Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS September 2017


Commercial Fishing News Continued from Page 11.


portant role in the marine ecosystem as prey for a variety of species including larger fi sh (e.g. weakfi sh, striped bass), birds (e.g. bald eagles, osprey), and marine mammals (e.g. humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins). As a result, changes in the abundance of menha- den may impact the abundance and diversity of predator populations, particularly if the availability of other prey is limited. ERPs provide a method to assess the status of men- haden within the broad ecosystem context. Draft Amendment 3 provides a variety of reference point options, including the con- tinued development of menhaden-specifi c ERPs as well as the application of precau- tionary guidelines for forage fi sh species. Draft Amendment 3 also considers


changes to the allocation method given concerns that the current approach may not strike an appropriate balance between gear types and jurisdictions. Specifi cally, under the current allocation method, increases in the total allowable catch (TAC) result in limited benefi ts to small-scale fi sheries, and to several states. Furthermore, the current method may not provide a balance between the present needs of the fi shery and future growth opportunities. Draft Amendment 3 considers a range of allocation alternatives, including a dispositional quota (bait vs. re- duction), fl eet-capacity quota (quota divided by gear type), jurisdictional quota, including a fi xed minimum quota for each state, and an allocation method based on the TAC. In addition, the document considers fi ve allocation timeframes including 2009-2011, 2012-2016, 1985-2016, 1985-1995, and a weighted approached which considers both historic and recent landings. It is anticipated the majority of states


from Maine through Florida will be con- ducting public hearings on the Draft Amend- ment. The details of those hearings will be released in a subsequent press release. The Draft Amendment will be available on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org (un- der Public Input) by August 11th


. Fishermen


and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Amendment either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public com- ment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on October 20, 2017 and should be for- warded to Megan Ware, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Amendment 3). Organizations planning to release an action alert in response to Draft Amendment 3 should contact Megan Ware at (703)-842-0740. Final action on the Amendment, as well as specifi cation of the 2018 TAC, is


M C F N scheduled to occur on November 14th at the


BWI Airport Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum, MD. For more informa- tion, please contact Megan Ware, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mware@ asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.


Stock Assessment Update Indicates Riv- er Herring Remain Depleted on a Coast- wide Basis Though Improvements Have Occurred in Several River Systems The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries


Commission’s Shad and River Herring Management Board reviewed the results of the 2017 River Herring Assessment Update, which indicates river herring remain deplet- ed and at near historic lows on a coastwide basis. The “depleted” determination was used instead of “overfi shed” and “overfi sh- ing” because many factors, not just directed and incidental fi shing, are contributing to the low abundance of river herring. Alewife and blueback herring (col-


lectively referred to as river herring) are anadromous species, spending the majority of their life at sea and returning to their natal streams to spawn. While at sea, mixing is believed to occur among multiple river-spe- cifi c stocks and the incidental catch of river herring in non-targeted ocean fi sheries is known to include both immature and mature fi sh.


The stock assessment update applied


the same approaches used in the previous benchmark stock assessment with the incor- poration of additional years of data (2011- 2015). Of the 54 river herring stocks for which data were available, 16 experienced increasing abundance trends, 2 experienced decreasing abundance trends, 8 experienced stable abundance, 10 experienced no dis- cernible trends in abundance due to high variability, and 18 did not have enough data to assess recent abundance trends. While status on a coastwide basis


remains unchanged, there are some posi- tive signs of improvement for some river systems, with increasing abundance trends for a number of rivers in the Mid-Atlantic throughout New England region. While abundance in these river systems are still at low levels, dam removals and improvements to fi sh passage have had a positive impact on run returns. Since the completion of the 2012 assessment, NOAA Fisheries in partnership with the Commission have worked to pro- vide state and local agencies with restoration project funding, leading to dam removals and fi sh passage improvement projects. River herring are managed through


Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Man- agement Plan for Shad and River Herring, with the goal of conserving and protecting river herring along the coast. The Amend- ment prohibited state waters commercial


and recreational fi sheries beginning January 1, 2012, unless a state or jurisdiction had a Sustainable Fishery Management Plan (SFMP) approved by the Board. SFMPs must clearly demonstrate that the state’s or jurisdiction’s river herring fi sheries meet sustainability targets which must be achieved and maintained. Amendment 2 also required states to implement fi sheries-dependent and independent monitoring programs, and contains recommendations to member states and jurisdictions to conserve, restore, and protect critical river herring habitat. As of June 1, 2017, the Shad and River Herring Management Board approved sustainable fi shery management plans for Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, and South Carolina. Upon receiving the results of the Stock Assessment Update, the Board did not take any management action at this time.


For a more detailed overview of the


River Herring Stock Assessment Update go here – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/ file/598371e1RiverHerringAssessmen- tUpdateOverview_Aug2017.pdf. The Overview is intended to aid media and interested stakeholders in better understand- ing the Commission’s stock assessment results and process. The River Herring Stock Assessment Update will be available on the Commission website, www.asmfc. org, on the Shad and River Herring web- page under stock assessment reports. For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc. org or 703.842.0740.


ASMFC & MAFMC Modify Scup Specifi - cations for 2018 and 2019 PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Atlan-


tic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) reviewed previously approved specifications for summer fl ounder, black sea bass and blue- fi sh fi sheries and modifi ed 2018 and 2019 specifi cations for scup. The Commission’s actions are fi nal and apply to state waters. The Council will forward its federal waters recommendations regarding scup specifi ca- tions to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for fi nal approval. The table below summarizes commer-


cial quotas and recreational harvest limits (RHL) for summer fl ounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefi sh (2017 values are provided for comparison purposes). Please note the 2019 scup specifi cations may be adjusted based on changes in the fi shery or new sci- entifi c information. Scup


The scup stock assessment update, 120 7530 Olympic View Dr. Unit 105, Edmonds, WA 98026 · (425) 774-7595


which includes data through 2016, indicates the stock was not overfi shed and overfi shing was not occurring in 2016. Spawning stock biomass was estimated to be 206% of the biomass target. Given the desire to main- tain stable measures and take into account management uncertainty raised by the Mon- itoring Committee, the Commission and Council approved a commercial quota of 23.98 million pounds (a 30% increase from the 2017 quota) and a RHL of 7.37 million pounds (a 34% increase from the 2017 RHL) for the 2018 and 2019 fi shing seasons. The diff erence between the increases in the com- mercial quota and RHL is due to projected discard estimates for the commercial and recreational fi sheries. Summer Flounder For summer fl ounder, the Commission


and Council received a data update, in- cluding catch, landings, and survey indices through 2016. The Council and Board main-


tained the previously approved 2018 specifi - cations based on stock projections from the 2016 assessment update. A benchmark stock assessment is scheduled for peer review in late 2018. A working group is being formed to develop alternative modeling approaches to be considered in the assessment. The Commission and Council were also


presented a range of commercial alterna- tives for possible consideration in the Draft Summer Flounder Amendment. Based on feedback from both bodies, work will con- tinue on the development of management alternatives for permits and latent eff ort, as well as commercial allocation. The Board and Council will decide which management alternatives to include in the document at a later meeting. Black Sea Bass The Commission and Council received


a data update for black sea bass, including catch, landings, and survey indices through 2016. The update indicates black sea bass biomass continues to be high, and the 2015 year class appears to be above average. The Commission and Council maintained 2018 specifi cations, which were set in February 2017 based on stock projections from the 2016 assessment update. An assessment update is tentatively scheduled for 2018. Bluefi sh The Commission and Council also


maintained 2018 specifi cations for blue- fish. The 2018 commercial quota and recreational harvest limit are preliminary and will likely change following release of 2017 fi nal Marine Recreational Information Program harvest estimates. These estimates can impact how much is transferred from the recreational sector to the commercial sector. An assessment update is scheduled for 2018. For all four species, the Commission


and Council actions are consistent with the recommendations of the Council’s Scientifi c and Statistical Committee based on the best available scientifi c information. For more information about summer fl ounder, scup, or black sea bass, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior FMP Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org. For more information about bluefi sh, please contact Max Appelman, FMP Coordinator, at map- pelman@asmfc.org.


States Schedule Hearings on Atlantic Men- haden Draft Amendment 3 The Atlantic coastal states of Maine


through Florida have scheduled their hear- ings to gather public comment on Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. The details of those hearings follow.


Maine Dept. of Marine Resources October 5, 2017; 6 PM Yarmouth Town Hall 200 Main Street Yarmouth, ME Contact: Pat Keliher at 207.624.6553


New Hampshire Fish and Game Depart- ment


October 3, 2017; 7 PM Urban Forestry Center 45 Elwyn Road Portsmouth, NH Contact: Cheri Patterson at 603.868.1095


Massachusetts Division of Marine Fish- eries


October 2, 2017; 6 PM Thayer Public Library, Logan Auditorium 798 Washington Street Braintree, MA Contact: Nichola Meserve at 617.626.1531


October 5, 2017; 6 PM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32