Mfcn Summer 2007

Network News

Vol. 12, Issue 3 September 2007

Network Welcomes New Executive Director

In this Issue... Letter from the Executive Director

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NMFS Initiates Rulemaking for LAPPS

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In Memoriam: Mary P. Marsh

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Pacific Update

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Gulf of Mexico Update

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Mid-Atlantic Update

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South Atlantic Update

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New Network Staff

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Fish Fest Chef Wins 6 Reality Show New Network Members

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Calendar

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~~~~~~ The Marine Fish Conservation Network (Network) is a coalition of more than 190 environmental organizations, commercial and recreational fishing associations, and marine science groups that advocates national policies to achieve healthy oceans and productive fisheries. Please visit: www.conservefish.org

The Network, after a nationwide search, gives a warm welcome to its new executive director, Bruce J. Stedman. On September 4, Bruce took over the job from Tom Kitsos, who served as the interim executive director throughout the summer. Bruce brings to the position more than 25 years of experience in marine and environmental policy. His love for the ocean has a long history, beginning with salmon fishing and a trip to the Oregon coast as a child. Trained in marine biology at Friday Harbor Laboratories (University of Washington), land planning at the Conway School of Landscape Design, and environmental planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bruce has directed five other environmental non-governmental organizations and companies. As a marine biologist, he participated in research projects involving basic ecosystem analysis and animal behavior, and was part of a four-person team that designed and built The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, Washington. He has taught academic courses in negotiation and conservation biology at Harvard University. Bruce is also the director of the Ellie Dorsey Marine Conservation Fund, a small charity funding marine research that continues the work of his late wife. Bruce joins the Network from RESOLVE in Washington, DC, where as a senior mediator, he co-designed and facilitated the New York Governor’s Ocean and Great Lakes Symposium on ocean policy, and co-managed a national symposium on coastal subsidence and wetlands loss in Gulf of Mexico. He also guided the Maine’s Governor’s Task Force on Marine Aquaculture in its successful effort to provide recommendations to the legislature for improving

the aquaculture leasing and environmental protections. He has also facilitated strategic planning and advisory committee meetings on fisheries, marine mammals, marine protected areas, and estuaries, as well as numerous other workshops and dialogues on other Photo: Jenny Billet environmental policy topics. As a marine biologist, Bruce participated in research projects involving basic ecosystem analysis, marine mammal and octopus behavior, and oil in the marine environment. Looking forward to the challenges he will face as the new executive director of the Network, Bruce said, “Now that the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act has been passed, we really have our hands full to completely restore our fish populations and American fisheries to health. We’re already working with fisheries managers to make sure they fully implement the new amendments to our ocean fisheries law, and we also want to make certain that there are plenty of prey fish in the ocean to support the food webs on which marine fisheries and ecosystems depend. It’s an exciting time for the Network, and I’m very fortunate to join a staff so fully engaged in this vital work.” Bruce currently lives in Washington, DC with his two children. While accepting his new position as executive director, Bruce said, “Diversity is a powerful force for change, and the Network’s major contributions toward improving ocean management are due to its ability to bring to the debate the ideas, experience, and passion of its diverse membership. I’m sincerely honored that I have been chosen to lead this influential group in its future efforts to protect our oceans.”

MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

A Letter from the Executive Director Earlier this summer a friend sent me a brief “position announcement” about the Marine Fish Conservation Network needing an executive director. I thought, “Well, that’s interesting and would be a great organization to work with.” At the same time, I also thought, “Trouble is, while I know something of the Network’s work, and I was trained as a marine biologist, I am a mediator generalist, and they will probably want a fish specialist.” As it turned out, after talking with the directors of the Network it became clear that the fit for me and the Network was very promising. Now after two weeks as your new executive director, that fit has proved to be a very good one. Thank you all for the notices of congratulations and “good luck” you have sent or expressed in our phone conversations. It’s a great feeling to have this kind of support at the start. You won’t be surprised that when I first arrived I found a there was a pile of decisions of the “let’s wait till the new director gets here” variety. But you should also know that I also found your Network in excellent shape when I arrived, from the fine systems put in place by Lee Crockett, my predecessor; from the very capable managing by Tom Kitsos during the interim period before I arrived; and from the amazing policy, media, and regional outreach work done by your staff during the period between Lee and me. If you have a chance to thank all of these people, by email or voice, please do so – they deserve your thanks. Now that I am here, I have discovered that this is really an extraordinary time of transition for the Network as we embark on the new and challenging post-Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act (MSRA) period. And because of that reauthorization – led by the Network – it is a significant transition time for fisheries management in the U.S. – both for fisheries science and regulatory policy. As a network, now is the time to consider what we want to accomplish for fish conservation over the next few years. There is significant work to be done to advocate for strong regulations from the fisheries service and proper implementation of the MSRA by the regional councils. At the same time, we have a chance to think broadly and deeply about other areas of work and even other areas of the world. To the Board of Directors, Board of Advisors, and all members I say, “Let’s make the Network more relevant than it already is; let’s look at how we can dig more deeply into the scientific and technical aspects of fisheries management; let’s be one of those “good offices” that can solve disputes between (and among) members, the councils, the fishing communities, and even the National Marine Fisheries Service. Together we can overcome the obstacles that prevent genuine conservation of marine fish and their habitats. Together, we can make the Network really find ways of “achieving healthy oceans and productive fisheries.” For the fish and fishermen,

