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The Striped Bass War is about to have a climactic battle in Massachusetts, pitting the interests of recreational anglers against local commercial fishermen, fish markets, restaurants and tackle shops.

The Committee on Natural Resources is scheduled to debate the “Conservation of the American Striped Bass” at 11 a.m. Thursday in Room A-2 of the Statehouse. House Bill 796 threatens to abolish commercial striped bass fishing. It also would affect recreational fishermen, diminishing their limit to one striped bass per day either between 20 and 26 inches or over 40 inches.

This slot limit allegedly protects more prime breeding stock. Recreational fishermen are currently permitted two fish over 28 inches, all year long. Commercial fishermen have been limited to fishing between July 12 and Aug. 26, with a limit of five fish on Sundays, and 30 from Tuesday through Friday.

Text of the bill is available at www.mass.gov/legis.

H.B. 796 implies that commercial fishermen harmfully diminish striper stocks. The Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, comprised of experts appointed by the governor to assist in developing laws, rebuts that claim, highlighting the fact that recreational anglers took 90 percent of the 2008 catch.

Far more harmful to stripers is the massive pollution from farming interests around the Chesapeake, affecting spawning and causing lethal disease outbreaks of mycobacteriosis. Worse yet is the overharvesting of bait fish, specifically herring and menhaden, that our game fish depend on.

Respected authorities south of Massachusetts paint a bleak picture of diminishing striper stocks. In contrast, many fishermen and biologists reported plenty of local fish whose movements last season were dependent on the location of baitfish. If you fished where bait schooled, you caught fish. Some feel those results and other population studies confirm continued sound, scientific management of our Massachusetts stocks. Our marine fisheries commission believes that prohibiting commercial fishing will just shift allocation of the resource 100 percent to recreational fishermen, actually hurting striped bass, increasing mortality and lowering opportunities for the public to purchase wild caught bass in local markets and restaurants.

Maintaining stripers at peak levels, without addressing the decimation of critical baitfish populations in the Atlantic, may be harmful to other fishery goals, like the restoration of Atlantic salmon and shad, both of which are struggling. They suffer significant predation of their young by stripers having difficulty finding enough other baitfish. Anglers regularly fishing the Connecticut and Merrimack can attest to this counterproductive feeding by stripers.

Veteran striper fishermen remember the ’80s, when just catching a striper warranted note. Since 1995, stocks have successfully rebounded and remained sustainable under the highly regarded management of our Department of Marine Fisheries. No one wants another crash. Should we discount the success and recommendations of our fisheries scientists? Should we eliminate commercial fishermen rather than wholeheartedly pursue the critically harmful offenders?

Many commercial striper fishermen love their tradition, while for others, it’s just an extension of their recreational fishing, a way to pay for their sport. Then there are some economically challenged Cape Codders who have had to become multitaskers to make a living and really need this extra income. We need to think twice about taking away one of their fragmented means of income. We have an equal obligation to be fair to the fish, which have no alternative means of survival other than our advocacy.

Recreational proponents include Stripers Forever, which characterizes commercial striper fishing as an economically unwise and disproportionately unfair exploitation of the resource; and House Bill 796 petitioners, Reps. Karyn Polito, R-Shrewsbury, and Jennifer Callahan, D-Sutton. The battle lines are passionately drawn, and politicians, rather than fisheries scientists, will ultimately cast the deciding vote.

Mark Blazis can be reached by e-mail at markblazis@charter.net.

A bill that would prohibit the harvest and sale of wild striped bass in Massachusetts begins its upstream legislative journey next week in the State House.

The joint committee on environment, natural resources, and agriculture has scheduled a public hearing on House bill 796, "An Act relative to the conservation of Atlantic striped bass," filed by Rep. Matt Patrick of Falmouth, at 11 am on Thursday, Jan. 14, in room 3A.

The striped bass figures large in Island culture. It is the focus of legions of Island and visiting recreational fishermen and supports a vibrant commercial and charter boat fleet. Past proposed changes in the state's management of striped bass have spawned hot debate and this bill is no exception.

Island lawmakers Rep. Tim Madden of Nantucket and Senator Robert O'Leary of Barnstable sit on the committee that will hear the bill. The public hearing procedure, according to a committee staffer, calls for those who would like to comment to sign in prior to the hearing. There is a three-minute time limit.

Numerous other bills are also scheduled for a public hearing the same day. The committee has some 100 bills to review before March when the current session ends.

The bill as now written prohibits commercial fishing for striped bass and directs the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to create new rules that would only allow recreational fishermen to take one striped bass per day between 20 and 26 inches in length or greater than 40 inches in length. The so-called slot limit is designed to preserve sexually mature breeder bass but still allow for fishermen to take a trophy fish.

Current regulations allow recreational fishermen to take two fish per day over 28 inches in length. Commercial fishermen are allowed to take fish over 32 inches in length until the state's quota, set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, is reached. In 2009, fishermen who held a commercial rod and reel bass license took almost 1.2 million pounds of fish.

An avid striped bass fisherman, Matt Patrick has a keen interest in the future health of striped bass stocks. In a telephone call from his State House office Monday, he said his concern about the declining number of fish along our shores coupled with information he received from Stripers Forever, a Maine-based nonprofit that supports gamefish status for bass, spurred him to act. The information included data about the economic importance of striped bass and the decline of the brood stock that is essential to the future health of the fishery

"I just thought it was an appropriate and timely piece of legislation to file," Rep. Patrick said. "I knew it would be controversial."

Mr. Patrick said the public hearing is only a start of a public discussion about how best to manage striped bass. Typically, bills may take several years to move through the legislative process, and they often emerge with many amendments, he said.

