Making Waves - Fall 2021 by Recreational Fishing Alliance

M A K I N G The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing Alliance

Legendary fishing writer and champion Fred Golofaro dead at 68 - page 5

Fall 2021

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Making Waves Fall 2021

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Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Fall 2021

The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK By Gary Caputi

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Publisher’s

Executive Dir. Report:

The dying rays of summer are upon us and for many RFA members the best fishing of the year is about to take center stage. Mass migrations of bait and predators should lead to many a bent rod and some fine dining at the end of each trip.

Wind is a Reality

RFA Commentary:

Along with the hot fishing, things are heating up in Washington as the Biden Administration begins its push to recreate America in a very left-leaning image, and that’s putting it as nicely as we possibly can. His new appointment as head of NOAA Fisheries, Janet Coit, is introduced in this issue with the hope that she will take recreational fishing in a more serious vein than her predecessors.

Breaking News: Strip-

There is also new Magnuson Reauthorization legislation being introduced in the House of Representatives. RFA’s own John DePersenaire breaks down the good, the bad and the ugly of the bill and he feels there is little chance of it advancing in its current form. John also covers the recently released report by the National Academy of Sciences on the way NOAA has been handling management of recreational fisheries and it’s a doozy. Ah, but will anything come of the recommendations made in the report. I know I won’t be holding my breath. Capt. Barry Gibson provides an update on the ASMFC mandate on— no not Covid vaccinations—circle hooks silly. Seems the powers that be agree that a tube and worm is a lure and not a sneaky way of using live bait without the hooks of circle.

Check out the Regulatory Updates section for the latest from the world of fisheries regulatory actions, and could there be a Marine Reserve in Long Island Sound’s future? Sneak a peak inside and get a better handle on what’s shaking.

MSA Bill Introduced in the House er Harvest Reduced

Meet Janet Coit—New 16 NOAA Boss RFA Commentary:

Update on Circle Hook Regulations

Breaking News:

Snakeheads, It’s what’s for Dinner

Regulatory Updates:

News & Views

NAS report on Recreational Fisheries Mgt.

Marine Reserve for Long Island Sound?

What’s Shaking in FMP Land

About the Cover As summer exits stage right autumn fishing takes the limelight.

Photo: Gary Caputi

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RECREATIONAL FISHING COMMUNITY MOURNS THE DEATH OF FRED GOLOFARO

red Golofaro, Senior Editor for The Fisherman Magazine passed away on September 15, 2021. This is a tremendous loss for the recreational fishing community. Fred, who joined the Fisherman Magazine staff in 1976, was among a very small group of outdoor writers who were champions for recreational fishing, fishing businesses, and all the traditions of our sport. He was always willing to share his expertise, give a tip or even a new rig or lure to newcomers looking for guidance or old salts who valued his opinion.

ryone lucky enough to have known him.” Over the course of his 45-year career as an outdoor writer, Fred was regularly honored and received countless awards for his writings on recreational fishing. Most recently, Fred received a Life Time Achievement award at the 20th Annual Manhattan Cup Striped Bass tournament in June 2021 in a touching ceremony that brought fellow anglers to their feet.

Fred was a tireless advocate for youth angler fishing programs that gave kids an opportunity to ex“I had the pleasure of meeting Fred in the early perience the great fishing around the New York days of forming the RFA 26 years ago,” stated Jim City and Long Island areas. Fred leaves a legacy of Donofrio, Executive Director. “In meetings too nugrooming the next generation of anglers and enmerous to count, Fred always provided input that was thoughtful, fair and based on the best interest suring that the marine resources are well manof the fishing community. Most importantly, Fred aged. was an absolute gentleman who earned and deIn an era where words like legend are overused, served the greatest respect from our industry. Fred is every bit a legend. The amount of knowledge, history and dedication that Fred repOur hearts go out to the Golofaro family, his largresents cannot be replaced. er family at The Fisherman Magazine, and to eve-

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Making Waves Fall 2021

Executive Director's Report by Jim Donofrio

OFFSHORE WIND IS A REALITY

assive industrialization of the ocean is a very new idea in the United States when we think of wind farms, and it has become the number one issue for sport fishermen and commercial fishing captains alike. If we leave the development and placement of windfarms up to the political forces pushing it, and the investors who are dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into ‘green energy’, then the wind energy companies will be building windfarms wherever they want. With no oversight or input from those like us that care for and want to preserve the ecosystems needed for our fisheries to thrive it will be a recipe for disaster.

both sectors is evident. Fishermen are not happy with the growing threat windfarms pose. But we must look ahead. We will keep pushing to be included in the renegotiation of the new permits to protect sensitive fishing areas from negative impacts.

In addition to the potential damage to sensitive fishing grounds there are so many other concerns with huge wind turbines like radar jamming from the massive spinning blades. This will undoubtably create dangerous restricted visibility situations around windfarms in one of the busiest boating and shipping areas in the world. That is why we will keep pushing for a role in the future Many of us from the recreational and commercial development of wind energy with the industry fishing sectors have been fighting for a seat at and BOEM. the planning table so whatever proposals are adopted will be balanced and reflect the best in- The fishing industry and other concerned groups have filed a series of lawsuits that will slow the terests of all parties. However, time is running projects down. This will work in our favor for a out. know this because PhotoWe Courtesy: NBC 6 South Florida the New Jersey Bureau of Public Utilities and Governors from Maine time and provide leverage to meet with BOEM and the industry to negotiate a better outcome to Maryland have signed off on the building of expansive ocean windfarms in lock step with the for fish and fishermen. Lawsuits like these have been brought in Federal Court on other fisheries Biden Administration. issues and the legal work was brilliant to say the Fishermen faced a major setback when the Buleast yet federal judges seem to always give the reau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), green light to Federal agencies. We are expecting from day one, left us out of the planning meetthe same result after the court makes a decision ings when permits were granted to the wind in- on our current litigation. Therefore, we better dustry. The hypocrites in the Obama Administra- fight harder for good representation as these protion who were so willing to shut fishing down in jects move forward. offshore canyons to protect deep water corals, completely left us out of the planning process to Ocean wind is a reality and there is no denying it. have a voice on areas of concern for our fisheries Recreational and commercial fishermen had better secure strong representation within the planboth commercial and recreational. ning process as it moves forward or the environCurrent permit areas include many traditional ment and ocean fisheries will suffer as a result. and sensitive fishing grounds and the fallout from

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Making Waves Fall 2021

Commentary By John DePersenaire RFA Managing Director, Fisheries Specialist

Magnuson Stevens Reauthorization Bill Introduced in the House of Representatives RFA Review finds major faults with the legislation as originally drafted including failure to address key recreational issues.

n July 26, 2021, Jared Huffman (D-CA), the chair of the House Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife, introduced HR 4690, a bill that would reauthorize and amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).

