Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 2016 Year in Review
From the Regional Administrator Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 2016 Year in Review VISION A future in which the American people continue to benefit from healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems in the Greater Atlantic Region. MISSION Stewardship of living marine and diadromous resources through science-based conservation and management. About Us The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) is responsible for the science-based stewardship of the nation s living marine and diadromous resources and their habitats throughout approximately 100,000 square miles of the Northwest Atlantic. The region encompasses the temperate, structurally complex large marine ecosystem from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina; the Great Lakes; and the rivers and estuaries within this range. GARFO employs approximately 155 federal staff and 50 contractors, with an average annual budget (2013-2015) of approximately $55 million. Directed from the Regional Office in Gloucester, MA, we also have four field offices in the Greater Atlantic region: Orono, ME; Sandy Hook, NJ; Annapolis, MD; and Gloucester Point, VA. In addition, we have port agents and other industry liaison staff in Sedgewick, ME; Portland, ME; Gloucester, MA; New Bedford, MA; Point Judith, RI; East Hampton, NY; Toms River, NJ; Cape May, NJ; Belle Haven, VA; and Hampton, VA. It is again my great pleasure to present the annual summary of GARFO activities. In 2016, we have continued to work toward our goals of sustainable use of living marine resources, conservation of the habitats upon which these resources depend, and the protection of endangered species and marine mammals. In this report, we highlight some dramatic advances in conservation, such as the development of deep sea coral protection zones, multiple successful projects to help fish get beyond barriers in rivers to spawn, and the expansion of right whale critical habitat. We helped save hundreds of sea turtles that had been trapped in the Gulf of Maine when water temperatures dropped, and we were able to declare that the stock of barndoor skates has been rebuilt. Such successes are not ours alone. We work hand in hand with our partner agencies and with members of the public. The report highlights some special efforts to improve collaborations, especially with the fishing industry. For example, we held a workshop with whiting fishermen to find ways to manage the small-mesh fishery with the support of the industry. We also worked with Deepwater Wind to help it design, construct, and operate the nation s first offshore wind facility in a way that conserves essential fish habitat and minimizes the impacts on endangered species. As we work, we continue to emphasize high quality service. GARFO members of the Lobster Trap Tag Team shared the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Award of Excellence with their partners in other agencies. Our permit office provided continued exceptional service to the fishing industry by issuing more than 6,000 fishing permits and 900 seafood dealer permits this year. We also continue our emphasis on strategic planning in order to be more efficient in achieving clear goals. This year, we collaborated with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center to develop a regional Climate Action Plan, which will help us improve our readiness for upcoming environmental changes and shifts in species distributions. Our ability to ensure that fishermen have access to fish stocks as fish move in response to changing environmental conditions rests not only on having the best available data, but also on having the ability to respond quickly to these changes. We also developed the first ever Greater Atlantic Regional Action Plan to support the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy. This plan will help us organize our resources and be more effective at engaging the recreational fishing public. I hope you will enjoy reading this short summary of GARFO s highlights for the fiscal year 2016. I am proud of what we have achieved and proud of the staff who achieved it. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to keep our oceans productive, healthy, and a treasure for us all. Sincerely,
Promoting and Preserving Sustainable Fisheries Launched Electronic Monitoring Pilot Project Managed 42 Fish Stocks for Sustainable Use In 2016, we managed 42 fish stocks in collaboration with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the New England Fishery Management Council, the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. We worked on rebuilding fourteen stocks that have been overfished (population size too low) and on preventing overfishing (too many fish being caught) on seven stocks that experienced overfishing in 2015. Our staff worked closely with our partners to develop and modify management measures to reflect changing stock conditions. Worked Collaboratively to Develop the Frank R. Lautenberg Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area in the Mid Atlantic In collaboration with fishermen, the environmental community, and