New Requirements Will Affect Shrimp Fishermen

New Requirements Will Affect Shrimp Fishermen This final rule to implement Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP) includes the following provisions: (1) requires an owner or operator of a trawler that harvests or possesses penaeid shrimp (brown, pink, or white shrimp) in or from […]

New Members Appointed to Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee

New Members Appointed to Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Last week, Secretary Gutierrez appointed eight new individuals to serve on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC), the Committee established in 1971 to advise the Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce. Initiated in August, the solicitation […]

Commercial Landings of Bluefin tuna

Commercial Landings of Bluefin tuna As of 12/19/05 fishing year landings of Atlantic bluefin tuna are as follows: The coast wide General category has landed 185.6 mt out of 708.3 mt to date. The Harpoon category closed at: 23.1 mt out of 90.0 mt. Longline North: 13.8 mt out of 116.3 mt to date. Longline […]

Prescribed Burns to be Conducted on Alligator River and Pea Island National Wild

Prescribed Burns to be Conducted on Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges in North CarolinaAlligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges are preparing to begin winter prescribed burning season in an effort to reduce the build up of fuels and improve wildlife habitat on both refuges in Manteo, North Carolina . If […]

Senate Commerce Committee to Mark Up Magnuson-Stevens Bill

Senate Commerce Committee to Mark Up Magnuson-Stevens Bill  The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (Chair Ted Stevens, R-AK) on December 15th, will mark up a six year reauthorization of the fundamental federal fishery management law that bears the name of Sen. Stevens (S 2012). The mark-up will likely be webcast beginning at 10 am […]

North Carolina Summer Flounder Commercial Quota Transferred to Virginia

North Carolina Summer Flounder Commercial Quota Transferred to Virginia The State of North Carolina has agreed to transfer 4,975 lb of its 2005 commercial quota to the State of Virginia to cover a landing of a North Carolina vessel that was disabled at sea and subsequently granted safe harbor in Virginia. The revised summer flounder […]

Seafood & Health Conference Wraps Up; Overwhelming Scientific Evidence Shows Why

Seafood & Health Conference Wraps Up; Overwhelming Scientific Evidence Shows Why Americans Should Eat Two Servings of Fish and Shellfish Every Week Many of the world’s leading scientists, academics and dietitians met in Washington, DC, this week to discuss the relationship between seafood and health. Sponsors of the conference included NOAA and the governments of […]

NOAA ORGANIZES RESCUE TEAM TO DISENTANGLE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE

NOAA ORGANIZES RESCUE TEAM TO DISENTANGLE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE U.S. Coast Guard joins rescue efforts; Inclement Weather Currently Keeping Team in Port The NOAA Fisheries Service will lead a team of federal, state and non-profit biologists and scientists to rescue an entangled North Atlantic right whale that is currently off the coast of Florida. […]

Spotted Seatrout Tops U.S. Recreational Catches

Spotted Seatrout Tops U.S. Recreational Catches Marine recreational anglers caught more than 33 million spotted seatrout in 2004, according to new data included in NOAA’s recently released report, “Fisheries of the United States”. Spotted seatrout was the most popular catch among marine recreational anglers in the Gulf of Mexico. The top catches in other regions […]