From the very first section of HR 4690 which seeks to amend the Findings section of MSA, the tone of the bill promotes a dire and inaccurate depiction of the status of the nation’s saltwater fisheries. While RFA has been critical of the 2006 reauthorization, most will agree that it should be recognized for the measurable improvements it The MSA originally became law in 1976 and is produced for most fish stocks since its passage. the nation’s primary fisheries law that dictates Overfishing has been greatly reduced and the how federal fisheries are managed. The new bill number of overfished stocks has also decreased is titled the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the substantially. The major problem that persists toFuture Act of 2021 and is a culmination of a na- day lies in how the Act permits, or more accuratetional listening tour that took place in 2019 and ly prohibits fishermen, particularly recreational the solicitation of comments on a discussion draft fishermen, from accessing fisheries as positive rethat was released to the public in late 2020. building progress is being made. In fact, one Overall, the 189-page bill is very climate change could accurately state that recreational access focused and it fails to address many of the issues and the ability of fishing businesses to benefit that were cited by the recreational fishing indus- from the rebuilding progress resulting from regutry as being most problematic. Many of those is- latory actions decreases as fish stocks increase. This is the hallmark flaw of the MSA in its current sues stem from mandates that were added durform—recreational fishermen rarely benefit from ing the 2006 reauthorization of MSA but were rebuilding fish stocks. not addressed by the Modern Fish Act that was signed into law a few years ago. Fishermen will be the first ones to tell you that fish distributions and ocean conditions change

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from year to year. And many will also tell you that they have seen significant changes over the decades. Average water temperature changes and warmer shelf water have altered species availability to anglers, both when fish are available and where fish are available. While there is no question that these changes are occurring, RFA takes issue with how HR 4690 wants to address them. Section 102 of the bill seeks to assess and specify values for maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and optimum yield (OY) in the future in response to climate change and then take management action in the present to address those predictions. The modeling capabilities and the data needed to run such complex models are simply not available at this time. Nor are the projections about fish species response to climate change reliable. It is not possible to make such important calculations looking forward decades in the future with any real confidence. Furthermore, the bill seeks to account for resiliency and vulnerability of fish stocks to climate change by making recommendations for management measures in the present. This would most certainly equate to lower quotas and more restrictive recreational measures. Fishermen know changes are occurring in the ocean ecosystem and that those changes are impacting the established range and migration patterns of some fish species. Yet, a change in a stocks range or distribution is not necessarily a cause for alarm or justification to take management action now. RFA cannot support imposing management measures based on what the government speculates might happen in the future as a result.

10-year rebuilding timeframe and replacing it with the term based on the time to rebuild in the absence of fishing plus one generation unit (often defined as the average age of females first birth/spawning). What's not included in the bill is a definitive fix for the ongoing problem of the application of annual catch limits on the recreational sector coupled with an inadequate monitoring program. RFA has spent the past 15 years calling for the reform of Magnuson and the need for management flexibility specifically in the recreational fisheries. RFA has argued the need for flexibility particularly when stocks are rebuilt and healthy which is consistent with a science based management approach. In fact, the justification for flexibility is an acknowledgment that the science with fisheries management is dynamic and in a constant state of improvement. From a policy standpoint, the use of flexibility in certain applications provides an opportunity to allow the recreational sector to experience the benefits of rebuilding success. Under the current MSA regime, the benefits of rebuilding rarely, if ever, are realized by relaxation of regulations on the recreational sector. The result severely limits access, restricts participation growth and compounds economic pain on our industry. Unfortunately, the opportunity to address this issue is not available in HR 4690 which RFA views as a major shortcoming of the proposed bill.

The hallmark flaw of the MSA in its current form is recreational fishermen rarely benefit from rebuilding fish stocks. It remains unaddressed in this new bill.

As for the outlook for the Huffman MSA bill, it is speculated that the bill will not pass and become law. At the moment, the House bill only has one Other sections of the proposed bill include word- cosponsor and no Republican support. Furthering to expand the number of voting members on more, a Senate companion bill has not been inthe Mid Atlantic and New England Fishery Man- troduced. RFA will provide comments and suggested changes to the bill that would lessen the agement Councils by adding liaisons from the NEFMC and MAFMC, increasing the probability impact of climate change focused fisheries management on recreational anglers and continue to of rebuilding plan success to 75% if the first rework with our friends in the House and Senate. building plan does not work, and removing the

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Making Waves Fall 2021

ASMFC Rules Lower Striper Harvest

he Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board’s review of the performance of the 2020 fishery yielded positive news, with the states achieving Addendum VI’s goal of reducing total removals by 18% relative to 2017 levels. In fact, the states realized an estimated 28% reduction in total removals coastwide in numbers of fish from 2017 levels. Total removals include commercial harvest, commercial dead discards, recreational harvest, and recreational release mortality. Addendum VI was initiated in response to the 2018 benchmark assessment and aims to reduce total removals in order to end overfishing and reduce fishing mortality to the target level in 2020. The next stock assessment update for striped bass, scheduled to occur in 2022, will provide an update on the status of stock relative to the biological reference points.

ery needs and priorities as the status and understanding of the resource and fishery has changed considerably since implementation of Amendment 6 in 2003. The Amendment is intended to build upon Addendum VI’s action to end overfishing and initiate rebuilding. The Plan Development Team will continue to develop options for the Draft Amendment based on the guidance received from the Board. Concurrent with the development of Draft Amendment 7, the Board initiated an addendum to Amendment 6 to consider allowing the voluntary transfer of commercial striped bass quota between states/jurisdictions that have commercial quota. This action is in response to a request from the State of Delaware to reconsider Delaware’s current commercial quota allocation.

Based on progress made on Draft Amendment 7 and Draft Addendum VII to Amendment 6, the The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted data collecBoard’s next opportunity to meet and consider tion for the Marine Recreational Information Propossible approval of both documents for public gram (MRIP) dockside sampling program, but MRIP was able to fill those data gaps using infor- comment will be in October during the Commission’s Annual Meeting. For more information, mation from 2018 and 2019. While this does inplease contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Managecrease the uncertainty around the estimates of ment Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or total recreational catch, there is still high confidence in those estimates and the estimates of the 703-842-0740. realized reductions. After considering 2020 fishery performance, the Board provided guidance on a number of topics related to the development of Draft Amendment 7 (e.g., recreational release mortality, conservation equivalency, management triggers). Amendment 7 was initiated in August 2020 to update the management program to reflect current fish-

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Biden Administration Announces New NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit will serve as head of NOAA Fisheries and Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

anet Coit has been appointed to lead NOAA Fisheries, which is responsible for managing our nation’s marine fisheries and conserving protected marine species, as the assistant administrator under the Biden-Harris Administration. Coit will also serve as acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator, for which she will support and manage NOAA's coastal and marine programs. She succeeds Paul Doremus, Ph.D., who has been acting NOAA Fisheries assistant administrator since January 2021.

gional offices, six science centers, and more than 20 laboratories in 15 states and U.S. territories. As NOAA Fisheries’ assistant administrator, Coit will oversee recreational and commercial fisheries management within federal waters of the U.S. exclusive economic zone and marine mammal protection and marine protected species conservation, and coastal fisheries habitat conservation.

