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WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

National - NOAA Announces 15-Year Plan to Upgrade its Fleet of Research Ships

NOAA has completed a detailed plan to modernize its marine operations by replacing nine research ships and refurbishing a 10th in the next 15 years. Sea-going vessels are a key source of observational data used by NOAA scientists. A modern, more capable fleet will ensure that NOAA can meet the ever changing demands of the science community.

NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations conducted an assessment of the 19 ships in the fleet, and determined that 10 of those vessels will reach the end of their useful service life over the next 15 years. The fleet supports a wide range of marine activities, including fisheries and coastal research, nautical charting, and long-range ocean and climate studies. NOAA's ships are specially equipped and designed to support the agency's programs, and have some capabilities not found in commercial fleets.
Nine vessels have entered into service since 2001. Two additional ships are scheduled to enter service within the next year: Pisces, which will be homeported in Mississippi, and Bell M. Shimada, which will be homeported on the West Coast. More information about NOAA's fleet modernization plans is available online.

Northeast - Sea Scallop Survey Shows Strong Recruitment

Researchers conducting the annual summer Atlantic sea scallop survey off the Northeastern coast of the U.S. between North Carolina and Massachusetts are encouraged by the high number of small seed scallops, or recruits, detected in the Great South Channel of Georges Bank and in other survey areas. The numbers are the highest seen on Georges Bank since 2000 and the second highest since 1979 in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. This population increase helps document the effectiveness of a key measure used to manage the commercial fishery: rotating access to highly productive sea scallop areas while closing others to allow scallops to grow.
Regions surveyed included the Delmarva, Elephant Trunk, Hudson Canyon and Long Island areas of the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Delmarva, the region off of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, was closed to scallop fishing in 2007. The Elephant Trunk area was closed in 2004 and reopened in 2007, and the Hudson Canyon area closed in 2008. Areas surveyed on Georges Bank and vicinity included the Great South Channel, the Northern Edge, the Southeast Part, the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area, and Closed Areas I and II. Closed areas allow the scallops to grow larger and reproduce more often before being subject to harvest. Read the Northeast Fisheries Science Center press release for more information.

Atlantic - Notification of U.S. Fish Quotas and an Effort Allocation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Regulatory Area

Fish quotas and an effort allocation are available for harvest by U.S. fishermen in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area. This action is necessary to make available to U.S. fishermen a fishing privilege on an equitable basis. Expressions of interest regarding U.S. fish quota allocations for all species except shrimp in the 3L region, will be accepted throughout 2009. Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. 3L-region shrimp quota allocation, the 3M-region shrimp effort allocation, and the 3LNO-region yellowtail flounder to be transferred by Canada will be accepted through November 18, 2008.

Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. effort allocation and quota allocations should be made in writing to Kiki.Jenkins@noaa.gov. Information relating to NAFO fish quotas, NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures, and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit is available from Allison.McHale@noaa.gov.

Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico - NOAA Invites Proposals for Research in the Commercial Shark Fishery

NOAA Fisheries Service is requesting applications for the 2009 shark research fishery from commercial shark fishermen with a directed or incidental permit. The shark research fishery allows for the collection of fishery-dependent data for future stock assessments, while also allowing NOAA and commercial fishermen to conduct cooperative research. The objectives of this research program are outlined in a Federal Register notice.

Commercial shark fishermen who are interested in participating in the shark research fishery must submit an application for consideration. Generally, these permits will be valid through December 31, 2009, subject to the terms and conditions of individual permits. Applications must be received no later than 5pm, local time, on December 3, 2008.

For more information, contact Jess Beck at (301) 713-2347.

Gulf of Mexico - NOAA Extends Use of Tow Times in the Shrimp Fishery

NOAA Fisheries Service has issued a temporary rule effective from October 29, 2008 through November 28, 2008, to allow shrimp fishermen to use limited tow times as an alternative to Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in state and Federal waters off Louisiana. Specifically, this rule applies from the western end of Timbalier Island eastward to the Plaquemines/Jefferson Parish line, extending offshore 15 nautical miles. The previous 30-day exemption from TED requirements was effective September 26 through October 26, 2008. This action is necessary because environmental conditions resulting from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike still persist on the fishing grounds, preventing some fishermen from using TEDs effectively.

For more information, contact Michael Barnette at (727) 551-5794.

Mid-Atlantic - Revised Management Plan for Chesapeake Bay Reserve Now Available for Public Comment

NOAA's National Ocean Service has announced a 30 day public comment period on a revision to the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan . Four sites along the York River comprise the Chesapeake Bay

Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve: Sweet Hall Marsh, Taskinas Creek, the Catlett Islands, and the Goodwin Islands. The reserve has been operating in partnership with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science under a management plan approved in 1991. Proposed revisions to the plan include a boundary expansion, a revised geographic vision for the reserve, new facilities, and updated programmatic objectives.

The revised management plan describes how the strengths of the reserve will focus on four areas relevant to the Chesapeake Bay: functions and linkages of land-margin ecosystems; ecosystem vulnerability to climate and human-induced stressors; water quality and aquatic stressors; and integrated ocean observing systems. For more information, read the Federal Register notice.

