FishNews April 10, 2008
WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS
National -
Loggerhead Turtle Comments Sought |
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NOAA Fisheries has determined that a petition to reclassify loggerhead turtles in the western North Atlantic Ocean as a distinct population segment with endangered status may be warranted, and is seeking comments on the petition action. Currently, loggerhead turtles are listed as a threatened species throughout the world. NOAA Fisheries Service found that the petition submitted by Oceana and Center for Biological Diversity presents substantial scientific and commercial information indicating the western North Atlantic population may be distinct due to physical, genetic, physiological, ecological, and/or behavioral factors, and thus, may warrant a separate listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NOAA Fisheries is asking the public to submit comments and information related to the loggerhead petition finding no later than May 5, 2008. Information on how to submit comments and information may be found online.
For additional information, please contact Barbara Schroeder, telephone (301) 713–2322, fax (301) 427–2522.
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Gulf of Mexico - Early Closure of Recreational Red Snapper Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico Announced |
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NOAA Fisheries has announced the upcoming early closure of the recreational fishery for red snapper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico to further reduce the 2008 federal recreational red snapper fishing season from 4 months (June 1 – September 30) to a little over 2 months (June 1 – August 5). The revised season length is designed to ensure a reasonable probability the recreational fishery will not exceed its quota before the end of the fishing year. The original 4-month season implemented earlier this year for federal waters was adequate to constrain the fishery to its quota only if the Gulf Coast states adopted compatible regulations. However, Florida rejected the federal 4-month season in favor of its current 6 ½ month season, and Texas maintained its year-round season and more lenient bag limit. Similar decisions in 2007 contributed to the recreational red snapper fishery exceeding its quota by at least one million pounds (30 percent). Allowing another recreational overage to occur in 2008 would violate both legal and judicial requirements to end continued overfishing in the red snapper fishery. NOAA Fisheries Service continues working with Gulf Coast state fishery agencies to explain the implications of state management decisions on federal fisheries and to explore ways to best minimize the unavoidable impacts of needed harvest reductions on fishing communities.
The closure is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, August 5, 2008, through December 31, 2008, the end of the current fishing year. The recreational fishery will reopen on June 1, 2009, the beginning of the 2009 recreational fishing season.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Steve Branstetter, telephone (727) 551-5796.
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Northwest - NOAA Allows three States to Remove Sea Lions That Threaten Protected Salmon |
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NOAA Fisheries is granting authorization requested by Washington, Oregon and Idaho to permanently remove a number of California sea lions that are eating imperiled salmon and steelhead congregating below Bonneville Dam before moving up the Columbia River to spawn. This action allows these states to target only individual sea lions that continue to eat salmon after deterrence methods have proven unsuccessful. The agency’s authorization responds to a request in 2006 from the three states to “lethally remove” predatory sea lions under a provision of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Under this authorization, the states may shoot or capture and remove individually identified sea lions preying on salmon below Bonneville Dam.
NOAA estimates that about 30 animals will be removed each year, given the conditions in its authorization. The states will implement specific safety measures and form an animal-care committee, approved by the agency, to advise on standards for humanely capturing, holding and killing predatory sea lions.
Building on more than two decades of experience in attempting non-lethal deterrence of sea lions in the Pacific Northwest, NOAA Fisheries Service along with state, tribal and other federal agencies, tested a wide range of non-lethal deterrence methods to discourage the sea lions from foraging at the dam, but these efforts have been largely unsuccessful.
State and federal biologists conservatively estimate sea lions ate at least four percent of returning adult fish at Bonneville in 2007 – nearly 3,900 fish – up from an estimated half a percent only six years ago. The actual number is likely much higher, since a number of fish kills by sea lions were out of sight of observers. Currently, sea lion removal is on hold pending a court hearing.
For additional information, please contact Brian Gorman, telephone (206) 526-6613.
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Northeast - Tautog Fishery Moratorium Ended |
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NOAA Fisheries has announced the cancellation of the Federal moratorium on fishing for tautog in the State waters of New Jersey. NOAA Fisheries canceled the moratorium, as required by the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, based on the determination that New Jersey is now in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Tautog Interstate Fishery Management Plan.
For addition information, please contact Bob Ross, NOAA Fishery Management Specialist, telephone (978) 281-9327.
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Pacific Islands – Bottomfish Final Rule Announced |
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NOAA Fisheries has announced the final rule that implements management measures for the vessel-based bottomfish fishery in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), including requirements for non-commercial (recreational and subsistence) permits and data reporting, a closed season, annual total allowable catch limits, and non-commercial bag limits. This action is intended to end the overfishing of bottomfish in the Hawaiian Archipelago, especially on the ``Deep 7'' species in the MHI. The Deep 7 species are onaga (Etelis coruscans), ehu (E. carbunculus), gindai (Pristipomoides zonatus), kalekale (P. sieboldii), opakapaka (P. filamentosus), lehi (Aphareus rutilans), and hapu'upu'u (Epinephelus quernus). This final rule will reduce the fishing mortality for the Deep 7 species in the MHI by approximately 24 percent in 2008. Key measures in the plan include a total allowable catch figure for the fishery of 178,000 lb of Deep 7 species for the 2007-08 fishing year (October 2007 through April 2008). Next, a federal bottomfish permit is required for vessel owners and fishermen to conduct vessel-based non-commercial fishing for any bottomfish species not just Deep 7 species, in Federal waters around the MHI. Customers of charter fishing trips are exempt from this requirement. Next, the rule requires that operators of non-commercial fishing vessels submit daily Federal logbooks that document bottomfish fishing effort and catch for each fishing trip. The data from these logbooks will be the basis for calculating non-commercial fishing effort and harvest of bottomfish, bycatch, and interactions with protected species.