“I am excited to join NOAA Fisheries to work with the agency’s incredibly skilled and dedicated employees to rebuild fisheries where necessary, and protect and conserve endangered and threatCoit has worked on environmental issues, natural ened marine resources and their habitats,” said resource management, and stewardship for more Coit. “It’s clear that NOAA Fisheries is already pivthan 30 years. She brings extensive managerial oting to capture and incorporate climate impacts and leadership experience to NOAA Fisheries, into its world-class science capabilities. That will having worked at the intersection of policy and serve us well as we focus on the management of some of the most iconic and sustainable fisheries science throughout her career. in the world.” “Janet understands the direct link between natural resources management and economic vitality Coit directed the Rhode Island Department of Enfor our nation,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina vironmental Management (DEM) for more than Raimondo. “She is a tremendous addition to our 10 years. She focused on improving natural reNOAA team, who brings a wealth of experience source conservation, promoting locally grown in supporting fisheries, promoting the seafood food, including seafood, and addressing the clisector, protecting the marine environment, and mate crisis. She worked to improve new infrastructure for commercial and recreational fishertackling climate change.” ies and promote sustainable management of fishNOAA Fisheries employs 4,800 people in five re-

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If this photograph is any indication of the new Assistant Administrator’s understanding of recreational fishing, we might be in trouble. Someone please show her how to hold a fishing rod. We can only hope that her work on behalf of recreational fishing will work out better than her casting ability might indicate. eries, including a new shellfish initiative. Coit also chaired Rhode Island’s Seafood Marketing Collaborative and worked with stakeholders to promote supplying seafood locally and abroad.

“Over the past ten years, some of my most rewarding work has been aimed at supporting a resilient marine fishing industry to supply fresh seafood to Rhode Island and abroad by focusing on fishing port infrastructure and services, and She streamlined the permitting process to supsustainability through the application of fisheries port environmental and economic interests in the science and management,” said Coit. “I look forstate. Additionally, she provided more opportuni- ward to continuing this work at NOAA.” ties for families and tourists to connect with nature—building new boat ramps and fishing piers— Before joining Rhode Island DEM in 2011, Coit while enhancing the Department’s customer ser- was the state director for The Nature Conservanvice for all clients, including businesses and the cy in Rhode Island for 10 years. Prior to that, she public. Among her top achievements were imwas counsel and environmental coordinator in proving morale at the agency and championing the Providence office of the late Senator John the need for more funding in support of parks Chafee and, subsequently, then-Senator Lincoln and open space, clean water, brownfields remedi- Chafee. Coit also served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Pubation, and addressing climate change.

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lic Works, where she advised on national environ- • She was inducted into the American College mental policy. of Environmental Lawyers and received the Environmental Business Council Paul G. Keough EnviA native of Syracuse, New York, she is a magna ronmental-Energy Award for Government Service cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College. She • She received the "Mary Brennan Tourism holds a law degree from Stanford Law School, Award" from the Rhode Island Hospitality Associwhere she was president of the Environmental Law Society and a member of the Environmental ation for her role in attracting and executing the Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover event in Law Journal. 2015, drawing more than 130,000 fans and conAn avid kayaker in her free time, she loves explor- tributing some $47 million to the local economy ing Rhode Island's waterways, historic sites, and • In 2015, she was honored with Sail Newport's wild places. She is married with two grown chil- President's Award and the Leadership Award dren and currently lives in Barrington, Rhode Isfrom Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association land. • In 2014, she was recognized as one of Rhode Island's most powerful women by Rhode Island Notable Awards for Janet Coit • She was recently awarded the New England Women in Energy and the Environment’s Achievement Award and the Gary S. Sasse Distinguished Public Service Award from the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council

Monthly

• In 2014, she received the prestigious "John H. Chafee Conservation Leadership Award" from the Environment Council of Rhode Island. In 2013, she was named "Boater of the Year" by the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association

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Commentary By John DePersenaire RFA Managing Director, Fisheries Specialist

National Academy of Sciences Releases Report on Federal Management of Recreational Fisheries Final Report critical of Annual Catch Limits and Marine Recreational Information Program

n December 31, 2018, Congress passed the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act, dubbed the Modern Fish Act, and it was signed into law by President Trump. Hailed as the first recreational specific amendment to the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the nation’s primarily federal fisheries law, the Modern Fish Act called for several reports to be produced by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The reports were to investigate, evaluate and make recommendations on topics specifically defined in the Modern Fish Act.

(ACLs) that rely on catch estimates produced using the Marine Recreational Angler Information Program (MRIP) was inappropriate and unfair to anglers and the industry. This claim is based on the simple fact that ACL’s demand a level of accounting for catch and harvest which simply cannot be achieved using the MRIP survey which was designed to provide long -term trends over broad geographic ranges.

When MSA was reauthorized in 2006, a section was added that included language that forced the use of ACL’s in recreational fisheries despite not having an appropriate monitoring proEstablished by Congress and signed into law by gram in place to accommodate this demand. President Lincoln in 1863, the NAS is a multiRFA has sought to amend MSA seeking limited disciplinary group of scientists and experts in exemptions or some level of flexibility to soften certain fields who produce scientific advice and the regulatory impact this mandate would incur. guidance to legislators and policy makers. The And while the Modern Fish Act did not address Modern Fish Act mandated that the NAS shall this persistent issue, it did however prompt the prepare a report that shall determine 3) if the study of the issue by the NAS. The Academy Marine Recreational Information Program is in- released a detailed report on the subject in Aucompatible with the needs of in-season mangust 2021and titled, Data and Management agement of annual catch limits, determining an Strategies for Recreational Fisheries with Annualternative method for in-season management. al Catch Limits. The 207-page report can be downloaded here https://www.nap.edu/ The purpose of the NAS mandate was to have download/26185# should you wish to delve the nation’s foremost experts respond to contin- more deeply into their findings. uing concerns by the recreational fishing community that the use of annual catch limits

The report came up with a few key conclusions. First, the report validated the concerns raised by recreational anglers that there are “substantial structural challenges” with the implementation of in-season management and ACL’s in the recreation fisheries that may lead to suboptimal economical and social outcomes. The report also concluded that it would be impractical to further improve the precision and timeliness of MRIPs catch estimates to a level that could be achieved in the near census catch reporting schemes used in the commercial sector and therefore, further improvements would unlikely be sufficient to achieve effective inseason ACL management. RFA sees this as much needed justification for reconsideration of the use of ACL’s on the recreational sector specifically when fish stocks are at higher levels of biomass or rebuilt.

mortality associated with harvest and dead discards below a threshold to ensure sustainability. The recreational striped bass fishery is not held to an absolute pound-based ACL and because of that, the regulations tend to be more stable which is something the recreational industry has been asking for since the implementation of the ACL system in 2006.

