September 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 11.
Commercial Fishing News
MISCELLANEOUS COMMERCIAL FISHING NEWS
New Analysis of Global Fisheries Data and breeding females that are important for replenish the population. They will also These requirements were set forth in the 2006
Suggests Many Marine Ecosystems Can sustaining these populations. There are also make state and federal requirements more Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
Recover Under Appropriate Management new measures that will improve data consistent with each other. and Management Reauthorization Act,
An international team of scientists has collection in the fishery and make state and The third new measure requires all which was signed into law in January 2007.
found that efforts to rebuild many of the federal lobster fishing regulations more federal lobster dealers to submit weekly NOAA Fisheries, the eight regional fishery
world’s fisheries are starting to pay off. In a consistent throughout lobster management electronic reports for all lobster they management councils, and participants in
paper published in the July 31 issue of areas, most of which include a combination purchase from vessel owners with federal the fisheries have already taken significant
Science , study co-author Mike Fogarty of of state and federal waters. permits. These reporting requirements will steps toward ending overfishing and
NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science American lobsters are caught from be new for about 29 percent of all federal rebuilding stocks in recent years.
Center , and 20 co-authors, say that efforts Maine to the Mid-Atlantic states, mostly in lobster dealers, providing more complete The National Standard 1 Guidelines
made to reduce overfishing are succeeding coastal and nearshore waters that are information on lobster landings and provide the foundation for ending
in five of ten large marine ecosystems divided into seven management areas, each improved understanding of lobster stock overfishing, yet they are designed to be
studied. with its own rules. To protect larger lobsters, size. flexible in order to accommodate a broad
The scientific team addressed two basic most areas already have a maximum size limit The new dealer reporting requirements range of differences among fisheries around
questions: How do changes in exploitation for landed lobsters. However, that size varies take effect January 1, 2010, coinciding with the country. In order to provide additional
rates (the amount of fish taken from the depending on where the lobster is caught. the reporting period for all other federal clarification, NOAA Fisheries has
ocean each year) affect fish populations, To determine if a lobster is too large to land, seafood dealers, and providing some time for developed a set of questions and answers
fishing communities and yields? Which fishermen measure the shell that covers a affected dealers to adjust to the new that discuss some common questions that
management approaches have proved lobster’s body from behind the head to the requirements. have arisen on the guidelines. Some of the
successful in rebuilding marine beginning of the tail, called the carapace. questions that are addressed in the Q&A
ecosystems? Despite some good news, the The first measure announced today NOAA Fisheries Provides Additional document include the following: How
researchers found that 68 percent of the makes the federal maximum legal size rules Clarifications on Guidelines Designed to should the Councils consider and address
worldwide fisheries examined by the team consistent with the lobster fishing rules for End Overfishing the risk of overfishing? What can be done in
need rebuilding and that even lower rates of state waters. Beginning August 28, 2009 Earlier this year, in its revised National cases where we lack catch data for a given
fish removals are needed to reverse the maximum legal sizes of 5 1/4 inches and 6 7/ Standard 1 Guidelines, NOAA Fisheries stock? How can we manage fisheries with
collapse of vulnerable species. 8 inches in carapace length will take effect published final guidance that is designed to mixed stocks, when some of the species are
throughout Southern New England and in help end overfishing and rebuild federally overfished and some aren’t? Are there any
NOAA Sets Control Date for offshore waters, respectively. Beginning managed marine fish stocks. The guidance exceptions to the legal requirement for an
Skate Bait Fishery July 1, 2010 a maximum size of 6 3/4 inches in outlines a system of annual catch limits and annual catch limit?
NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking carapace length will apply in the Outer Cape accountability measures to prevent annual
public comment on criteria that could Cod lobster management area, and the catch limits from being exceeded, and to Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska and New
determine access to the skate bait fishery in offshore waters maximum size will reduce to address such a situation quickly if it does Bedford, Mass., Remain Top Fishing
the Northeast, if a future action limits the 6 3/4 inches. occur. It also includes provisions on Ports
number of participants in this component of At present only fishermen in Area 1, the accounting for scientific and management Commercial fishermen unloaded 612.7
the skate fishery. There are two distinct skate nearshore waters of Maine, New Hampshire uncertainty. million pounds of fish and shellfish at the
fisheries managed under the fishery and much of Massachusetts, must notch the Annual catch limits are required in port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, in
management plan: a skate wing fishery, tail fin of any egg-bearing females in a “v” fishing year 2010 for U.S. commercial and 2008, mostly pollock, making it the country’s
which harvests the pectoral fins of large shape before returning it to the water— recreational fisheries subject to overfishing,
Continued on Page 12.
skates (primarily winter skate) for foreign called “v-notching.” In other lobster and in fishing year 2011 for all other fisheries.
and domestic food markets; and a skate bait management areas v-notching is voluntary.
fishery, which targets smaller skates to be The second measure announced
sold primarily for bait in the American lobster concerns v-notching. No changes have
fishery. This announcement is intended to been made to who must v-notch or to the
discourage new or speculative entry into the zero-tolerance for landing notched lobsters
skate bait fishery, while the New England in Maine. However, beginning August 28,
Fishery Management Council considers 2009, the notch must be shallower than 1/8
whether and how access to the fishery inch in order to keep a v-notched lobster
should be controlled. taken in any area other than the Outer Cape
The control date, July 30, 2009, may be Cod management area. The current, less
used for establishing eligibility criteria for restrictive 1/4 inch standard will apply to the
determining levels of future access to the Outer Cape Cod management area until July
subject fishery. 1, 2010, when the new standard of 1/8 inch
will become effective.
New Rules to Strengthen American The revisions to both maximum size and
Lobster Populations to the landing of v-notched animals are
NOAA announced final measures to intended to allow additional opportunities
better protect the larger American lobsters for lobsters to produce young and help
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