Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS July 2016 Commercial Fishing News
Commercial and recreational saltwater fi shing generated $214 billion in 2014 Fishing and seafood industries a strong part of U.S. coastal economy Commercial and recreational saltwater
fi shing in the United States generated more than $214 billion in sales and supported 1.83 million jobs in 2014, according to a new eco- nomic report released by NOAA Fisheries. The report, Fisheries Economics of the
United States 2014 , provides the most re- cent statistics on commercial and recreation- al fi sheries and seafood-related businesses for each coastal state and the nation. Key to the report are the jobs, sales, income, and value added to the Gross National Product by the commercial and recreational fi shing industries. This provides a measure of how sales in the two industries ripple through state and national economies, because each dollar spent generates additional sales by other fi rms and consumers. The commercial fi shing and seafood
industry (including imports)—harvesters, processors, dealers, wholesalers and retail- ers—generated $153 billion in sales in 2014, an 8 percent increase from 2013, and sup- ported 1.39 million jobs. Domestic harvest (without imports) produced $54 billion in sales, a fi gure similar to 2013, and supported 811,000 jobs across the broader national economy.
Recreational fi shing remains an im-
portant part of coastal tourism industries around the country. The regions with the highest economic impact from saltwater recreational fi shing were Florida’s West Coast, Florida’s East Coast, California, New Jersey, and Texas. Saltwater angling sales increased 4 percent from 2013, generating $61 billion
M C F N
in 2014 and supporting 439,000 jobs. This year’s report includes improvements in data collection and analysis methods for the recreational sector, which helped NOAA scientists gain a more accurate view of the industry’s economic landscape. “Commercial and recreational fish-
ing make a signifi cant impact on the U.S. economy,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, it’s fi tting that we continue to improve our understanding of these valuable marine sectors in order to guide science-based management. This en- sures both sustainable fi sh populations and economic opportunities for those involved in the commercial, recreational, and seafood industries.” Fisheries Economics of the United
States 2014 is the ninth volume in an annual series designed to give the public accessible economic information on fi shing activities in the U.S., and is a companion to Fisheries of the United States.
NOAA Issues Proposed Rules Designat- ing Critical Habitat for Atlantic Stur- geon
NOAA Fisheries announced two pro-
posed rules to designate critical habitat for fi ve distinct population segments of feder- ally listed Atlantic sturgeon. NOAA Fisheries is proposing to protect
important river habitat for the threatened Gulf of Maine population segment and the endangered population segments of the New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina and South Atlantic. NOAA Fisheries listed the Atlantic sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act in 2012.
“Protecting endangered and threatened
species, including sturgeon, is one of our core missions,” said Eileen Sobeck, as- sistant NOAA administrator for fi sheries. “Sturgeon need this habitat to recover, and these designations give us an important ad- ditional conservation tool. Fully recovering Atlantic sturgeon in the future will take partnerships with state and federal agencies, the scientifi c community, and the public, but designating critical habitat is another step in the right direction.” The ESA requires that NOAA Fisheries
designate critical habitat when a species is listed as threatened or endangered. Under the ESA, critical habitat is defi ned as geo- graphic areas that are occupied by the spe- cies, and that contain features essential to the conservation of that species. Critical habitat can also include geographical areas that are not currently occupied by the species, but that are essential to its conservation. Critical habitat does not create pre-
serves or refuges. Instead, when a federal agency is carrying out funding or authoriz- ing an activity that may aff ect the critical habitat, the federal agency works with NOAA Fisheries to avoid or minimize po- tential impacts to the species’ habitat. The activity of the federal agency may need to be modifi ed to avoid destroying or adversely modifying the critical habitat. The proposed designation of critical
habitat does not include any new restrictions or management measures for recreational or commercial fi shing operations. The Atlantic sturgeon is an anadromous
species that remains primarily in coastal and estuarine waters during much of the year, and travels to rivers to spawn or lay their eggs. Unlike some anadromous fi sh, sturgeon do not die after spawning and will return to spawn again in future years. They can grow up to 14 feet, weigh up to 800 pounds, and live up to 60 years. Historically, Atlantic sturgeon were
present in approximately 38 rivers in the United States from St. Croix, Maine to the Saint Johns River, Florida. Scientists identifi ed 35 of those as spawning rivers. Atlantic sturgeon are currently present in approximately 32 of these rivers, and spawn- ing occurs in at least 20 of them. Overfi shing was one of the primary factors that led to the widespread decline in the abundance of Atlantic sturgeon. Atlantic sturgeon was valued particularly for its roe or eggs, which were in high demand as caviar. “The proposed critical habitat identifi es
areas that provide important spawning and rearing grounds, plus migratory corridors for the Atlantic sturgeon,” added Sobeck. “By protecting the sturgeon’s habitat, we are helping preserve this important species for future generations of Americans.” The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) manages Atlantic
sturgeon under a Fishery Management Plan. In 1998, the Commission instituted a coast- wide moratorium on the harvest of Atlantic sturgeon, in eff ect until there are at least 20 protected age classes in each spawning stock (anticipated to take up to 40 years). NOAA Fisheries followed the ASMFC moratorium with a similar moratorium for Federal wa- ters.
Comments: For the rule covering
the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, and Chesapeake Distinct Population Segments, you may submit comments, identifi ed by the NOAA-NMFS-2015-0107, by one of the following methods: Electronic Sub- missions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!dock- etDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0107, Click the “Comment Now!” icon, com- plete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. Mail: Kimberly B. Damon-Randall, Assistant Regional Ad- ministrator, Protected Resources Division, NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Offi ce, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930; Public Hearing: The July 21, 2016, public hearings will be held at the NMFS, Greater Atlantic Region Fisheries Offi ce, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. For the rule covering the Carolinas and South Atlantic Distinct Population Segments, you may submit comments, identifi ed by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0157, by one of the following methods: Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!dock- etDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0157 click the “Comment Now” icon, complete the required fi elds, and enter or attach your comments. Mail: Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Divi- sion, NMFS, Southeast Regional Offi ce, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; Public Hearing: The June 20, 2016, public hearing will be held at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Regional Headquarters, 1 Conservation Way, Brunswick, Georgia 31520. The June 21, 2016 public hearing will be held at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Offi ce, 217 Ft. Road, Charleston, SC 29412. The June 23, 2016 public hearing will be held at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, 2nd Floor, 3505 Arendell St, Morehead City, NC 28557 Read NOAA Fisheries’ proposed rule
for Atlantic sturgeon critical habitat, review the supplemental documents (pdf), or see the maps (pdf) showing the areas being proposed.
ASMFC Northern Shrimp Section Resumes Development of Draft Amend- ment 3
PORTSMOUTH, NH – The Atlantic States
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7530 Olympic View Dr. Unit 105, Edmonds, WA 98026 · (425) 774-7595
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