The report further found that this approach can be data intensive and would require a near annual assessment update to produce estimates of fishing mortality and biomass. Also, the report mentions that this approach may not comply with MSA which requires federally managed species to be managed with an ACL. RFA agrees with this assessment which is why it has sought to amend MSA to address the ACL mandate so that alternative management such as this approach could be used in fisheries where applicable, but particularly in fisheries where stocks are on an upward trajectory or reached rebuilt status.

RFA sees the report as much needed justification for reconsideration of the use of ACL’s on the recreational sector specifically when fish stocks are at higher levels of biomass or rebuilt.

The report discussed several alternative management strategies for recreational fisheries to address the issues outlined. Among those presented were harvest rate management, harvest tags, depth/distance-based management, conservation equivalency, and permits/endorsements and stamps. They outlined the pros and cons of each alternative and in what fisheries they would be most applicable, but RFA has long felt that harvest rate management is the most practical way to proceed. Harvest rate management would monitor the recreational sector through an estimate of fishing mortality as opposed to a pound-base determination of the ACL in a specific fishery. It ’s implementation holds the greatest potential to improve recreational management and stop the madness of trying to make snap in-season adjustments with data that often proves inaccurate or faulty when reviewed in retrospective analysis. This process would work like the manner in which the striped bass fishery is managed where the commercial sector is held to a firm pound based annual quota, and the recreational sector is managed through regional season, size limits and bag limits designed to constrain

Depth/Distance-based management is an approach that would attempt to control where recreational anglers could fish based on the depths at which species of concern are found. For example, restricting recreational bottom fishing beyond 20 fathoms to reduce interaction with a deep-water grouper species in the Southeast and Gulf or to avoid specific rockfish species off the West Coast. In theory, mid water and trolling should be allowed to continue since those techniques would not generate incidental catch of bottom species. However, such a management approach can become problematic if there are healthy stocks that commingle at the same depth as those species for which the protection is necessary. Not mentioned in the alternative was gear modifications that can place hooks at depths as to avoid certain species while continuing to target/harvest healthy stocks. Such an approach was tested and implemented on the West Coast driven by research conducted by the RFA Oregon chapter. RFA would like to see this management ap-

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proach considered in other regions and fisheries. The use of harvest tags probably would only have applicability with rare-event species or species with an excessively low ACL. However, the use of harvest tags presents issues with regard to fairness and access when distributing a limited number of tags, especially if that number is less than the number of participants in the fishery. Furthermore, this approach is likely not a good fit for most of the extremely popular fisheries such as groundfish, black sea bass, scup, summer flounder, red snapper and others.

Making Waves Fall 2021

people to go fishing, specifically families. Rights based management, through tags or catch shares would be in direct opposition to the principle of open access participation in the recreational fishing community.

The report touches on the value of voluntary catch reporting by anglers as a way to supplement MRIP and other data collection programs. While there is potential for voluntary reporting to aid monitoring, there are significant challenges with generating adequate participation, capturing broad demographic and avidity representation through self-reporting, and ensuring data of high quality that it is useful to managers and The report seems to endorse the consideration scientists. The industry can play a key role in and use of rights-based management approach- this type of reporting and help to drive participaes that would involve catch shares or harvest tion and improve data quality. RFA believes tags as a way to improve ACL compliance. RFA that this approach should also seek to capture believes that ACLs are the wrong tool for maninformation from recreational fishing businesses aging the recreational sector and believes that that sell tackle, bait and otherwise serve recreathere are other management options that should tional fishermen. There is a tremendous be used to prevent overfishing or exceeding amount of information being collected on a daily fishing mortality rates that may challenge the basis by tackle shops and marinas that has vallong-term sustainability of our nation’s marine ue and could be used to ground truth MRIP estiresources. RFA would prefer to revisit the MSA mates. ACL mandate and include language that specifically addresses this recreational specific issue In summary, the report is clear that the current than implement catch shares or fish tags in the data collection programs, primarily MRIP and recreational fisheries. The NAS report also rec- data collection conducted by its federal contracommends that NOAA Fisheries should review tors as well as regional and state partners, were the National Standard 1 guidelines to ensure not designed for the purposes of in-season that guidance on recreational ACL’s aligns with management of recreational fisheries with the limitations of MRIP. RFA would support ACL’s. The consequence of this miss match resuch a review. Perhaps there are some recrea- sults in lost social and economic benefits affordtional fisheries such as the angling category gi- ed to recreational anglers and the recreational ant bluefin tuna fishery where a boat is allowed fishing industry. Moreover, it disrupts the unone fish over 73” per year where a fish tag derlying fisheries management principle that efmight make sense. However, for the vast maforts by recreational fishermen laboring under jority of recreational fisheries where harvest is a strict management regulations will result in benprime motivating factor, such a scheme would efits to participants as stocks are successfully simply not work. The use of fish tags and/or put on a rebuilding trajectory or when they becatch shares would require a limit on the numcome rebuilt. The report provides some insight ber of people who could participate in the fishinto options that may help address this manageery. This is called capacity reduction and would ment challenge. However, it is clear that the require a fundamental disruption to saltwater alternatives presented in the report have limitafisheries that have historically been open actions and there is still strong justification to cess. Furthermore, such an approach would amend MSA so that there is some flexibility with also eliminate the ability for growth in participa- regard to the application of ACL’s in the recreation. The recreational fishing industry spends tional sector. millions of dollars a year trying to encourage

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Update on Circle Hook Regulations for Bait-Lures for Striped Bass By Capt. Barry Gibson, RFA New England Regional Director

A new rule would allow the use of natural bait with artificial lures outfitted with J-hooks in most states, but circle hooks will still be required when chunking or live-baiting.

here’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) decision last October to require that anglers coast-wide from Maine to North Carolina use only circle hooks when targeting striped bass with bait. Although the measure is intended to help reduce release mortality, it resulted in some unintended consequences affecting some gear types. The biggest issue concerned the use of tube lures dressed with a live seaworm on the hook. A tube lure is basically a length of latex or vinyl surgical tube, up to around two feet in length, rigged with a wire down through it terminating with a jhook protruding from the end. A seaworm is impaled through the collar onto the hook, and the rig is trolled on a lead-core outfit, with the reel drag engaged, behind a slowly moving boat. The “tube and worm rig,” as it’s known, is a longstanding and effective lure for stripers of all sizes, particularly in New England, and virtually all anglers that use it report that it rarely, if ever, hooks the bass anywhere other than the lip or jaw hinge.

tions from Maine to New Jersey asking for an exemption from circle hooks for the tube and worm rig. There was an exemption already in place in Maine for tube rigs since the circle hook went into effect some eight years ago, but ASMFC’s recent circle hook requirement coast-wide contained no exception for any state, including Maine. At its on-line meeting on February 3, 2021, the ASMFC’s Striped Bass Board re-visited the circle hook mandate, and ultimately voted to approve a motion offered jointly by Maine and Massachusetts to delay implementation of circle hooks with tube and worm rigs for two years, in all states, to allow MA and ME to conduct a study to ascertain whether tube lures with j-hooks and bait indeed provide a low release mortality rate as anglers have testified, and whether tube lures with circle hooks would even be at all effective in catching striped bass.

