Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting; Houston, TX

For the past couple of days I've been in Houston, TX attending a Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) Meeting.
The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission was established by an act of Congress in 1949 as a compact of the five Gulf States. Its charge is: "to promote better utilization of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the seaboard of the Gulf of Mexico, by the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries and the prevention of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause."
My main reason for attending the meeting is for the Gulf states Sea Grant fisheries subcomittee meeting. I am one of two representatives from Florida Sea Grant who attends the bi-annual meeting. We meet with other Sea Grant representatives from the Gulf region to discuss current regional progams and issues. I feel honored to be apart of the group as the members are a hardworking dedicated group of professionals. I learn something from them everytime I go. Today's meeting focused on Gulf seafood marketing programs that are underway in the region. We heard from the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation about a multi-million dollar marketing campaign they are working on to restore people's confidence in the safety and quality of Gulf seafood. We were told about a very interesting study that looked at consumer preferences/attitudes about Gulf seafood in light of the oil spill. It is very interesting. http://louisianaseafood.com/pdf/LSPMBSeafoodPhaseI-FinalVersion.pdf
The findings from the study are a strong justification for me continuing with my seafood outreach efforts as there is still much confusion, skeptism, and questions about the safety of our region's seafood.

FMNP Alumni Trip:10K Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail and Kirby Shorter Boardwalk

Letter: FDA must revise fish-consumption advice

I thought you might find this interesting as I have been posting a lot of stories relating to seafood consumption.
From SeafoodSource.com

Letter: FDA must revise fish-consumption advice

U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.) are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to update its seafood-consumption advice for pregnant and nursing women, emphasizing that the advisory is inconsistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent recommendation to eat fish twice a week and with scientific research confirming that the health benefits of eating seafood regularly far outweigh the risks.
U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.) on Monday urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revise its seafood-consumption advice for pregnant and nursing women in light of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which for the time encourage consumers to eat seafood at least twice a week for heart and brain health. Updated every five years, the new dietary guidelines were released in late January.
Since 2004, the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency has warned pregnant and nursing women and young children to limit seafood intake to 12 ounces per week, limit albacore tuna intake to 6 ounces per week and avoid consuming swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish altogether due to the health risks associated with the neurotoxin methylmercury.
In a 10 March letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Gillibrand and Coburn said the FDA-EPA advisory is inconsistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent recommendation and with scientific research confirming that the health benefits of eating seafood regularly far outweigh the risk.
“While the [FDA-EPA advisory] is in many ways medically accurate, the recommendations communicate an overly risk-averse, precautionary principle that has led to unhealthy reductions in seafood consumption among pregnant women,” they said in the letter. Citing the dietary guidelines, they said “the benefits of consuming seafood far outweigh the risks, even for pregnant women,” and seafood’s nutritional value “is of particular importance” during fetal growth and development, as well as in early infancy and childhood.
Gillibrand went on to say in a press release on Monday that reduced seafood consumption is “causing harm to fetal and child development.”
“Consumers look to FDA for the most reliable source for dietary advice, yet their guidelines are six years old and inconsistent with more recent recommendations,” she said. “As a mother and a lawmaker, it is critical that the FDA provide the most up-to-date and scientific information on seafood consumption. Parents need this information to make educated decision for their families.”
Gillibrand and Coburn asked Hamburg to respond to their letter within 30 days, including the FDA’s plans to update the 2004 advisory to be consistent with new dietary guidelines.
The letter is singed by 16 other congressmen and congresswomen, including Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.).

Collier County Commercial Landings and Value for 2009/2010 Season

Grouper and snapper being
at a fish house in Naples.

Ever wonder how much seafood commercial fishermen harvest in Florida? By law, they are required to report their catch each time they come to port and the state keeps records of what is landed and how much. Records have been kept since the mid 1980's. I wanted to share with you the preliminary landings and value data for Collier County's commercial fishing industry for the 2009/2010 season. Note that stone crabs were the most valuable commodity. Click on the graph to enlarge it.

To see the complete list of commercial landings in Florida visit:
http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fishstats/commercial-fisheries/landings-in-florida/

Naples Seafood Seminar and Sampling Tour A Success!