Wes Brighton, a Chilmark commercial fisherman who fishes primarily for lobster, said he thinks there is much in the management of striped bass that commercial and recreational fishermen could agree on. In a telephone conversation, Mr. Brighton said his main complaint about the bill is that it seeks to bypass science-based management. Legislation should not be used to bypass the management process set up to address fisheries issues, he said.

Mr. Brighton said the striped bass commercial fishery also provides an entry fishing opportunity for young people that does not exist with many other species, either because the fishery is closed or the cost of a license is too expensive.

Better management of the resource, not closing off one group is the answer, he said. "Even though there are size restrictions and it goes from a two to one bag limit, it's just a reallocation of who has access to the fishery," he said.

MOREHEAD CITY, NC – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is looking for commercial and recreational fisherman and scientists to serve on two Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committees.

One of the committees will assist the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries in updating the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River portion of the state’s Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan. The other will assist in updating the section of the plan that pertains to the central and southern waters of the state.

The commission uses fishery management plans as guides for implementing regulations and other management measures.

Individuals interested in serving as an adviser should be willing to attend meetings at least once every two months and actively participate in the committee process. Advisers will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in relation to their official duties.

Hats off to president Obama for tackling the oceans and the environment in addition to two wars, the worst economy in years, national health care reform and much, much more.

An interim report has been issued by president Obama’s Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The task force is recommending some bold steps to insure the well-being of our oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes for now and in the future.

The report in its entirety can be found on the Whitehouse Web site at www.whitehouse.gov , search for the report by its title, “Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force”. The report does not reference recreational fishing uses. But it does suggests spatial planning for oceans and advocates for ecosystem-based management, all of which have raised red flags in the recreational fishing community.

The 38 page report relates proposed policy areas for its agenda and a number of organizational recommendations on how to get the job done. The Task Force recommends the following nine priority objectives.

• Ecosystem-Based Management: Adopt ecosystem-based management as a foundational principle for the comprehensive management of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.

• Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning: Implement comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based coastal and marine spatial planning and management in the United States.

• Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding: Increase knowledge to continually inform and improve management and policy decisions and the capacity to respond to change and challenges. Better educate through formal and informal programs to inform the public about the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.

• Coordinate and Support: Better coordinate and support Federal, State, tribal, local, and regional management of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. Improve coordination and integration across the Federal Government, and as appropriate, engage with the international community.

• Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Strengthen resiliency of coastal communities and marine and Great Lakes environments and their abilities to adapt to climate change impacts and ocean acidification.

• Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration: Establish and implement an integrated ecosystem protection and restoration strategy that is science-based and aligns conservation and restoration goals at the Federal, State, tribal, local, and regional levels.

• Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land: Enhance water quality in the ocean, along our coasts, and in the Great Lakes by promoting and implementing sustainable practices on land.

• Changing Conditions in the Arctic: Address environmental stewardship needs in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent coastal areas in the face of climate-induced and other environmental changes.

• Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Observations and Infrastructure: Strengthen and integrate Federal and non-Federal ocean observing systems, sensors, and data collection platforms into a national system and integrate that system into international observation efforts.

So how do these policy objectives relate to recreational fisherman? No one knows right now and that has created some concern nationally and locally about the president’s new ocean polices.

Concerns from the recreational fishing community focus on the first objective (above), “ecosystem-based management as a foundational principle for the compressive management of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes”. The recreational fishing community is concerned about the absence of any reference in objectives (or the report) to the positive impact recreational anglers have on aquatic conservation. Concern over the consequences of spatial planning or zoning of waters could translate in restrictions such as the elimination of many popular recreational fishing areas. In a recent press release Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sport Fishing Association said, “Providing the angling public with access to public resources in no less important than conserving those resources”.

Robert Sexton, U.S. Sportsman’s Alliance vice president for government affairs said, “We hope the administration recognizes that sportsman are the greatest conservationists and will not accept any proposal shutting off large tracts of coastal territory to them.”

Local recreational fishing thought leaders agree. Captain John Rainone, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association, said, “… this is a way to stop recreational and commercial fishing in any areas that the government and special interest groups deem necessary.” The recreational (and commercial) fishing communities feel that this is not a valid way to mange fisheries. “We are constantly put to the task of conserving fish stocks with large minimum sizes, smaller bag limits, shorter seasons and early closures”, said Rainone.

Richard Hitter, a member of the Rhode Island State Fisheries Council and a board member of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association said, “I agree with the idea of managing the oceans on an ecosystem basis rather than piece by piece as it is now done. I do worry though that the people in charge of the task force do not give recreational fishing the status that it deserves. We showed that in RI alone Recreational Fishing contributes over $160-million per year to the economy. “

So overall, the recreational fishing community welcomes policy changes that will enhance the fishery but are concerned about the lack of detail in the plan as it relates to recreational fishing.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing on Narragansett Bay for over 40 years. He holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. Your fishing stories, comments and questions are welcome… there’s more than one way to catch a fish so e-mail Captain Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net.

From spawning fish to deer birth control, it's all about mating. That's what drives species management, as practiced by humans on other life forms.

How important? We had three cases last week.

The Young of the Year striped bass survey, which the Department of Natural Resources has used for more than a half-century to measure spawning success, showed a slight decrease this year from the long-term average. Biologists placed the index at 7.9; the average is 11.7.

Tom O'Connell, director of the Fisheries Service, calls it "a decent year" that is "well within the normal range of expectations."

