FishNews November 5, 2004
WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS
Southeast - Operator Permits
for the South Atlantic Rock Shrimp and Atlantic Dolphin
and Wahoo Fisheries
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Beginning November 23, 2004, operator permit cards
(operator cards) will be required for an operator of
a vessel that has, or is required to have, a charter
vessel/headboat or commercial vessel permit for Atlantic
dolphin-wahoo. Operator cards have been required in
the South Atlantic rock shrimp fishery since May 16,
2003.
Persons who already possess an operator card to participate
in the South Atlantic rock shrimp fishery do not need
to obtain a separate operator card to operate a vessel
that is permitted to participate in the Atlantic dolphin-wahoo
fishery.
Similarly, operator cards issued by NOAA Fisheries'
Northeast Regional Office for the Fisheries of the
Northeastern United States or for the American Lobster
Fishery have been determined to meet the South Atlantic
rock shrimp and Atlantic dolphin-wahoo operator card
requirement. For persons possessing Northeast Region
operator cards who are operating vessels that participate
in the South Atlantic rock shrimp or Atlantic dolphin-wahoo
fisheries do not need to obtain a separate operator
card for those two fisheries. However, at this time,
operator cards issued by the Southeast Regional Office
do not meet the requirement for Northeast Region operator
cards.
Operators possessing an operator card for the fisheries
in the Northeast Region (or the South Atlantic rock
shrimp fishery) and who have received a separate operator
card for the South Atlantic rock shrimp fishery or
the Atlantic dolphin-wahoo fishery may request reimbursement
of the cost for that second operator card. In a written
signed request, operators must include the original
Southeast Regional Office operator card and a photocopy
of their valid Northeast Region operator card, along
with a valid mailing address. Send the written signed
request to:
A person required to have an operator card must carry
that card on board the vessel along with one other
form of personal identification that includes a picture
(driver license, passport, etc.). This and other news
releases are available on the Southeast Regional Office
home page at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.
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Mid-Atlantic
- Notice of Decision on Rulemaking to Address Incidental
Takes of Sea Turtles in the Scallop Fishery
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NOAA Fisheries has announced a decision to pursue
rulemaking under the Endangered Species Act that will
address incidental takes of sea turtles in the Atlantic
sea scallop fishery. Petitioners (Fisheries Survival
Fund and Garden State Seafood Association) had requested
an emergency rule, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, that would require specific modifications to the
fishing gear used by sea scallop vessels fishing south
of Long Island and north of Cape Hatteras from May
1 through October 15. These gear modifications would
require the installation of a chain mesh configuration
in dredge gear, and the installation of turtle excluder
devices in trawl gear.
Public comments on this petition were carefully considered
by the agency. NOAA Fisheries has decided that the
circumstances do not justify the need for an emergency
rule at this time. However, a final rule will be enacted
under the ESA by May 2005 to address incidental turtle
takes in the Atlantic scallop fishery.
For more information, including the agency’s
response to public comments go to: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/frdoc/04NODPER.pdf
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Alaska - New
Crab Fishery Management Proposal Announced
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NOAA Fisheries has released the details of a proposed
new crab fishery program to increase resource
conservation, improve economic efficiency and improve
safety in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island crab
fisheries. NOAA Fisheries crab management experts
will be holding public workshops in Anchorage and
Seattle, designed to help people understand the proposed
program and to encourage sharing of ideas and opinions.
Details are provided through the link above.
The proposed rule is available at www.fakr.noaa.gov/prules/fr63200.pdf.
All public comments must be received no later than
December 13, 2004. Information on how to submit comments
(including electronically) is provided in the proposed
rule. Managers hope to have the program, called "crab
rationalization," in place for the fall 2005
crab fisheries.
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Alaska - Kodiak
Processor Pays Penalty for Illegal Fish Purchases & Failure
to Obtain Observer Coverage
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Last week, NOAA's Office for Law Enforcement last
week settled a $71,000 Notice of Violation and Assessment
(NOVA), with the manager and owner of Global Seafoods
in Kodiak, Alaska for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.
Global Seafoods North America, LLC settled the NOVA
with the Federal government for failing to have a required
NOAA Fisheries-certified groundfish observer on site
during a number of days during the first quarter of
2004, and for purchasing approximately 22,000 pounds
of groundfish in violation of Gulf of Alaska Maximum
Retainable Amounts (MRAs).
NOAA Fisheries-certified groundfish observers play
a vital role in providing fisheries and other marine
resources data to NOAA Fisheries. This data is critical
to the management of Alaska’s marine resources.