Yesterday 30 participants took part in my first Naples Seafood Seminar and Sampling Tour, and I'm proud to say the program was a huge success! The goals of the program were to make participants more informed consumers about purchasing and consuming seafood as well as increase their awareness and appreciation of our local seafood industry.
The program started off with me giving some presentations on seafood safety and sustainability as well as an overview of the Florida seafood industry. We next headed over to Randy’s Fish Market Restaurant, a nationally-acclaimed restaurant and seafood market, where participants had the opportunity to sample some of the restaurants fresh seafood. The group started off with some Gulf pink shrimp, and then were served of black grouper, tripletail, and escolar (white tuna). Randy was also kind enough to give everyone some of his famous key lime pie. Each participant received a $20 gift certificate to the restaurant as well.
Our next stop included a visit to Captain Tom Marvel, a commercial grouper/king mackerel fisherman based out of  Naples (he also runs a charter fishing business as well; http://www.captmarvel.com/). It was raining at this point, and Tom was kind enough to let everyone onto his boat. I'm willing to be it was the first time many of the participants had ever been on a commercial grouper boat. Tom's talk was fantastic! He showed us the type of gear he uses and told us about his involvement in the local fishery. Tom  is a very knowledgeable fishermen and did a great job of explaining how grouper and king mackerel are manged in the Gulf of Mexico. The group really seemed to enjoy the interaction.  One of the things he told us was that most of the grouper he lands is sold in the Naples area (just shows how high the demand is locally) where most of his king mackerel goes to New York and Canada because there is more of a demand there for that species.

Our last stop of the day was at Captain Kirk’s Stone Crabs Fresh Seafood Market, a historically well-known market in Naples, to visit with its owners, Pat and Damas Kirk. Damas is a 4th generation Florida commercial fisherman and gave a very insightful overview of his 40-year experience as a commercial grouper and stone crab fishermen. Like Capt Marvel, Damas is extremely knowledgeable about the region's fisheries and seafood industry, and the group learned a lot from him. At one point, Damas talked about how fewer young people are getting into the business because of the regulations and hardships associated with it. He said he was a "dinosaur" but just wasn't extinct yet! 
 As a added bonus, Pat served the group samples of some smoked mullet and an absolutely amazing fish dip (it had both mullet and king mackerel) to expose the group to some local fare. It was quickly devoured with much gratitude.
  This was the first time I attempted to do this program, and it certainly will not be the last. Based on the evaluations I received, it is clear people have a great interest in learning more about seafood and our region's fisheries. I owe many thanks to several of my colleagues in the County who helped me plan and carry out the program as well as my partners in the local industry. I couldn't have done it without their help.
  If you'd like to hear a little more about the tour, NBC-2 did a story on the program while we were at Randy's. http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=14228689
 
See more photos below!

Guy Ewing, seafood consultant for Randy's Fish Market Restaurant
shares with the group the type of fish they will be trying.

Sampling black grouper, escolar, and tripletail at Randy's.

Aboard the Sea Marvel, Captain Tom Marvel discusses what a typical
grouper fishing trip is like. The large containers you see are ice boxes.

Tom shows the group some of the gear (an umbrella rig) he uses to fish with for king mackerel.



Captain Damus Kirk talks to the group about his family's long history associated with fishing Florida's waters.



Pat Kirk explains the challenges of finding a steady supply of locally-caught seafood.

Pat gives participants a taste of smoked mullet and their famous fish dip. YUMMY!!!!

NOAA: U.S. 'Turning a Corner' in Ending Overfishing

 March 8, 2011 NOAA Press Release

At a hearing today in front of the Senate Commerce Committee on the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Assistant NOAA Administrator for Fisheries Eric Schwaab said that the U.S. is making good progress toward meeting the mandate to end domestic overfishing.

