AFS - Wednesday, September 7 - Permit Banks and New England Fishermen

"Catch shares" fisheries management includes Limited Access Priviledge Programs (LAPP) and individual quota programs that allocate a secure amount of fish to individuals, cooperatives, or communities. Catch shares allow fishermen to fish, sell, or trade their quota whenever they want in a given year. This theoretically allows fishermen more flexibility in their operations, reduces a "race" to catch fish (often dangerous), and allows them to time their catch according to market fluctuations in order to maximize their profits. Catch share management is expanding to new fisheries every year as it has become a popular choice among managers for achieving more efficient, safe, and productive sustainable fisheries. However, these programs are extremely controversial and the strengths and weaknesses of catch shares are hotly contested. At the very least, catch share management represents a dramatic change in fisheries management that challenges fishermen to adapt. Today, at the AFS meeting, 28 talks were given on catch share programs, outlining their sucesses and failures.

Among the problems associated with catch share programs is that it tends to promote consolidation of the fishing fleet into the larger boats, as smaller day boats have a more difficult time turning a profit in the new system. The reasons for this are many and they are complex. One approach to addressing this problem is through establishing permit banks, which are a collection of fishing permits that can be held by a private or governement entity. Today, Michael Pentony from NOAA presented the current permit bank program that allows Northeastern states to hold a permit bank. Six million dollars were given to these states to establish permit banks; 3 million to Maine, and 1 million each to Massachussetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. This money is intended to be used to purchase fishing permits that will provide quota that can then be leased out to fishermen at a reduced cost. Theoretically, this will prevent consolidation by providing more fish quota to smaller boats. Maine has already bought permits and sold quota to fishermen, while NH, MA, and RI are still organizing their programs. But will this help smaller boats compete with larger boats that can have higher fish allocations and more resources for purchasing quota? Only time will tell.

For more information on Catch shares, visit www.nmfs.noaa.gov/catchshares

-Erik Chapman

AFS - Seattle, September 6 - Connecting Climate Science to Fisheries Management

Well, that's an interesting challenge! Climate scientists, ecosystem modelers, and fisheries biologists and managers came together here at the AFS meeting in Seattle yesterday to discuss the challenges facing managers as they try to incorporate climate science in management. It became clear through the course of the presentations that there is broad consensus that climate influences fisheries, and that we would like to get to a place where we can understand these linkages well enough to predict the future. However, it also became clear that we have a long way to go to get there!
Anne Hollowed, from the National Marine Fisheries Service in Alaska, discussed how climate can influence the phenology of ecosystem events, the distribution of species, species interactions, and species vital rates. Ultimately, all of the complex physical, biological, ecological, and physiological interactions must be considered in predicting the influence of climate on ecosystems.
A more specific example was given by Jeff Napp (Univ. Washington) who explained that in the Bering Sea, scientists understand that physical processes, in particular sea ice, structure the marine ecosystem. He described a system where climate variability drives changes in marine communities that oscillates between two very different states (for more information, go to www.bsierp.nprb.org). This information has been used alongside traditional stock indices to inform management for Alaskan Pollock. This is one of the only examples I'm aware of where ecosystem indices inform management.
Michael Alexander, from NOAAs Earth Systems Laboratory, brought things to a larger, and longer scale and explained that climate predictions come with a great deal of uncertainty, that is compounded by our incomplete knowledge of climate systems, marine ecology, and the connections between the two. He emphasized that the same climate models run over a longer time period, predict very different outcomes for the same location. Charlie Stock, from NOAA's Princeton, GeoFluid Dynamics Lab, emphasized how difficult it is to predict climate 10+ years down the road.
So, where do we go from here? The group discussed where "low" and "high" hanging fruit might be found. It was suggested that scientists may want to focus on short-term predictions rather than a longer-term response to climate change although it is unclear which is more challenging! In the mean time, it seems that the use of climate and ecosystem indices described by Jeff Napp in the Bering Sea gives us a good model of how climate science can inform management today - I wonder if there are other examples where our knowledge of climate and marine ecosystems is good enough to inform management as well?
-Erik Chapman

AFS Meeting is Underway!