Bruce J. Stedman

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MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Federal Agency Reverses Position and Agrees to Develop Regulations for Market-Based Fisheries Programs The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in August initiated a rulemaking to implement Congressional action intended to protect coastal communities and fish populations. NMFS posted on its Web site the agency’s intent to develop regulations for quota-based fishery programs. This marks a reversal in the agency’s previous decision not to develop any regulations for the national standards that Congress legislated for limited access privilege programs (LAPPs). “We’re glad that NMFS has decided to take a leadership role on this issue after all. NMFS must develop strong regulations that ensure our oceans will be healthy and productive, and will remain a public resource for everyone’s benefit,” said Tony DeFalco, director of regional operations for the Network. Limited access privilege programs, such as individual fishing quota programs, use quota shares to give fishermen exclusive access to a fixed percentage of the total annual quota in a fishery. Unregulated LAPPs have caused excessive consolidation of quota shares into the hands of larger industry players and increases in bycatch (the catching and killing of untargeted ocean wildlife) in some fisheries.

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

In the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act signed in January 2007, Congress enacted national standards for LAPPs that guard against excessive consolidation of the fishery, protect the marine environment, and ensure that family fishermen remain active participants in the fishery. NMFS is seeking some preliminary input from the public on the LAPP regulations until September 30, 2007. The agency will then publish a proposed rule and will seek further public comment.

In Memoriam Mary P. Marsh President Maryland Conservation Council On July 5, 2007, the Network sadly lost one of its supporters. Mary P. Marsh, president of the Maryland Conservation Council (MCC) for three years and a long-time MCC member, died from brain aneurysm complications. A constant sentinel over Maryland’s environment, Mary was a tireless advocate for improving and safeguarding its treasured resources. Despite her hectic schedule, Mary always found time to take a telephone call from the Network, who would seek her advice on regional strategy, or to lend a hand on federal fisheries management reform. Mary left a lasting impression on Brooks Mountcastle, the Network’s Mid-Atlantic regional organizer: “After seeing the respect and deference that Mary was afforded by her colleagues, I knew Maryland’s environment was in good hands.” Mary possessed a powerful combination of brilliance, persistence, compassion, and leadership – rare traits that greatly helped MCC carry on its valuable work. She will be sorely missed by the conservation community.

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MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Pacific Update

drop below the overfished threshold again by 2010. Past mismanagement of species like rockfish and whiting resulted in massive closures and hundreds of jobs lost. Going down that road again would be a mistake.

Council proposes taking science decisions out of the hands of scientists At the September council meeting, the Pacific Fishery Management Council will vote on draft rules clarifying the role of their scientific advisory committee. These rules state that the science committee cannot be part of council policy decisions, and that the council should determine the “best available Photo: NOAA science.” This would effectively remove a critical component of scientific analysis and decisionmaking from the hands of scientists, and instead allow the council to make these decisions without scientific basis.

Council moves forward on sweeping changes to groundfish management The Pacific Council took a preliminary step toward establishing a limited access privilege program (LAPP) for groundfish by approving a set of alternatives for analysis. The alternatives include a 10 percent holdback of quota shares for unforeseen issues, incentives for clean fishing, or community impacts. However, this 10 percent of the trawl fishing shares could also be auctioned off to pay processors who claim they are harmed by the program. There is significant controversy among constituents over the LAPP and how it should be set up. Several members of the public, including fishermen, scientists, and conservationists, asked for analysis of a variety of additional options that the council chose not to consider. For example, the council ignored requests to analyze some proposed measures for community-based fishing practices that could protect fish stocks and maintain the economic viability of smaller port towns and family fishing businesses. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act requires that LAPPs conserve marine fish populations, protect fishing communities, prevent excessive consolidation of permits, and preserve opportunities for new entrants into the fishery.