A second vote unanimously approved the formation of an ad hoc subcommittee to develop a comprehensive definition of “bait” that would require the use of the mandated circle hook, and ASMFC received hundreds of comments from also how to handle an enforcement situation frustrated tube-lure trollers following the circle when an angler catches a striped bass on a jhook mandate, as well as an in-depth letter hook intended for another species. signed onto by 11 captains’ and anglers’ associa-

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vides a permanent circle hook exemption for artificial lures that are “actively” cast and retrieved, jigged, or trolled that are dressed with bait, such as bucktail jigs, tube and worm rigs, rigged eels, and the like. These lures can have j-hooks. Interestingly, Maine ended up opting to allow jhooks only with tube lures and willow-leaf spinner rigs. But, in all other states you can now use bait with any type of trolled or cast lure or jig New Rule on “Incidental” Striper Catches The Board’s second vote was to require that an-

glers who incidentally catch a striped bass with a plain j-hook and bait while targeting other species (such as flounder, groundfish, black sea bass, etc.) to release the bass unharmed. It was felt that allowing an angler to keep a legal-size striper caught on a j-hook with bait would be problematic for law enforcement folks, as there would be no way to tell what species the angler was actually fishing for when he/she caught the striper. This motion had broad support from the Striped Bass Board. The Tube ‘n Worm rig shown above is a popular trolling lure for striped bass that was caught up in the circle hook regulatory process introduced this year. J-Hooks OK for Lures with Bait The subcommittee delivered its report to ASMFC’s Striped Bass Board on March 16th, via a webinar in which I participated. After much discussion, the Board voted to accept the subcommittee’s first motion that read: To approve the following guid-

ance for state implementation of circle hook measures for the recreational fishery: Circle hooks are required when fishing for striped bass with bait, which is defined as any marine or aquatic organism, alive or dead, whole or parts thereof. This shall not apply to any artificial lure with bait attached.”

I think the ad hoc subcommittee did a fine job in untangling a couple of thorny issues, and kudos to the Board for voting to accept their recommendations. Circle Hooks for Sharks Continue

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented a rule back on January 1, 2018, that requires recreational anglers to use non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks when fishing for almost all species of Atlantic sharks in federal waters. The idea is to reduce release mortality on a number of shark stocks, some of which, particularly dusky sharks, are said to have become depleted. Similar measures have been implemented for the commercial shark fishery. Although the rule originally just pertained to sharks targeted or caught in federal waters, most states (including ME, MA, NC and GA) have mirrored the regulations and implemented them in state waters as well.

This means that “bait” is now defined as any Exceptions to the circle hook rule for sharks are whole, or part of, salt water organisms such as for flies and artificial lures, which may be fitted fish, shellfish, seaworms, and the like. It also pro- with j-hooks.

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Marine Reserve Proposed for Long Island Sound NOAA

and the State of Connecticut are asking for public comment on a proposal to designate a national estuarine research reserve in Long Island Sound. Estuarine reserves protect a section of an estuary and provide a living laboratory to explore and understand important areas where rivers meet the sea, thus promoting understanding and informed management of coastal habitats. If designated, this estuarine reserve in the southeastern part of the Constitution State would become the 30th such reserve in the national estuarine reserve system and the first in Connecticut. This proposal for an estuarine reserve in Connecticut demonstrates this Administration’s commitment to conservation and addressing the impacts of climate change,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “Protecting our special places and making them accessible for future generations improves our planet, our people, and our economy.” Within the boundaries of an estuarine reserve, communities and scientists work together to address natural resource management issues, such as nonpoint source pollution, habitat restoration, and invasive species, on a local scale. Estuarine reserves contribute to the national effort to make

the coasts more resilient to natural and humanmade changes. Our nation gained its most recent estuarine reserve in January 2017, when the state of Hawaii designated the only reserve in the Pacific Islands. “Partnerships are what make the estuarine reserve system successful,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “Each reserve brings together local stakeholders, scientists, land management professionals, and educators to understand coastal management issues and generate local, integrated solutions, while leveraging nation-wide programs.” NOAA and the State of Connecticut will jointly hold two public hearings via webinar on October 7 to solicit public input on the draft environmental impact statement and draft management plan for the Connecticut estuarine reserve. Additionally, the comment period remains open through October 18, 2021. Connecticut, in collaboration with NOAA, then plans to prepare the final environmental impact statement and final management plan. Thereafter, NOAA plans to prepare designation findings and a record of decision. If the designation process follows its anticipated timeline, the estuarine reserve could be designated as early as January 2022.

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Snakeheads, It’s What’s for Dinner Serving Up 'Frankenfish' for Food-Insecure Families By Ad Crable—Courtesy The Bay Journal

he invasive northern snakehead may not look terribly appetizing. To most people, it’s a creepy, toothy fish worthy of its “frankenfish” nickname. It has a long reptilian head, blotchy skin and an untapered body that makes it look like a short but beefy eel. But most who’ve tasted a snakefish fillet will tell you that it is a treat — mild, sweet-tasting with no fishy aftertaste. Some have compared it to such

piquant seafood gems as flounder and mahimahi. So, instead of destroying snakeheads captured each spring at the Susquehanna River’s Conowingo Dam in an effort to stop the successful invader's spread, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources decided to donate the fish to food banks and other organizations that feed food-insecure families.

Workers sort through fish captured at Conowingo Dam. Snakeheads, an invasive fish, this spring were collected and donated to food-insecure families. (Photo: Maryland Department of Natural Resources)

Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Fall 2021

Snakeheads from the Conowingo Dam are collected in a tub before processing for food banks and other service organizations in Maryland. (Photo: Maryland Department of Natural Resources) At last check, more than 3,500 pounds of snakeheads had been captured from a fish lift at the dam — which is designed to capture native migrating fish such as American shad and river herring so they can be transported to spawning grounds upstream. But now that there’s a steady “bycatch” of snakeheads, the agency turns them over to a local seafood wholesaler, where most of the fish are filleted, vacuumed-wrapped, frozen and distributed to nonprofits.