“We know that nearly $31 billion in sales and as many as 500,000 jobs are lost because our fisheries are not performing as well as they would if all stocks were rebuilt,” Schwaab said. “While we are turning a corner toward a brighter future for fishermen and fishing communities, many fishermen are struggling in part as a result of years of decline in fishing opportunity.”
Schwaab said that NOAA is committed to working with fishermen and communities during this period of transition.
Our nation’s fisheries have been vital to the economics and identities of our coastal communities for hundreds of years. According to the most recent estimates, U.S. commercial and saltwater recreational fisheries support almost two million jobs and generate more than $160 billion in sales.
Schwaab talked about fishery management challenges, including improving collection, analysis, and accuracy of scientific information used to manage both recreational and commercial fisheries. He indicated that NOAA Fisheries will continue to work hard with the regional fishery management councils, fishermen and the coastal communities to increase confidence in the management system and ensure productive and efficient fisheries.
“We have turned a corner in our management of fisheries in this country, and the sacrifices made and being made by so many who rely on this industry are showing great promise,” Schwaab said. “As we end overfishing and rebuild stocks, we will increase the economic output of our fisheries, improve the economic conditions for our fishermen, and create better, more stable and sustainable jobs and opportunities in our coastal communities.”
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. A copy of Eric Schwaab’s testimony is available  online at:.http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/112testimony.html

March is National Nutrition Month: Enjoy the many health benefits of seafood!

Image credit: NOAA

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month (NNM)?
National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. NNM also promotes ADA and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information. If you go to the website below, you can find lots of great resources about improving your health through diet and exercise.http://www.eatright.org/nnm/
Why, might you ask, am I writing about ADA's nutrition month program when my outreach work focuses mostly on fisheries, marine ecology, and seafood sustainability? Well, seafood is obviously a major component of my extension work, and just as important as sustainability issues, are the important health benefits that seafood provides.
 In fact, the USDA recently released its new dietary guidelines to help Americans make healthier food choices and confront our Country's obesity epidemic. Part of their press release on the new guidelines mentioned, "The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus on balancing calories with physical activity, and encourage Americans to consume more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains."

Image credit: NOAA

Seafood is a low-fat source of high-quality protein and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Most health experts recommend eating seafood at least twice a week to maximize the benefits to your heart, brain, and body. Eating seafood has been shown to decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity, and hypertension in the general population. Pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as developing fetuses and small children can also benefit from the health benefits of seafood especially because of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to human health but cannot be manufactured by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food, and seafood is a major source of them. They play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development.
To learn more about the nutritional benefits associated with seafood visit:

• NOAA's Fish Watch: NOAA's Fish Watch: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/seafood_and_health.htm
• National Fisheries Institute: http://www.aboutseafood.com/health-nutrition
• Florida Seafood Healthy Facts

The Blue Revolution: Where will our seafood come from in the future?

NOAA

A significant portion of my outreach is focused on fisheries as well as seafood safety and sustainability. One of the most prevelant questions I get is about aquaculture, particularly the benefits/risks associated with it.
My esteemed colleage John Stevely, the Manatee County Sea Grant Agent, just wrote a great article that addresses the topic and I thought I'd share it with you.

The Blue Revolution: Where will our seafod come from in the future?

by John Stevely, Manatee County Sea Grant Agent

There has been a truly amazing revolution going on in our lifetime. The past four decades have seen the birth and rapid growth of the world fish farming industry. Currently, almost half (47%) of seafood is produced by farming (also called aquaculture). If the industry continues to grow at its present rate (7.4%), it may provide 62% of the world’s protein by 2050.
This is not to say that the world’s wild-caught fisheries will not provide a significant share of seafood production. Although there have been some claims that our oceans’ fisheries production will collapse this century, I do not believe this will be the case.
Yes, there have been problems with collapses of major fisheries, but currently over half of the world fisheries are at sustainable levels. I think solutions will be found for some of the problem fisheries. However, it is true that we have at least reached maximum production and there will be level production or somewhat reduced production in the future.


Most farmed seafood originates in
Asian countries. (Florida Sea Grant)

 Where are the fish farms? Although you don’t see many fish farms in Florida, there is a successful clam farming industry here, mostly centered in the Cedar Key area. However, shrimp and fish farms have not been financially successful in Florida. There are major fish/shrimp farming industries in central and south America as well as in Europe. But as you can see from the adjoining graphic, Asia is the 800-lb gorilla of the aquaculture industry.
Why is that? There are a number of contributing explanations (government policies and subsidies, geography, etc.), but the one-word answer is economics. It is very difficult to compete with low-cost land and a seemingly endless supply of low-cost labor found in many Asian countries, especially China.