Alaska - NOAA to Evaluate Status of Pacific Herring

NOAA Fisheries Service is requesting information, data, and comments pertinent to a risk assessment as part of a status review of the Southeast Alaska population of Pacific herring. On April 11, 2008, the agency initiated a status review of this herring stock under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Southeast Alaska distinct population segment of Pacific herring extends to Dixon Entrance in the south, where the Southeast Alaska stock is genetically distinguished from the British Columbia stock; and to Cape Fairweather and Icy Point in the north, where the stock is limited by physical and ecological barriers. The status review for this stock will include an analysis of risk extinction, an assessment of the factors listed under section 4(a)(1) of the ESA, and an evaluation of conservation efforts for the distinct population segment.

As part of this status review, NOAA is seeking information regarding the stock's population structure and trends, current conditions of its habitat, known and anticipated threats to the viability of the population, and efforts being made to protect the species. Specifically, the agency seeks data concerning: (1) existing and historical population abundance; (2) existing and historical habitat location and condition; (3) population structure; (4) known and anticipated threats to Southeast Alaska Pacific herring, including destruction or modification of habitat, overutilization, disease or predation, inadequate regulatory mechanisms, or any other natural or human factors; and (5) efforts being made to protect the species. Relevant information may be sent to SEAKherring@noaa.gov until December 8, 2008.

To learn more about the status review, read the Federal Register notice or contact Kate Savage at (907) 586-7312.

Northwest - New Insights into Contaminant Levels and Diet of Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales

Southern Resident killer whales, which spend the warmer months in Washington's Puget Sound, have been listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act since 2005. Recently, a study conducted by NOAA Fisheries Service scientists, together with their peers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Cascadia Research, revealed new information about contaminant levels in these whales. The groundbreaking study stemmed from an international collaboration between the U.S. and Canada, involving the use of shared biopsy samples and analytical schemes to determine contaminant loads in killer whales that share the two nations' waters.

The most unexpected finding from the study was that, among whales sampled, the highest levels of three toxic contaminant groups -- the flame retardant and two pesticides -- came from a three-year-old male.

For more information on this study, read the Northwest Fisheries Science center's press release.

Pacific Coast - Comment Period on Critical Habitat for Green Sturgeon Extended Until Dec 22

NOAA Fisheries Service has extended for 45 days the public comment period on a proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the threatened Southern Distinct Population Segment of North American green sturgeon, as first published on September 8, 2008, and corrected on October 7, 2008. The deadline for comments on the proposed rule is now 5pm Pacific standard time on December 22, 2008. Comments may be submitted through www.regulations.gov.

For more information, read the Federal Register notice or contact Melissa Neuman at (562) 980-4115.

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

International Fisheries Observer and Monitoring Conference Invites Abstracts

The 6th International Fisheries Observer & Monitoring Conference will be held on July 20 - 24, 2009, in Portland, ME. This conference is the premier international forum for fisheries monitoring and observer program issues. Attendees will include fishing industry representatives, end users of fishery-dependent data, observers, fishery managers, and other professionals concerned about fishery resource and catch monitoring. The conference format includes presented papers, panel discussion sessions, a poster session, a trade show, and enjoyable social events.

Abstract proposals will be accepted through December 31, 2008.

Please visit www.IFOMC.com for more information about the conference program, and direct any questions to IFOMC.SC@noaa.gov.

North Pacific Council's Groundfish Plan Teams to Meet; Nov 17-21 in Seattle, WA

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish Plan Teams will meet in Seattle, WA, on November 17-21, 2008. The plan teams will prepare and review the stock assessments for groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, and recommend catch specifications for 2009-2010. An agenda for the meeting is available online.

For more information, contact Jane DiCosimo at (907) 271-2809.

New England Fishery Management Council to Meet; Nov 18-19 in Danvers, MA

The New England Fishery Management Council will meet on November 18-20, 2008, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). A detailed agenda is provided in the meeting notice.

The New England Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will also meet on November 17-18, 2008, in Danvers, MA. The SSC will elect a committee vice chairman, finalize recommendations for Amendment 3 to the Skate Fishery Management Plan, develop comments on the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning National Standard 2, approve five-year research priorities and further develop its operating procedures based on the proceedings of the recent national SSC Workshop.
In addition, on November 17, the Joint Dogfish Committee will: 1) review stock status update; 2) consider the Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee's recommendations for management measures for the 2009 fishing year; and 3) develop, for Council consideration and action, a Joint Committee position on management measures for the 2009 fishing year and possibly thereafter.

For more information on these meetings, contact Paul Howard at (978) 465-0492.

North Pacific Council's Outreach Group to Meet; Nov 24 in Anchorage, AK

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Outreach group will meet on November 24, 2008, in Anchorage, AK, at the North Pacific Research Board office. The Outreach Workgroup will conduct initial planning to develop recommendations to the Council to improve its outreach and communication with Alaska Natives and communities.

For more information, contact Nicole Kimball at (907) 271-2809.

Bering Sea Crab Reports for 2008 Now Online

The technical memorandum, 2008 Eastern Bering Sea Continental Shelf Bottom Trawl Survey: Results for Commercial Crab Species, is now available online.

Western Pacific Fishery Statistics Published

The 23rd Volume of Fishery Statistics of the Western Pacific is now available online. It provides summary data on marine fish catches in 2006 for American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and Hawaii.

FEDERAL REGISTER ACTIONS

For a list of only those actions open for public comment, try going to http://www.regulations.gov and scroll search for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For a list of all daily actions, check the Federal register online at: Federal Register: Main Page.

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