The Maine Fishermen’s Forum is an annual gathering of commercial fishermen, gear suppliers, scientists, government representatives, and other stakeholders in the Northeast region. Science Center scientists and regional office staff participate in the forum to connect with industry and share information about Maine’s marine resources. They talk about how things like fishing regulations, climate change, offshore wind energy, and other factors might impact the day-to-day and long-term operations of the industry. We attend the forum and participate in its seminars and panel discussions to build and strengthen our relationships with Maine’s commercial fishing industry and its stakeholders. Here’s where to find our staff in action during the forum.
Please visit the Maine Fishermen's Forum website for a full listing of forum events and activities.
Thursday, March 5, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, March 6, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 7, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bay Point Room
Have any questions about observer coverage, catch estimation methods or fish identification? Then stop by our booth to talk with our team! Staff will answer questions about the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program, At-Sea Monitoring, Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) omnibus amendment, Industry-Funded Scallop Programs, and more.
Sarah Cierpich and Maja Reinhartsen will host special office hours at our booth to provide additional information about IFM and hands-on demos of the Pre-Trip Notification System that will be used by Atlantic herring commercial fishermen. Their office hours are:
Learn more about the Observer Program.
Thursday, March 5, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, March 6, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 7, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bay Point Room
Our Portland, Maine, port agent Pam Thames and other regional office staff will be at the booth throughout the forum. They talk about questions on online permitting, vessel and dealer electronic reporting, fishing regulations, wind energy development, and other topics related to fishing in the Gulf of Maine. You can also see demonstrations and get assistance with permitting and reporting.
Giovanni Gianesin, Andy Jones, and Jack Wilson from the science center’s Cooperative Research Branch will also be on hand. They will host special office hours to talk about their 2019 Stakeholder Engagement Session report and upcoming 2020 Cooperative Research Summits. They also want to discuss ways to connect with the cooperative research communities in the Northeast and hear your cooperative research priorities, goals, and ideas. Their office hours will be:
Thursday, March 5, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Camden Room
The panel will discuss emerging environmental issues related to shellfish. They will cover shellfish conservation and improving water quality, applied shellfish science, diseases, hazardous algal blooms, and shellfish diseases like vibrios. Chris Schillaci, aquaculture coordinator for the regional office will be participating on the panel. Learn more about the Forum’s Shellfish Focus Day.
Thursday, March 5, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rockland and Rockport Rooms
Planning and development of offshore wind energy is proceeding rapidly in southern New England and Mid-Atlantic waters. Plans are currently underway to identify suitable sites in the Gulf of Maine. Panelists for this seminar include representatives from federal and state agencies as well as fishing industry members. They will be giving talks and sharing their perspectives and experiences related to wind energy development in the Mid-Atlantic.
Science Center director Jon Hare will talk about “Fisheries in a New Era of Offshore Wind Development” during the fisheries and offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine section of the seminar. His presentation will focus on the interactions related to offshore wind energy and fisheries. He will also talk about ongoing efforts, needs, and scientific program questions related to NOAA Fisheries’ interests. These include fisheries and protected species surveys, understanding resource effects and impacts, and ocean ecosystem responses.
This day-long seminar requires registration. Learn more about this seminar and register.
Seminar sections and times:
Friday, March 6, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Rockland Room
Host: Mary Beth Tooley, O’Hara Corporation
Moderator: Mary Beth Tooley, O’Hara Corporation
Panel:
Seminar will provide information on upcoming changes in the federal Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. Staff from NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council will present a summary of the various actions that are expected to be effective in 2020. They will also discuss other actions the council plans to work on in 2020 and 2021. Presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
Friday, March 6, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Fitness Center Room
Host: Mary Beth Tooley, O’Hara Corporation
Moderator: Mary Beth Tooley, O'Hara Corporation
Panel:
Starting in April 2020, Atlantic herring commercial fishermen will use the science center’s Pre-Trip Notification System for observer notification and selection. To help with this transition, staff will provide a hands-on demonstration of the new system and answer questions about observer notification and selection. They'll also breakdown the New England Industry-Funded Monitoring Omnibus Amendment, its timeline, objectives, and more. Observer provider companies and electronic monitoring service providers will also be on hand to speak with session participants.
Sarah Cierpich and Maja Reinhartsen will host special office hours at our observer program booth in the Bay Point Ballroom. They will provide information and hands-on demos about this session. Their office hours are:
Can’t make the session or special office hours? Staff from the science center and regional office are hosting a demonstration and outreach event on March 9, 2020, in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Learn more information about this event or contact Sara Weeks at sara.weeks@noaa.gov or phone (508) 642-6005.
Friday, March 6, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Fitness Center Room
Host: Gayle Zydlewski, Maine Sea Grant
Moderator: Jim Manning, Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Panel:
The Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps (eMOLT) Program began nearly two decades ago. The program is a way to work collaboratively with lobstermen to collect bottom water temperatures off the coast of New England. It has evolved to include data collected by large trawlers outfitted with sensors, a low-cost computer, and satellite telemetry system for automated, real-time reporting. In this seminar, participants will:
Friday, March 6, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Rockland Room
Host: Maggie Raymond, Associated Fisheries of Maine
Moderator: Vincent Balzano, New England Fishery Management Council
Panel:
This panel will present information on and discuss the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. It will include recent actions and new approaches to management through Amendment 21 in the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM), as well as catch limits for fishing years 2020 and 2021. Council staff will present information on the status of Amendment 21, and the outlook for the fishing year 2020 NGOM fishery. Council and regional office staff will provide seminar attendees with an update on the range of alternatives included in the amendment. They will brief participants on expected progress heading into the April council meeting. Staff will also explain ways stakeholders can be involved in the development of Amendment 21 and share details about the expected timeline for developing this action.
