Fishery Management Council Rejects Proposal to Expand Drift Gillnets
The Pacific Fishery Management Council decided to cease consideration of a proposal to expand the use of deadly drift gillnets off California and instead requested extension of emergency regulations that went into effect last year to protect endangered sperm whales from entrapment in drift gillnets, until permanent protections are implemented. Oceana provided testimony at the meeting and is co-sponsoring the bill to eliminate these mile-long ‘walls of death’ off California and replace them with cleaner and more selective gear types to ensure a vibrant, healthy, sustainable marine ecosystem and ocean-based economy into the future. This bill will prohibit the use of drift gillnets to take swordfish or sharks while allowing continued fishing for swordfish and sharks with hand-held hook and lines, harpoons, and experimental gears. The bill also establishes a new state policy to support a federal prohibition on drift gillnets off the U.S. West Coast. This effort is long overdue.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council decided to cease consideration of a proposal to expand the use of deadly drift gillnets off California and instead requested extension of emergency regulations that went into effect last year to protect endangered sperm whales from entrapment in drift gillnets, until permanent protections are implemented. Oceana provided testimony at the meeting and is co-sponsoring the bill to eliminate these mile-long ‘walls of death’ off California and replace them with cleaner and more selective gear types to ensure a vibrant, healthy, sustainable marine ecosystem and ocean-based economy into the future. This bill will prohibit the use of drift gillnets to take swordfish or sharks while allowing continued fishing for swordfish and sharks with hand-held hook and lines, harpoons, and experimental gears. The bill also establishes a new state policy to support a federal prohibition on drift gillnets off the U.S. West Coast. This effort is long overdue.
April, 2014
Oceana Wins Bycatch Victories From Northeast Fisheries Managers
The New England Fishery Management Council took an important step forward for ocean conservation by agreeing to allocate $800,000 to support fishery research in the struggling groundfish fishery for cod, haddock and flounder. The Council has funds to support several projects and included bycatch reduction and solutions as themes in the call for research proposals.
This action comes only a month after Oceana released a report exposing nine of the dirtiest bycatch fisheries in the U.S., which included two New England fisheries—the Northeast Bottom Trawl and New England and Mid-Atlantic Gillnet fisheries, which discard 35 percent and 16 percent of what they catch, respectively.
Recommendations adopted by the Council include solutions Oceana had called for in the report, such as bycatch avoidance, like hotspot identification and management, and bycatch minimization through gear improvements. Additionally, in response to intense industry interest in fishing in areas currently closed, the Council included guidance to safeguard marine habitats in any research funded in this program.
The New England Fishery Management Council took an important step forward for ocean conservation by agreeing to allocate $800,000 to support fishery research in the struggling groundfish fishery for cod, haddock and flounder. The Council has funds to support several projects and included bycatch reduction and solutions as themes in the call for research proposals.
This action comes only a month after Oceana released a report exposing nine of the dirtiest bycatch fisheries in the U.S., which included two New England fisheries—the Northeast Bottom Trawl and New England and Mid-Atlantic Gillnet fisheries, which discard 35 percent and 16 percent of what they catch, respectively.
Recommendations adopted by the Council include solutions Oceana had called for in the report, such as bycatch avoidance, like hotspot identification and management, and bycatch minimization through gear improvements. Additionally, in response to intense industry interest in fishing in areas currently closed, the Council included guidance to safeguard marine habitats in any research funded in this program.
April, 2014
New England to Require Bycatch Reporting
The New England Fishery Management Council also approved an action implementing the federally mandated Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM). In its final approval the Council included clear guidance to the National Marine Fisheries Service that bycatch information should be specific to particular stocks of fish and connected to the management of the fisheries. This is a significant improvement over past Agency reports that were far too generic to be useful. Without accurate and precise information about bycatch, fisheries managers cannot do their jobs effectively. This action by the Council recognizes this need and gives clear direction to the federal government that high-quality information is necessary. Oceana has worked for years to ensure that SBRM is implemented in order to improve information about bycatch and will continue to push for other necessary improvements before the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology is put in place in early 2015.
The New England Fishery Management Council also approved an action implementing the federally mandated Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM). In its final approval the Council included clear guidance to the National Marine Fisheries Service that bycatch information should be specific to particular stocks of fish and connected to the management of the fisheries. This is a significant improvement over past Agency reports that were far too generic to be useful. Without accurate and precise information about bycatch, fisheries managers cannot do their jobs effectively. This action by the Council recognizes this need and gives clear direction to the federal government that high-quality information is necessary. Oceana has worked for years to ensure that SBRM is implemented in order to improve information about bycatch and will continue to push for other necessary improvements before the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology is put in place in early 2015.