At 3.2, last year was considered a recruitment failure. Three consecutive failures trigger mandatory conservation measures from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

But that's the nature of the beasts. Wet weather, cold temperatures and salinity are just some of the factors that tip the index from good to bad. In 2002, it was 4.73. The next year, it was 25.75. A dry spring in 2006 dropped the index to 4.3. In 2007, it rebounded to 13.4.

Fortunately, the Chesapeake Bay has produced some eye-popping numbers in recent years. In 2001, the index was 50.75, the second highest on record, and 2003 was about half that. Those older fish are about to enter the spawning stock.

"Those are years of incredible abundance where you can fish off one class for a decade," says Eric Durell, the biologist who oversees the survey.

The state has 22 sampling sites in the four primary spawning systems: the Upper Bay and the Choptank, Nanticoke and Potomac rivers. Once a month from July through September, biologists take a seine net and see how many fish born that spring they can scoop up in two passes. The index number is derived from the average number of juvenile fish caught in 132 hauls of the net. So if there are 132 fish caught in 132 samplings, the index number is 1.

Durell notes that from 1959 to 1972, the period before the steep population decline, only four year-classes were above average. Since the lifting of the striped bass fishing moratorium in 1990, 10 year-classes have been above average.

"We're living pretty high off the hog," Durell says. "We've got a lot of good things going for us."

The striped bass numbers will certainly be used in the debate Tuesday night when the Sport Fisheries and Tidal Fisheries advisory commissions hear a request from O'Connell to regulate catch-and-release activity that precedes the April-May trophy season.

Specifically, the Fisheries Service has proposed to limit the number of lines on a boat to six, prohibit the use of bait and dropper, or "stinger," hooks, and require barbless hooks.

More than 75 percent of the East Coast's striper population began life in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Egg-laden females cruising up the coast from warmer waters arrive here early each spring to rendezvous with the boys.

State fishing regulations put spawning waters off limits during that time, but a growing number of recreational anglers - perhaps hoping to break their cabin fever - go out and catch and release the females before the start of the season. The Fisheries Service says there's been a fivefold increase in fishing trips in March and April during the past seven years.

The early birds contend that there's no harm done when water temperatures are low and the fish are released quickly. There is science to back up that claim: The mortality rate on shallow-hooked, expertly handled fish is just below 1 percent.

However, anglers have made themselves more efficient fishing machines, with electronic fish finders and by rigging their boats with so many rods that they look like Sputnik. And from the looks of the photos e-mailed to The Baltimore Sun, it appears there are a lot of folks who don't know how to safely handle a large fish.

Plus, one potentially significant question remains unanswered: Does catch-and-release fishing stress the females to the point that they don't spawn?

The answer will probably elude biologists since penned fish - the kind used in experiments - refuse to spawn naturally.

Why take a chance? The restrictions being proposed for March 1 until the start of the trophy season on the third Saturday in April are pretty innocuous and in keeping with good fishing practices.

Finally, it's worth noting that the Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of the deer contraceptive, GonaCon. The action is being hailed by the animal rights community as a humane alternative to hunting that leaves the issue of birth control between a doe and her attending biologist.

But a few quick points. A dose ranges from $2 to $10. A doe must be tracked down and then marked after being darted with GonaCon; the federal government puts that cost at $500 to $1,000 per animal. A field study in Maryland showed that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases 50 percent after a year. Maryland has 230,000 deer, half of them females and most of them in wide-open spaces.

So unless Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, the Maine Republican, writes a GonaCon clause in her version of the health care bill, the anti-hunting types had better be ready to pass around a mighty big hat.

The staff at the Blackwater Fisheries Research and Development Center has been busy this spring producing more than 4 million fish for Florida waters.

Dave Yeager, one of the senior fisheries biologists at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) facility near Holt, said the fish include striped bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass and largemouth bass. The fingerlings were either stocked in Panhandle waters or taken to the Florida Bass Conservation Center in Webster or the Welaka National Fish Hatchery in Palatka.

“In the past when we produced hybrid striped bass we collected wild white bass and stripers from our rivers or lakes, but this past year we held both species in tanks at our facility,” Yeager said. “Maintaining the fish on site saved us significant time and effort.”

He said the high-tech method of producing stripers in the past involved injecting female fish with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone to stimulate egg development and spawning. When striper eggs are very early in the developmental stage, Yeager said, HCG doesn’t work well.

In its place, he said, Blackwater staff developed a new hormone technique. Using the new technique this spring they produced more than 1 million striper fry.

In an effort to measure stocking success, Yeager said, striped bass and white bass fingerlings stocked in the Ochlockonee River and lakes Talquin and Seminole were marked with a dye that produces a yellow mark in the bones of fish. By marking the stocked fingerlings, biologists should be able to determine to what extent hatchery-produced fish contribute to the population, versus natural reproduction.

Although the emphasis was mostly on species other than largemouth bass, Yeager said the hatchery produced and stocked 35,000 fingerling largemouth bass in Lake Talquin. All of the bass are tagged with small, metal micro-tags. He said the micro-tags will be useful in the future for looking at survival rates.

Due to the progression of events related to the recent swine flu outbreak in Mexico, the World Aquaculture Society in consultation with the partners and sponsors of WA2009 has decided to postpone our World Aquaculture 2009 conference to a future date, 3 to 4 months ahead. We are working with our commercial partners and service providers in Mexico to reschedule the event for September or October 2009.

Our first priority is to set a new date and then we will address the many details and send that information on to you. Rest assured that all abstract submissions, registrations, payments and assignments will be carried over to the new dates with appropriate time for changes/cancellations. We appreciate your understanding and patience and we will be in touch with the aquaculture community as rescheduling details become available.

Thank you for your continued support and we still look forward to WA2009 being the largest and most successful WAS meeting ever!