Managers put vulnerable rockfish species at risk by seeking to reopen whiting fishery The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) closed the west coast whiting fishery on July 26, after discovering the fishery had exceeded widow rockfish bycatch limits and illegally disposed of the rockfish in an attempt to cover up its transgression. The council now seeks to raise the widow rockfish bycatch limit by 50 metric tons to allow the whiting fishery to reopen. The council set 2007 catch levels that scientists warn will cause whiting numbers to

Gulf of Mexico Update

standards. Only with careful attention to ecological, economic, and social issues can fishery managers achieve healthy oceans and productive fisheries.

Grouper limited access privilege program The Gulf Council is developing a limited access privilege program (LAPP) for the grouper fishery. An evaluation of grouper landings between 1999 and 2004 indicates that 50 percent of “active” reef fish permits reported no deep-water grouper landings and 19 percent reported no shallow-water grouper landings. For the same period, 13 Photo: NOAA percent of reef fish permits did not report any grouper landings at all. The Gulf Council hopes to reduce permits not currently fishing and the amount of boats fishing for grouper in hopes of making the fishery more cost efficient.

Can the Gulf Council end overfishing? When the National Marine Fisheries Service publishes its annual report to Congress on the health of U.S. fisheries, the news is rarely good for the Gulf Council. This year’s report showed little progress for Gulf fish, with two more species on the overfishing list (gag grouper and gray triggerfish) and one coming off (vermillion snapper). One-step forward, two-steps back. The Gulf Council is currently working on amendments to end overfishing of gag grouper, greater amberjack, and gray triggerfish. In addition, the Gulf Council approved a plan in early June to end the overfishing of red snapper. Not reflected in this year’s report, the new assessment for red grouper indicates that this species is no longer overfished and is not subject to overfishing anymore. This is good news, but substantial work remains.

Congress recently authorized such programs and created new standards that fishery managers must abide by to prevent excessive consolidation in the fishery, protect historical participants in the fishery, allocate quota fairly amongst all the fishermen, and ensure conservation measures are part of the program. In addition, Gulf fishermen have the added protection of an industry referendum on all new quota programs. Should they move forward with a grouper LAPP, fishery managers should carefully comply with the new

The overfished threshold for gag grouper was never properly set to meet the criteria in 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act. The Gulf Council, 11 years later, is finally going to set this threshold after the last assessment indicated that gag grouper populations might be unsustainably low depending on the threshold chosen. As mandated by Congress, the Gulf Council needs to end overfishing. The status quo of allowing overfishing and hiding behind undefined benchmarks needs to end. 4

MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Mid-Atlantic Update

economic hardship on the fishing community. Currently, the stock is about halfway toward the rebuilding target of 197 million pounds.

Council ignores scientific advice and sets higher catch level for summer flounder For the third year in a row, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council defied the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and set a higher catch level Photo: Carl Safina for summer flounder than what was recommended by the council’s scientific advisors. Overfishing is occurring in the summer flounder fishery during rebuilding of the population. The Summer Flounder Monitoring Committee, comprised of scientists whose purpose is to offer advice to the council, advised a safe catch level between 11.64 million pounds and 12.9 million pounds. Both levels accounts for problems with the retrospective analysis, which has been criticized for overestimating biomass and underestimating mortality of summer flounder. The council chose to set a catch level of 15.7 million pounds for the 2008 fishing season. Since 2000, summer flounder has never been fished below the overfishing threshold, according to NMFS.

Black sea bass overfished; scup overfished and experiencing overfishing Unlike its summer flounder decision, the council supported the Monitoring Committee’s recommended catch levels for black sea bass, bluefish, and scup. Bluefish is scheduled to be rebuilt by 2010 and all indications are that the stock will be at or above a healthy level by 2009. Unfortunately, NMFS data indicates that black sea bass is overfished and scup continues to be overfished and is experiencing overfishing. Council rejects royalty collection (for now) for tilefish IFQ At the suggestion of the Tilefish Fishery Management Action Team, the council recommended a “no action” alternative for royalty collections for a proposed tilefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. Royalty collections are one of many methods that could be used to help defray expenses for management, implementation, enforcement, and data collection for an IFQ program in the tilefish fishery. However, industry was united in its opposition to royalties, noting that such a program is untested. The biggest hang up centered on the realization that there was no guarantee the collected royalty would accrue to the tilefish fishery; instead, the monies could conceivably fund other fishery programs. According to NMFS, the revised Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the councils to consider royalty collection, but they do not have to implement it.