I arrived in Seattle yesterday morning and after a brief light-rail transit to downtown from the airport, I was finally able to take a seat at this year's American Fisheries Society meeting.  The weather has been sunny and unseasonably warm (almost 90F!).  On days like these, Mt. Rainier towers over this beautiful city inspiring thoughts of hiking and camping, or at least a trip to REI!   I did my best to sort of ignore all of that, take a deep breath of the ocean-air, and head into the Washington State Convention Center which was buzzing with over 4,000 attendees.  People have come from all over the world to be here to take in the latest contributions and discussions around emerging and continuing hot-topics in sustainable marine fisheries.  I love this meeting because is touches on my many of my broad interests in this field.  There are sessions dedicated to fish biology, ecology and oceanography and sessions focusing on management.  

Yesterday, I attended a session titled, "Connecting Climate Science to Fisheries Management and Ecology in a Changing World."  Today, I'll split time between "Catch Share Programs in the U.S. Commercial Fisheries" and "Adaptability of Fish Life Histories."  Tomorrow, I may split time between "Cognitive, Sensory, and Behavioral Frontiers Exploring Fish Movement and Habitat Use" and "Electronic Frontiers in Fisheries Management - Log Books and Real Time Fishery Information Systems - Case Studies."  For more information on the program, go to:  http://afs2011.org/

I will do my best to provide updates here.  Gotta run to the 8:00am start!

-Erik Chapman

Putting your business on the digital map

With all the tourists visiting the Seacoast this summer, it's a safe bet that many of them will touch the screen of their smartphone to find a local eatery that offers fresh seafood rather than flip through the local phone book.


Many of the attendees are also participating in the lobster TAA.


Shane Bradt, geospatial extension specialist for UNH Cooperative Extension, presented information on how to put businesses on the digital map, giving fishermen and small businessmen the opportunity to reach new clients who are increasingly tech-savvy. Approximately 30 fishermen and small business owners attended the Fisheries Roundtable discussion on June 13th from 6-8 p.m. at the Portsmouth Public Library, co-hosted by the Northeast Consortium and N.H. Sea Grant.

For many business owners, marketing products and services to the public in the digital age can be confusing due to the increasing number of options and that pace at which they are changing, explained Bradt.

He said that while there is still value in traditional forms of advertising--in newspapers, flyers, phone book listings or roadside ads--the trend is turning away from these and is focused more on computer-based information via the Internet on your home computer, your car's GPS system, or on the new smartphones that you carry with you wherever you go.

"It's important to get your business listed correctly on online maps so people can find you," Bradt said. "Even if you personally don't have a smartphone, many of your potential clients may have one."

Bradt said that as of July 2010, there were approximately 53.4 million smartphone users int he U.S., and projections estimate that smartphone users will outnumber "feature" cell phone users--those without Internet access--by late this year.

"This represents a seismic shift in the way people find and access information," he said.

Smartphones take advantage of GPS devices and online map databases to provide suggestions for, say, restaurants that serve lobster, and then provide directions for you to walk or drive there. For the technologically savvy, this on-the-go information is handy to quickly and easily find what they're looking for. For fishermen looking to connect with new markets and dealers, this is an easy way to get their business information listed with little or not cost to them.

For the small business owner or fisherman looking to direct more business through his or her door, getting business information into the most relevant databases is imperative. Taking the time to list your business online ensures that your clients have accurate information about your services and how to find you. And, Bradt added, it's best to list your business information in a variety of databases to ensure it shows up in the myriad computer devices available to the public.

At the end of Bradt's presentation, he suggested nine databases in which to enter business information for free: InfoUSA, Localeze, NavTeq, SuperPages, TeleAtlas, Bing, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps and MapQuest. Computers were available for workshop attendees to begin listing their business information with help from Bradt and Erik Chapman, a fisheries extension specialist for N.H. Sea Grant. Bradt and Chapman are pictured here helping out Scott Bailey from Port Norris, N.J.