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We expect it will move pretty quickly,” said Joanna Warner, director of the Baltimore-based Maryland Food Bank, which works with partners all over the state. The DNR contacted the state Department of Agriculture, which oversees seafood marketing. They worked out an arrangement with J.J. McDonnell & Co., an Elkridge-based seafood wholesaler. The company fillets and packs the fish for distribution to the Maryland Food Bank and Maryland United Way. In return, the company gets to keep some of the snakeheads to sell on the wholesale market. Will seeing a pack of 5-pound fillets stamped with “snakehead” give some food bank recipients pause? “It’s really unfortunate that it has that name,” Warner conceded. But Stephanie Pazzaglia of J.J. McDonnell & Co. said the fish’s unsavory name is quickly forgotten when people bite into a snakehead. “Snakehead is delicious,” she said. “It is a very mild, almost sweet-tasting fish.” “Everything we bring in goes out the door,” she said of the company’s wholesale market for snakeheads. The Maryland Food Bank is considering including cooking and preparation tips along with the fish. Though still in its infancy, the snakehead market is quickly expanding — finding a place on menus in restaurants and in seafood sections of retail stores. Sometimes they are labeled as Chesapeake channa (from the fish’s taxonomic name, Channa argus) to make it sound … well, less serpentine.

That’s legal. There are federal transparency rules on what you can and cannot call specific fish. The federal Food and Drug Administration has approved the term Chesapeake channa for snakeheads. (But you can’t sell striped bass as rockfish.) “Some people like to use snakehead as the name and some people kind of steer away from it,” PazSnakeheads from the Conowingo Dam are colzaglia said. lected in a tub before processing for food banks Until now, most of the snakeheads the company and other service organizations in Maryand. has sold have come from people who have hunt(Maryland Department of Natural Resources) ed them with bows and arrows, or guns, she “It’s not often fish is made available. It’s nutritious. said.

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A worker with J.J. McDonnell & Co. prepares a snakehead for a Maryland food bank. (Photo: J.J. McDonnell & Co.) The snakehead invasion in the Chesapeake Bay region dates back to at least 2002, when some were found in a pond in Crofton, MD, in the upper Patuxent River watershed. Others soon popped up in the Potomac basin and other Bay tributaries. The source is believed to be a combination of intentional and accidental releases by anglers and aquarium hobbyists. The fish’s discovery made state fishery managers break out in a sweat. With no natural enemies, it has been labeled an “apex predator.” Many feared that the voracious fish would outmuscle native game fish and gobble all of their food. The snakehead’s ability to breathe out of water and crawl over land for short distances added to the fears. Eradication efforts have been futile. But if we can’t beat them, fisheries managers say, we might as well eat them. Two other recently embedded invasive species, blue catfish and flathead catfish, also are caught at the Conowingo fish lift, but they are kept for research by the DNR and Penn State University.

Scientists are collecting data about age, growth rates, diet and genetics, with the aim of better managing those species and determining their impacts on other fish and aquatic ecosystems in general. “This [food bank] initiative serves multiple goals, including controlling invasive fish species by harvesting them, [minimizing] their impacts on the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and providing protein-rich meals to those in need,” said DNR Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. “We also improve our scientific data, which will help us better manage these invasives in the future.” A second fish lift that allows direct passage over the dam was not opened this year after an incident last spring in which about 35 snakeheads were seen passing into the Susquehanna River above the dam. Desperate netting activity captured 14 of them and two more were later recovered upriver. But nearly 20 of them got away, marking the first time that snakeheads were known to be in the Susquehanna above the dam.

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Regulatory Updates Management Plans and Recreational Specification Changes to Watch

tween sectors, and revises how the management plan accounts for management uncertainty. The Commission’s Bluefish Management Board and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), who jointly manage bluefish, initiated the Amendment in December 2017 to consider revisions to the commercial and recreational fisheries allocations and the state-specific commercial allocations. In 2019, an operational stock assessment for bluefish indicated the stock was overfished, and the Board and Council subsequently incorporated the rebuilding plan in the Amendment. Given the stock’s overfished condition, the Amendment establishes a 7-year rebuilding plan to be achieved through a constant fishing mortality approach. Rebuilding progress will be analyzed through management track stock assessments every two years. The 2021 management track assessment will be used to inform specifications for the 2022-2023 fishing years. The Amendment also revises sector allocations, increasing the recreational allocation from 83% to 86% of the acceptable biological catch and decreasing the commercial allocation from 17% to 14%. Catch data from 1981-2018 were used as the basis for sector allocations since this time seThe Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ries captures the cyclical nature of the fishery, while providing each sector with sufficient access approved the Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Bluefish: Allo- to the resource considering historical usage. cation and Rebuilding Program. The Amendment The Amendment revises state-by-state commerupdates the FMP goals and objectives, initiates a cial allocations to better reflect the current distribution of the stock and the needs of the states’ rebuilding plan, establishes new allocations becommercial fisheries. The Amendment allocates a tween the commercial and recreational sectors, baseline quota of 0.1% to each state, and then implements new commercial allocations to the states, revises the process for quota transfers be- allocates the rest of the commercial quota based

ASFMC Approves Amendment 2 to the Bluefish FMP

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on landings data from 2009 to 2018 (see Table 1 below). Recognizing that several states will be losing quota during a time when the coastwide commercial quota is already at an historic low, the Amendment phases-in the allocation changes over 7 years in order to reduce short-term economic impacts to the affected commercial fishing industries. State allocations will be reviewed by the Commission and Council within 5 years. The Amendment updates the sector transfer process to allow for quota transfers in either direction between the commercial and recreational sectors. Previously, quota could only be transferred from the recreational sector to the commercial fishery. The transfers will now be capped at 10% of the acceptable biological catch for a given year. Finally, the Amendment modified the management uncertainty tool within the FMP to a sector-

specific approach. It allows the Commission and Council to apply a buffer to either sector, in the form of a quota reduction, to account for management uncertainty during specifications. While this tool has not been used often, the modified approach allows managers to better target areas of uncertainty within one sector without reducing the quota or harvest limit in the other sector. Given the joint nature of the Amendment and the federal process that requires the Council’s Amendment to undergo federal review and rulemaking, the implementation date for the Commission plan will be set once NOAA Fisheries approves the Council’s Amendment. The Amendment is expected to go into effect for the 2022 fishing year. For more information, please contact Dustin Colson Leaning, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at dleaning@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

NOAA Updates Cod & Haddock Regulations

The recreational fishery for GOM cod and haddock is managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (Plan). The Plan includes a proactive recreational accountability measure, which allows the Regional Administrator, in consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council, to develop recreational management measures for the fishing year to ensure that the recreational quotas are achieved, but not exceeded. We project that current measures for GOM cod and haddock should prevent the recreational fishery’s quotas from being exceeded.

NOAA Fisheries is announcing that current Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod and haddock recreational measures will remain in place for the remainder of fishing year 2021, which ends April 30. 2022.