John Cooksey, WAS Executive Director
Lorenzo Juarez, WAS President
WAS Board of Directors
WA 2009 Steering and Program Committee Members

McConnell, a 55-year-old auto repair shop owner from Eastonolle, Ga., has broken his own South Carolina state record for striped bass with a fish weighing at least 63 pounds.

McConnell's fish, which was 49 1/2 inches long and had a 34-inch girth, was weighed on certifiied scales at 63 1/4 pounds, which will easily eclipse his previous record catch from Lake Hartwell seven years ago. That fish weighed 59 pounds, 8 ounces.

The fish could be a state record in both states since some of Russell's waters in both states. In fact, that's the only thing holding up final certification of the record.

"It was weighed on certified scales, but when they get that large, not too many people have digital certified scales," said Dan Rankin, chief fisheries biologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. "It's going to be a new state record; the only question is whether it will be one in Georgia."

The existing Georgia record of 63 pounds has stood for more than 40 years. It was caught by Kelly Ward at the Oconee River on May 30, 1967. At the very least, it appears that McConnell will share the Georgia record.

McConnell's catch continued a steady progression that has seen the state record for striped bass increase on a fairly regular basis. Tiny Lund, the late stock car driver, established the first state record with a 55-pound catch at Santee Cooper in 1963 -- a standard that lasted for 30 years.

In 1993, Sam Porter of Six Mile caught a striped bass at Clarks Hill Reservoir that broke Lund's record by 12 ounces, then James Robinson of McCormick bested Porter's record with a 56-pound fish he caught at Lake Russell in 2001.

McConnell then broke Robinson's record with a 59-8 catch from Lake Hartwell on Feb. 2, 2002, with the record lasting until last Friday.

The H.R. 669 Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (attached), introduced by Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) Chair of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife of the House Natural Resources Committee, would totally revamp how nonnative species are regulated under the Lacey Act. Currently, the Fish and Wildlife Service is required to demonstrate that a species is injurious [harmful] to health and welfare of humans, the interests of agriculture, horticulture or forestry, and the welfare and survival of wildlife resources of the U.S.

HR 669 substantially complicates that process by compelling the Service to produce two lists after conducting a risk assessment for each nonnative wildlife species to determine if it is likely to “cause economic or environmental harm or harm to other animal species’ health or human health.” In order to be placed on the “Approved List” it must be established that the species has not, or is not likely, to cause “harm” anywhere in the US. Species that are considered potentially harmful would be placed on an “Unapproved List.” Furthermore, HR 669 would essentially ban all species that do not appear on the Approved List, regardless of whether or not they have ever been petitioned for listing or are sufficiently well studied to enable a listing determination

On April 23^rd members of the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife will hold a hearing on H.R. 669. It is imperative that NAA members email or fax the Subcommittee members (listing attached) voicing opposition to H.R. 669 and requesting the bill be amended.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - The third line of the original Hippocratic oath, as translated from the Greek states, "I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone." In the popular parlance, this has become "First, do no harm." Perhaps Dr. David Jenkins should have thought about that before he submitted his manuscript, entitled "Are dietary recommendations for the use of fish oils sustainable?" to the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The article, which appears in the March 17, 2009 issue of the Journal, was written in collaboration with five others, including Canadian icon, and some say latter-day Baron Münchhausen—Farley Mowat.

The gist of the article is that we must stop eating fish, even if there are health benefits, because insufficient attention has been paid to the potential environmental impact of increased fish consumption, given the serious decline in global fish stocks. In short, relying on fish is not sustainable. The article also calls into question the widely-touted benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.

Jenkins certainly seems to be the contrarian here, and tends to cherry-pick studies that bolster his position, but even then he has to concede that, "At best, fish oils are likely only one factor among others that may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease." Thus, we have the familiar "confounding factors" argument, whereby the parameter under study may only be a marker for an overall healthier lifestyle, and not be the main reason for the health benefit.

Jenkins fails to note that all epidemiological studies are subject to confounding factors, and have statistical control mechanisms in place to correct for such factors, assuming that they are known. If they are unknown, then this becomes a straw man argument, since any study could of course be influenced by unknown factors in an unknown manner—including his!

As to the environmental impact of fish consumption, the article alarmingly notes that, "even at current levels of fish consumption, fisheries globally have reached a state of severe crisis." Interestingly, three of the four studies cited to prove this shrill hypothesis feature two of the current article's authors. In other words, they are quoting themselves as the authority, a practice frowned upon in serious scholarship. This is only done in scientific papers to reference earlier work, and not to prove a statement as sweeping as the one I quoted.

The fourth source, a 2006 paper from Science magazine, entitled "Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services," has been roundly criticized...

From several European authorities, including the European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre:

In projecting the extent of future fisheries collapse, we argue that the authors inappropriately extrapolated beyond their available observations and used data on marine reserves and fishery closures that are not representative of global fisheries.

From Ray Hilborn, professor in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences at the University of Washington:

The article is an example of the "faith based fisheries movement" which "threatens the very heart of the scientific process," it is "fallacious and inappropriate to appear in a scientific journal," and is "just mind-bogglingly stupid."

From Mike Beck, Senior Scientist of Marine Initiatives with the Nature Conservancy:

"[T]he prediction of global fisheries collapse by 2048...was derived from a simplistic extrapolation that would get you an 'F' in high school statistics."

The article dismisses aquaculture as a solution by referring to a 2000 Nature paper that indicts the practice by informing us that it takes 2.5-5 kg of feed fish to make 1 kg of farmed carnivorous fish. As such, the equation is an "unfavorable one." The trouble with this jejune analysis is that the same equation applies in the wild. Does Jenkins want to kill carnivorous fish in the open sea to save the feed fish, because of the unfavorable equation?