For more information about listing your business online, please contact Shane Bradt at 603-862-4277 or sbradt@unh.edu.

NH Sea Grant/UNH Cooperative Extension and Blue Ocean Society Take Steps to Reduce Marine Debris

The NH Sea Grant and Blue Ocean Society have joined together to create the Marine Debris to Energy Project in an effort to reduce the amount of debris that is either thrown away as waste or ends up in the marine environment. One of the debris materials that the project is focusing on is monofilament fishing line. Fishing line takes up to 600 years to decompose and can have many negative impacts on a variety of marine wildlife when improperly disposed of in the environment. Hundreds of fish, birds and even land animals are harmed every year due to entanglement. When wildlife become entangled in or ingest monofilament, it can result can be the loss of the animal’s flippers, tails, or wings and can cause drowning, starvation, and death. Boat propellers can even get entangled in discarded monofilament line, causing costly repairs for boat owners.

To effectively address the issue of monofilament fishing line, NH Sea Grant and the Blue Ocean have directed efforts on collaborating with charter fishing companies, marinas, and bait and tackle shops in Portsmouth, Rye, Seabrook and Hampton. These businesses have been asked to participate by allowing collection bins to be placed at marinas, shops, or directly on fishing vessels. Any excess or used monofilament fishing line can be thrown into the collection bins rather than being tossed in the trash or left at risk of entering the environment. When the collection bins have been filled they are picked up by organization staff members so that the monofilament fishing line can be recycled. The project is cost free to anyone who chooses to participate. If you would like to learn more information about the project please visit the NH Marine Debris to Energy Project website: http://cecf1.unh.edu/debris/.

In addition to the project created by NH Sea Grant and the Blue Ocean Society, another program, the Stow It – Don’t Throw It Project has been created by Sean Russell. This project works with youth to create and distribute personal-sized monofilament fishing line recycling bins as a way to reduce marine debris. More information on the Stow It – Don’t Throw It Project can be found at http://www.stowitdontthrowitproject.org/index.html.

NH Sea Grant begins GREEN-FIT Project to Address Fuel Savings

Although fuel prices have started to drop just a bit the past couple of weeks, recent upward trends in diesel prices have sent a warning shot across the bow of New England’s fishing fleet. “Operational costs are crushing us,” explains David Goethel, a Hampton, NH fisherman. “Fuel is now up a dollar from last year and the price of fish is down a dollar.” While fishermen are exploring ways like direct marketing to increase the value of their catch, many are also looking at ways to reduce the input costs to their businesses. Goethel explains, “This situation puts us on a collision course with disaster and we’re looking to save money any way we can.”
New Hampshire Sea Grant and University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, recently began a project with David Goethel and Jeff Steele, of Global Marine Consulting to do just that. This project , supported by the Northeast Consortium will utilize the expertise of Jeff Steele, to consult with fishermen and look for and implement modifications to their vessel that will reduce fuel and operational costs. Steele “is best known for refitting the FV Time Bandit made famous from television reality show, “Deadliest Catch” with fuel-efficient and other modifications that improve emissions and operational costs (a Green-fit). Improving existing vessels in this way is part of that Steele refers to as his “Go-Green Vessel” program which he feels will help todays' fishing fleet prepare for the future. “Over the next decade the boats themselves will not change much as new more efficient hulls are too costly to build, so the "older" fleet will continue. Some vessels will be re-powered but the majority will continue with the older engines due to the high cost of new engines. The opportunity is to provide the technologies and equipment to "upgrade" the current fleet."

