April 2014 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 11. Commercial Fishing News MISCELLANEOUS COMMERCIAL FISHING NEWS


2013 Commercial Fishing Value Increas- es by More Than $2 Million Recently issued 2013 reports for


Maine’s commercially harvested marine resources reveal an increase in value of more than $2 million over 2012 but a decrease in pounds landed by over 15 million. The reports are still considered prelim- inary as the department continues to receive and audit landings data throughout the year. Lobsters, the state’s most lucrative


fi shery, experienced another year of record landings and value. At 125,953,876 pounds lobster landings were the second highest on record since DMR and National Marine Fisheries Service began keeping records. In addition the per pound value increased by 20 cents from $2.69 to $2.89. “While an increase in price per pound is a good sign, it is still the second lowest since 1995, which underscores the importance of the efforts of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collabora- tive,” said Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher.


The preliminary report indicates that the total landed value for Maine lobster in 2013 was $364 million, a $22 million in- crease over 2012 and $30 million over 2011. For the fi rst time, the department is re- porting bonuses received by lobster harvest- ers which, while they only include reports from 17 of 19 of Maine’s co-ops, total over $14 million. “While this fi gure is not com- plete, it does provide a better indication of the overall economic benefi t of this fi shery,” said Keliher. Added to the overall landed value, the bonus fi gure brings the total to more than $378 million.


Another bright spot for Maine’s com-


mercial fi shing industry is the report of an increase in scallop landings of 138,136 meat pounds (without the shell), from 286,411 to 424,547, which resulted in an increase in landed value of over $2 million. “This is a true success story in Maine’s commercial fi shing industry,” said Keliher. “It is the result of a forward looking management plan combined with the sacrifi ces of Maine’s commercial scallop harvesters. I’m tremen- dously proud of the work of our science and policy staff which has worked diligently to ensure that this resource is managed for a sustainable future.”


While the decrease in overall landings is attributed in large part to a more than 4 million pound decline in shrimp landings from the previous season, the decrease in pounds landed is also attributed to a decline in farmed salmon landings.


The Department reports that there were 7320 commercial fi shermen in 2013, of those 4,239 were active commercial lobster harvesters. The top fi ve fi sheries in terms of active commercial harvesters were lobster, soft shell clams with 1,749, eel with 759, and marine worms with 652 and periwinkles with 613.


Landings report data is available on the Maine Department of Marine Resources website at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/ comfi sh.htm.


Greater Atlantic Region fi sheries to re- ceive $36 million in disaster relief funds New England groundfi sh fi shery to receive $33; New Jersey and New York recreational and commercial fi sheries to receive $3


As part of the Fiscal Year 2014 federal budget, Congress approved $75 million in fishery disaster relief funds. NOAA Fisheries announced that the New England groundfi sh fi shery will receive $33. Com- mercial and recreational fi sheries in New Jersey and New York will receive $3 for relief effort to address the impacts following Hurricane/post-tropical cyclone Sandy.


Two separate disasters were declared in the Northeast U.S. NOAA Fisheries will work with the eligible states affected by the disaster to quickly allocate the funding. In 2012, The Secretary of Commerce


declared a fi shery disaster in anticipation of signifi cant quota cuts for key groundfi sh stocks in the 2013 fi shing year. In the after- math of Sandy, the Secretary also declared a recreational and commercial fi sheries disaster in New Jersey and New York. “We are grateful to Congress for mak- ing available such a signifi cant portion of the appropriated monies to support both the New England groundfi sh fi shery as well as the commercial and recreational fi shing businesses affected by Sandy in our region,” said John Bullard, administrator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Offi ce, NOAA Fisheries. “We realize that for some no amount of funding would be suffi cient to address the full economic impacts of these disasters, but hopefully this will help with immediate needs.”