the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council, we developed the first-ever proactive management action to protect deep-sea corals under the discretionary authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action protects vital habitat for fish and invertebrates, including commercially important grouper, snapper, sea bass, rockfish, shrimp, and crab. The product of a workshop with fishermen, environmental advocates, fisheries managers, and habitat experts, the area boundaries were approved by the Mid Atlantic Council. The final rule, published December 2016, protects 24 million acres (20 times larger than Grand Canyon National Park) of ocean bottom from bottom-tending fishing gear. This, together with the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument created by President Obama on September 15, 2016, provides unprecedented protection for valuable living marine resources and habitats. We worked with The Nature Conservancy, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and several Northeast multispecies groundfish sectors to design and implement an electronic monitoring system to replace human observers. In May 2016, we authorized the Northeast Multispecies Fixed Gear and Maine Coastal Community sectors to pilot electronic monitoring systems on up to 20 vessels under an exempted fishing permit. To date, we have had six vessels participate. In addition, we have authorized a pilot electronic monitoring program for 10-12 herring/mackerel midwater trawlers. Together, these programs will help us evaluate the effectiveness of electronic monitoring, and allow us to identify and overcome challenges. Transitioned Funding of At-Sea Monitors to Northeast Groundfish Sectors In 2016, we transferred the at-sea costs of the groundfish sector at-sea monitoring program to the Northeast groundfish fishery, as called for in the original 2010 Fishery Management Plan. This was a difficult transition for a fishery that has been hit hard by quota reductions, but all active sectors were able to get contracts in place with at-sea monitor providers by the beginning of the fishing year (May 1). We worked with the New England Fishery Management Council to develop a set of reasonable modifications to the at-sea monitoring program to make it more cost-effective while still reliably monitoring groundfish catch. As a result of surplus funds supporting our Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology monitoring program, we were able to reimburse a portion of industry costs for at-sea monitors. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission administered this reimbursement program, which allowed sectors to preserve their contacts with providers. Developed New Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Plan Recreational fishing contributes $4.8 billion to our regional economy each year ($1.3 billion across New England and $3.5 billion across the mid-atlantic in 2013). For-hire vessels, private vessels, and shore-based anglers harvest more than 75 million pounds of fish. We work with the Fishery Management Councils, 12 states, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop and implement regulations for saltwater recreational fisheries. We manage cod, haddock, many flounders, Atlantic bluefish, black sea bass, scup, striped bass, tautog, and weakfish recreational fisheries. We also manage other recreational and forage species such as Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish. These forage species provide an important food source for recreationally and commercially sought-after fishes such as striped bass, tuna, and sharks. The 2016-2017 plan calls for (a) improving recreational fishing opportunities, (b) improving catch, effort, and status data, (c) improving social and economic data, and (d) improving communication. 4 Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 2016 Year in Review U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service 5
Continued Working with Fishermen on Innovative Changes to Whiting Fishery Protecting Living Marine Resources and Their Habitats We convened a workshop with the region s whiting fishermen, who had asked for changes to the regulations for the small-mesh multispecies fishery. The attendees also included researchers, Fishery Management Council staff, state fisheries staff, and federal managers. We discussed ways to improve data collection and will continue to work with our industry partners to increase opportunities for regional whiting fishermen. Rebuilt the Barndoor Skate Stock Since 2000, NOAA Fisheries has rebuilt 40 marine fish stocks around the country, with barndoor skate in our region the most recent addition to the list. Through our science-based management process, the United States has become a global leader in long-term sustainable fishery management. Helped Streamline Aquaculture Permitting in Maryland This year, the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began using a new Nationwide Permit to authorize aquaculture activities within Maryland to streamline and accelerate the review of permit requests. Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state of Maryland, and NOAA s Chesapeake Bay office, we developed regional conditions for the nationwide permit that minimizes the need for individual consultations while protecting submerged aquatic vegetation, a Habitat Area of Particular Concern for summer flounder, and important habitat for anadromous fish. Initiated New Efforts to Bring Back Atlantic Salmon Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we published a draft recovery plan for endangered Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine. This plan, which was released for public comment, will guide the process for species recovery. It outlines specific approaches to reduce threats to the species, identifies specific timetables for action, and estimates costs to achieve recovery goals. As part of NOAA s Species in the Spotlight campaign, we also developed a set of key actions for the next five years, which include removing dams and reconnecting habitats, maximizing smolt production, reducing international fishery mortality, and increasing survival in the marine environment. In 2016, we funded three projects to restore habitat as part of the Species in the Spotlight Action Plan, and held an event with members of the Penobscot Nation, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Passamaquoddy Tribe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and environmental groups to learn more about the significance of Atlantic salmon to our cultures. Expanded Right Whale Critical Habitat In January 2016, we expanded right whale critical habitat from about 4,500 square nautical miles to nearly 30,000 square nautical miles. This marks the first expansion since we first designated right whale critical habitat in 1994. In the northeast United States, the expanded critical habitat consists of foraging areas where the preferred prey (e.g. the copepod Calanus finmarchicus) is persistently abundant, primarily the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank region. In the southeast United States, we identified important habitat needs for calving areas, including the presence of calm sea surface conditions, specific sea surface temperatures (7 C to 17 C), and water depths of 6 to 28 meters. Based on this information, critical habitat for calving now extends from North Carolina to Florida. This expanded critical habitat designation will further promote the recovery of this critically endangered species by enhancing protection of these essential areas. 6 Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 2016 Year in Review U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service 7
Coordinated Care for Hundreds of Endangered Sea Turtles Reconnecting Sea-run Fish to Habitat in Penobscot Focus Area and Across the Region In 2016, Maine s Penobscot River Restoration Trust, which NOAA Fisheries actively supported to remove the Veazie and Great Works dams, completed their final step toward improving access to historic habitat with the construction of the Howland Dam fish bypass. Completion of a large stream-like bypass channel allows Atlantic salmon, American shad, alewife, blueback herring, and American eel to swim around the dam to and from important historic breeding, rearing, and nursery habitat for the first time in more than a century. These projects completed the Trust s collaborative effort to rebalance fisheries and hydropower on Maine s largest river. Building on the success of the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, we have partnered with The Nature Conservancy for barrier removal projects in the Penobscot watershed. This collaboration includes feasibility studies for improved fish passage at head-of-tide dams in Orland and Frankfort, Maine and the construction of nature-like fishways at the outlet of South Branch Lake and East Branch Lake on Penobscot Indian Nation tribal lands. The Penobscot River Habitat Focus Area Implementation Plan outlines how we will work toward this goal over the next few years. We completed eight other fish passage projects throughout the Greater Atlantic Region. These projects opened up migratory routes to spawning and rearing habitats including 2,812 acres of river herring spawning habitat and just under 50 miles of stream habitat. Project sites included the Saugatucket River fish passage project in Wakefield, RI, the Little River nature-like fishway in Gloucester, MA, and the removal of the Great Dam on the Exeter River in Exeter, NH. Currently, we are providing both funding and technical assistance for another 32 fish passage projects throughout the Greater Atlantic Region. These projects, which should be completed within the next three to five years, include dam removals, nature-like and technical fishways, and culvert removals and replacements. The 2015-2016 cold-stunned sea turtle season was the second largest on record for Massachusetts. A total of 598 turtles the majority endangered Kemp s ridley sea turtles washed up on Cape Cod beaches between November and January. With the help of dozens of our Sea Turtle Stranding Response Network and other partners, we were able to save a majority of the live-stranded turtles, making a positive contribution toward the survival and recovery of these endangered animals. Finalized New Protections for