[Rimarinefisheries] States Schedule Hearings on Jonah Crab Draft Addendum I

[rimarinefisheries at listserve.ri.gov]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, FEBRUARY 11, 2016
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER, 703.842.0740

States Schedule Hearings on Jonah Crab Draft Addendum I

Arlington, VA - The states of Maine through Maryland have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan  for Jonah Crab (FMP). The details of those hearings follow.


Maine Dept. of Marine Resources
March 17, 2016; 6-8 PM
Casco Bay Lines Conference Room
56 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell<mailto:terry.stockwell at maine.gov> at 207.624.6553



Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

March 14, 2016; 5:30 PM

New Bedford Fairfield Inn and Suites

185 McArthur Drive

New Bedford, Massachusetts

Contact: Dan McKiernan<mailto:dan.mckiernan at state.ma.us> at 617.626.1536



March 15, 2016; 6:00 PM

MA DMF Annisquam River Field Station

30 Emerson Avenue

Gloucester, Massachusetts

Contact: Dan McKiernan<mailto:dan.mckiernan at state.ma.us> at 617.626.1536

Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management
March 16, 2016; 6-9 PM
University of Rhode Island Bay Campus
Corliss Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Scott Olszewski<mailto:solszews at dem.state.ri.us> at 401.423.1934

New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
March 23, 2016; 6:30 PM
New York State Dept. of Enviro Conservation
205 North Belle Mead Road, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Rachel Sysak<mailto:rachel.sysak at dec.ny.gov> at 631.444.0469

Maryland Department of Natural Resources
April 4, 2016; 2-4 PM
Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce
12320 Ocean Gateway
Ocean City, Maryland
Contact: Craig Weedon<mailto:cweedon at dnr.state.md.us> at 410.643.4601 ext. 2113


The Draft Addendum proposes changes to the incidental bycatch limits for non-trap gear (e.g., otter trawls, gillnets) and non-lobster trap gear (e.g., fish, crab, and whelk pots). For non-trap gear, the Draft Addendum includes options to maintain, increase, or eliminate the bycatch limit, while options for non-lobster traps include establishing bycatch limits of varying size or maintaining no limit on these gears. The intent of the Draft Addendum is to cap incidental landings of Jonah crab while ensuring the inclusion of current participants in the Jonah crab fishery.

The FMP currently prescribes a 200 crab per calendar day/500 crab per trip incidental bycatch limit for non-trap gear; however, concerns were expressed over the appropriateness of these limits. Data submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries illustrate while 97-99% of trips from 2010 through 2014 were within the current limit, there were several trips above the limit. Furthermore, current bycatch landings were sufficiently low, accounting for approximately 0.1% of total landings.

Bycatch limits for non-lobster trap gear were added as a second issue for consideration in the Draft Addendum to address concerns regarding the lack of effort controls on non-lobster traps and the potential for trap proliferation. Data submitted by NOAA Fisheries show between May 1, 2013 and August 31, 2015, 194 trips landed Jonah crab with whelk pots, crab pots, and fish pots. Of these, 80 trips landed 100 crab or fewer and 115 trips landed 200 crab or fewer.  Approximately 45 trips landed between 200 and 500 crab and 40 trips landed more than 450 crab.  Landings from Maryland show between 2012 and 2015, 33 trips landed Jonah crab with fish pots. All of these trips were under 200 pounds. Reports also indicated from 2014-2015, 36 trips landed Jonah crab with whelk pots. Average landings per trip with whelk pots were under 500 pounds; however, there is concern that these whelk pot landings may in fact be rock crab, a closely related species which is often misreported as Jonah crab.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/JonahCrabDraftAddendumI_PublicComment_Feb2016.pdf or via the Commission's website, www.asmfc.org<http://www.asmfc.org>, under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on April 18, 2016 and should be forwarded to Megan Ware, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mware at asmfc.org<mailto:mware at asmfc.org> (Subject line: Draft Addendum I).
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PR16-07



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Tina Berger
Director of Communications
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A-N
Arlington, VA 22201

703.842.0740
tberger at asmfc.org<mailto:tberger at asmfc.org>
www.asmfc.org
Visit us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticStatesMarineFisheriesCommission> and Twitter<https://twitter.com/ASMFC>

Vision: Sustainably Managing Atlantic Coastal Fisheries

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