USCG Massachusetts Artificial Reef Addition

artificial reef deployment near Yarmouth, Massachusetts | credit: USCG

The U.S. Coast Guard recently dropped more than 140,000 pounds of obsolete concrete buoy sinkers on an artificial reef near Yarmouth, Massachusetts.

Used to anchor buoys in place, concrete sinkers come in a variety of sizes and weights, from 100 pounds to 20,000 pounds.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oak (WLB-211) and Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) Woods Hole, Massachusetts, used the discontinued concrete sinkers to support the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) artificial reef program.

Lt. Dan Miller, the executive officer of the Newport, Rhode Island-based Coast Guard Cutter Oak, said the artificial reef operation gave crewmembers the chance to complete training and annual weight testing of the buoy handling gear.

Coast Guardsmen deployed the concrete sinkers across a one-acre area of the artificial reef. The program is a valuable resource for commercial and recreational fishermen to cultivate sustainable fisheries, said Miller.

The artificial reef “provides desirable habitat for finfish and lobsters in an otherwise featureless area.” according to Mark Rousseau from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.
“Artificial reefs enhance habitat by providing structures in structure-limited areas,” said  “We expect to see reef associated fish occupying the area around the deployed material by next year.”

Commercial and recreational fisheries support more than 97,000 jobs in Massachusetts, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report on Fisheries Economics in the U.S.

The 128-acre artificial reef was developed in 1978. Until the recent addition of concrete buoy anchors, the reef was lacking structure necessary to attract and sustain a variety of fish species.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Manuel Gonzales, the officer-in-charge of Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) Woods Hole, Massachusetts, said his team jumped at the opportunity to participate in the operation.

“At the ANT, we use 1,000 to 4,000 pound sinkers,” said Gonzales. “When they start to show extreme signs of wear in the concrete or on the bails that attach the chain, they are replaced.”

From the U.S.-Canadian border to Buzzards Bay and Nantucket, Massachusetts, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oak maintains 144 Aids to Navigation (ATON) and supports a wide variety of other missions. The seagoing buoy tender services buoys and beacons that guide ships into Boston; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Portland, Maine.

ANT Woods Hole services more than 232 buoys, 72 beacons and approximately 1,100 Private ATON from the Cape Cod Bay to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

The U.S. Coast Guard maintains more than 48,000 ATON across more than 25,000 miles of navigable American waterways that facilitate the safe movement of millions of mariners and trillions of dollars of trade every year.

Rousseau from the Division of Marine Fisheries said the buoy sinker operation was the first of what he hoped would be many collaborative efforts with the Coast Guard to support artificial reefs.

source: U.S. Coast Guard

Related Information

Massachusetts USA

2019 New Hampshire Striped Bass Survey

Striped Bass

Again this year, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFGD) is asking anglers who fished for striped bass in New Hampshire’s coastal waters to report their catch and effort online at www.fishnh.com/surveys/striped-bass.html.

Participating anglers will be helping marine biologists manage these popular sport fish, and you could win a prize just for taking part in the survey effort.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Marine Fisheries Division has conducted an annual Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey since 1993.

Each year, volunteers of all experience levels complete logbooks documenting information about their striped bass fishing trips in New Hampshire’s coastal waters.

Anglers who fished for striped bass are asked to provide information on their trips, including catch, effort, and striped bass lengths.

By collecting and recording the lengths of released fish, this survey provides a more complete picture of the fishery in New Hampshire than general fishing surveys Fish and Game conducts each year.

Anglers who take part are entered into a drawing for prizes donated by the Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire (CCA-NH) and Kittery Trading Post to encourage participation in this voluntary survey.

Striped bass surveys in New Hampshire are funded in part by the federal Sport Fish Restoration Program.

For more information about the New Hampshire Striped Bass Survey, visit the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department website (wildlife.nh.gov).

source: New Hampshire Fish and Game

2019 Maine Fishermens Forum

2019 Maine Fishermen’s Forum
February 28th thru March 2nd
Samoset Resort - Rockland, ME

The largest event of its kind in New England, the 2019 Maine Fishermen’s Forum will be held from February 28th through March 2nd at the Samoset Resort in Rockland.

The event offers fishermen, clammers, lobstermen, aquaculturalists, and other seafood industry stakeholders opportunities to meet on neutral ground with fisheries managers, state representatives, Congressmen and Senators.

Information will be available on all things fishing: markets, resource status, regulations, technology, the environment, and other topics.

The Forum provides three days of free seminars for fishermen covering a wide range of topics such as the health of the lobster resource, commercial fishing safety, upcoming regulatory actions, and more.