Finally, and most damagingly, Jenkins makes no mention of what must be his actual agenda here. He advocates his oddly-named "portfolio diet," which calls for the avoidance of meat, eggs, poultry, fish, and dairy. This near-vegan regimen—not surprisingly—will lower cholesterol and LDL levels. The big trouble with this sort of diet is that it is prone to deficiencies in protein, calcium, Vitamins D and Vitamin B-12, and requires serious effort to maintain proper nutrition.

There are reports of lactating vegan women producing babies with rickets, because of calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies. But then, one wonders why a vegan would be feeding an animal product to her baby in the first place.

Registered Dietitian Jennifer McGuire reminds us that, "You don't need to be on an extreme diet to be extremely healthy."

Maybe she should tell that to Dr. Jenkins.

Michael D. Shaw
Exec VP
Interscan Corporation

mds1@gasdetection.com
http://www.gasdetection.com

www.HealthNewsDigest.com

Rome (fao). - The fishing industry and national fisheries authorities must do more to understand and prepare for the impacts that climate change will have on world fisheries, says a new FAO report published today. According to the latest edition of the UN agency’s The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), existing responsible fishing practices need to be more widely implemented and current management plans should be expanded to include strategies for coping with climate change.

“Best practices that are already on the books but not always implemented offer clear, established tools towards making fisheries more resilient to climate change,” said Kevern Cochrane, one of SOFIA’s authors. “So the message to fishers and fisheries authorities is clear: get in line with current best practices, like those contained in FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and you’ve already taken important strides towards mitigating the effects of climate change.”

Climate change is already modifying the distribution of both marine and freshwater species. Warmer-water species are being pushed towards the poles and experiencing changes in habitat size and productivity.

And climate change is affecting the seasonality of biological processes, altering marine and freshwater food webs, with unpredictable consequences for fish production.

For communities who heavily rely on fisheries, any decreases in the local availability of fish or increases in the instability in their livelihoods will pose serious problems.

“Many fisheries are being exploited at the top range of their productive capacity. When you look at the impacts that climate change might have on ocean ecosystems, that raises concerns as to how they’ll hold up,” said Cochrane.

Urgent efforts are needed to help fishery and aquaculture dependent communities to strengthen their resilience to climate change, especially those most vulnerable, he added.

Fisheries and aquaculture make a minor but significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions during fishing operations and transport, processing and storage of fish, according to today’s report.

The average ratio of fuel to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for capture fisheries is estimated at about 3 teragrams of CO2 per million tonnes of fuel used. “That could be improved. Good fisheries management can substantially improve fuel efficiency for the sector,” Cochrane said. “Overcapacity and excess fishing capacity mean fewer fish caught per vessel—that is, lower fuel efficiency—while competition for limited resources means fishers are always looking to increase engine power, which also lowers efficiency.

“Compared to actual fishing operations, emissions per kilogram of post-harvest aquatic products transported by air are quite high, SOFIA adds. Intercontinental airfreight emits 8.5 kg of CO2 per kilogram of fish transported. This is about 3.5 times that for sea freight and more than 90 times that from local transportation of fish where it is consumed within 400 kilometres of catch.

Total world fisheries production reached a new high of 143.6 million tonnes in 2006 (92 million tonnes capture fisheries, 51.7 million tonnes aquaculture). Of that, 110.4 million tonnes was used for human consumption, with the remainder going to non-food uses (livestock feed, fishmeal for aquaculture).

The production increases came from the aquaculture sector, which now accounts for 47 percent of all fish consumed by humans as food. Production in capture fisheries has levelled off and is not likely to increase beyond current levels.

Nineteen percent of the major commercial marine fish stocks monitored by FAO are overexploited, 8 percent are depleted, and 1 percent is ranked as recovering from depletion, today’s report indicates.

Around half (52%) rank as fully exploited and are producing catches that are at or close to their maximum sustainable limits. Twenty percent of stocks fall into the moderately exploited or underexploited category. Areas with the highest proportions of fully-exploited stocks are the Northeast Atlantic, the Western Indian Ocean and the Northwest Pacific.

SOFIA identifies overcapacity — a combination of too many boats and highly effective fishing technologies — as a key problem affecting fisheries today.

Progress in tackling this issue has been slow, it says, and “there has been only limited progress in mainstreaming precautionary and ecosystem approaches to fisheries, eliminating bycatch and discards, regulating bottom-trawl fisheries, managing shark fisheries and dealing with illegal fishing.”

SOFIA paints a clear picture of the importance of fishing and aquaculture in the developing world.  An estimated 43.5 million people are directly involved, either full or part time, in capture fisheries and aquaculture. Most (86%) live in Asia. An additional 4 million are engaged in the sector on an occasional basis. Factoring in employment in fish processing, marketing and service industries and including the families of all people employed directly or indirectly from fisheries and aquaculture, over half a billion people depend on the sector.

Fish provides more than 2.9 billion people with at least 15 percent of their average per capita animal protein intake. It contributes at least 50 percent of total animal protein intake in many small island developing states as well as in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, French Guiana, the Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia and Sierra Leone.   Both direct employment and jobs in related industries are likewise important for developing countries, while their revenues from fisheries exports earn have reached $24.6 billion annually.

The world’s motorized fishing fleet totals around 2.1 million vessels. The vast majority (90%) measure under 12 meters in length. Some 23.000 are large-tonnage “industrialized” vessels. The nationality of several thousand of these is unknown—this “unknown” category has expanded in recent years in spite of global efforts to eliminate illegal fishing.

