PRST STD
THE STATE OF MAINE'S BOATING NEWSPAPER
U.S. Postage Paid, #256
Bangor, Maine 04401
Maine Coastal News
Volume 22 Issue 10 October 2009 FREE
SUMMARY OF ASMFC 2009 SUMMER MEETING
The KENDALL & CAM heading into Friendship harbor.
AMERICAN LOBSTER MANAGEMENT part of the final addendum would be in the oped for Board review at its next meeting in posed changes to the GRAs.
BOARD (17 August) form of recommendations to the National November. If approved, it will be released for New York and Connecticut reported that
American Lobster Board Approves Draft Marine Fisheries Service for action in the public comment this winter. For more infor- they will be increasing their lobster minimum
Addendum XV for Public Comment federal waters portion of LCMA 1. mation, please contact Toni Kerns at (202) gauge to 3 3/8 inch on January 1, 2010 in
The Commission’s American Lobster Fishermen and other interested groups 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org. Lobster Conservation Management Area 6
Management Board has approved Draft are encouraged to provide input on Draft Meeting Summary (LCMA 6 - Long Island Sound) as required by
Addendum XV to Amendment 3 to the Inter- Addendum XV, either through attending The American Lobster Board discussed a the conservation equivalency program. The
state Fishery Management Plan for American public hearings or providing written com- letter from the New England Fishery Manage- Board agreed to allow LCMA 6 delay the
Lobster for public comment. The Draft Ad- ments (a subsequent press release on sched- ment Council informing the Board of its com- corresponding vent increase until June 1,
dendum proposes changes to the Lobster uled public hearings will be released once the mitment to communicate any potential 2010 due to safety concerns with changing
Conservation Management Area 1 (LCMA 1 hearings have been finalized). Copies of changes to the lobster fishery due to changes the vent in the middle of the fishing year. On
- Gulf of Maine) permit process in federal Draft Addendum XV will be available by in the Groundfish Plan under sector manage- June 1, the LCMA 6 vent will increase to 2 x
waters in response to increasing lobster fish- August 21 and can be obtained by contacting ment. The Board concurred that there could 5 ¾ inch rectangular vent and 2 5/8 inch
ing effort in that area since 2000 (highest on the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the be potential changes to the lobster non-trap circular vent. Dianne Borggaard (NOAA
record since 1981). While lobster abundance Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org fishery due to changes in the Groundfish Fisheries) updated the Board on progress of
in the Gulf of Maine is relatively high there is under Breaking News. Public comment will be FMP. The Board agreed to monitor and report the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction
concern that high levels of fishing effort in accepted until 5:00 PM on October 2, 2009 and non-trap landings as part of annual compli- Plan and effects the plan will have on the
the area are not likely to be sustainable if should be forwarded to Toni Kerns, Senior ance reporting. The Board also discussed a lobster fishery.
abundance returns to long-term median lev- FMP Coordinator for Management, 1444 memo from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Man- The Board reviewed the recent regula-
els. Further, limited access programs in other ‘Eye’ Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, agement Council’s Squid, Mackerel, and tory changes in federal waters for LCMAs 3,
lobster management areas and recent con- DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or at Butterfish Committee which requested to 4, 5, and Outer Cap Cod (OCC). The majority
straints on traditional trawl fisheries have the tkerns@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Ad- work with the Board on a proposal to change of changes are consistent with Lobster Ad-
potential to shift trap gear fishing effort to dendum XV). gear restricted areas (GRAs) in order to re- dendum XI. The Board noted the inconsis-
LCMA 1 where there is open access. The Board also approved the initiation duce butterfish bycatch in the loligo squid tency of the new federal OCC v-notch defini-
Specifically, the Draft Addendum pro- of an addendum to update the biological fishery. The Board concluded the GRAs in tion and maximum size with the state regula-
poses to maintain the historic level of trap reference points for all three stock unit areas their current format are effective in resolving tions effective January 1, 2010.
fishing effort (2004 – 2008) and curtail a po- responding to the 2009 stock assessment. gear conflicts as originally intended. The The Board discussed concerns about
tential influx of new federal lobster vessels in These include fishing mortality rate thresh- current GRAs were established following Jonah crab interactions with the lobster trap
LCMA 1 federal waters fishery (3 – 200 miles old levels to determine overfishing and abun- extensive deliberations and significant com- fishery and referred the issue to the ISFMP
from shore). The Draft Addendum also pro- dance thresholds to determine stock status. promise by all involved parties. The Board Policy Board for consideration. For more in-
poses to limit entry of vessels which have not Two sets of reference points will be pre- agreed to work cooperatively with the Mid- formation, please contact Toni Kerns, Senior
fished with traps in LCMA 1 in the past from sented for public consideration as recom- Atlantic Council on this issue if a review of Fishery Management Plan Coordinator for
fishing in Area 1 with traps in the future. mended by the Technical Committee and by the data shows there is a significant reduc-
Continued on Page 18.
Ultimately, whatever actions are approved as the Peer Review Panel. A draft will be devel- tion in butterfish bycatch through the pro-
C o n t e n t s
Publisher's Note 4 Mystic Seaport News 8 Six-metre World Cup 10
Boat Yard News 14
Calendar of Events 4 Sail Regatta 9 Commercial Fishing News
Maritime History-Ship News 1895 21
Yarmouth Boat Yard 5 Sea Level Anomaly 9 Misc. Commercial Fishing News 11
Classified Ads 24-31
Waterfront News New Clean Marinas 9 ASMFC Action 11
MMA News 6 SNAME Courses 10 Hearings: Lobster-Shad 12
Maine Island Trail Assoc. News 7 Lighthouse News 10 Hearings: Striped Bass 13
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