Over 120 suppliers of commercial fishing equipment and services exhibit at the Forum. If it’s of interest to the fishing industry, chances are it will be on hand.

For more information, visit mainefishermensforum.org

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Maine Commercial Fishing

2019 New England Recreational Fishing Workshops

Improving New England Recreational Fisheries Management Workshops
January 8, 2019 - January 12, 2019

NOAA Fisheries’ Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office is hosting three workshops to provide an opportunity for stakeholder input on developing both short- and long-term management measures for the recreational fishing community.

Through a collaborative process, the agency hopes to develop management measures for the recreational groundfish fishery that balance the need to prevent overfishing with enabling profitability in the for-hire fleet and worthwhile fishing opportunities for anglers.

Stakeholders can attend either January 8 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; January 10 in Narragansett, Rhode Island; or January 12 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.


Objectives

Short-term: Develop potential new management measures to achieve, but not exceed, recreational catch limits in Fishing Year 2019, including Gulf of Maine cod/haddock.

Long-term: Think creatively about how to meaningfully use new Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data in management of groundfish stocks with a recreational catch component in the long-term (defined as Fishing Year 2020 and beyond).

Assess and evaluate available research around: methods for avoidance and reduction of bycatch mortality, calculation methods for dead discards, and release methods. NOAA will also identify gaps for future research.

Develop methods to regularly engage with captains and anglers throughout the season to get feedback on catch and trends, and develop ideas on how to enhance coordination between NOAA Fisheries, state partners, scientists, and the recreational fishing community.


Event Details

Space will be limited, and NOAA encourages registering in advance. Once registered, meeting materials and updates will be emailed directly to attendees, when available. Additional meeting materials, including the agenda, will be posted mid-December.

The workshops will be held on the dates listed. Exact timing will be posted on the agenda, and will be approximately from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Each workshop will have the same agenda, and while the discussions may vary depending on the state and local target species. NOAA requests that attendees only register for one workshop so that as many people as possible may attend.

Summaries of recommendations from the workshops will be presented to the New England Fishery Management Council’s Recreational Advisory Panel and the full Council in January.

More Information

For more information, contact Moira Kelly , Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office or Jessica Joyce , Meeting Planner and Facilitator, Tidal Bay Consulting, LLC.

Register online:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-england-recreational-fishing-workshop-nh-tickets-52541276372

source: Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

Massachusetts Striped Bass Research

striped bass

Massachusetts is home to one of the largest striped bass fisheries in the USA. The state's recreational striped bass fishery attracts hundreds of thousands of recreational anglers each year.

In Massachusetts, a variety of research and monitoring programs are conducted on striped bass, some of which help support the regional management process.

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has participated in the Striped Bass Cooperative State‐Federal Coast‐wide Tagging Study since 1991.

The study's primary objective has been to develop an integrated database of tag releases and recoveries that will provide current information related to striped bass mortality and migration rates.

During 2015, Striped Bass Research Project staff conducted 14 trips aboard contracted vessels, tagging a total of 365 striped bass.

Annual post‐release survival of striped bass (28 inches and greater) tagged in Massachusetts waters has been relatively stable over the last decade, averaging 74%.

A technical report summarizing the tagging studies conducted by DMF since 1991 is available:

Nelson, G. A., J. Boardman and P. Caruso. Massachusetts striped bass tagging programs, 1991‐2014. Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries technical report TR‐61. 37 p.

For more information, visit the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries website.

source: Massachusetts Marine Fisheries 2015 Annual Report

Penobscot River Dam Removal

On June 11, 2012, an event was held at the Penobscot Indian Nation reservation to celebrate the breaching of the Great Works Dam on the Penobscot River in Maine. The Great Works dam breaching kicks off a larger effort to improve access to nearly 1,000 miles of river habitat on the Penobscot River.

This large-scale, ecosystem-level project will remove the Great Works and Veazie dams and build a fish bypass around the Howland dam. The project will open up the river to eleven species of migratory fish, including endangered Atlantic salmon, sturgeon, and river herring.

The project will also create new community and economic benefits throughout the watershed. The removal of the Great Works dam, which was partially funded by NOAA through the Recovery Act, has supported more than 250 jobs including engineering, hydrology, construction, science, and local contracting services.
Similar benefits are expected for the Veazie Dam removal and Howland bypass construction. With the river flowing freely, fishers, kayakers, and paddlers will have increased opportunities for recreation on the river.

