Atlantic

Atlantic

Atlantic

S.Atlantic & Gulf

West Coast

Alaska

Alaska

PUBLIC MEETINGS - Shrimp Industry Analysis & Options Paper Released and Public Meetings Scheduled – First Meetings are AUGUST 23 & 24

Job Announcement - Fisheries Extension Advisor with California Sea Grant

Conference - Third International Albatross & Petrel Conference, August 23-27, 2004, Montevideo, Uruguay.

Publication – Marine Protected Areas Center Publishes July/August 2004 Issue of Current: The Journal of Marine Education

Report On-line - "Consensus Conference on Integrating Marine Reserve Science and Fisheries Management"

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 2005 Meeting Schedule Available

Atlantic – Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) Daily Retention Limit Adjusted

To enhance the recreational BFT fishing opportunities for all geographical areas maintain conservation limits for this species, NOAA Fisheries has adjusted the daily retention limit for the 2004 fishing years.

Vessels permitted in the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and the Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat categories are eligible to land BFT under the BFT Angling category quota. Persons aboard a vessel issued an HMS Charter/Headboat permit may retain and land BFT under the daily limits and quotas applicable to the Angling category or the General category. The size category of the first BFT retained on an HMS Charter/Headboat will determine the fishing category applicable to the vessel that day.

The below trip limits are per vessel per day/trip:

In addition to the daily retention limit, the Angling category trophy fishery for large medium and giant BFT (measuring 73 inches or greater) is open in all areas, with a retention limit of one fish per vessel per year.

All BFT landed MUST be reported within 24 hours of landing to the www.nmfspermits.com website or by calling 888-872-8862 or, if landed in the states of North Carolina or Maryland, to a reporting station prior to offloading. Information can be obtained in North Carolina by calling (800) 338-7804, and in Maryland by calling (410) 213-1531.

Permit holders may visit the above website or call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862 or (978) 281-9305 for updates on quota monitoring and retention limit adjustments. For further information contact Brad McHale, 978-281-9260 or visit our Highly Migratory Species web page at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/.

Atlantic - NOAA Fisheries Issues An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking To Further Reduce Atlantic Sea Turtle Bycatch and Mortality – Comments Due by October 12, 2004

NOAA Fisheries is considering adjustments to the regulations governing the Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) pelagic longline fishery. NOAA Fisheries has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to request comments on potential regulatory changes intended to further reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality of sea turtles and the feasibility of framework mechanisms to address unanticipated increases in sea turtle interactions and mortalities should they occur.

Briefly, on July 6, 2004 (69 FR 40734), NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to implement management measures to reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality of Atlantic sea turtles in the Atlantic pelagic longline (PLL) fishery. That rulemaking was based on the results of the 3-year Northeast Distant (NED) Closed Area research experiment involving interactions of PLL fishing gear and Atlantic sea turtles, other available studies and information on circle hook and bait treatments, and public comments. A 2004 BiOp issued for the Atlantic PLL fishery identified a Reasonable and Prudent Alternative and contained an Incidental Take Statement (ITS) for the PLL that specifies the maximum authorized number of interactions with sea turtles.

Among other actions, the 2004 BiOp specified that NOAA Fisheries review quarterly and annually sea turtle take estimates, and, should these estimates indicate that the PLL fishery is not likely to stay within the authorized 3-year take levels specified in the 2004 BiOp, take corrective action to avoid long-term elevations in sea turtle interactions and ensure that the ITS is not exceeded. Additionally, NOAA Fisheries must monitor sea turtle post-hooking mitigation and release, and take corrective action to reduce mortalities if fleet-wide gear removal rates are not sufficient to meet mortality performance targets contained in the 2004 BiOp.

The PLL fishery is currently operating under the ITS level thus, no corrective actions are needed at this time. However, the 2004 BiOp advises consideration of a framework mechanism to facilitate a more timely implementation of corrective actions and to provide greater certainty on potential management responses. The ANPR explores potential mechanisms and/or individual corrective actions that might be necessary if any exceedance occurs. These could include, but are not limited to: time-area closures; additional gear modifications or restrictions; improvements in gear removal tools and methods; training program adjustments; limitations on effort such as restrictions on the number of sets or hooks; a cap on the number of turtles caught either per trip or quarter, which, if exceeded, would lead to a temporary closure; or Dynamic Area Management protocols similar to those established for endangered whales. The goal of any of these measures would be to ensure that the mortality targets and ITS are not met nor exceeded.

NOAA Fisheries invites written comments from interested parties regarding what NOAA Fisheries should consider if NOAA Fisheries proceeds with the proposed rulemaking. Comments must be received on or before October 12, 2004, and should be submitted to Christopher Rogers, Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division (F/SF1), Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NOAA Fisheries, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comments also may be sent via facsimile (FAX) to 301-713-1917 or by e-mail at ID070804B@noaa.gov. For further information or a copy of the ANPR or related documents, contact Russell Dunn, 727-570-5447 or visit the HMS Management Division’s web page at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms.

