Gulf snow crab quota virtually unchanged from 2013
There was little change in this year’s snow crab quotas for the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, which supports the fisheries in New Brunswick and the North Shore of Nova Scotia, and some in Quebec. The total TAC will be 25,227 tons, about a 2.7 percent decline from the 2013 quota. Overall, Canadian snow crab landings will be very close to 2013; with perhaps a 5 percent overall decrease reports John Sackton.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council removed a controversial member of their Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committee (SESSC) today due to conflict of interest. The Council has decided to reconvene the committee to reconsider actions directly influenced by the member’s vote, including a vote red snapper on allocations. “The objectivity of the SESSC is very important to the Gulf Council process and this conflict of interest in violation of its rules clearly undermines a primary justification cited for the reallocation of red snapper through Amendment 28,” said Eric Brazer, Deputy Director of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance.
In other news, Maine’s four-month scallop season, which runs from December to March, is expected to set record values. Official figures have not been calculated, but an estimate from the DMR said the 2013-14 haul will be above last year’s catch, which totaled 427,080 pounds and was worth nearly $4.9 million.
Finally, Icicle Seafoods has provided the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a $40,000 grant to develop a 10-step quality control program that includes HACCP training. The program will be available later this year in print and online formats.
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