When the Magnuson-Stevens Act was reauthorized last year, Congress extended the summer flounder rebuilding plan from 2010 to 2013, to help managers meet the rebuilding target and soften the

South Atlantic Update

Photo: NOAA

South Atlantic organizer moves on Our outstanding South Atlantic regional organizer, Caroline Keicher, left the Network in August for the greener pastures of the Sierra Club’s global warming program in DC. Caroline’s enthusiasm, ability to generate grassroots pressure in the region, and excellent monitoring of the South Atlantic Council will be sorely missed. We wish Caroline the best of luck in her new job.

We are looking for a regional organizer for the South Atlantic region. The position may be based in NC, SC, GA, or the east coast of Florida. Job duties include working with the media, generating grassroots support in the region for Network positions, and monitoring the South Atlantic Council for compliance with the newly revised federal fisheries law. If you are interested, please send a cover letter, resume, 1-2 page writing sample, and a list of three references to [email protected].

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MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

New Network Staff Jeff Lambert, Summer Media Intern The Network’s summer media intern, Jeff Lambert, will begin his junior year at American University in Washington, D.C. He studies print journalism and women’s and gender studies, and divides his time between the campus newspaper, the student radio station, and advocating for alternative transportation methods on campus and in the District. Jeff has recently started volunteering for Street Sense, a D.C. street newspaper that focuses on homelessness issues. His summer at the Network has given him valuable insight into the way journalists report on environmental and fisheries issues.

The Network would like to congratulate Chef Rock Harper, a five time participant in the Network’s annual event, Fish Fest: A Celebration of Sustainable Seafood, for winning the grand prize on ABC’s television show, “Hell’s Kitchen.” Chef Harper will move to Las Vegas, Nevada where he will be the head chef of a new fine Italian restaurant at the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa. The Network is happy for his success; however, we are sad to see one of our favorite chefs (along with the delicious meals he prepares) leave Washington, DC. Best of luck, Chef Harper!

Photo: Justin Schuck Photography

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Photo by NOAA

Congratulations to Fish Fest Chef Rock Harper!

MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Welcome New Network Members

Blue Ocean Institute

Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance

PO Box 250 East Norwich, NY 11732 (516) 922-9500 fax (516) 922-9505 www.blueocean.org

200 Main St. Saco, ME 04072 (207) 284-5374 fax (207) 284-1355 http://www.namanet.org

Using science, art, and literature, Blue Ocean Institute works to inspire a closer relationship with the sea and devise practical solutions to conservation problems.

NAMA’s purpose is to restore and enhance an enduring Northwest Atlantic marine system, which supports a healthy diversity and abundance of marine life and human uses.

Ocean Conservation Research PO Box 559 Lagunitas, CA 94938 (415) 488-0553 www.ocr.org Ocean Conservation Research promotes and supports marine biological and technological research based on conservation priorities.

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MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK “...To Achieve Healthy Oceans and Productive Fisheries.” Calendar of Events

October 7 Hawaii Fishing and Seafood Festival Pier 38, Honolulu, HI http://wpcouncil.org/

October 9-12 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 139th Council Meeting Ala Moana Hotel Honolulu, HI http://wpcouncil.org/ October 29- Nov 2 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting Beau Rivage, Biloxi, MS http://www.gulfcouncil.org/

NOVEMBER November 4-9 Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting: Hyatt Regency Islandia San Diego, CA http://www.pcouncil.org/

DECEMBER December 3 North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting Hilton, Anchorage, AK http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ npfmc/default.htm

November 6-8 New England Fishery Management Council meeting Hotel Viking, Newport, RI http://www.nefmc.org/

December 3-7 4th Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission regular session Hyatt Regency Hotel Tumon, Guam http://wpcouncil.org/

November 11-13 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting Holiday Inn Harmon Meadows Secaucus, NJ http://www.mafmc.org

December 11-13 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting TBD, NJ http://www.nefmc.org/

Marine Fish Conservation Network 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20003

OCTOBER October 1 North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting Hilton, Anchorage, AK http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ default.htm

October 9-11 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting Hilton Garden Inn Kitty Hawk, NC http://www.mafmc.org

www.conservefish.org Phone: 202-543-5509 Fax: 202-543-5774

SEPTEMBER September 25-27 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 96th SSC Meeting Council Office http://wpcouncil.org/