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WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

National - Secretary of Commerce Names 30 to Fishery Management Councils

The Commerce Department has announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils – important partners with NOAA Fisheries in determining how ocean fisheries are managed. The councils, established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, create comprehensive plans for marine fish stocks in their regions. Among their goals is to fulfill the act's charge to end overfishing of 41 stocks by 2010. NOAA Fisheries works closely with the councils during plan development and also reviews, approves and implements the management plans developed by the councils.

Council members represent diverse interests, including commercial and recreational fisheries, environmental concerns and academia. The Secretary of Commerce selects a total of 72 appointed members to the eight regional councils. Thirty are being named or reappointed for the next term, which begins on August 11, 2009.

For more information, read the NOAA news release.

National - NOAA Creates Catch Shares Task Force

NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco has created a new Catch Shares Task Force to develop a strategy to move forward on making catch share management more available to fisheries in the United States. In fisheries managed with catch shares, individuals or groups of fishermen are allotted a portion of the total allowable catch of a fish stock. These fishermen then decide how to catch their allotment when weather, markets and individual business conditions are most favorable. At the same time, they must ensure that they do not exceed their catch limits. The allocation of shares helps fishermen avoid a race to capture as many fish as possible before the fishery-wide limit is reached. In this way, fishermen gain an incentive to conserve fish stocks, avoid market gluts, and catch their allocated share of the total at the least cost.

Well-designed catch share programs are the best way for many fisheries to remain healthy, profitable, and sustainable. For more information on the objectives of NOAA's Catch Shares Task Force, read the NOAA news release. The task force is expected to submit findings and recommendations by August 1, 2009.

National - New Report Assesses Climate Change Impacts

Climate change is already having visible impacts in the United States, and the choices made now will determine the severity of its impacts in the future, according to a new and authoritative federal study assessing the current and anticipated domestic impacts of climate change. This study, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, compiles years of scientific research and takes into account new data not available during the preparation of previous large national and global assessments. It was produced by a consortium of experts from 13 U.S. government science agencies and from several major universities and research institutes.

The report, which confirms previous evidence that global temperature increases in recent decades have been primarily human-induced, incorporates the latest information on rising temperatures and sea levels; increases in extreme weather events; and other climate-related phenomena. It is the first such report in almost a decade to break out those impacts by U.S. region and economic sector.

For more information, read the NOAA news release.

Pacific Coast - NOAA Identifies Threats to the Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary

A new NOAA report on the health of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary in California indicates that the overall condition of the sanctuary's marine life and habitats is fair to good, but identifies several emerging threats to sanctuary resources. The report indicates that water quality in the sanctuary is generally good due to the sanctuary's offshore location and distance from major urban population centers. Seafloor habitat quality was rated lower, primarily due to prior impacts from fishing gear that came into contact with the sanctuary's rocky reef and soft sediment habitats. Populations of rockfish, salmon, some seabird species, and leatherback sea turtles that use the sanctuary are depleted, but fishery closures are helping to rebuild depleted fish stocks.

The report is now available online. Similar reports are being developed for the other sites in the National Marine Sanctuary System.

Pacific Islands - NOAA to Revise Critical Habitat for Hawaiian Monk Seal

In response to a 2008 petition from environmental groups, NOAA Fisheries has announced its intent to revise the designation of critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal. A June 12th Federal Register notice describes the process, and highlights some of the habitat features that are essential to the conservation of this species. New information has become available in recent years regarding monk seal life history and habitat use. The next step will be a proposed rule to identify areas that may require special management considerations or protections; NOAA Fisheries will take public comment on the proposal.

Learn more about Hawaiian monk seal critical habitat online. For more information, contact Lance.Smith@noaa.gov.

Pacific Islands - Changes Proposed in Hawaii-based Shallow-set Longline Fishery

A new proposed rule is intended to increase opportunities for the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery to sustainably harvest swordfish and other fish species. The use of large circle hooks and mackerel-type bait in Hawaii's shallow-set longline fishery has reduced sea turtle interaction rates by approximately 90 percent for loggerheads and 83 percent for leatherbacks, compared to the previous period (1994-2002) when the fishery was operating without these requirements. Because this gear combination has proven to be highly effective in reducing sea turtle bycatch, the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council has examined a range of alternatives that would allow increased shallow-set fishing effort, and an increase in the allowable associated sea turtle interaction limits.
Comments may be submitted at www.regulations.gov until August 3, 2009.

