NOAA Technical Memorandum . to provide more detail on composition of effort within these fisheries. Information regarding the LOF and the MMAP, including registration procedures and forms; current and past LOFs; descriptions of each Category I and II fishery and some Category III fisheries; observer requirements; and marine mammal mortality/injury reporting forms and submittal procedures; may be obtained at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-protection-act-list-fisheries,, or from any NMFS Regional Office at the addresses listed below: NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298, Attn: Allison Rosner; NMFS, Southeast Region, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, Attn: Jessica Powell; NMFS, West Coast Region, Long Beach Office, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213, Attn: Dan Lawson; NMFS, Alaska Region, Protected Resources, P.O. The following is a collection of organizations and programs involved in various aspects of West Coast groundfish science. MLA further states that there are several factors with disparity among the Northeast and mid-Atlantic lobster fisheries, as well as significant differences in potential overlap with North Atlantic right whales. 03/03/2023, 207 On the West Coast, a unique collaboration has formed between fishermen and scientists to more effectively survey groundfish in response to major fisheries closures two decades ago. They work with project applicants and NOAA Fisheries biologists to optimize project designs, construction, operations, instream flows, and habitat for the protection and recovery of aquatic species at both the project and watershed scale. After publication of the final rule, NMFS noted the need for corrections to This is relevant to the discussion since Maine state and Federal lobster fisheries are functionally equivalent to gear found in these entanglements; and, therefore, gear fished in Maine presents similar risks. NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) oversee the management of West Coast groundfish in U.S. federal waters. Therefore, the Commission reiterates its recommendation that NMFS reclassify the SE Alaska salmon drift gillnet as a Category I fishery. Below we provide further detail as to why the information presented by the MLA is insufficient for the requested changes. The Communications and External Affairs Branch creates stories/content, graphics, presentations, brochures, and literature that engage stakeholders, promote understanding of NOAA Fisheries trust resources, convey the science behind our decisions, and advance NOAA Fisheries mission. The communications service provider receives the transmission and relays it to NOAA Fisheries. We harvestclose to a billion pounds of seafood, worth nearly $1 billion, each year. As noted previously in this LOF, the number of HSFCA permits listed in Table 3 for the high seas components of fisheries that also operate within U.S. waters does not necessarily represent additional effort that is not accounted for in Tables 1 and 2. Aerial surveys, whale watching boats, the presence of other fisheries, and the presence and associated outreach by a disentanglement team contribute to the higher reporting of entanglement sightings in certain areas (i.e., Massachusetts) than in Maine state and offshore waters; we cannot conclude that risk is nonexistent in other areas where entanglements are not observed. documents in the last year, 940 Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GA/Southern SC estuarine system. Comment 16: Whale Safe USA requests NMFS maintain the Category I classifications for Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery and Northeast sink gillnet fishery. This provides directives for consistently assigning M/SI to stocks, including times when the M/SI is documented in an area of overlapping stocks. Bryan Schenone, Director of the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services (OES) stated in a 2022 interview with Jefferson Public Radio that "he was not notified in February or November [2022] when freight trains derailed at the Cantara Loop.". Fishing the Pacific lifts spirits, feeds families and supports the economies of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Bottlenose dolphin, Southern GA estuarine system. Specifically, these offices implement protections and conservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act, essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and actions under the Federal Power Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act in their geographic areas. Stay informed of all the latest regional news around NOAA Fisheries, Staff and volunteers from Feiro Marine Life Center and SR3 release a juvenile seal back to Port Angeles Harbor. Age structure of spawning salmon represents an example of portfolio effects such that the risks of experiencing unfavorable conditions are spread across time. the official SGML-based PDF version on govinfo.gov, those relying on it for Waite, and A.N. NMFS adds the Cook Inlet stock of harbor seal to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III AK Gulf of Alaska halibut longline fishery. The best available scientific information included in these reports is based on data through 2017. Portland, OR 97232-1274 . The low numbers, patchy distribution, and preference for rocky habitats of the widow rockfish make this stock difficult to monitor using standard bottom trawl survey . NOAA Technical Memorandum. Limited Entry Trawl South of 4010' N Lat. WA Puget Sound Region salmon drift gillnet (includes all inland waters south of US-Canada border and eastward of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line-Treaty Indian fishing is excluded), Dall's porpoise, CA/OR/WA. The Commission states that NMFS proposed to reclassify the Category III Hawaii charter vessel fishery, which is primarily a troll fishery, and the HI trolling, rod and reel fisheries as Category II fisheries in the 2012 LOF (76 FR 37716, June 28, 2011). Comment 8: HLA recommends NMFS remove the Central North Pacific humpback whale stock from the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II HI shallow-set longline fishery. The commenter cites four cases of unknown entanglements they believe explicitly rule out Maine lobster fisheries from the origin of entanglement. The Sustainable Fisheries Division is responsible for conservation of fishery resources, eliminating overfishing, rebuilding overfished populations, maintaining healthy commercial and recreational fisheries, creating long-term economic and social benefits to the nation from living marine resources, and ensuring that harvest and hatchery decisions are consistent with the Federal governments Indian trust responsibilities and treaty obligations. Only the Southern DPS is listed under the Endangered Species Act. MMPA, 16 U.S.C. Annual bycatch estimates are prorated using a process outlined in detail in the SARs, which account for M/SI that occur within the MHI-pelagic or NWHI-pelagic overlap zones. Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot. You can also see a list of all species managed on the West Coast. on NARA's archives.gov. AOLA requests NMFS incorporate more timely data and recent information into the 2021 LOF. Comment 13: AOLA expresses concern with how NMFS assigns M/SI when the origin of entanglement is unknown. For the best experience, please use a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. on Some of the populations of each species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The Protected Resources Division is responsible for the oversight, policy direction, guidance and coordination of management programs mandated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). One killer whale (Gulf of Alaska, BSAI transient stock) M/SI was driving the Category II classification of the BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery. Dam Removal Puts California Salmon in Hot Pursuit of Cold Water. Fishermen from Washington, Oregon, and California catch them year-round using a variety of gear types. The main sectors of the West Coast Groundfish Fishery include: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region's office in Seattle, Washington, manages Pacific Coast groundfish limited entry permits, quota share permits and accounts, vessel accounts, first receiver site licenses, and cooperative applications for the at-sea whiting sectors. Our research encompasses the waters of the California Current and adjacent inland watersheds, bays and estuaries of California. documents in the last year, 513 Results of the study indicated that there is a high frequency of associations between troll and rod and reel fishing, and pantropical spotted dolphins, and in particular with the Hawaii Island stock. Fishery information presented in the SARs' appendices and other resources referenced during the tier analysis may include: Level of observer coverage; target species; levels of fishing effort; spatial and temporal distribution of fishing effort; characteristics of fishing gear and operations; management and regulations; and interactions with marine mammals. documents in the last year, 122 HI deep-set longline fishery from 145 to 143 vessels/persons; HI shallow-set longline fishery from 18 to 11 vessels/persons; American Samoa longline fishery from 15 to 13 vessels/persons; and. In the West Coast groundfish fishery, the position data is primarily used to monitor fishing activity relative to closed areas. This occurred in 2008 by a vessel using pot gear in the Open Access fishery. Any vessel owner or operator participating in a fishery listed on the LOF must report to NMFS all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip. NMFS also reviews other sources of new information, including injury determination reports, bycatch estimation reports, observer data, logbook data, stranding data, disentanglement network data, fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMPA mortality/injury reports), and anecdotal reports from that time period. Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal. The ocean also shapes our communities and culture, from the colorful heritage of Cannery Row to tribes celebrating the seasons first salmon to return from the sea. MLA's further analysis shows zero M/SI attributed to the Maine lobster fishery over this most recent 5 year period, while there were six documented cases in Canadian trap/pot fisheries. (Federal Register 11 January 2023 [Proposed Rule] Pages 1548-1555) . Bottlenose dolphin, HI Pelagic. From the Marshall Islands, silky . 03/03/2023, 159 They note that the following marine mammal stocks are included on the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery: Killer whale (Eastern North Pacific AK resident); killer whale (Gulf of Alaska, BSAI transient); Northern fur seal (Eastern Pacific); spotted seal (AK) and Steller sea lion (Western U.S). documents in the last year, 83 For these fisheries, effort by a single participant is counted the same whether the fisherman used the gear only once or every day. SARs are brief reports summarizing the status of each stock of marine mammals occurring in waters under U.S. jurisdiction, including information on the identity and geographic range of the stock, population statistics related to abundance, trend, and annual productivity, notable habitat concerns, and estimates of human-caused mortality and serious injury (M/SI) by source. Vessel or gear owners who participate in fisheries in these regions and have not received authorization certificates by the beginning of the calendar year, or with renewed fishing licenses, must contact the appropriate NMFS Regional Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION). Credit: NOAA Fisheries / Cory Hom-Weaver. Most species are coastwide stocks. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX continental shelf. Participants in these fisheries are automatically registered under the MMAP and are not required to submit registration or renewal materials. As noted, a fishery is classified under Category I if the annual M/SI of a stock in a given fishery is greater than or equal to 50 percent of the stock's PBR level. that improve habitat. Register (ACFR) issues a regulation granting it official legal status. The injury was determined to be non-serious. 01/13/2021 at 8:45 am. Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico golden crab trap/pot, Gulf of Maine herring and Atlantic mackerel stop seine/weir. Yet since 2013, the northwest Atlantic has undergone considerable climatic changes that have influenced the distributions of marine mammals and their prey. Many vessels holding HSFCA permits also fish within U.S. waters and are included in the number of vessels and participants operating within those fisheries in Tables 1 and 2. California Trout calls for more transparency from Union Pacific on its safety practices for . There are no documented interactions with pantropical spotted dolphins in commercial troll fisheries on the high seas (2020 LOF). Comment 5: The Commission restates a previous comment and recommends NMFS reclassify both the Category II SE Alaska salmon drift gillnet and Yakutat salmon set gillnet fisheries as Category I fisheries. Both of these injuries are considered serious injuries and the responsible fishery is not known for either case. List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used in Table 2: DEDelaware; FLFlorida; GAGeorgia; GME/BFGulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy; GMXGulf of Mexico; MAMassachusetts; NCNorth Carolina; NYNew York; RIRhode Island; SCSouth Carolina; VAVirginia; WNAWestern North Atlantic; *Fishery has an associated high seas component listed in Table 3.