Over the next several months, details for how the money will be specifi cally used will be fi nalized. NOAA Fisheries staff will continue to work with state directors and members of the fi shing industry to develop spend plans for these funds. “We have already had a number of meetings with state fi shery directors, fi sh- ing industry representatives and members of Congress to discuss how disaster funds could best address industry needs, both immediate and long term,” added Bullard. “Now that we have a set amount of money identifi ed, our work will become more fo- cused. We want to move quickly to get this money out to those with immediate needs, but also we want to make wise decisions. So, it will take a little time to determine the best course of action to ensure this happens.” NOAA Fisheries has already been working with the states of New York and New Jersey to distribute $5 million in economic assistance that was previously appropriated by Congress. It is expected that new funds will be used to augment existing efforts to assist impacted businesses in these two states. We have determined that matching re- quirements do not apply to states, Councils and Commissions in these particular situa- tions.


Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Commerce Secretary can declare a fi shery disaster, which makes it possible for Con- gress to appropriate funds to provide eco- nomic assistance to fi shing businesses and communities, including fi shermen, affected by a disaster and to support other activities addressing the disaster.


The recipients of the funding being announced have broad latitude to determine the best use of the funds to meet the unique needs of their local businesses and com- munities. Funds can be used for activities that, “restore the fi shery or prevent a similar failure in the future, and to assist a fi shing community affected by such failure.” NOAA Fisheries will work closely with the states receiving the funding to help them develop spend plans and grant applications to the get the money to the fi shers and others impacted by the disaster as quickly as pos- sible.


There are a number of steps that have to take place before the money can be dis- tributed. Funds are allocated out through the federal grant process. NOAA Fisheries works with the recipients to ensure that all statutory and grant requirements are ad- dressed in their grant applications and spend plans. Once a spend plan is developed and the grant application is complete, there is


generally a 2-3 month review process before the funds are made available to the recipient.


Assessing the Vulnerability of Fish Stocks in a Changing Climate What is the Fish Stock Climate Vulnera- bility Assessment?


NOAA Fisheries, in collaboration with


the NOAA Offi ce of Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Research - “Earth System Research Laboratory, is fi nalizing a methodology to rapidly assess the vulnerability of U.S. ma- rine stocks to climate change. The method- ology uses existing information on climate and ocean conditions, species distributions, and species life history characteristics to estimate the relative vulnerability of fi sh stocks to potential changes in climate. Climate change is already impacting fishery resources and the communities that depend on them. Scientists are linking changes in ocean temperatures to shifting fi sh stock distributions and abundances in many marine ecosystems, and these impacts are expected to increase in the future. To prepare for and respond to current and future changes in climate and oceans, fi sheries managers and scientists need tools to identify what fi shery resources may be most vulnerable in a changing climate and why certain fi sh stocks are vulnerable. By providing this information, the methodol- ogy will be able to help fi sheries managers and scientists identify ways to reduce risks and impacts to fi sheries resources and the people that depend on them. These kinds of climate change vulnerability assessments are increasingly being used to help assess risks to terrestrial and freshwater natural resources and man-made structures such as buildings and bridges.


What information will the methodology provide? The methodology will provide fi shery managers, scientists, and others with infor- mation they can use as they consider what additional scientifi c information is needed and how to adapt management strategies for those fi sh stocks. This will include in- formation about which species in the region


are most vulnerable or adaptable to environ- mental impacts of climate change. The Fish Stock Climate Vulnerability Assessment is specifi cally designed to help: (1) Identify which stocks may be most vul- nerable with changing climate and ocean conditions; (2) Identify what additional information is needed to understand and address these risks; (3) Provide a basis for considering what actions might be taken to reduce fi sh stock vulnerability; (4) Identify where more information is needed to un- derstand, track, and respond to fi sh stock vulnerability. That information can then be used to help prioritize research, monitoring and modeling efforts. NOAA Fisheries is planning to run the


fi rst application of the assessment method- ology in the Northeast in March 2014. What is the process for developing a Fish Stock Climate Vulnerability Assessment? The chart below describes the process for developing a fi sh stock climate vulnera- bility assessment.


Caveats, Restrictions: NOAA Fisheries will soon provide fur- ther background information on the assess- ment data requirements and implementation details. This methodology is only relevant for fi sh and invertebrate stocks.


Continued on Page 12.


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