New Fishing Gear Used off California
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) recommended and the NMFS authorized a single Exempted Fishing Permit for testing a new gear – Modified Snap – in federal waters off California. The gear, a significantly modified longline, will fish 5 nautical miles of horizontal line, which is much shorter than traditional longlines. To help improve the survivability of bycatch species, the PFMC requires a four-hour maximum soak time, per set. TBF is not convinced the gear will actually fish cleaner. The gear is comprised of connected sections of line, each ranging from 300 to 500 meters in length, that will
New Exempted Fishing Permits for Longlines off US West Coast
Exempted Fishing Permits were issued by the Pacific Fishery Management Council on April 29, 2019 to two vessels to fish off the U.S. west coast in federal waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) with pelagic longline gear. The listed purpose is to collect data about the performance of shallow-set (pelagic) longline gear and mitigation measures to minimize adverse environmental impacts. Restrictions include 100% observer coverage, strict limits on incidental hooking, entanglements and mortality of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles, no fishing within Southern California Bight (Santa Barbara County south to the border with Mexico) and within leatherback sea turtle critical habitat
NMFS Discussing New Ways to Allow Commercial Fishing Vessels Inside Closed Zones
NEEDS ALL ANGLERS ATTENTION – The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) launched a new and very comprehensive process for evaluating the success or inefficiencies of current Pelagic Longline Closed Zones and Gear Restricted Areas to achieve full swordfish quota utilization and reduction of seafood trade imbalance. The text makes clear billfish are not priorities for NMFS, rather pelagic longline fishing for tuna and swordfish are priorities with sea turtles, marine mammals, and sharks. TBF will be issuing a CALL TO ACTION soon. Details provided below: To evaluate success or inefficiencies of current Pelagic Longline Closed Zones and
Florida East Coast Closed Zone Will Remain Closed!
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is not issuing an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would open the east coast Florida closed zone to pelagic longline vessels for the stated purpose of conducting “research.” Thanks in large part to TBF’s efforts and to our constituency submitting comments to NOAA, this victory was achieved. This is a major accomplishment that will continue yielding conservation benefits to the fish and other marine resources, which will further support recreational fishing and boating opportunities that support a wide array of associated jobs. The decision comes after almost two years of effort
TBF submitted comments in opposition to EFP off the Gulf of Maine
The Billfish Foundation recently submitted comments against NOAA’s proposed Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) opening of the Cashes Ledge and Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) closed areas to commercial fishing. Currently, commercial vessels have opportunities to fish for haddock and pollock at many locations in the Gulf of Maine not subject to closure. The EFP should not be issued to allow the commercial vessels inside the WGOM and Cashes Ledge Closed Areas where they will kill unacceptable levels of cod bycatch. Read our official comments
SAFMC Takes Action On Longline Research
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) considered over 600 written comments and heard public testimony last week, before voting to send a letter to NOAA Fisheries expressing their concerns on an Exempted Fishery Permit (EFP) request to conduct research and evaluate pelagic longline catch rates in a portion of an area off the east coast of Florida currently closed to longline fishing. The majority of the comments received, including those from recreational fishing organizations, were in opposition to the permit, citing concerns about discards of recreational and commercially important species, impacts to protected resources, increased landings of dolphin fish
Longline Research Permit Officially Announced Invalid
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) finally announced as “invalid” the Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) issued last year to a Nova Southeastern University (NSU) scientist granting permission to longline within the 16-year closed conservation zone off the east coast of Florida. The research was halted by the NSU president after The Billfish Foundation (TBF) informed him of potential negative impacts to the university’s reputation. As TBF reported in January, the same scientist submitted a second EFP application, but only yesterday did the NMFS clarify the application is identical to the first one with the exception that NSU is removed