Salmon farm in British Columbia
(BC Salmon Farmers Association)

Are there any problems with fish farming? Yes. Remember, this is essentially a new industry. At the beginning of this article I noted that modern fish farming started about 40 years ago. When shrimp farming started, mangrove wetlands where destroyed to create shrimp ponds. Fish farms in coastal waters, in some cases, led to too much waste being released into surrounding waters. Densely packed fish farms resulted in disease and parasites spreading through farmed fish. These fish often escaped, spreading disease to wild populations.

However, as the industry matures, fish farmers and environmental regulators are learning from past mistakes. Innovative solutions are being developed that will help the industry progress in a more sustainable, environmentally compatible manner. Some farmers are beginning to raise seaweed and filter-feeding mollusks near fish farms to take up waste products. Improvements in animal husbandry and feed formulations are reducing disease.

Some innovative thinkers have come up with ideas to farm the open ocean where waste products would be rapidly dispersed by ocean currents. One idea is to have submerged fish pens equipped with large propellers that could ride in stable ocean currents and then return months later to their starting point.

No such thing as a free fish! The most difficult problem to solve in the future of fish farming is the fact that it takes fish protein to produce fish protein. The fish meal used to feed farmed fish contains a large amount of fish protein that comes from small wild fish such as anchovies and sardines. Hence, eventually overfishing problems could develop with these species. In years past, most fish meal was fed to pigs and chickens. Now fish farming consumes 68% of the fish meal currently being produced.

New design for submersible fish cage.
(Ocean Farm Technologies)

However, advances are being made to develop better formulations that can reduce the amount of fish protein needed in the meal and more efficient feeding practices are being developed. Scientists are working on ways to make microscopic algae produce the omega-3 fatty acids that make seafood such a healthy food choice. Innovations like this may reduce the amount of fish that need to be harvested to produce fish meal, and increase the potential to increase farm fish production without depleted other fish stocks.

What will the future bring? The growth of the world fish farming industry has been phenomenal. Because of the health attributes of eating seafood, demand is increasing. We cannot count on increased production of wild-caught fisheries to meet this demand. Fish farming has and will continue to provide an increasing amount of the seafood we eat. However, the problems facing the industry I mentioned are very real. It will take quite a number of innovative and brilliant minds to develop solutions. Perhaps some the projections for the growth of modern fish farming industry may be overly optimistic, but it seems reasonable to conclude that it will provide an important source of protein to meet the world’s future needs.

Read more of The Marine Scene at this link: http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant/index.shtml

Are You Smarter Than a Stone Crab Tour!

High School Marine Science Field Trip

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend the morning assisting a colleague from Rookery Bay with a field trip for high school marine science students from Gulf Coast High School. We couldn't have asked for a better day! We started off our boat trip discussing the importance of water quality to the health of the estuary and explained Rookery Bay's water quality monitoring program. We split the students up into small groups to collect data on salinity, pH, and turbidity. We did our testing near the mouth of Henderson Creek to emphasize the importance of freshwater input (or more specifically lack of freshwater in the case of Henderson Creek)

Next we headed towards Keewaydin Island to do a trawl, which is always one of my favorite activities. I have to admit we didn't catch a lot of stuff, but we certainly had a decent amount of diversity. Our catch included a juvenile stone crab, 9-armed sea star, brittle star, spotfin mojarra, polka-dot batfish, hardhead catfish, comb jellies, and sponge pieces. The students seemed to enjoy it, especially the batfish as this was the first time many of them had ever seen one. We also had the students pick through the sponge pieces to look for specimens hiding among them; they found lots of porcelain crabs! At the end of the trip we discussed  the importance of having a citizenry, no matter what their profession is, who recognizes and understands the importance of a healthy estuary to the long-term sustainability of our economy and livelihoods. I was very impressed with the class's knowledge and insights. Enjoy the pictures!!

Investigating the catch of the day!

Mrs Libby showing her students the Polka-dot batfish we caught in the trawl.

A student checks out the juvenile stone crab we caught.

Rookery Bay educator Meredith Bayer shows the class a
9-armed sea star's tube feet.

The hardhead catfish we caught.

Students examine the insides of a sponge piece we caught in the trawl.