Friday, March 6, 2:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Golf Club
Host: Jenni Steele, Island Fishermen’s Wives Association
Moderator: Steve Train, F/V Hattie Rose
Panel:
Collaborative and cooperative research between scientists and commercial fishermen can take on many forms. In this seminar, fishermen on the panel will share their experiences participating in collaborative research. Specifically, they will discuss if and how their involvement contributed to the design, work, and end product of the research. Time will be set aside for audience members to talk with seminar panelists on how to improve collaborative research in our region.
Anna Mercer is a panelist in this seminar and is the center’s Cooperative Research branch chief. In 2019, she and her branch held a series of stakeholder engagement sessions from Maine to Virginia. They have compiled their findings and stakeholder input into this report. Their next step is to put the input into action, starting by hosting two stakeholder summits in 2020. These summits provide an opportunity for scientists, managers, fishermen, and industry representatives to communicate, coordinate, and prioritize cooperative fisheries research in the Northeast. Have specific questions about the report or the upcoming summits? Please visit the regional office booth in the Bay Point Room where Cooperative Research Branch staff Giovanni Gianesin, Andy Jones, and Jack Wilson will host special office hours to answer your questions. Their office hours are:
Friday, March 6, 2:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rockland Room
Host: Maggie Raymond, Associated Fisheries of Maine
Moderator: Maggie Raymond, Associated Fisheries of Maine
Panel:
This is an open discussion and opportunity for Maine’s commercial fishing industry, stakeholders, and related partners to share their insights and concerns.
Saturday, March 7, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Rockport Room
Host: Meredith Mendelson, Maine Department of Marine Resources
Moderator: Robert Watts, Maine Department of Marine Resources
Panel:
Maine's Department of Marine Resources is hosting a seminar intended to provide an overview of their online licensing and landings system: Licensing Enforcement and Environmental Data System. They will also demonstrate their newly developed electronic reporting applications. Barry Clifford and Jay Hermsen from the region's Analysis and Program Support Division will present on federal vessel trip reporting options and various applications. Regional Office staff will also demonstrate their Fish Online eVTR application.
Saturday, March 7, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Camden Room
Host: Maggie Raymond, Associated Fisheries of Maine
Moderator: Richard McBride, Northeast Fisheries Science
Center
Panel:
The New England Fishery Management Council recommended that an Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Working Group be formed to evaluate current stock structure of Atlantic cod in U.S. waters, and the interactions of U.S. stocks with adjacent Canadian stocks. In U.S. waters, cod have been managed as two units: the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank management units. During the working group’s data synthesis, they found a number of mismatches between biological stock structure and current management units. Science Center Population Biology branch chief and seminar moderator Rich McBride will begin this seminar with an overview for reconsidering cod stock structure. He will share the working group’s findings, and why the biological evidence supports five distinct stocks. Findings include inshore-offshore stock separation, as well as multiple inshore stocks. After the overview, Rich will open the floor for questions and discussion with seminar panelists from the working group. This work is the first step for the benchmark cod assessment scheduled for 2022-2023.
Learn more about Rich’s work using otolith data to better understand Atlantic cod stock structure.
Saturday, March 7, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Camden Room
Host: Mary Beth Tooley, O'Hara Corporation
Moderator: Jon Deroba, Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Panel:
Tired of being asked for input after analyses and fisheries management decisions are made? Do you want to get your knowledge and experience used to design management strategies from the beginning? Then this seminar is for you!
Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) is an inclusive process. It provides a space for fishermen, scientists, managers, and other stakeholders to collaborate and discuss trade-offs related to actions designed to meet fisheries management objectives. The New England Fishery Management Council has already used MSE in their management process and others are also considering this method. Understanding the purpose and process of MSEs can help the commercial fishing industry and related stakeholders shape the future of fisheries management decisions. Jon Deroba will give a presentation introducing participants to MSE. After his presentation he’ll open the floor for questions and discussion with seminar panelists. Following the question and discussion period, Jon and the panelists will lead seminar participants in a MSE role-playing exercise.
Saturday, March 7, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Camden Room
Host: Mary Beth Tooley, O’Hara Corporation
Moderator: Mary Beth Tooley, O’Hara Corporation
Panelists:
This seminar will focus on efforts to map and share data on fishing activity and scientific surveys in the region. In recent years, several data portals have been created to increase public access to available maps depicting fishing effort, catch, marine habitat, species abundance from scientific surveys, and other marine data. This information helps fishermen, scientists, and the public better understand what is happening, and where, in the marine environment. This information helps inform decisions on fisheries management and other ocean uses such as wind energy and shipping activities. Panelists will discuss how to improve data available on these portals based on input from the fishing industry. Participants hope to develop maps that accurately reflect industry observations and meet industry needs, build trust in regional data products and the supporting data used to inform decisions, and promote collaboration with industry on future data updates.
For more information, please contact Heather Soulen
Blacktip sharks. Credit: iStock.
Releasing a sandbar shark on a shark survey.
The Fishadelphia team. Credit: Dr. Talia Young.
Fishermen lowers sea scallops into the water. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
