Smart Gear Competition Offers Cash Prizes for Bycatch Solutions The World Wildlife Fund’s International Smart Gear Competition was created to inspire and reward practical, innovative fishing gear designs that reduce bycatch – the accidental catch and related deaths of sea turtles, birds, marine mammals, and other non-target species in fishing gear. The competition is open […]
Efforts Ongoing to Upgrade Recreational Fishing Data Program On February 12, NOAA Fisheries unveiled a strategy to address the most critical questions facing recreational fisheries data collection and analysis, and ultimately to support the management decisions affecting our nation’s fisheries. This Development Plan incorporates key suggestions and concerns expressed by the nearly 100 scientists, managers, […]
U.S. Seafood Consumption Declines Slightly in 2005; Dutch Harbor/Unalaska and New Bedford Remain Top U.S. Fishing Ports NOAA has just released its annual publication, Fisheries of the United States. Americans ate 16.2 pounds of fish and shellfish per person in 2005, a two percent decrease from the 2004 consumption figure of 16.6 pounds. Despite the […]
United States Pushes for Action at Global Tuna Summit The United States participated in the first ever joint meeting of the world’s five tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) in Kobe, Japan during the week of January 22, 2007. These organizations are responsible for the management of highly migratory species, such as bluefin tuna and […]
Loss of Whooping Cranes at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge After Storms Hit Central FloridaThe Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) regretfully announces theloss of the 18 juvenile whooping cranes at the Chassahowitzka NationalWildlife Refuge. The cranes died as a result of the storms that sweptthrough central Florida during the evening and early morning of February 1and […]
NOAA Seeking Proposals for Cooperative Fisheries Research The Mid-Atlantic Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program provides a mechanism to fund research and compensate vessels through the sale of fish harvested under a research quota. Up to 3 percent of the total allowable landings (TAL) in certain Mid-Atlantic fisheries may be dedicated to research endeavors under the RSA […]
NOAA Scientists Study Potential Bias in Recreational Surveys The 2006 National Research Council review of NOAA Fisheries’ recreational fisheries data program pointed out some factors that may cause overestimates or underestimates of catch and effort figures. Over the past year, NOAA Fisheries scientists have been evaluating these and other sources of potential bias in hopes […]
Controlled Access Committee The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Controlled Access Committee January 23-24, 2007 in Charleston, South Carolina. The Committee will meet to discuss a possible Limited Access Privilege Program for the snapper grouper fishery in the South Atlantic region. A public comment period will be held as […]
NOAA to Hold Regional Public Meetings on Possible Management Measures for Sharks and Swordfish NOAA Fisheries has published a series of combined regional meetings on an Atlantic swordfish proposed rule and scoping meetings on potential shark management measures. The proposed rule on Atlantic swordfish would provide a reasonable opportunity for U.S. vessels to more fully […]
Pubic Invited to Comment on Marine Protected Areas for Snapper and Grouper Interested members of the public are invited to provide comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery. The proposed actions would establish eight marine protected areas (MPAs) in federal waters of the South Atlantic (one off southern […]