Fish in New York Harbor After more than two decades of collaboration and ten years of data collection, we have refined and targeted seasonal resource protection windows in New York Harbor. Initiated as part of the New York Harbor deepening program, this multi-agency coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the states of New York and New Jersey resulted in increased protection of winter flounder and river herring. The new protection windows allow for efficient and environmentally sound dredging project management practices far into the future. Worked with Nation s First Offshore Wind Farm to Protect Species and Habitat Deepwater Wind s Block Island Wind Farm consists of five turbines located approximately three miles southeast of Block Island, and is expected to generate 30 megawatts of power, supplying most of the island s power. We consulted with Deepwater Wind to protect sensitive habitats as well as protected whales, sea turtles, and Atlantic sturgeon during construction and operation. The wind farm began operation in late 2016. Our staff monitors the project for effects on protected species and habitats. Working with Partners to Protect River Herring We continued working with partners at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the River Herring Technical Expert Working Group (TEWG) to proactively conserve river herring. This year, the TEWG made progress on using genetic markers to assess bycatch impacts, developing an edna assay, analyzing the results of coast-wide surveys of river herring fishermen, and mapping the River Herring Conservation Plan to better communicate our efforts to the general public. At the August Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting, the Council approved an amendment to protect unmanaged forage species, including river herring. The amendment will prohibit the development of new and the expansion of existing commercial fisheries on these species. Helped Draft Northeast Regional Action Plan for Climate As part of NOAA s efforts to increase the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information, we worked with colleagues at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center to draft a climate strategy action plan for the U.S. Northeast. The plan outlines a strategy and specific actions for increasing understanding of, preparing for, and responding to climate change effects on the region s ocean species. With water in the Gulf of Maine warming at a significant pace, understanding how environmental changes are affecting species in our region is critical to planning for a sustainable fisheries future. 8 Greater Atlantic Region Fisheries Office Year in Review 2016 U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service 9
Organizational Excellence Improved Communications We asked commercial and recreational fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, government and non-government entities, educators and students, aquaculturists, tribes, environmental groups, and the general public how we can better serve them through our communications efforts. More than 700 people responded to our survey, and we have been implementing their suggestions to improve our website, emails, text messages, and other outreach. We also added a dedicated customer service specialist to help fishermen when they have technical problems accessing Fish Online, which has PIN-protected information about their fishing allocations and catch reports. Provided Responsive Customer Service The region s management programs require the fishing industry to obtain permits and other fishing authorizations and to submit reports of all fishing activities. In 2016, we issued more than 6,000 fishing permits and supplemental fishing authorizations, 900 dealer permits, and 2,600 operator s licenses; transferred 250 vessel permits and 1,000 catch allocations; provided 200 catch histories and customized data requests; and fielded 6,000 inquiries from fishermen or dealers. In addition, we monitor nearly 300 quotas and catch allocations, provide weekly updates to fisheries managers and the public, and make catch projections to support inseason management changes, as needed. We worked with vendors to approve new electronic vessel trip reporting systems, including ACCSP etrips/mobile, which allows fishermen to submit fishery landings data in one place that satisfies both state and federal requirements. Improved Information Technology and Data Management As part of efforts to improve technical support and make fisheries data management more efficient, we implemented several new programs. We developed and deployed new software to support electronic monitoring and electronic reporting, and we are continuing to develop our own web and mobile device reporting tools. Significant changes to our IT contract structure increased our ability to meet service delivery demands. We made improvements to our network infrastructure, all in support of growing network, data, and software demands. This strong foundation will help us meet future technology and data needs for fisheries managers and the fishing industry. Fishing Gear Workshop for Non-Fishermen About two dozen staff members joined several New