More information is available online, or contact Adam Bailey at 808-944-2248.

Antarctic - New Marine Conservation and Management Measures

The United States has accepted conservation and management measures and resolutions pertaining to fishing in Antarctic waters managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). These measures include: measures previously adopted by the Commission and remaining in force; measures adopted for the 2008/2009 fishing season to restrict overall catches, research catch and bycatch of certain species of finfish, squid, krill and crabs; restrictions on fishing in certain areas; restrictions on the use of certain fishing gear; implementation and inspection obligations supporting the Catch Documentation Scheme of Contracting Parties; promoting compliance with CCAMLR measures by non-Contracting Party vessels; and requiring vessels engaged in bottom fishing to report data on benthic organisms recovered by their gear.

For more information, read the Federal Register notice.

New England - More Atlantic Salmon Protected Under Endangered Species Act

NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have extended Endangered Species Act protection to more Atlantic salmon. Endangered status now applies to all anadromous (sea-run) Atlantic salmon whose freshwater range covers the watersheds from the Androscoggin River northward along the Maine coast to the Dennys River, an area which includes the Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers. Endangered status applies wherever these fish occur in these rivers' estuaries and marine environment, including hatchery fish used to supplement these natural populations. Landlocked salmon and salmon raised in hatcheries for aquaculture are not affected by the listing.

The decision is part of the ongoing effort to recover the imperiled fish, which once returned by the hundreds of thousands to most major rivers along the Northeastern U.S. and now returns in small numbers only to rivers in Maine. For more information, read the NOAA news release.

Mid-Atlantic - Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass

NOAA Fisheries has announced the 2009 management measures for three major recreational fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic: summer flounder, scup and black sea bass. The announcement summarizes the applicable minimum fish size, possession limit, and fishing season for these fisheries. Regulations for the summer flounder fishery vary by state. Recreational measures for scup are unchanged from those in place for 2008. Scup measures will differ in state waters, as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is applying a conservation equivalency approach in state waters of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. The minimum size for black sea bass is increased from 12.0 to 12.5 inches. Black sea bass possession limits and fishing season remain unchanged from 2008. In cases where state recreational measures for scup and black sea bass are different from federal rules, federally permitted party/charter vessels are required to follow the more restrictive measures.

More information is available online. Please contact the Northeast Regional Office's Sustainable Fisheries Division at 978-281-9315 with any questions.

New England and Mid-Atlantic - New Process for Assessment of Spiny Dogfish

NOAA Fisheries has approved Framework Adjustment 2 to the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan, which was developed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils. Framework 2 broadens the stock status determination criteria for spiny dogfish, while maintaining objective and measurable criteria to identify when the stock is overfished or approaching an overfished condition. The framework action also establishes acceptable categories of peer review for the Council to use in its specification-setting process for spiny dogfish.

This action is necessary to ensure that modifications to the stock status determination criteria, constituting the best available, peer-reviewed scientific information, are accessible to the management process in a timely and efficient manner.
For more information, read the Federal Register notice, or contact Emily Bryant at 978-281-9244.

South Atlantic - Regulatory Changes Proposed in Rock Shrimp Fishery

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on a proposed rule to implement Amendment 7 to the South Atlantic Rock Shrimp Fishery Management Plan. The Council's rock shrimp advisory panel reports that the fishery has changed since limited access endorsements were first adopted. In particular, fleet dynamics have been influenced by economic factors including fluctuating fuel prices and operating expenses, and imported shrimp products. This proposed rule would adjust the regulatory requirements for vessels with limited access rock shrimp endorsements, and reinstate endorsements under certain circumstances.

Comments may be submitted at www.regulations.gov through July 24, 2009.

For more information read the fishery bulletin, or contact Kate Michie at 727-824-5305.