After consultation with the Council, Gulf of Maine cod and haddock management measures set in 2020 will remain in place for 2021. The 2021 measures are shown in the table below:

Haddock Possession Limit

2021 Measures

Cod

Minimum Minimum Open Sea- Open SeaOpen Sea- Possession Size Size son son (Forson Limit (inches) (inches) (Private) Hire) 17

May 1 – Feb. 28, Apr. 1 – Apr. 30

September Sept. 8 – 15 – 30, Oct. 7 April 1 – 14 April 1 – 14

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States Achieve Coastwide Reductions for Atlantic Striped Bass

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board’s review of the performance of the 2020 fishery yielded positive news, with the states achieving Addendum VI’s goal of reducing total removals by 18% relative to 2017 levels. In fact, the states realized an estimated 28% reduction in total removals coastwide in numbers of fish from 2017 levels. Total removals include commercial harvest, commercial dead discards, recreational harvest, and recreational release mortality. Addendum VI was initiated in response to the 2018 benchmark assessment and aims to reduce total removals in order to end overfishing and reduce fishing mortality to the target level in 2020. The next stock assessment update for striped bass, scheduled to occur in 2022, will provide an update on the status of stock relative to the biological reference points. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted data collection for the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) dockside sampling program, but MRIP was able to fill those data gaps using information from 2018 and 2019. While this does increase the uncertainty around the esti-

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mates of total recreational catch, there is still high confidence in those estimates and the estimates of the realized reductions. After considering 2020 fishery performance, the Board provided guidance on a number of topics related to the development of Draft Amendment 7 (e.g., recreational release mortality, conservation equivalency, management triggers). Amendment 7 was initiated in August 2020 to update the management program to reflect current fishery needs and priorities as the status and understanding of the resource and fishery has changed considerably since implementation of Amendment 6 in 2003. The Amendment is intended to build upon Addendum VI’s action to end overfishing and initiate rebuilding. The Plan Development Team will continue to develop options for the Draft Amendment based on the guidance received from the Board. Concurrent with the development of Draft Amendment 7, the Board initiated an addendum to Amendment 6 to consider allowing the voluntary transfer of commercial striped bass quota between states/jurisdictions that have commercial quota. This action is in response to a request from the State of Delaware to reconsider Delaware’s current commercial quota allocation.

Based on progress made on Draft Amendment 7 and Draft Addendum VII to Amendment 6, the Board’s next opportunity to meet and consider possible approval of both documents for public comment will be in October during the Commission’s Annual Meeting. For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

cil (Council) to adopt 2022-2023 specifications for all four species. The Boards and Council reviewed the results of the June 2021 management track stock assessments for the four species, which incorporated fishery catch and fishery-independent The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s survey data through 2019. They also considered Management Boards for Bluefish and Summer recommendations from the Scientific and StatistiFlounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass met jointly cal Committee (SSC), Monitoring Committees and with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Coun-

Update on Rules for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish

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Advisory Panels, as well as comments from mem- Scup bers of the public regarding the specifications for The 2021 scup management track stock assesseach species. ment concluded the stock was not overfished The table below summarizes commercial quotas and overfishing was not occurring in 2019. Spawning stock biomass was estimated to be and recreational harvest limits (RHL) for all four species (2021 values are provided for comparison about 2 times the biomass target. The assessment indicated the stock experienced very high recruitpurposes). No changes were made to the comment in 2015 and below-average recruitment mercial management measures for any of the during 2016-2019. Based on the SSC’s recomspecies. The Commission’s actions are final and mendation, the Board and Council approved an apply to state waters (0‐3 miles from shore); the ABC of 32.11 million pounds for 2022 and 29.67 Council will forward its recommendations for fedmillion pounds for 2023. After accounting for exeral waters (3 – 200 miles from shore) to the NOpected discards, the ABCs result in a commercial AA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries quota of 20.38 million pounds and an RHL of Administrator for final approval. 6.08 million pounds in 2022, and a commercial quota of 17.87 million pounds and an RHL of Summer Flounder 5.41 million pounds in 2023. Compared to 2021 The 2021 summer flounder management track landings limits, the new limits represent a slight stock assessment concluded the stock was not overfished and overfishing was not occurring in decrease in the commercial quota and a minor 2019. Spawning stock biomass was estimated to increase in the RHL in 2022. The Board and Council discussed an industry proposal to inbe about 86% of the biomass target. The 2018 year class was above average at an estimated 61 crease or eliminate the commercial possession limit during the winter I quota period and demillion fish, the largest estimate of recruitment since 2009, while the 2019 year class is below av- crease the minimum size from 9 inches to 8 inches in total length. After reviewing the Monitoring erage at 49 million fish. Based on the SSC’s recommendation, the Board and Council approved Committee recommendation and input from the an acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 33.12 mil- Advisory Panel, the Board and Council deterlion pounds for 2022 and 2023. After accounting mined that changes to current commercial measures were not warranted at this time. for expected discards, the ABC results in a commercial quota of 15.53 million pounds and an RHL of 10.36 million pounds. These landing limits represent a 24% increase in the commercial quota and a 25% increase in the RHL from 2021 levels.

Summer Flounder remain the most popular bottom fish species on the Mid Atlantic coast.

Small, but considered by many a tasty treat, scup are a party boat favorite.

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Black Sea Bass

28% increase in the commercial quota and a 67% The 2021 black sea bass management track stock increase in the RHL from 2021 levels. The 2023 ABC results in a commercial quota of 4.29 million assessment concluded the stock was not overfished and overfishing was not occurring in 2019. pounds and an RHL of 22.14 million pounds. Historically, a portion of the total allowable landings Spawning stock biomass was estimated to be above the expected recreational harvest have about 2.1 times the target level in 2019 and the fishing mortality rate was 15% below the thresh- been transferred from the recreational fishery to the commercial fishery. However, because the old level that defines an overfished condition. stock is currently overfished and the recreational Based on the SSC’s recommendation, the Board and commercial sectors are both anticipated to and Council approved an ABC of 18.86 million pounds for 2022, which, after accounting for ex- fully harvest their limits, the Bluefish Board and pected discards, results in a commercial quota of Council did not authorize any quota transfers. 6.47 million pounds and an RHL of 6.74 million pounds. These landings limits represent a 6% increase compared to the 2021 landing limits. The 2023 ABC was set at 16.66 million pounds, resulting in a 2023 commercial quota of 5.71 million pounds and an RHL of 5.95 million pounds.

Black Sea Bass stocks are at all time record levels of abundance, yet ASMFC continues to manage them like they are overfished and in imminent danger.

Bluefish are an enigma. The stocks seem to exhibit huge swings in abundance, but many believe it is simply migratory variations that contribute to changes in localized availability to fishermen.