SOFIA also includes chapters on the occupational safety of fishers, seafood certification schemes, marine genetic resources, shrimp fishing, and the use of wild fish as seed and feed in aquaculture.

Starting today, representatives of over 80 countries are gathering at FAO’s Rome headquarters for the 28th session of the UN agency’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI), where they will discuss the issues raised in SOFIA and the program of work for FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Department.

The NASS 2007 Census of Agriculture has been released. The .pdf version can be downloaded at the link below:

January 21, 2009 - NAA Industry Update

FDA Draft Documents on Risks and Benefits of Seafood Consumption

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of two draft documents. The first is entitled ``Report of Quantitative Risk and Benefit Assessment of Commercial Fish Consumption, Focusing on Fetal Neurodevelopmental Effects (Measured by Verbal Development in Children) and on Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke in the General Population'' (draft risk and benefit assessment report). The draft risk and benefit assessment report describes an analysis done by FDA that results in quantitative estimates of the net effect on fetal neurodevelopment in children of maternal consumption of commercial fish, as measured by verbal development and the net effect of eating commercial fish on coronary heart disease and stroke in the general population. Effects with respect to each of these health endpoints has been associated in the scientific literature with methylmercury exposure (which primarily occurs through fish consumption) and with the consumption of fish and of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish. The second draft document entitled ``Summary of Published Research on the Beneficial Effects of Fish Consumption and Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Certain Neurodevelopmental and Cardiovascular Endpoints'' (draft summary of published research) is a compendium of research prepared by FDA for use in developing its quantitative risk and benefit assessment. When peer and public review are complete, the draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research are intended to add to the growing body of scientific literature investigating the likelihood, magnitude, and direction of health impacts linked to consumption of commercial fish. FDA is seeking public comment on the draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research.

DATES: Comments on the draft risk and benefit assessment and on the draft summary of published research must be submitted by April 21, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Spiller, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-002), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740-3835, 301-436-1428, FAX 301-436-2668, e-mail: Philip.Spiller@fda.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Fish provides protein, is low in saturated fat, and is rich in many micronutrients; it also can be a source of certain omega-3 fatty acids. As the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science (IOM) noted in a recent report, ``[i]n the past several years, research has implicated seafood, particularly its contribution of EPA and DHA [two omega-3 fatty acids], in various health benefits identified for the developing fetus and infants, and also for adults, including those at risk for cardiovascular disease.'' (Institute of Medicine, Committee on Nutrient Relationships in Seafood: Selections to Balance Benefits and Risks. Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risk. 2006, National Academy of Sciences, at 1). However, as a result of natural processes and human activity, aquatic food sources, including fish, can contain methylmercury, which has been linked to adverse health consequences. Because of the presence of methylmercury in fish, FDA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an advisory to consumers, ``What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish'' (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html). The advisory, which was most recently revised in 2004, recommends that women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in methylmercury, as specified in more detail in the advisory.

Researchers in the United States and elsewhere have attempted in recent years to develop approaches to better evaluate the net health impacts of fish consumption; in other words, to understand the relationship between the risk of not eating fish (and thus losing any health benefits fish may provide) and the risk of eating fish that contains methylmercury at the levels currently found in the commercial fish available to consumers. As the IOM noted in its 2006 report, ``A better way is needed to characterize the risks combined with the benefits analysis.'' (IOM 2006 at 6). The draft summary of published research and the draft risk and benefit assessment report were developed by FDA to provide further scientific information to help address this question for consumers of commercial seafood in the United States (i.e., fish shipped or sold interstate, as opposed to fish caught recreationally or for subsistence).

The draft risk and benefit assessment report reflects an effort by FDA to quantify the impact of eating commercial fish on three human health endpoints: (1) Neurodevelopment, as measured by verbal development in childhood as assessed by the effect of prenatal exposure to methylmercury as passed from the mother to the developing fetus; (2) risk of fatal coronary heart disease; and (3) risk of fatal stroke. Each of these health endpoints has been associated in the scientific literature both with adverse effects of methylmercury exposure (including through fish consumption) and beneficial effects of regular fish consumption. The draft risk and benefit assessment report provides further scientific information about the likelihood and magnitude of either beneficial or adverse net effects on health at current levels of commercial fish consumption and exposure to methylmercury through fish consumption in the United States. The draft risk and benefit assessment report should not be construed as altering the existing fish advisory. Moreover, because this assessment does not distinguish among types of fish in terms of their beneficial constituents, it is not possible to translate the results of this analysis into fish-specific advice to consumers about maximizing benefits.

The methodology used for the quantitative risk and benefit assessment is novel for FDA in that, rather than attempting to quantify the risk resulting from the presence of a particular hazard in a food, it estimates that risk and the benefit from consumption of the food in the same quantitative analysis. For fetal neurodevelopment, the assessment estimates this net effect by separately estimating: (1) The likelihood and size of an adverse contribution from methylmercury to the net effect; (2) the likelihood and size of a beneficial contribution to the net effect from fish; and (3) the likelihood, size, and direction of the net effect. For the methylmercury contribution, the assessment uses data to derive modeling estimates of the association between methylmercury and early age verbal skills (as an indicator of neurodevelopment) and then compares the results against results developed elsewhere on methylmercury's effect on other aspects of neurodevelopment, including intelligence quotient (IQ). For the fish contribution, the assessment uses data to derive modeling estimates of the association between fish consumption during pregnancy and early age verbal skills. For the net effect, the assessment combines the results from the methylmercury and fish contributions. This draft risk and benefit assessment report builds on published work performed previously by FDA scientists on the estimation of a methylmercury effect, as well as recent articles by other investigators that have quantitatively assessed this effect. For fatal coronary heart disease and stroke, the assessment estimates the net effect on risk from fish consumption without separately modeling a methylmercury contribution and a fish contribution. Most data on this subject come from studies that measured an association between fish consumption and these health endpoints without measuring a methylmercury contribution. The modeling builds in part on dose-response functions for these endpoints that have been published in the scientific literature.