Groundfish retention regulations allow Alaska commercial
fishermen to retain up to the MRA of groundfish species
caught incidentally to targeted fish. This ‘bycatch
allowance’ provides greater utilization of Alaska’s
fisheries resources. Groundfish processors must report
to the OLE all deliveries that exceed bycatch MRAs.
"Protecting observers, insuring the integrity
of the data collection process and enforcing observer
coverage requirements are high priorities of the Alaska
Enforcement Division of NOAA Fisheries," said
Special Agent Nathan Lagerwey, NOAA Fisheries Office
for Law Enforcement – Alaska Division.
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EVENTS AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Habitat Connections
Gets Re-launched With a New Look
Later this month, NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Habitat Conservation
will re-launch an old favorite, Habitat Connections, with a
new look. The publication began circulating in 1997. As its
name suggests, Habitat Connections provides constituents and
other interested parties with information about habitat issues.
More specifically, it delves into the relationships between
habitat and a number of related subjects including fisheries
resources, overall environmental health, and even social and
economic conditions. The current issue (November 2004) is the
first in a four-part series discussing the status of oysters
in the US.
Habitat Connections will begin quarterly distribution in
early November 2004. The publication will be made available
electronically as well as in hard copy format.
We are currently updating our distribution list. Interested
parties should contact Laura Walko at Laura.Walko@noaa.gov or
(301) 713-0174.
NOAA Scientists
Continue Lecture Series on Human Noise Impact to Marine Mammals
NOAA Fisheries Acoustics Program and other scientific experts
in marine mammals and human noise have been hosting a free
national lecture series to present current scientific information
about human sources and uses of sound in marine environments,
the physics of sound and hearing, and biological and behavioral
factors that relate to noise impacts. Scientists hope that
the educational lecture series will facilitate constructive
discussions among concerned parties. The13th lecture of the
series is scheduled for November 11, 2004, at the Hubbs-Sea
World Research Institute in San Diego, Calif. Click for more
information about the series or view the full press
release.
NOAA Fisheries
Administrator Addresses National Fisheries Institute’s
Annual Meeting
Dr. Bill Hogarth addressed the NFI membership this past weekend
in Long Beach, California, to discuss among other things, the
NOAA Fisheries Strategic Plan. He received good feedback and
constructive ideas. Bill encouraged NFI to formalize their
review and comments on the NOAA Fisheries draft plan.
Comments are being accepted until November 30, 2004. NFI is "America's
Largest Seafood Trade Association," and represents the
seafood industry on Capitol Hill. Other issues raised by NFI
members emphasized the importance of NOAA Fisheries taking
a proactive role in seafood consumer outreach and education.
NOAA Fisheries
Attends West Coast International Seafood Expo
Earlier this week NOAA Fisheries staff attended the West Coast
International Seafood Expo in Long Beach, California to meet
with leaders in the international seafood
industry, including many west coast and Southern California
seafood
processors, retailers and distributors. As the only seafood-specific
show on the West Coast, the International West Coast Seafood
Show is attended by industry representatives from west of the
Mississippi, western Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Hawaii,
and the Pacific Rim. It was an important opportunity for the
new NOAA Fisheries Office of Constituent Services to get aquatinted
with west coast seafood leaders discuss constituent needs and
the stewardship mission of NOAA Fisheries to sustain healthy
populations of marine fisheries. Special thanks to the Southwest
Regional staff for organizing the NOAA presence at this important
event.
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
November 1, 2004
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Notice - New England FMC; Meetings,
Herring Adv. Committee.
Notice - North Pacific FMC; Meetings,
Non-target Species Committee.
Notice - North Pacific FMC; Meetings
BSAI Groundfish Plan Teams.
Notice - New England FMC; Meetings,
Council.
Notice - Pacific FMC; Meeting, Groundfish
IFQ Committee.
Notice - Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request (re: NOAA Satellite Ground Station
Customer Questionnaire).
Proposed Rule - Atlantic Sea Scallop
Fishery; Control Date.
Rule - Fisheries Off West Coast States
and in the Western Pacific; West Coast Salmon Fisheries;
Inseason Action #11... Fishery from the U.S.-Canada
Border to Cape Falcon, OR.;
Rule - Fisheries Off West Coast
States and in the Western Pacific; West Coast Salmon
Fisheries; Inseason Action #12 ...Fishery from Humbug
Mt., OR, to the OR-CA Border.
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November 5, 2004
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| Notice - Marine Mammals; File No.
878-1715-00.
Rule - West Coast Salmon
Fisheries; Inseason Action #13.
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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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