For more information on the Commission’s actions pertaining to summer flounder, scup, and bluefish, please contact Dustin Colson Leaning, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator at dleanBluefish ing@asmfc.org and contact Savannah Lewis at The 2021 bluefish management track assessment slewis@asmfc.org for more information pertainconcluded spawning stock biomass was still over- ing to the Commission’s actions on black sea fished but overfishing was not occurring in 2019. bass. Based on the SSC’s recommendation, the Bluefish Board and Council adopted an ABC of 25.26 million pounds and 30.62 million pounds for 2022 and 2023, respectively. The 2022 ABC results in a commercial quota of 3.54 million pounds and an RHL of 13.89 million pounds, and represents a

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NEWS & VIEWS NOAA Names Strelcheck to Lead Southeast Regional Fisheries

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The region works closely with three fishery management councils, state and federal partners, the fishing industry, and other stakeholders to manage and conserve federal commercial and recreational fisheries, marine mammals, endangered and threatened species, habitat, and much more. Mr. Strelcheck has extensive experience in marine fisheries research and management, and management experience in protected resources and habitat conservation. His graduate studies and many peer review publications focused on commercial and recreationally important finfish species in the southeast United States, including snappers and groupers.

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced Andy Strelcheck as the new Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Florida. He will assume his new duties on August 15, 2021. Mr. Strelcheck began his career with NOAA in 2004, serving in a series of positions, including Southeast Deputy Regional Administrator since 2015. He succeeds retired Regional Administrator Dr. Roy Crabtree who was in the position since 2003. “I’m honored to make this announcement,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. “He’s done an incredible job acting in the position since the beginning of the year and we’re looking forward to him officially taking on this important role.”

“Andy’s innovative strategies for fisheries management and strength in relationship building makes him the ideal candidate for this position,” said Sam Rauch, NOAA Fisheries’ Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs. “His expertise lends itself to the management complexities of the region which includes three different ecosystems with hundreds of marine species—the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean. In addition, the Southeast is home to some of the nation’s most threatened and endangered species, such as Rice’s whales, elkhorn corals, and smalltooth sawfish.”

In his previous roles at the agency, he oversaw data analyses and analytical work that supported fishery management council regulatory actions. In his new role, Mr. Strelcheck will head the agen- He also led the development and operation of cy’s Southeast Regional Office. The region has re- the commercial Red Snapper and Grouper-Tilefish sponsibility for marine ecosystems from Texas to Individual Fishing Quota programs, valued at North Carolina and the U.S. Caribbean, including more than $50 million annually. More recently, as

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Deputy Regional Administrator, he has provided leadership and operational guidance to 140 full time employees and contractors who he sees as the reason for the region’s success. He greatly values agency employees and the expertise they bring to the table.

Species in the Spotlight.

Atlantic salmon are an iconic species of the Northeast. They once returned by the hundreds of thousands to most major rivers along the northeastern United States. Now, they only return in small numbers to rivers in central and “Andy is a dedicated, natural born leader who eastern Maine. These populations comprise the cares equally for our organization, marine natural Gulf of Maine distinct population segment. resources, and the constituents we serve,” said Paul Doremus, NOAA Fisheries’ Deputy Assistant Proposed projects funded under these partnerships will improve fish passage. They will remove Administrator of Operations. “We are proud to see Andy advance his career with NOAA. He has or modify dams, culverts, and other barriers blocking Atlantic salmon from reaching their haba diverse skill set and he truly understands the itats. They will also restore the structure and funcimportance of public service.” Before joining the agency in 2004, Mr. Strelcheck worked for 3 years as a fishery biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He worked on Florida’s commercially and recreationally important fisheries. He has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Florida State University and a Master’s of Science in Marine Science from the University of South Alabama. Prior to his time as Deputy Regional Administrator, he served as a fishery plan coordinator and branch chief for the region’s commercial catch share programs in Southeast Regional Oftion of streams used by Atlantic salmon for fice’s Sustainable Fisheries Division. spawning and rearing. Mr. Strelcheck grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and We’re recommending nearly $900,000 to fund spent many summers diving in Florida and the the first year of four multi-year efforts: Caribbean. He currently lives in Safety Harbor, Florida, with his wife and two sons. In his free The Atlantic Salmon Federation will implement time he enjoys traveling with his family, coaching five projects to restore access to Atlantic salmhis sons’ baseball teams, and being on the water on spawning and rearing habitats in the Kennebec River watershed. They will also confishing, boating, or kayaking. duct a fish passage feasibility study at the Chesterville Wildlife Management Area Dam NOAA Recommends Funding for on Little Norridgewock Stream. ($213,854)

Atlantic Salmon Habitat

Project SHARE will replace undersized culverts at 13 sites, connecting habitat for Atlantic salmon NOAA Fisheries is recommending nearly across the Dennys, Machias, Pleasant, Union, and $900,000 in funding for four partners to impleNarraguagus River watersheds. They will also ment projects that restore habitat for Atlantic conduct fish passage feasibility studies at the salmon in the Gulf of Maine watershed. The Gulf Great Works Dam and at Marion Falls fishway. of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic Funding will also support freshwater habitat ressalmon is listed as endangered under the Endan- toration work in the Narraguagus River watergered Species Act. It’s also one of nine NOAA shed. ($303,225)

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Chairman Robert T. Healey Jr. Treasurer John Kasinski Board Members Bob Healey, Sr. Pat Healey Nick Cicero Mike Leech Nate Odum Andrew Semprevivo Tony Novelli Jim Motsko Bob Flocken Martin Peters Bob Shomo Jr. Andy Dormois

Viking Group Viking Yacht Company Viking Yacht Company Viking Yacht Company Folsom Corporation World Cup Blue Marlin Tournament Mexico Beach Marina & Outfitters Seakeeper, Inc. Contender Boats Ocean City White Marlin Open Hi-Liner/Diamond Fishing Products Yamaha Marine Group Johnson and Towers Inc AmeraTrail Trailers

M A K I N G

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Th e Of fi ci al Pu bl ic at io n o f t he R ec re at ion al Fi sh in g Al -

The RFA Mission Safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers Protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs Ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s fisheries. Anti-fishing groups and radical environmentalists are pushing their agenda on marine fisheries issues affecting you. The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is in the trenches too, lobbying, educating decision makers and ensuring that the interests of America’s coastal fishermen are being heard loud and clear. Incorporated in 1996 as a 501c4 national, grassroots political action organization, RFA represents recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues on every coast, with state chapters established to spearhead the regional issues while building local support. “The biggest challenge we face is the fight to reform and bring common sense and sound science into the fisheries management process," says James Donofrio, RFA founder and Executive Director. “Anti-fishing and extreme environmental groups are working everyday to get us off the water.” Despite the threats to diminish access to our nation’s resources, Donofrio says that RFA offers members hope in an organization that’s designed from the ground up to fight back. “As individuals, our concerns will simply not be heard; but as a united group, we can and do stand up to anyone who

The Recreational Fishing Alliance Headquarters P.O. Box 3080 New Gretna, New Jersey 08224

Jim Donofrio

John DePersenaire

Gary Caputi

Executive Director

Managing Director

Communications Director

Barry Gibson

Jim Martin

Sharon Scaltrito

New England Director

West Coast Director

Office Manager