The Geen-Fit Program
The Green-Fit project is based on the idea that people are more likely to adopt a new way of doing things when they are able to see people they know, who are doing things like them, have success with a new approach. In that spirit, Jeff Steele will Green-Fit David Goethel’s trawling vessel (FV Ellen Diane) with a number of modifications that are designed to improve operational efficiency and the environmental footprint while David fishes. The Green-Fit will serve as a platform for exploring both behavioral and technical options for improving the fuel economy of the bottom-trawl industry. Modifications will include a hydrogen fuel injection system, a fuel filtration system and a by-pass oil filtration system. The hydrogen fuel injection system uses electricity from the boat to separate hydrogen and oxygen from water and inject the hydrogen into the ignition system improving the engine’s combustion system. Burning the fuel more efficiently has the added benefit of reducing emissions. These modifications could improve Goethel’s fuel use by up to 30%. The by-pass oil filtration system will lengthen the life of engine oil, reducing the frequency that he must pay for oil changes. This could save him 80% of the costs that he would otherwise spend on new oil and for the oil changes. “David may never need to change his oil again” Steele proclaims. The by-pass oil filtration system costs just over $1,000.00 and the hydrogen fuel injection system will run close to $5,000.00 installed. As a former New England fisherman, Steele understands the financial stress fishermen are under, but he sees hope for the future with the help of relatively inexpensive vessel modifications, “I believe in the benefits of these new technologies. They can make life better for the people that run and work these vessels, and they can help improve the environment as well.”
So, are you ready to Green-fit your boat? Probably not – it will help to see whether these technologies will work as advertised, and to see some numbers that can better quantify the cost-benefit of each modification a vessel owner may consider. “You don’t know that it works until you measure it” as Jeff Steele explains. David Goethel elaborates, “We need to see if these things really work, can it work on my 2-cycle Detroit Diesel? How soon would someone recover their costs for these things and what are the pitfalls of trying them?” Goethel asks

Fuel Usage Baseline and Monitoring

With this in mind, the first step of the Green-fit project will be to collect baseline information. How often is David currently changing his oil? How much does he spend on oil? What are emissions from his boat? How much fuel is he burning under his normal fishing operations and how much does it cost? Data will be collected to answer all these questions. To answer this last question, a fuel flow meter will be installed on his vessel and he will operate his boat under normal conditions for 1 to 2 weeks.
The next step will be to install the new equipment on the FV Ellen Diane. Data will be collected to compare the benefit of adding the new equipment. The fuel flow meter will measure the benefit of adding the hydrogen fuel injector unit and the fuel filter. Emissions and costs related to changing the vessel’s oil will be measured. The influence of the way that Goethel tows or how fast he transits on fuel consumption will also be measured. Engine torque sensors will be installed to accurately equate how hard the engine is working to how much fuel is used. In this way, weather and sea conditions can be factored into the evaluation. All of the information gathered from the project will be presented in workshops and online with the goal of providing a “menu” of options with costs and benefits that other fishermen may choose to improve their operating costs. In addition to working with a trawling vessel, the New Hampshire Sea Grant and University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension are looking to expand the project to demonstrate similar technologies on a lobster boat.
The modifications will be made to FV Ellen Diane at the beginning of July. Stay tuned for progress and look for a “menu” of operational cost-saving options coming soon!



For more information on this project, visit http://extension.unh.edu/Marine/Green-FitMainPage.htm
or contact Erik Chapman
603.862.1935 erik.chapman@unh.edu

To reduce bycatch, think like a fish - SeafoodSource.com

Quoted from http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx?id=10383&utm_source=NewsLinks&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=InformzNews:

To reduce bycatch, think like a fish - SeafoodSource.com

By Lisa Duchene, SeafoodSource contributing editor
26 May, 2011 - To help fishing boats harvest primarily their target catch and minimal amounts of bycatch, it helps to think like a fish. When haddock encounter a net, they tend to swim up into the water column and slowly drift back into the net. Codfish, on the other hand, tend to swim toward the bottom.

Knowing how these two intermingling groundfish species, valuable sources of the whitefish supply, behave differently was critical to the design of a net known in New England as “the Eliminator,” or the Ruhle Trawl, which is engineered with smaller mesh at the top to snag the haddock and huge, eight-foot mesh at the bottom to allow cod to escape.

In testing tows on Georges Bank, the Eliminator caught 83 percent fewer codfish than a conventional net.