The draft risk and benefit assessment report identifies and discusses assumptions made for the scientific models and analyses and sources of uncertainty with respect to each endpoint analyzed. Subject to the limitations and assumptions set forth in the analysis, the risk and benefit assessment estimated the net impact of consumption of different amounts of fish. For example, with respect to fetal neurodevelopment, we modeled various ``what if'' scenarios, in which we estimated what would happen if women of child-bearing age ate more or less fish, or if the amount of methylmercury in the fish they ate were reduced.

The results indicate that consumption of fish species that are low in methylmercury has a significantly greater probability of resulting in a net benefit, as measured by verbal development. The highest net benefit modeled in our risk and benefit analysis was modest. When we modeled actual baseline consumption for the range of methylmercury concentrations (low to high) the assessment indicated a significant probability of a net adverse effect for 1/10 of 1 percent of children for the central estimate. The highest estimated net adverse effect was also quite modest. For fatal coronary heart disease and stroke,

commercial fish baseline consumption is averting a central estimate of over 30,000 deaths per year from coronary heart disease and over 20,000 deaths per year from stroke. The results of our quantitative risk and benefit assessment are generally consistent with research reported in recent years in the scientific literature.

The draft summary of published research identifies primarily secondary analyses of the large body of scientific research on the impact of fish and omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular and neurologic endpoints, including research on both prenatal and post-natal exposures. In addition to the IOM report, these secondary analyses include reports by the American Heart Association, the European Food Safety Authority, the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids, the World Health Organization and a previous investigation by FDA. This compendium of research was developed by FDA for use in developing its quantitative risk benefit assessment and provides background for that document. The draft summary of published research identifies and delineates the lines of scientific evidence that indicate the association of fish and omega-3 fatty acid consumption with cardiovascular and neurodevelopmental health outcomes. When available, the compendium of research also identifies reports of quantitative dose-response relationships which may be relevant for risk and benefit assessment modeling. The draft summary of published research describes the context of the overall body of scientific evidence currently available for potential application to the risk and benefit assessment modeling and the draft risk and benefit assessment report.

The agency designated the draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research as a ``highly influential scientific assessment'' under the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review (the Bulletin) (70 FR 2664, January 14, 2005). In August 2008, FDA submitted a draft of the risk and benefit assessment report (which at the time also incorporated the draft summary of published research) to seven scientific experts outside the Federal Government, from a range of scientific disciplines, for purposes of obtaining each expert's independent, written peer review. The draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research that are being made available for public comment reflect revisions made to date in response to the peer reviewers' comments and suggestions. The Information Quality Act Bulletin for Peer Review requires FDA to post at its Web site a report of the peer review that: (1) Contains the names and credentials of the peer reviewers; (2) sets forth the ``charge,'' i.e., the scientific questions asked of the reviewers; (3) provides the verbatim comments submitted by each reviewer (without attribution); and (4) discusses what FDA has done to the documents in response to the peer reviewers' comments. We have posted at our Web site an interim draft of this report that provides this information at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/mehg109.html, although we expect and plan to finalize this report after revising our draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research, in response to further expert and peer review comments.

Separately, FDA solicited and received comments from scientists at other Federal agencies, including EPA, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during a review coordinated by OMB. The draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research being made available for comment have been revised to reflect revisions made in response to the inter-agency reviewers' comments.

At the same time we are making these draft documents available for public comment, we plan to provide a revised draft to the original peer reviewers to enable them to submit any further comments. We will revise the draft risk and benefit assessment report and the draft summary of published research as necessary after considering the public comments and any additional comments from the independent peer reviewers. We also plan to provide the revised version of the documents, a summary of the public comments that address significant scientific issues, and the external peer review report to an FDA scientific advisory committee.

After public and advisory committee review of these documents are complete, appropriate risk management actions will then be considered on the basis of currently available scientific information. The release of these documents for public comment and peer review do not in any way modify the recommendations set forth in the 2004 advisory on fish consumption.

II. Comments

Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES) written or electronic comments regarding this document. Submit a single copy of electronic comments or two paper copies of any mailed comments, except that individuals may submit one paper copy. Comments are to be identified with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

III. Electronic Access

The draft documents described in this notice are available electronically at http://cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/mehg109.html.

IV. Access to Related Documents

All references listed in the reports are available in FDA's Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES). Computer programs used in the risk and benefit assessment modeling are available from Clark Carrington, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-301), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740-3835, 301-436-1947, e-mail: Clark.Carrington@fda.hhs.gov.

January 21, 2009 - NAA Industry Update

USDA ERS Latest Data on U.S. Catfish and Trout, and Imports and Exports of Fish and Shellfish Products

The USDA ERS has released its latest data on domestically grown catfish and trout and U.S. imports and exports of fish and shellfish that may be products of aquaculture, such as salmon, shrimp, and oysters.

Please go to: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/Aquaculture/ to access and review the reported data.

IntraFish Media AS has granted permission to reprint this article, no further distribution authorized without the consent of IntraFish Media AS.

