NOAA SATELLITES HELP KEEP COMPETITIVE SAILORS SAFE The international Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System (COSPAS-SARSAT) is giving an extra measure of safety for sailors competing in the worldwide Volvo Ocean Race. The SARSAT program is providing life-saving, alert capabilities for 21 emergency beacons, which were purchased by race organizers to use in the race. […]
Coastal Zone Management Program Evaluations to be Conducted in North Carolina, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management has announced its intent to evaluate the performance of the Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (South Carolina), the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Puerto […]
Council to Address Butterfish Rebuilding in Amendment 10; Mackerel Limited Access Program Delayed Based on recent information that the butterfish stock is overfished, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has decided that Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) will focus on a rebuilding plan for butterfish. As a result, […]
Research Set-Aside Program Seeking Applicants The Mid-Atlantic research set-aside program provides a mechanism to support research by compensating vessels through the sale of fish harvested under a research quota. Up to 3 percent of the total allowable landings in certain Mid-Atlantic fisheries may be dedicated to research endeavors in 2007. NOAA is soliciting proposals for […]
Measures Proposed for 2006 Bluefish Fisheries NOAA Fisheries Service has proposed state-by-state commercial quotas, a recreational harvest limit, and recreational possession limits for Atlantic bluefish. The 2006 Total Allowable Landings (TAL) is 24.799 million lb, approximately 24 percent less than the 2005 TAL. As recommended by the Council, NOAA Fisheries is proposing to transfer 5.367 […]
NTSB CITES CAPTAIN’S POOR JUDGMENT AS CAUSE OF SYDNEY MAE II SINKINGWashington, D.C. – In a report made public today, the National Transportation Safety Board cited the captain’s decision to closely approach the Umpqua River bar during hazardous conditions as the cause of the September sinking of the Sydney Mae II off the coast of […]
NOAA Will Maintain Current Time/Area Closures to Protect Sharks On March 7, 2005, NOAA Fisheries Service received a petition for rulemaking from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Marine Fisheries, requesting changes to the current Mid-Atlantic shark closed area. The closed area boundary is set at 55 fathoms, from January […]
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 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 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 […]