Atlantic – Mid-Atlantic Council and Commission Boards Adopt 2005 and 2006 Management Measures

Last week the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Boards in Baltimore, Maryland to adopt 2005 and 2006 fishery management measures. The Council and Board recommended increases in the total allowable landing level (TAL) for summer flounder and black sea bass. The current TAL of 16.50 million pounds for scup was recommended to remain the same for 2005. The current bluefish total allowable catch (TAC) of 34.2 million pounds was likewise adopted by the Council and Board for 2005. For a complete listing of these actions, go to http://www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/mafmc.htm.

S.Atlantic & Gulf – DRAFT Shrimp Industry Analysis & Options Paper Released and Public Meetings Scheduled

NOAA Fisheries this week released a draft shrimp industry analysis and options paper and over the next two weeks will conduct a series of meetings with interested members of the shrimp industry and the public throughout the Southeast to discuss and review the draft document. Limited copies of the executive summary and summary chapter, along with CDs of the entire draft shrimp industry options paper will be available at each meeting. The paper is also available on-line at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter. Fisheries managers briefed House and Senate staff members regarding the draft document on Thursday, August 19.

In response to requests from the southeastern shrimp industry, NOAA Fisheries created the document to analyze the financial and market challenges facing the shrimp industry. The draft report contains a series of options to consider as the industry moves into the future.

NOAA Fisheries is seeking industry and public comment on the draft paper. You can comment at any of the meetings, or by email from the website above. Dr. William T. Hogarth, director of NOAA Fisheries or Dr. Roy Crabtree, Southeast regional administrator will be present at each of the meetings. Dr. John Ward, a NOAA Fisheries economist, will present the elements of the paper. Discussions of the options will be held and comments taken for the balance of the meetings. The media is also invited to attend any of the industry/public briefings.

The first meeting will be held in Houston, Texas over two days, Monday August 23rd and Tuesday the 24th at the following times and location:

Monday, August 23, 2004 -- 11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CDT
Tuesday, August 24, 2004 -- 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon CDT
Holiday Inn Houston Intercontinental Airport
5222 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Houston, Texas, 77032 (281) 449-2311

For a complete list of meeting details and speakers, please go to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter.

West Coast – NOAA Issues Grants To Support West Coast Groundfish Observer Program And Improved Data Collection

Last week NOAA granted over $3.4 million to continue to support the collaboration between NOAA Fisheries and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in providing West Coast Groundfish Observers. The grant will allow PSMFC to assist in providing coast-wide, year-round data collection on groundfish discards by gear, area and season. The goal of the observer program is to improve estimates of total catch and discard for the groundfish fishery. Observers improve the understanding of fishing activities and help account for total catch, bycatch and discard associated with different groundfish fisheries and groundfish stocks. More information about this observer program can be found on our Northwest Fisheries Science Center website at www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/observer/ .

An additional $800,231 was also awarded to the Commission to support the collection of groundfish data. This grant will be targeted to supporting collaboration between scientists, the fishing industry, commercial fishermen, researchers and other stakeholders to provide groundfish data to fisheries for research. Some activities include data collection, the development of research proposals, research cruises and research of habitat and stock assessment.

Alaska – Hydrographic Survey Ship Fairweather Is Modernized And Reactivated to Begin Surveys of Alaska’s Coastal Waters

After 18 months of refurbishment, the NOAA ship Fairweather was reactivated into service at a ceremony held this week at the U.S. Coast Guard base in Ketchikan, Alaska. The Fairweather has been completely refurbished with the latest technology, making it one of the most advanced survey vessels in the world.

Alaska’s coastal waters are increasingly transited by large cruise liners, cargo ships and oil tankers, yet many of the seafloor surveys of areas outside primary shipping lanes were done decades ago using technology that did not provide full bottom coverage. Changes due to receding glaciers, storms, shipwrecks and other hazards also can make more recent surveys obsolete.

In addition to reducing the backlog of nautical survey work, the Fairweather is capable of conducting essential fish habitat surveys required to make science-based decisions about fishery resources

The ship will be home ported at the Old Tesoro fuel pier south of downtown Ketchikan. Its crew includes one Ketchikan and three other Alaska residents. Recruitment is continuing in Ketchikan and throughout Alaska.

To view the complete press release go to http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2004/s2299.htm.

For more information about NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations see www.nmao.noaa.gov

Alaska – NOAA Awards Alaska Fish & Game $19 Million For Salmon Recovery

NOAA has granted over $19 million to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to fund salmon-restoration activities. The grant will fund the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Initiative, a program created to conserve salmon populations in pacific rivers, streams and marine ecosystems. Projects include salmon habitat restoration, salmon stock enhancement and salmon research, including construction of salmon research and related facilities. Earlier this year, the Bush Administration announced a $10 million increase for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund in the Presidents FY 2005 budget request, raising it to $100 million.

August 16, 2004

August 17, 2004

Notice - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) (re: final application submitted by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences).
Notice - Gulf of Mexico FMC; Meeting.
Notice - South Atlantic FMC; Meeting.
Rule - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Rock Sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
Rule - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; "Other Flatfish" in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
Rule - Fisheries Off West Coast States and in Western Pacific. End of Pacific Whiting Primary Season for the Shore-based Sector and the Resumption of Trip Limits.
Rule - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Atka Mackerel Lottery in Areas 542 and 543.
Rule - Effective Date for Atlantic Shark Fisheries.

August 18, 2004

August 19, 2004

August 20, 2004