Andy

WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

International - NOAA Fisheries Calls for Temporary Ban on Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna

The United States last week proposed a temporary fishing ban on eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna to allow these fisheries to begin to recover from severe overfishing and to allow countries to put monitoring measures in place. Despite strong support from Canada at the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the measure was not adopted by the members of the international body charged with conserving Atlantic tunas and tuna-like species. Instead, ICCAT adopted a proposal put forward by Japan requesting nations that fish for eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna to submit to the ICCAT Secretariat a detailed report on how their current regulations are being implemented to comply with a fishing plan adopted in 2006. The reports are to be submitted before next year’s annual ICCAT meeting where a new bluefin tuna stock assessment will also be presented. ICCAT also acted on an earlier U.S. initiative to track every Atlantic bluefin tuna from the moment it is caught until it reaches its final market. Providing ICCAT with a concrete account of how many fish are landed will be a crucial part of improving control over this fishery. In other issues, the Commission reduced total allowable catch for northern and southern Albacore, adopted its first measure to reduce the unintentional catch of seabirds in longline fishing gear, and agreed to reduce mortality on porbeagle and North Atlantic shortfin mako sharks. The annual ICCAT meeting concluded on November 18 in Antalya, Turkey.
For additional information, please contact Kelly Denit (301) 713-2276 x 202 or kelly.denit@noaa.gov.
National - Dr. William Hogarth Announces His Intention to Leave NOAA

In an announcement made on November 20, 2007, Dr. William Hogarth, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, announced his intention to leave NOAA at the end of December, 2007 and join the University of South Florida where he will serve as the Interim Dean for the College of Marine Science.
After a distinguished career with the State of North Carolina as Director of the Marine Fisheries Program, Dr. Hogarth joined NOAA Fisheries in 1994. He was serving as Deputy Assistant Administrator when, in 2001, he was asked to serve as the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries for President Bush. Among his many accomplishments is the renewal of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, with its commitment to end the overfishing that threatens livelihoods and a major food source. He also obtained the subsistence bowhead whale quota for the Alaskan tribal community at the International Whaling Commission meeting. Dr. Hogarth has been at the forefront of the Administration’s drive to enact aquaculture legislation that will boost that beneficial industry in the United States.
For more information, please contact Susan Buchanan, NOAA Public Affairs 301-713-2370.
NOAA Fisheries Seeks Public Input on Fisheries Disaster Assistance by January 4, 2008

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on proposed definitions, procedures and provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act relating to Fisheries Disaster Assistance and plans to issue new regulations to implement those provisions. Specifically, NOAA Fisheries is looking for input from the general public, fishing industry, scientific community, coastal communities and Federal and State resource agencies on aspects of Fisheries Disaster Assistance. Input is sought on definitions of terms related to disaster assistance, parameters of type and duration of various assistance programs and other issues that may impact the way fisheries disaster assistance is provided by the federal government. Comments or information in response to this notice must be received no later than 5 PM on January 4, 2008.
You may submit comments in one of three ways:
1) e-Mail: Stephen.Aguzin@noaa.gov .
2) Fax: (301) 713-1306. (Attn: Steve Aguzin)
3) Regular or Overnight Mail:
NOAA/NMFS,
Attn: Steve Aguzin,
1315 East-West Highway,
Room 13134,
Silver Spring, MD 20910
For further information on this web posting, contact Steve Aguzin, (301) 713-2358 (x 215), Stephen.Aguzin@noaa.gov National - NOAA and USDA Accepting Public Comment on Aquaculture Feeds

NOAA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are soliciting information and ideas on ways to lessen dependence on fish-based feeds in the aquaculture industry. This comment period is the first step of a broad, year-long program that will include research projects, scientific consultations and a national workshop aimed at developing new and effective ingredients for aqua-feed. The issue of feed ingredients is a challenge facing the expanding global aquaculture industry because fish meal fish are under increasing pressure as a commercial fishery worldwide. The cost of fish meal has risen steeply as farming operations have increased. In 2002, 46 percent of fishmeal went to aquaculture uses, while 22 percent went to poultry and 24 percent went to pigs. The amount of available fish meal and fish oil is not likely to increase, so producers must find other sources of feed protein as the aquaculture industry continues to grow.
To submit a question, idea, or recommendation on alternative feeds for aquaculture, stakeholders should send an e-mail to: noaa.aquaculture@noaa.gov; send a fax to: 301-713-9108; or, send a letter to:
NOAA Aquaculture Program,
Alternative Feeds Initiative,
1315 East-West Highway,
Room 13117, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The deadline for comments is Feb. 29, 2008.
NOAA Fisheries Publishes the Final List of Fisheries that impact Marine Mammals for 2008

NOAA Fisheries has published its final List of Fisheries for 2008, that impact Marine Mammals as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The final list for 2008 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. NOAA Fisheries categorizes each commercial fishery on the list into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of serious injury and mortality of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery.
For more information, please contact Melissa Andersen (301) 301-713-2322 x 173, or melissa.andersen@noaa.gov.
Measures for Recreational Summer Flounder Fisheries Announced