Gulf of Mexico - NOAA Forecast Predicts Large "Dead Zone" this Summer

A team of NOAA-supported scientists is forecasting that this summer's "dead zone" off the coast of Louisiana and Texas could be one of the largest on record. The dead zone is an area in the Gulf of Mexico where seasonal oxygen levels drop too low to support most life in bottom and near-bottom waters. Scientists are predicting that the area could measure between 7,450 and 8,456 square miles, or an area roughly the size of New Jersey.

Dead zones are caused by nutrient runoff, principally from agricultural activity, which stimulates an overgrowth of algae that sinks, decomposes, and consumes most of the life-giving oxygen supply in the water. This area of low oxygen is of particular concern because it threatens valuable commercial and recreational Gulf fisheries by destroying critical habitat. NOAA's Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program is currently providing near real-time data on the hypoxic zone during a five-week fish survey in the northern Gulf of Mexico (June 8 through July 18).

For more information, read the NOAA news release.

Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico - New Essential Fish Habitat Designations for Highly Migratory Species

NOAA Fisheries has published an amendment to the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan. This amendment revises the designation of essential fish habitat for highly migratory species, and establishes a new Habitat Area of Particular Concern for bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico. It also includes an analysis of fishing and non-fishing impacts on essential fish habitat, as well as conservation recommendations. The boundaries were updated using a new approach for mapping essential fish habitat. New data on the biology, distribution, habitat requirements, life history characteristics, migratory patterns, spawning, pupping, and nursery areas of Atlantic HMS were taken into consideration when updating the essential fish habitat designations.

Maps of the designated essential fish habitat for Atlantic highly migratory species are available online.

For more information, contact Chris.Rilling@noaa.gov.

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Obama Creates Ocean Policy Task Force

In connection with National Ocean Month, President Obama established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force led by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The task force will develop recommendations to support a national policy for oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes. For more information, read the White House press release.

Our Living Oceans: Habitat, Policymakers' Summary

NOAA Fisheries announces the release of Our Living Oceans: Habitat , Policymakers' Summary. This document summarizes key issues affecting the habitats of NOAA Fisheries' trust resources, habitat status and trends, and associated research needs. The full volume of Our Living Oceans: Habitat will be released soon. To obtain a hard copy of the Policymakers' Summary, please contact Mark.Chandler@noaa.gov.

Report to Congress on the Recovery Program for Threatened and Endangered Species

NOAA Fisheries has released its Biennial Report to Congress on the Recovery Program for Threatened and Endangered Species. This report addresses the conservation, management, and research activities conducted for the benefit of domestic endangered and threatened species, covering the time period October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2008. It includes accounts of each species, its status, current threats, conservation actions undertaken during this time frame, and priority actions needed. The report notes that 37% of listed species under NOAA jurisdiction are stable or increasing, 29% are known to be declining, and 34% are unknown or mixed in their status. For more information, contact Larissa.Plants@noaa.gov.

Amended Marine Conservation Plan for Pacific Insular Areas

NOAA Fisheries has approved an amended marine conservation plan for Pacific Insular Areas other than American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information, read the Federal Register notice or contact Jarad Makaiau at 808-944-2108.

European Union Export Certification for Fishery Products

NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program is now the sole certifying agency for all fish and fishery products for export to European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member countries. Due to the large volume of demand for these certificates and the need for expedient service, NOAA has announced a change from current practices, including the fee structure, for providing Health Certificates for the EU and EFTA. For more information, read the Federal Register notice or visit: www.seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov.

Atlantic Mako Subject to Overfishing

NOAA Fisheries has determined that overfishing is occurring on Atlantic shortfin mako shark, and that the stock is approaching an overfished condition. The agency is required to specify an annual catch limit and accountability measures by fishing year 2010 to end overfishing. For more information, contact Mark Nelson at 301-713-2341.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Meet; July 14 in Philadelphia, PA

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and its Committees will meet July 14-17, 2009, in Philadelphia, PA. Additional information is provided in the meeting notice.

Pacific Council's Salmon Technical Team to Meet; June 30 in Olympia, WA

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's Salmon Technical Team will meet to initiate planning for an overfishing review of Queets River and Strait of Juan de Fuca coho. The meeting will take place June 30, 2009, in Olympia, WA. Additional information is provided in the meeting notice.

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