April, 2014
National Marine Fisheries Service to Maintain Protections for Critical Rockfish Conservation Areas
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a final rule to maintain approximately 12,620 square miles of existing conservation area in order to protect overfished rockfish populations off the U.S. West Coast. This decision was a direct response to scientific information submitted by Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). All three organizations are working together to ensure the recovery of overfished rockfish species and the conservation of ocean habitats. Cold-water corals and underwater reefs are among other seafloor habitats that will remain closed to bottom trawling under this final rule. Oceana, NRDC and other organizations have active conservation proposals before the Pacific Council that would designate parts of the “Rockfish Conservation Area” (RCA) as “Essential Fish Habitat” conservation areas, closed to bottom trawling.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a final rule to maintain approximately 12,620 square miles of existing conservation area in order to protect overfished rockfish populations off the U.S. West Coast. This decision was a direct response to scientific information submitted by Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). All three organizations are working together to ensure the recovery of overfished rockfish species and the conservation of ocean habitats. Cold-water corals and underwater reefs are among other seafloor habitats that will remain closed to bottom trawling under this final rule. Oceana, NRDC and other organizations have active conservation proposals before the Pacific Council that would designate parts of the “Rockfish Conservation Area” (RCA) as “Essential Fish Habitat” conservation areas, closed to bottom trawling.
February, 2014
Shark Fin Bans Upheld
Last year, NOAA challenged state shark fin bans across the country, suggesting that they might be preempted, or overruled, by federal law. State shark fin laws protect sharks by banning the sale, trade, distribution and possession of shark fins, effectively shutting down the market for shark fins. In response to NOAAs actions, Oceana launched a public awareness campaign, running high-visibility Metro ads at stations near NOAA’s offices and sending a letter to NOAA signed by more than 24,000 activists urging the agency not to jeopardize state bans and their benefits for sharks. In early 2014 NOAA removed its challenge to California, Maryland and Washington’s shark fin laws. We are confident that NOAA will also drop their challenges in the remaining five states.
Last year, NOAA challenged state shark fin bans across the country, suggesting that they might be preempted, or overruled, by federal law. State shark fin laws protect sharks by banning the sale, trade, distribution and possession of shark fins, effectively shutting down the market for shark fins. In response to NOAAs actions, Oceana launched a public awareness campaign, running high-visibility Metro ads at stations near NOAA’s offices and sending a letter to NOAA signed by more than 24,000 activists urging the agency not to jeopardize state bans and their benefits for sharks. In early 2014 NOAA removed its challenge to California, Maryland and Washington’s shark fin laws. We are confident that NOAA will also drop their challenges in the remaining five states.
January, 2014
EU Moves Away from Harmful Subsidies
European Parliament and the Fisheries Council reached a political agreement on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the financial mechanism that will allow the implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy over the next seven years. Previous fisheries subsidies schemes have given priority to short-term economic interests at the expense of sustainability, using taxpayer’s money to increase fleet capacity and fund overfishing.
Oceana supports the efforts of the European Parliament and Council to stop this toxic pattern, and shift spending towards beneficial measures such as control and data collection. However, Oceana also acknowledges that the EU must move further to make a clean break from harmful subsidies, including recognizing risks associated with certain environmentally harmful subsidies, like those for new engines and the temporary cessation of fishing activity.
European Parliament and the Fisheries Council reached a political agreement on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the financial mechanism that will allow the implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy over the next seven years. Previous fisheries subsidies schemes have given priority to short-term economic interests at the expense of sustainability, using taxpayer’s money to increase fleet capacity and fund overfishing.
Oceana supports the efforts of the European Parliament and Council to stop this toxic pattern, and shift spending towards beneficial measures such as control and data collection. However, Oceana also acknowledges that the EU must move further to make a clean break from harmful subsidies, including recognizing risks associated with certain environmentally harmful subsidies, like those for new engines and the temporary cessation of fishing activity.
January, 2014
Arctic Drilling Halted for 2014
In late January, Shell’s new CEO announced that the company will not pursue any exploration drilling in the Arctic Ocean in 2014. This news came days after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Department of the Interior violated U.S. law in deciding to hold drilling Lease Sale 193, during which Shell and other oil companies purchased leases in the Chukchi Sea. This ruling is in response to a lawsuit filed by Oceana and a coalition of conservation and Alaska Native partners, represented by Earthjustice. Shell encountered numerous problems and violations during its 2012 exploration attempt, including an incident when its drilling rig, the Kulluk, ran aground during a winter storm. Currently, there is no proven technology that would allow companies to drill safely in the Arctic. Despite Shell’s attempts, no exploration wells have been completed in the Arctic Ocean in more than 20 years.
In late January, Shell’s new CEO announced that the company will not pursue any exploration drilling in the Arctic Ocean in 2014. This news came days after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Department of the Interior violated U.S. law in deciding to hold drilling Lease Sale 193, during which Shell and other oil companies purchased leases in the Chukchi Sea. This ruling is in response to a lawsuit filed by Oceana and a coalition of conservation and Alaska Native partners, represented by Earthjustice. Shell encountered numerous problems and violations during its 2012 exploration attempt, including an incident when its drilling rig, the Kulluk, ran aground during a winter storm. Currently, there is no proven technology that would allow companies to drill safely in the Arctic. Despite Shell’s attempts, no exploration wells have been completed in the Arctic Ocean in more than 20 years.