NOAA Fisheries is implementing interim coastwide summer flounder recreational management measures to prevent overfishing and improve the health of the summer flounder fishery. This action also ensures that appropriate management measures are in place on January 1, 2008, when the 2007 rules are longer effective. The rule implements a 4-fish bag limit, a minimum fish size of 18.5 inches, and a year-round season as the interim measures. The interim measures will remain effective until replaced by final 2008 measures. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet on December 11-13, 2007, in Secaucus, New Jersey, to review the updated 2007 recreational fishery information and to recommend measures to manage the 2008 summer flounder recreational fishery. The final measures once developed and implemented by NOAA Fisheries, will replace or revise this interim measure.
For more information, please contact Michael P. Ruccio, (978) 281-9104.
West Coast - Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Seeks New Members

NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for the following vacant seats on its Sanctuary Advisory Council: Education member and alternate, Chumash Community member and alternate, Tourism alternate, Recreational fishing member and alternate, and two Public-at-large alternates. Application kits are due by January 4, 2008 and may be obtained from Dani Lipski, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 113 Harbor Way Suite 150 Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2315. Completed applications should be sent to the same address. Application materials are also available at: http://www.channelislands.noaa.gov/.
For additional information, please contact Michael Murray, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 113 Harbor Way Suite 150 Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2315, 805-966-7107 extension 464, michael.murray@noaa.gov
EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Closure of Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery

NOAA Fisheries has announced that the spiny dogfish commercial quota has been harvested and that federally permitted commercial vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish until May 1, 2008. Federally permitted dealers are also advised that they may not purchase spiny dogfish from federally permitted spiny dogfish vessels until May 1, 2008. Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine to Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.
For more information, please contact Don Frei, Fisheries Management Specialist, at telephone (978) 281-9221, or don.frei@Noaa.gov.
Comments Sought Regarding the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, Passaic River, New Jersey

NOAA and the U.S. Department of the Interior have concluded their preliminary investigation of potential injuries to natural resources that may have occurred due to releases of hazardous substances at the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site and have prepared a Draft Plan outlining possible activities at this Site. The public is asked to provide comments on the Draft Plan by December 21, 2007.
Comments can be sent to:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
New Jersey Field Office,
927 N. Main Street,
Pleasantville, NJ 08232,
609-383-3938 ext 26 or 21,
tim_kubiak@fws.gov or melissa_foster@fws.gov.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Limiting Vessel Discharges in some California Marine Sanctuaries

NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries that would prohibit sewage discharge from vessels 300 gross registered tons (GRT) within the sanctuary. The Draft also prohibits greywater discharge from vessels 300 GRT or more in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement are available at NOAA offices located at 1 Bear Valley Rd., Point Reyes Station, CA; West Crissy Field on the Presidio, 991 Marine Drive, San Francisco, CA, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, California, and on the Web at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan/.
For additional information, please contact Sean Morton at (301) 713-7264 or sean.morton@noaa.gov.
Atlantic Bluefish Quota Announcements

NOAA Fisheries has announced that the 2007 Atlantic bluefish commercial quota allocated to the State of New York has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the Atlantic bluefish fishery may not land bluefish in New York for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. In addition, the State of Delaware is transferring a portion of its 2007 commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island. Delaware has agreed to transfer 80,000 lb of its 2007 commercial quota to Rhode Island. The revised bluefish quotas for calendar year 2007 are: Rhode Island, 663,790 lb; and Delaware, 81,055 lb.
For additional information on these announcements, please contact Emily Bryant (978) 281-9244.
New Jersey Summer Flounder Commercial Fishery Closure

NOAA Fisheries has announced that the 2007 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. For additional information on these announcements, please contact Emily Bryant (978) 281-9244.
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Public Meetings

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold meetings of various committees as well as its full council during the month of December. Committees to meet include the Scientific and Statistical Committee, Spiny Lobster Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee and the Ecosystem-based Management Committee. The Council will also hold a meeting of the Limited Access Privilege Program Exploratory Workgroup and public hearings regarding rebuilding plans for snowy grouper, black sea bass, and red porgy. For more information on specific times and dates for these meetings, click here. All meetings will be held at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel, 2717 W. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512; telephone: (1-800) 624-8875 or (252) 240-1155.
Copies of documents related to these meetings and more information on upcoming meetings of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council are available from Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405. Telephone: (843) 571-4366 or email: kim.iverson@safmc.net.
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Public Meetings December 10-14, 2007

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold public meetings of the Monkfish Committee, Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish Committee, Bycatch/Limited Access Committee, and Executive Committee. The meetings will be held on Monday, December 10, 2007 through Thursday, December 14, 2007 at the Holiday Inn Harmon Meadow, 300 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ 07094; telephone: (201) 348-2000.
For additional information, please contact Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; telephone: (302) 674-2331, ext. 19.
Caribbean Fishery Management Council Public Meetings December 11-12, 2007

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) and its Administrative Committee will hold meetings on December 11-12, 2007. The Council will convene on Tuesday, December 11, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Administrative Committee will meet from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m., on that same day. The Council will reconvene on Wednesday, December 12, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., approximately. The meetings will be held at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Hotel, 5 Estate Bakkeroe, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
For additional information, please contact the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-1920; telephone: (787) 766-5926.

New England Fishery Management Council Multispecies Committee Public Meeting December 12-13, 2007

The New England Fishery Management Council's Multispecies (Groundfish) Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The two-day meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2007, at 9 a.m. and Thursday, December 13, 2007, at 8:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street, Peabody, MA 01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
For additional information, please contact Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

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old mud

Thanks Andy, Looks like i have work to do.

Don

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