The three dams are currently used for hydropower generation.  They will continue to operate until the time of removal. Energy generation lost as a result of the removals and decommissioning will be replaced by expanding capacity at existing projects primarily within the Penobscot River watershed. When the project is complete, hydropower generation will be maintained at the same levels as before the project began, and may even increase.

The project is part of collaboration between the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, NOAA and other federal and state agencies, the Penobscot Indian Nation, and seven conservation groups.

source: NOAA FishNews

2012 Gulf of Maine Recreational Cod Regs

Recreational fishermen that fish for Atlantic cod in the Gulf of Maine received notice concerning 2012 regulations on April 2. NOAA announced that that a total of 6,700 metric tons (mt) of GOM cod would be available to commercial and recreational fishermen for the 2012 fishing year, down from 8,000 mt in 2011.

In 2011, a stock assessment found that the cod biomass was much smaller than presumed, and that a cutback in the range of 90% would ultimately be needed. For 2012, NOAA accepted a 22% reduction in the total allowable catch, but predicted that a much more stringent reduction would likely need to be implemented for
the 2013 fishing year.

2012 Gulf of Maine recreational Atlantic cod regulations will include a reduced daily possession limit from 10 cod to nine, and a smaller minimum size (19 inches). The new minimum size is intended to reduce the number of cod discarded by anglers attempting to reach their nine-fish limit, thus reducing discard mortality.

What are Cusk?

The cusk is one of the lesser known saltwater fish found in New England. Cusk are related to cod but have a more eel-shaped body. Cusk is sometimes found in New England fish markets. Its mild meat is suitable for stews and chowders.

Although not managed as a commercial fishery, cusk were listed as a species of concern by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in 2004 due to very low estimates of abundance compared to historical levels.

To learn more about cusk populations, habitat preferences, and other information, Gulf of Maine Research Institute Fisheries recently undertook a study which will include underwater videography, hook and line surveys, and other data.

Early results found cusk in rocky, sheltered habitats, and none in more open habitats. Video footage of cusk shows them retreating into burrows, which suggests that conventional trawl surveys might not yield accurate information about cusk abundance.

source: Gulf of Maine Research Institute

How to Catch Boston Mackerel

Atlantic mackerel, also known as Boston mackerel, are famous for their spring runs along the Mid Atlantic coast. Although catches have decreased in many areas, they are still caught out of some Mid Atlantic and New England ports. Boston mackerel fishing is most often done on head boats, although some anglers prefer to go on charter boats or private trips.

Boston mackerel are caught by jigging; no bait is required. Most mackerel rigs are based on the same basic design which is often called a "mackerel tree". Basic mackerel rigs feature hooks that are covered with colored tubing. The lures are rigged in a sequence with a weight at the bottom. Mackerel rigs can be found in tackle shops or from online suppliers.

Several variations from the basic mackerel tree exist. Depending on preference, offset or non-offset hooks may be used. Some mackerel tube rigs are rigged on specially bent hooks, which impart a swirling action to the lures. Aside from shape, hooks can be dressed in several ways. For mackerel tube purists, red, orange, green, and yellow are the most common colors.

Other mackerel tubes go beyond the use of simple colored hose. Some models feature clear hose, with silver or gold tinsel inside. These small lures are durable and inexpensive, yet highly reflective. In addition to tube designs, some anglers prefer to make their own custom mackerel lures. These are created by tying strands of bucktail (deer hair), feathers, or synthetic materials to hooks.

Weights also vary according to angler preference or local tradition. Some anglers use inexpensive bank sinkers for mackerel fishing. Other fishermen attach a diamond jig or other style of metal jig on the leader. Metal jigs are thought to attract fish from greater distances due to their reflective properties.

Mackerel rigs are usually fished on medium-weight outfits which allow anglers to pull in multiple fish at once. Some anglers use lighter outfits and fewer lures per leader. On the other end of the spectrum are mackerel specialists that seek maximum harvests. These mackerel fishing fanatics sometimes connect multiple mackerel trees or rig their own custom leaders, bringing the total number of hooks per rod to 6 or 8.

To catch mackerel, anglers work the line by alternately jigging and letting line out. This action covers the entire water column from just below the surface to the ocean floor. When the bottom is felt, most anglers begin retrieving and jigging in order to work the water column from bottom to top. Once a bite is felt, anglers continue to jig in hopes of getting a multiple hookup. If the school of mackerel is large enough, a fish may be caught on every hook.

In some areas, Atlantic herring occur together with mackerel. Although smaller in size, these fish can also be a challenge for anglers. When herring are encountered, some anglers target them by using slightly smaller sized lures.