program aims to tag and release over 100,000 Atlantic cod between March 2003 and March 2005. This initiative arose from a need identified by regional groundfish fishermen and scientists to understand current distribution and migration patterns of Atlantic cod. This information is important for management efforts to rebuild cod stocks.

A significant example of collaborative research, the program involves commercial fishermen and research organizations from Nova Scotia, Canada down to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. To date, over 59,000 cod have been tagged and around 1200 tags have been recovered.

Fishermen and fish processors are asked to keep an eye open for these tagged cod. Anyone who returns recapture information will receive a reward (either a T-shirt, hat or mug). In addition, anyone who supplies the four key pieces of information (tag number, recapture location, fish length and date) will automatically be entered into the monthly cash lottery.

Tag recapture information can be reported by calling our toll-free number, 1-866-447-2111 (free for U.S. & Canada) or e-mailing us at codresearch@gma.org.

The Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program is funded by NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Regional Office through the Northeast Cooperative Research Program in collaboration with the New England Fishery Management Council. The program is coordinated by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and includes an international team of researchers from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Island Institute, Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology. Through this cooperative research program, commercial fishermen work closely with scientists to provide valuable information for improved management of cod stocks.

Southeast/Gulf – Reminder That Charter Vessel or Headboat Permits are Required for the Reef Fish Fishery & Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery in Gulf of Mexico Waters

NOAA Fisheries implemented Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic and Amendment 20 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico on June 16, 2003. The rule established a 3–year moratorium on the issuance of charter vessel or headboat (for-hire) permits for the coastal migratory pelagics and reef fish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, as a consequence of the moratorium, the current charter vessel/headboat permit system for coastal migratory pelagic fish has been restructured to provide separate permits for the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic fisheries. “Open access” permits issued prior to the moratorium were invalid as of November 13, 2003.

The intended effect of this rule is to cap the number of for-hire vessels operating in these respective fisheries at the current level while the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council evaluates the need for further management actions that may be needed to manage/rebuild these fishery resources, and to promote attainment of optimum yield.

This Bulletin is to remind charter vessel and headboat operators that if they fish for coastal migratory pelagic or reef fish species in EEZ waters of the Gulf of Mexico, they are required to have the appropriate vessel permits. Operators of, and clients aboard, vessels without valid charter vessel/headboat permits are not allowed to fish for or possess, in or from the EEZ, species from these species groups.

For more detailed information or questions regarding permits, including permit requirements, permit transferability, or permit renewal, NOAA Fisheries’ Permits Branch at 727-570-5326.

Alaska – NOAA Fisheries Releases Environmental Document for Alaska Groundfish Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries today announced the release of a major environmental document that will serve as the primary guide for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries and the public in determining future management measures for the Alaska groundfish fisheries.

The six-volume Alaska Groundfish Fisheries Programmatic Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (PSEIS) represents a comprehensive assessment of the overarching conservation and management objectives and policies of the Alaska groundfish fishery management plans. This assessment was done through the environmental review process established by the National Environmental Policy Act.

If approved by the Secretary of Commerce after his review, these amendments would establish a management framework for each fishery management plan that is more precautionary when faced with scientific uncertainty. They would also incorporate ecosystem-based management goals and objectives more formally into our conservation and management decision-making. For more information, visit NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Region’s Web site.

June 1, 2004

Notice - New England FMC; Public meetings
Proposed Rule - Endangered Fish and Wildlife; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction.
Rule - Framework Adjustment 4; Correction
Rule - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fisheries; Framework Adjustment 4
Rule - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Shark Fishing Season

June 2, 2004

Rule - Sea Turtle Conservation Requirements: Turtle Excluder Device Regulations

June 3, 2004

Rule - Designation of the AT1 Group of Transient Killer Whales as a Depleted Stock

June 4, 2004

Notice - Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) [Limuli Laboratories]