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What's New? (Last Updated: 1/2/09 )
Notice of Availability of Amendment 16 to the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper FMP
This amendment would, among other things, require use of dehooking and venting tools to reduce bycatch mortality of snapper-grouper species. Comments on this rule must be received by February 23, 2009.
Final Rule to Amend the Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan
This rule extends existing regulations that prohibit nighttime fishing with medium mesh gillnets in North Carolina state waters from November 1 through April 30 for an additional three years.
Petition for Rulemaking to Implement the Provisions of the MMPA for Swordfish Imports
NOAA Fisheries has received a petition for rulemaking from two non-governmental organizations to initiate rulemaking to ban the importation of commercial fish or products from fish that have been caught with commercial fishing technology that results in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals in excess of U.S. standards. This petition was filed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, and public comments on this petition will be accepted through January 29, 2009.
November-December 2009 Bycatch Communication Network Newsletter
This newsletter, supported by the Centre for Environmental, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science in the United Kingdom, contains articles on sea turtle and seabird bycatch.
Final MMPA List of Fisheries for 2009
NOAA Fisheries has published its final List of Fisheries for 2009, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NOAA Fisheries must categorize each commercial fishery on the list into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of serious injury and mortality of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The categorization of a fishery determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan requirements.
Proposed Rule to Implement Amendment 30B to the FMP fo rthe Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (November 2008)
Among other things, this rule would establish an incidental bycatch allowance trip limit for commercial gag and red grouper, and would reduce the commercial minimum size limit for red grouper from 20 to 18 inches total length to reduce bycatch. The comment period for this rule ends on January 2, 2009.
Final Rule to Revise the List of Allowable Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) for the Southeastern Shrimp Fishery (November 2008)
This rule decertifies the expanded mesh BRD, the "Gulf fisheye" BRD, and the "fisheye" BRD, as currently specified for use in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery. This rule also certifies a new specification for the fisheye device to be used in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this rule is to further reduce total finfish bycatch in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery. This rule is effective May 18, 2009.
Final Rule to Implement a Modified Pound Net Leader Inspection Program in Virginia Chesapeake Bay Waters (November 2008)
This rule will help ensure that required modified pound new leaders do in fact meet the definition of a modified pound net leader. Modified pound net leaders are designed to help protected threatened and endangered sea turtles that encounter pound nets.
Report of the U.S. Longline Bycatch Reduction Assessment and Planning Workshop (November 2008)
Based on a September 2007 workshop, this report reviews and assesses the results of all U.S. longline bycatch reduction efforts to date.
International Fisheries Observer and Monitoring Conference Invites Abstracts (November 2008)
The 6th International Fisheries Observer & Monitoring Conference will be held on July 20-24, 2009, in Portland, Maine. This conference is the premier international forum for fisheries monitoring and observer program issues.
Related Sites
Fishery management councils and commissions. NOAA Fisheries relies on a diverse array of partnerships to help reduce fisheries bycatch, and this site contains links to some of our most prominent partners.
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