Hampshire commercial fishermen and other gear experts for a three-day program organized by New Hampshire Sea Grant and our office. Staff boarded four commercial fishing vessels to learn about fishing gear and fish behavior. The workshop was an important educational experience for our staff, providing both hands-on experience and a chance to discuss fisheries issues with those who know them best. Lobster Trap Tag Team Wins Award of Excellence The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission presented members of the American Lobster Trap Tag Team with an Annual Award of Excellence for their outstanding contributions to fisheries management, science, and law enforcement along the Atlantic coast. The American Lobster Trap Tag Team is a group of 19 state and federal fishery and data managers and ASMFC staff responsible for the creation of the first of its kind cooperative permitting and trap allocation tracking database for American lobster. Five Greater Atlantic Region staff Peter Burns, Chip Lynch, Allison Murphy, Julie Mackey, and Ted Hawes were recognized for their efforts. Improved Coordination and Collaboration for Inter-Agency Consultations on Endangered Species and Essential Fish Habitat During the past year, we improved the efficiency of our consultations with other federal agencies to review projects they fund, permit, or carry out. We completed programmatic Essential Fish Habitat consultations on General Permits in New England, Maryland, and Pennsylvania with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to streamline routine and non-controversial projects, and drafted a manual of Best Management Practices for highway infrastructure projects with the Federal Highway Administration. In addition, we piloted a project to reduce the turnaround time on our Endangered Species consultations, which successfully reduced our response time from 50 days to 16 days. As part of this pilot project, we provided additional online guidance to action agencies and continue to email updates with new information. We will continue to improve consultation with our federal partners to protect and restore fish habitat and protected species populations. Awarded Grants Totaling $27 Million As part of administering our $54.6 million budget, we manage grant applications, reviews, and awards. In our region, we review and award grants for the Atlantic Coastal and Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act Programs (coordinated with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and its member states), Species Recovery Grants Program, Marine Mammal Rescue and Stranding Programs, Bay Watershed Education and Training Program, and Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program. In 2016, our region represented nearly half of the Saltonstall-Kennedy grants awarded across the country, totaling $4.6 million in federal support for projects addressing regionally important issues such as climate change effects on fisheries, marketing and distribution of abundant but less popular fish species, and new aquaculture systems and techniques. 10 Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 2016 Year in Review U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service 11
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Undersecretary of Commerce Benjamin Freidman (Acting) Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Samuel Rauch (Acting) Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office John K. Bullard February 2017 OFFICIAL BUSINESS National Marine Fisheries Service Greater Atlantic Region 55 Great Republic Drive Gloucester, MA 01930 Photo credits: Cover: F/V Western Sea, credit: Jef McLean; Octopus on ledge, credit: NOAA -OER/BOEM/USGS; Inside cover: New Bedford Harbor, credit: Perra/NOAA. Page 3: John Bullard, credit: L. Bullard. Page 4: Redish and dabs, credit: Bullard/NOAA; Map of Mid -Atlantic Deep Sea Coral Protection Area, credit: NOAA; Mid -Atlantic Canyons: Lobster, red coral with squat lobster, sea star, credit: Okeanos 2013/NOAA. Page 5: Electronic monitoring camera, credit: McGuire/TNC; recreational ishermen, credit: Curtis/NOAA. Page 6: Barndoor skate, credit: Curtis/NOAA; Dana Morse, Maine Sea Grant and Jef Robinson, Cooke Aquaculture USA, inspecting blue mussel seed provided by he Downeast Institute, credit: Chris Bartlett, Maine Sea Grant. Page 7: Atlantic salmon, credit: Bailey/NOAA; Critical habitat map, credit: NOAA. Page 8: Talbot Mills Dam, credit: Kircheis/ NOAA; Exeter dam removal construction, credit Goebel/NOAA; irst run down restored river in kayaks, credit: Harry McCoy. Page 9: Kemp s ridley turtle with satellite tag, credit: NOAA; Blue crab, credit: NOAA. Page 10: GARFO staf learning at Gear Workshop, credit: Bradt/NH Sea Grant. Inside back cover: GARFO staf observing ishing net, credit: Bradt/NH Sea Grant. Lobster trap tag team (from let): Special Agent Todd Smith, Peter Burns, Mike Cahall, Cheri Patterson, Allison Murphy, Deputy Chief Kurt, Blanchard, Jason McNamee, Chip Lynch, credit: ASMFC; Right whale necropsy in Gorham, Maine, credit: Garron/NOAA. Back cover: Recreational ishing trip, credit: Bullard/NOAA. www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov