Hey guys
We are going to try and bombard the Council and NMFS with letters between now and the upcoming Council meeting to try and get them to make herring a priority in the coming year. As you know, they put herring on the back burner this year and with so many pressing issues it is vital that we make sure that doesnt happen again.
Below I will paste a sample letter that you guys can send in. Please take a moment and send a few out because we saw at the last meeting that when people send it letters it makes a big difference.
You can either mail it in, or email it to:
Paul Howard-
phoward@nefmc.org and
Pat Kurkul-
pat.kurkul@noaa.gov
You can email the sample as is, or personalize it, whatever you choose. Please take a moment and do this, your efforts will be a big help. Thanks
(PM me if you want to have the letter as a word document)
SAMPLE LETTER
Paul Howard, Executive Director
New England Fisheries Management Council
50 Water Street, Mill 2
Newburyport, MA 01950
Patricia Kurkul, Regional Administrator
Northeast Region, NOAA Fisheries
One Blackburn Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298
RE: Action Needed to Fix Herring Fishery
Dear Captain Howard and Administrator Kurkul,
I write to you today because I am extremely concerned about the health of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the traditional fisheries and communities it supports. My concern arises from the inadequate management of New England’s industrial herring fleet.
The Atlantic herring fishery has serious problems that need to be addressed with a framework to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Currently, midwater trawlers and United States At-sea Processors (USAPs) are operating without proper monitoring and insufficient observer coverage levels. In addition, midwater trawl ships are allowed to operate in groundfish closed areas even though they have a proven bycatch of groundfish, including substantial bycatches of juvenile haddock. Midwater trawl ships also operate near shore, creating substantial gear conflicts. It’s time for the New England Fisheries Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service to initiate a framework that will fix these glaring deficiencies in the herring FMP. The framework should include:
•Mandatory industry-funded observer coverage for midwater trawlers and USAPs
•Requirements to bring all fish aboard for sampling (no dumping of bags at sea)
•Ecosystem-based Area Total Allowable Catch (TAC) setting that takes the needs of predators into account
•A mandatory weigh-master system whenever midwater trawl ships unload that reports catch and bycatch on a daily basis
•An inshore buffer zone that keeps midwater trawl ships at least 50 miles from shore
In addition to changes to the herring FMP, action needs to be taken to keep midwater trawl ships out of Groundfish Closed Areas to protect groundfish stocks of concern. Byactch caps, such as those instituted for haddock as part of Framework 43 to the multispecies groundfish FMP, need to be put in place to protect, at a minimum: groundfish stocks of concern; whiting; and dogfish.
The fleet of 100+ foot midwater trawl ships currently operating in New England poses a grave threat to the future of New England’s healthy fisheries and the rebuilding of groundfish and whiting stocks. I encourage you to take action immediately to protect our marine ecosystem and our traditional fisheries.
Signed,
HERRING ACTION ALERT!!!!! 