This rule implements a closed season from May through August 2008. During this closure, fishing for Deep 7 species will be prohibited in Federal waters. Fishing for bottomfish species other than Deep 7 species will be allowed during the closed season. Finally the rule implements Federal bottomfish bag limits for non-commercial fishing. Non-commercial fishermen are allowed to catch, possess, and land as many as five Deep 7 fish combined, per person, per fishing trip in Federal waters. The State of Hawaii also has a similar bag limit for non-commercial fishing.
For additional information, please contact Karla Gore, telephone (808) 944-2273.
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EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Workshop on Deep Corals for High School Teachers April 19, 2008
NOAA Fisheries, together with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the NOAA Undersea Research Center, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution is conducting a Deepwater Coral Teacher Workshop in Ft. Pierce, FL on April 19, 2008. The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1, North, Ft. Pierce, FL  ; telephone (772) 465-2400.
The Deepwater Coral Teacher's Workshop is designed for teachers and educators targeting high-school grade students to better increase their students' knowledge and awareness of these important marine ecosystems. The Workshop will include presentations on deepwater coral reefs found off of Florida, an overview of the Oculina Habitat Area of Particular Concern, deepwater coral research, mapping and monitoring, and management. The Workshop also includes a guided tour of the Smithsonian Marine Station in Ft. Pierce, FL. Registration for the Workshop is limited.
For additional information, please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer; telephone (843) 571-4366 or toll free (866) SAFMC-10.
Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee Public Meeting April 22-24, 2008
NOAA’s Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Federal Advisory Committee (Committee) will hold a public meeting in Washington, DC. The meeting will be held Tuesday, April 22, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 23, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday, April 24, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. The meeting will be held at The Hilton Hotel, 8727 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910 . The Committee will be discussing the revised draft MPA Framework, and developing and finalizing recommendations related to enforcement and compliance. The Agenda is subject to change, and the latest version will be posted at http://www.mpa.gov.
For additional information, please contact Lauren Wenzel, Designated Federal Officer, MPA Federal Advisory Committee, National Marine Protected Areas Center, telephone (301) 713-3100 x136, or visit the National MPA Center Web site at http://www.mpa.gov.
North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Non-Target Species Committee Meeting April 23, 2008
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Non-Target Species Committee will meet on April 23, 2008 at the Alaska Fishery Science Center, National Marine Mammal Conference Room, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Non-Target Species Committee will consider possible priorities for breaking out different groups from the ``other species'' complexes in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska groundfish fishery management plans. The meeting will be held at the Alaska Fishery Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg 4, Seattle, WA .It will also be held by teleconference at the National Marine Fisheries Service, 709 W 9th, Juneau, AK (8 a.m. AST) .
For additional information, please contact Jane DiCosimo, telephone (907) 271-2809.
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Grouper Individual Fishing Quota meeting April 24, 2008
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a public meeting of the Ad Hoc Grouper Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Advisory Panel at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2008 and conclude no later than 5 p.m. at the Quorum Hotel, 700 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa, FL 33609 ; telephone: (813) 289-8200. The meeting is to discuss Amendment 29 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan. Reef Fish Amendment 29 proposes to rationalize effort and reduce overcapacity in the commercial grouper and tilefish fisheries in order to achieve and maintain optimum yield.
For additional information, please contact Assane Diagne, Economist, telephone (813) 348-1630.
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Science and Statistical Committee Meeting April 29-30, 2008
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to orient new members and introduce them to the Council system. The meeting will be held in Charleston, SC on April 29-30, 2008 at 4055 Faber Place Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405 telephone: (843) 571-4366.
For additional information, please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, telephone (843) 571-4366.
Southeastern Data Assessment and Review Meeting May 5, 2008
The Southeastern Data Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Steering Committee will meet to discuss its schedule through 2014, consider modifications to the SEDAR process, and receive updates on recent assessment activities. The SEDAR Steering Committee will meet on Monday, May 5, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Marriott Frenchmen's Reef, 5 Estate Bakkeroe, St. Thomas, USVI; telephone: (340) 776-8500.
For additional information, please contact John Carmichael, Science and Statistics Program Manager, telephone (843) 571-4366 or toll free (866) SAFMC-10.
FEDERAL REGISTER ACTIONS
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 list of all daily actions, check the Federal register online at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.
NOAA FISHERIES ACTIONS
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