nmfs – Fishermens News

NMFS Announces Decreased Fees for Loan Repayments

4Dec

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NMFS Announces Decreased Fees for Loan Repayments

The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced a decrease in repayment fees for reduction loan financing for the non-pollock groundfish fishing capacity reduction program, effective Jan. 1. In a statement published in the Federal Register on Dec. 2, NMFS said it is lowering the Loan A fee rate to $0.016 per pound to ensure timely repayment of the loan, but that the fee rate for Loan B would remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound. The federal agency explained that the decreased fee rate is due to a recalculation based on the required amortization target and projected non-pollock groundfish total allowable catch (TAC) for 2025, as well as a temporary adjustment related to the 2024 Season B. The first due date for fee payments with the decreased rate is set for Feb. 15, 2025. ...

NMFS Reallocates Projected Non-Use of Pacific Cod to Hook-And-Line Gear

20Nov

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NMFS Reallocates Projected Non-Use of Pacific Cod to Hook-And-Line Gear

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) has announced the reallocation of the projected unused Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear and catcher/processors using hook-and-line gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. The decision, effective since Nov. 4, is in effect through Dec. 31. NMFS officials said this action was necessary to allow the 2024 total allowable catch of Pacific cod to be harvested. The groundfish fishery in the Gulf of Alaska is managed according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The plan is prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. An announc...

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Convenes in Honolulu

11Sep

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Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Convenes in Honolulu

Members of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee are scheduled to convene in Honolulu Sept. 11-13 to address issues impacting fisheries management in the Pacific Islands. The seven agenda items include the Guam bottomfish rebuilding plan and the Guam bottomfish data for future assessments. The committee may provide recommendations on modifications to the bottomfish rebuilding plan and review projections to rebuild the stock by 2031, in alignment with the Mariana Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan. The SSC is also expected to consider the Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review report on Guam bottomfish data and discuss how this data may be used in future stock assessments, including single-species and multi-model assessm...

7Aug

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NMFS Publishes Cost Recovery Fee Percentage for Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) on Aug. 1 published in the Federal Register its fee percentage of 1.92% for cost recovery for the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) program. The notice is intended to provide the information to calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees due by Aug. 31. Section 304(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act authorizes and requires NMFS to collect cost recovery fees for limited access privilege programs. These fees include NMFS’ actual costs directly related to its management, data collection and enforcement of the programs. The Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates that cost recovery fees not exceed 3% of the annual ex-vessel value of fish harvested under any program subject to a cost recove...

26Jun

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NOAA Fisheries Issues Final Rule Implementing Pacific Whiting Fishery

Federal fisheries officials have implemented the domestic 2024 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting fisheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California, including the 2024 Tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, the non-tribal sector allocations, and a set-aside for incidental mortality in research activities and non-groundfish fisheries. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) issued the rule effective June 24 for the Pacific whiting fishery under the authority of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Pacific Whiting Act of 2006, and other applicable laws. The rule was published in the Federal Register. These measures are intended to help prevent overfis...

3Jan

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Public Comment Sought on Trident Seafoods Plan For Bunkhouse Dock Replacement

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is accepting public comment through Jan. 25 on a request from Trident Seafoods Corp. to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving and removal events associated with replacement of its Bunkhouse Dock in Kodiak, Alaska. The project involves removing over 200 pilings, many of them wooden, and replacing them with about 80 steel pilings. The pile driver to be used to remove old pilings and install new ones makes a lot of noise and can disturb marine mammals. Species that may possibly be impacted range from humpback whales and killer whales to harbor seals. In a notice published in the Federal Register on Dec. 26, NOAA Fisheries said comments were requested in advance of its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization. ...

NMFS, Others to Appeal Decision Halting SE Alaska Salmon Troll Fishery

10May

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NMFS, Others to Appeal Decision Halting SE Alaska Salmon Troll Fishery

A commercial salmon troll fishery in Southeast Alaska that contributes millions of dollars to the regional economy is uncertain, with federal fisheries managers and harvesters pitted against an environmental group that contends endangered orca whales need those fish more. The state of Alaska on May 3 served notice of its intent to appeal a two-page ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Jones to close the salmon troll fishery to provide more food for endangered Southern Resident killer whales in Puget Sound. A day earlier, the judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the Washington State-based Wild Fish Conservancy, in its three-year-old battle to secure more Chinook salmon for the Southern Resident killer whales in Puget Sound. Emma Helverson, executive director of the Wild Fis...

NMFS’ Furuness Honored with Distinguished Service Award

19Apr

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NMFS’ Furuness Honored with Distinguished Service Award

Federal fisheries managers have honored Mary Furuness, a supervisory fish management specialist with the agency’s Alaska regional office, with the Bob Mace Distinguished Service Award for her years of work moving in-season management forward to the electronic system used today. During its April meeting, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council cited her day-to-day management of some of the most complex and controversial fishery management programs in Alaska over the past 33 years, including community development quota, rockfish, Amendment 80 programs and salmon bycatch management. The award, which is only occasionally bestowed by the council, is named for Bob Mace, who represented the state of Oregon on the council for 23 years. Since 2009, when she became chief of the Inseason Ma...

Decision on Fishing in Cook Inlet EEZ Goes to Feds

12Apr

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Decision on Fishing in Cook Inlet EEZ Goes to Feds

Members of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council took no action during its April meetings regarding amending the fishery management plan for salmon in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters off of Cook Inlet. The inaction now puts the decision in the hands of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). NMFS’ Alaska Regional Administrator Jon Kurland said his agency is now tasked with coming up with a plan to revise that fishery management plan, which was written by the federal fisheries council. Marine Fisheries Service members had intended to amend the salmon management plan for management of all salmon fishing in the federal waters of upper Cook Inlet. Federal management must be consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, consistent with...

Down Nominated for Reappointment to NPFMC

29Mar

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Down Nominated for Reappointment to NPFMC

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has nominated seafood industry veteran Kenny Down for reappointment to one of two obligatory Washington state seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Inslee made his recommendation on March 7 to Janet Colt, assistant administrator for Fisheries with the National Marine Fisheries Service. Down has served as a voting member of the council since 2015 and is eligible for reappointment for a final term. Inslee also named Becca Robbins-Gisclair and Jamie Goen as his second and third choices respectively. Down is the president and owner of Seaquest Ventures, described as a leader in revolutionary innovations for the utilization and stewardship of marine resources. Prior to founding Seaquest in 2018, Down was president and chief executive officer fro...