A voice for the seafood harvesters and processors throughout New Jersey

Summer Flounder

During the Mid – Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s October meeting the Petition to reallocate summer flounder was discussed and the Council voted to recommend to the National Marine Fisheries Service that the Petition be denied. However, prior to that decision a motion passed to include all aspects of allocation in the list of issues that will be addressed by Amendment 14 to the Summer Flounder, Black Sea Bass and Scup FMP.

While the current 60% 40% split between the commercial and recreational sectors is fair, equitable and based on historical fishing patterns and the best available information, the issue of reallocation of commercial quota continues to be discussed.

GSSA has followed this issue and has provided substantive comments, thorough responses and public testimony for the last two years and will continue to do so. We are also confident that if we continue to illustrate the facts and if the industry participates at public meetings we will retain our historical landings. GSSA’s response to the petition is available on the NJ Fishing website (http://www.fishingnj.org/pdfs/flukegrab.pdf) or if you would like a copy, please contact me.

Scup

On April 28, 2004, regulations that allow commercial fishing vessels to transfer   scup between vessels at sea went into effect. These measures were implemented through Framework 4 of the Summer Flounder, Black Sea Bass, and Scup Fishery Management Plan.

•       Transfers may only occur between vessels with Federal scup permits

•       Transfers may only occur seaward of a boundary line that is roughly 20 nm from shore

•       The donating and receiving vessels must possess gear that meets the regulatory requirements for commercial scup fishing gear.

•       Transfers may only occur during the Winter I and Winter II periods.

•       Only one transfer will be allowed per fishing trip for the donor vessel.

•       After the donor vessel removes only enough scup to attain the scup possession limit, the transfer must include the entire codend, with all its contents.

•       Only scup and its normal bycatch may be transferred.

•       The receiving vessel may retain only scup.

•       While fishing for scup, all other nets must be stored in accordance of the federal regulation code.

•       The donating and receiving vessels must report the transfer amount on the vessel trip report for each vessel.

If you would like a copy of the final rule please contact me.

In accordance with the 30,000-pound trip limit language adopted by the Mid-Atlantic Council, the State of New Jersey is considering similar language that would allow a 30,000-pound trip limit in a two-week period, while allowing vessels the option to comply with the current limits of 15,000 per week or two trips of 7500 pounds per week. We will be supporting such language and will notify you when this takes effect.  We will also provide you with the changes to the regulations. The minimum mesh requirement has been increased to 5 inches, with a minimum codend length of 75 meshes by eliminating the 41/2-inch portion of the cod end. No date has been set for when this regulation will take effect.

Southern GRA and the loligo squid fishery

After inquiring about the Specifications for 2005, which contain the Council action to adjust the boundaries of the Southern Gear Restricted Area, we have been told by NMFS that it is unlikely that the boundary change will be implemented by January 1st, 2005. There was an unforeseen delay associated with the Specifications that has caused some initial delay. For months we have articulated our concerns about timeliness of this issue and the NMFS has also identified it as a priority. We are in the process of making a formal request for NMFS to expedite implementation and believe they will try to move this along as quickly as possible. I believe we will receive a response quickly and I will notify you of that response.  If you would like a copy of our request letter I would be happy to provide you with one. On behalf of the GSSA we thank the Rhode Island Commercial Fishermen’s Association and the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association for signing on to that letter and providing their support.

ASMFC Summer Flounder Addendum XV

The Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XV to the Management Plan. This addendum establishes an allocation program for an increase of approximately 1.3 million pounds in   commercial summer flounder fishery for 2005 and 1.6 million pounds in 2006.  The Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board approved the increase in total allowable landings in August based on stock improvements and increases in available biomass. The 2005 quota increase will be divided as follows: approximately 980,000 pounds will be distributed according to the historic state share.  Approximately 320,000 pounds will be distributed to the following states: 75,000 pounds each to MA, CT, NY, and MD; 15,000 pounds to DE; 5,000 pounds to ME; and 90 pounds to NH.

The 2006 quota increase will be divided as follows. Approximately 1,280,000 pounds will be distributed according to the historic state share.  Approximately 320,000 pounds will be distributed as follows: MA, CT, NY, and MD will each receive 75,000 lbs; DE will receive 15,000 lbs; ME will receive 5,000 lbs; and NH will receive 90 lbs. Addendum XV has changed the historical landing percentages among the states and has effectively reduced the amount of summer flounder quota increase that Rhode Island, Virginia and North Carolina would have received. In fact it reduced New Jersey’s quota increase by 54,000 pounds for the 2005 year. GSSA provided written comments and public testimony opposing such a change and will continue to do so. Considering this quota change could only be done if New Jersey actively transferred this amount of quota, we will be exploring our options and deciding what position to take. If you would like a copy of our comments I would be happy to send them to you or if you would like to know more about this issue please contact me. We would like input from the industry on this very important issue.

ASMFC Winter Flounder Amendment I

The Commission’s Winter Flounder Management Board has identified its preferred recreational and commercial management measures for inclusion in Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Inshore Stocks of Winter Flounder. The Commission and the states seek public input on these measures prior to final approval of the plan, scheduled for early 2005.  It is anticipated that most of the states from Maine through Delaware will be conducting hearings in late November and early December 2004. The details of those hearings will be announced once they are available.  In August 2004, the Board selected biological reference points for the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks of winter flounder and directed the Technical Committee to develop a suite of recreational and commercial management measures on a stock-wide basis to meet these benchmarks.  The current draft of the Amendment includes several options for management of commercial and recreational fisheries for both stocks, with preferred options identified by the Winter Flounder Management Board. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the recreational and commercial management measures contained in the Draft Amendment, either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. Public comment will be accepted until mid-December 2004.

Scallops

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) has announced that Northeast sea scallop vessels will be allowed limited access to presently closed areas off New England beginning November 2.   The areas have been closed to protect recovering fish species, allowing sea scallops to grow in abundance. The openings announced on November 1st are in areas on Georges Bank and south of Nantucket Shoals that were last accessed by sea scallopers in 1999 and 2000.  These open areas are sub-portions of larger areas that are generally closed to all gear including scallop gear. Vessels are further restricted by number of trips, landings per trip, bycatch quotas for yellowtail flounder, and reporting and observer requirements. The fishery rules approved have been under consideration by the agency since July, and public comment on the proposed rule closed in September.  Usually, an additional 30-day waiting period occurs between final approval of new rules and their effective date.  However, since the rules for operating in the access areas are well known to the fleet and the action relieves, rather than adds restrictions, NOAA Fisheries has waived that waiting period.  Another factor is weather, since opening the fishery later in the year would also mean pushing operations into wintry conditions. One exception to the waiver of the waiting period is access granted to “general category” vessels.  These vessels have not previously operated in the controlled access sea scallop fisheries.  While the rule allows general category vessels to participate, the required reporting and monitoring conditions for that participation are still in the approval process.

Reesearch Set-aside

The NFI-SMC submitted a proposal to the MAFMC Research Set-Aside program to fund a Loligo net testing study in 2005.  The F/Vs Abracadabra and Starbrite from Cape May have agreed to participate in the study.  We are in the process of working out the final methodology with NMFS concerning the codend mesh sizes to test and the number of tows that must be taken.

Supplemnetal finfish survey

The next supplemental finfish survey cruise will occur the third week in November.  The F/V Luke and Sarah owned by Jim Thayer will be conducting the November cruise and the remaining scheduled cruises funded through the Mid-Atlantic research set-aside program.

On behalf of the NFI-SMC and Rutgers University, Haskin Shellfish Laboratory, We would especially like to thank Hank Lackner and the crew of the F/V Jason & Danielle for their dedication to improving fisheries management through better science.  We look forward to continued cooperation with Captain Lackner when his new fishing vessel becomes available to the project.

The cruise report for the March 2004 supplemental finfish survey is in PDF, if you would like a copy please contact Greg DiDomenico or Eleanor Bochenek.

Research set-aside auction

On Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 at 10 am, NFI-SMC Chairman Dan Cohen will conduct a telephone conference call auction to solicit contributions from NFI-SMC member commercial fishermen. These contributions will convert the set-aside quota to the dollars needed to fund research and winning bidders will be allowed to harvest the set-aside quota. Winning bidders must pay their bid to NFI-SMC, which will use the funds to pay boat costs, scientists, and observers during the actual experiments.  Vessels that have violations must check with NMFS and their state enforcement officials prior to the auction to determine if they are eligible for a permit to catch and land the research set-aside.  The NFI-SMC will assist vessels that place the highest bid for set-aside quota obtain the necessary NMFS experimental fishing permits  (EFP) for the specific poundage and species they have won through the auction process.  Vessels also must obtain state landing permits for the quota set-aside harvest and will have to comply with all NMFS and state reporting and notification requirements.  NFI-SMC will work with the vessels, states, and NMFS for the timely issuance of all permits.

All commercial fishing vessels that contribute to the NFI-SMC are eligible to participate in the auction. Contributions to the NFI-SMC are based upon the vessel’s income, with contributions targeted at 1/2% of the vessel’s gross of Mid-Atlantic trawl caught species.  Vessels that contribute a minimum of $1,000 to the NFI-SMC will be eligible to bid on the full lot of each species as in previous auctions.  

After all full lots are auctioned; a separate auction will follow for vessels that have contributed from $500 to $1,000 to the NFI-SMC.  These vessels will be eligible to bid on smaller lots.

NFI-SMC limits the set-aside auctions to commercial fishermen who contribute to the NFI-SMC.  These contributions support the scientific staff of Rutgers University, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and other researchers contracted by the NFI-SMC to conduct research on behalf of the industry.  Those boats that contribute regularly keep the organization going and have funded several projects for which there was no set-aside quota available. Any vessel or association that wants to bid on NFI-SMC research set-aside allocation must pay dues by January 10, 2005 based upon the vessel’s 2004 catch of Mid-Atlantic species.

License to sell

In late October the GSSA’s board met with members of the clam and aquaculture industry to discuss License to Sell Legislation in New Jersey. They expressed their opposition for any additional fees in their fishery and asked to be exempt due to the high landing fees they already pay. We are incorporating their comments into draft legislation that we are reviewing. The purpose of this license would help insure the quality and safety of seafood harvested that is handled by the commercial fishing industry of New Jersey and at the same time protect the consumer. GSSA is developing language for a fee and licensing structure.  We are considering a system that would be dependent upon vessel size and the type of gear that is being used. We have also been asked by the NJDEP to provide our recommendations for the penalties associated with selling or buying seafood without a license.  Penalties would apply to those selling and/or buying fish without the appropriate license. The Division was proposing some penalties that could impact the permit or license of the wrongdoer. Our view is that significant monetary penalties would be more appropriate.  We are currently working with representatives from the major fishing ports to develop draft language.

Cumulative impacts of management

Researchers at Rutgers University, in cooperation with the New Jersey Sea

Grant College Program, are conducting a study of the cumulative effects of

state and federal fisheries regulations on businesses and communities involved in commercial fishing in New Jersey.  The study is designed to assess how the combination of fisheries regulations over time and in concert with other economic, social, and political forces, have affected fishermen, their families, businesses, and communities. Four primary communities have been selected for the study including Cape May, Point Pleasant, Barnegat Light, and Belford.  Researchers will be collecting oral histories about commercial fishing.  The oral histories will focus on the participant's work experiences and how they have adjusted to various changes in regulations over time. Interviews will be scheduled over the next five months (December 2004 – May 2005). The study is being conducted by Drs. Bonnie McCay, Bryan Oles, and Kevin St. Martin from Rutgers University, and Mike Danko of the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.  If you wish to participate in the project or assist in any way, please contact Bryan Oles at (301) 270-9499.