IntraFish Media would like to extend a special offer to all members. Subscribe today to IntraFish.com and receive 13 months for the price of 12 months, or a $44 value. If you are interested, please contact Courtney Peterson at Courtney.Peterson@intrafish.com or by phone at 206-282-3474 ext. 24.

January 2, 2009 - NAA Industry Update

American Fisheries Society – Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership (AADAP) Newly Updated “Aquaculture Drug-use Guidance” Poster now available

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s AADAP Program and the American Fisheries Society’s Fish Health and Fish Culture Sections recently published, in limited quantities and for limited distribution, an “Aquaculture Drug-use Guidance” poster. The poster was developed to better facilitate the dissemination of information regarding aquaculture drugs and their approved uses. The large-format laminated poster outlined all aquaculture drugs currently approved by FDA for use in the USA, and described permitted aquatic species, diseases or conditions, treatment regimens, and withdrawal periods.

Interest in the poster was overwhelming and AFS rapidly ran out of copies to distribute. FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has assisted AFS in publishing a new posters, which will become available early January 2009. This new printing has been updated to include some very recent new approvals or label expansions, and will be printed with a different background color to allow one to quickly distinguish it from the earlier version.

To obtain a free copy or copies, contact Niccole Lawson in the AADAP office; phone 406-994-9913 or email: niccole_lawson@fws.gov

January 2, 2009 - NAA Industry Update

VHS Interim Rule Delayed Indefinitely

On September 9, 2008, USDA-APHIS published an interim rule in the Federal Register to restrict the interstate movement and importation into the United States of live fish that are susceptible to viral hemorrhagic septicemia, a highly contagious disease of certain freshwater and saltwater fish. That interim rule was scheduled to become effective on November 10, 2008. Subsequently, on October 28, 2008, USDA-APHIS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the delay of the effective date of the interim rule until January 9, 2009. USDA-APHIS is now delaying the effective date of the interim rule indefinitely to provide APHIS with time to make some adjustments to the interim rule that are necessary for the rule to be successfully implemented.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a highly contagious disease of certain freshwater and saltwater fish, caused by a rhabdovirus. It is listed as a notifiable disease by the World Organization for Animal Health. The pathogen produces variable clinical signs in fish including lethargy, skin darkening, exophthalmia, pale gills, a distended abdomen, and external and internal hemorrhaging. The development of the disease in infected fish can result in substantial mortality. Other infected fish may not show any clinical signs or die, but may be lifelong carriers and shed the virus.

On September 9, 2008, USDA-APHIS published an interim rule in the Federal Register (73 FR 52173-52189, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0038) to amend 9 CFR parts 71, 83, and 93 by establishing regulations to restrict the interstate movement and the importation into the United States of certain live fish species that are susceptible to VHS. They announced that the provisions of the interim rule would become effective November 10, 2008, and that they would consider all comments on the interim rule received on or before November 10, 2008, and all comments on the environmental assessment for the interim rule received on or before October 9, 2008.

Delay of Effective Date

After the publication of the interim rule, USDA-APHIS received comments that addressed a variety of issues, including the feasibility of implementing certain requirements.

Based on review of those comments, on October 28, 2008, USDA-APHIS published a document in the Federal Register (73 FR 63867, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0038) announcing that they were delaying the effective date of the interim rule from November 10, 2008, until January 9, 2009, while retaining November 10, 2008 as the close of the comment period for the interim rule and October 9, 2008 as the close of the comment period for the environmental assessment.

USDA-APHIS is now delaying the effective date of the interim rule indefinitely to provide APHIS with time to make some adjustments to the interim rule that are necessary for the rule to be successfully implemented.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. P. Gary Egrie, Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer, National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-0695; or Dr. Peter L. Merrill, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8364.

Health Care Costs, Biofuel Use Among Subjects in Census Bureau’s 2009 Statistical Abstract

Special to Huntingtonnews.net

Washington, DC (HNN) -- The U.S. Census Bureau today released the new Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009. First published in 1878, “Uncle Sam’s Almanac” is a summary of statistics on a wide range of important topics, from A (aquaculture) to Z (zinc production). Whether one seeks numbers on biofuel or banking, foreign trade or foreign aid, cars or bars, there is no better one-stop shop for statistics.

For example, the average length of stay for patients at community hospitals declined from 7.2 days in 1990 to 5.5 days in 2006. Yet over the same period, the average cost per patient stay climbed 81 percent, from$4,947 to $8,970.

Also, Americans are spending more on retail prescription drugs. Drug sales climbed from $72.2 billion in 1995 to $259.4 billion in 2007, with the majority of spending shifting from brand name to generic (60 percent brand name in 1995, less than 42 percent in 2007).

The 128th edition contains more than 1,400 tables of social, political and economic facts about our nation and the world. Among topics covered in the 49 new tables in this edition are the religious composition of our nation’s population, osteopathic physicians, online news consumption, expenditures for wildlife-related recreation and women in parliaments around the globe. Although the emphasis is on national-level statistics, some tables present state- and even city- and metropolitan-level data as well.

The source of the data is not limited to the Census Bureau — statistics are also derived from other social, political and economic organizations in the United States. Data in this edition are generally for the most recent year or period available by the summer of 2008.

Other highlights include:

Something fishy (new this year)

-- Sales of aquaculture products totaled $4.3 billion in 2005. The most lucrative catch was soft-shell crab at $16.54 per dozen, followed by prawns (large shrimp) at $5.56 per pound and northern pike at $4.07 per pound. The highest sales, however, came from catfish ($429 million), trout ($65 million) and hard clams ($56 million). (Tables 855 and 856)

The 2009 Statistical Abstract may be obtained by calling the U.S. Government Printing Office at 202-512-1800 (ISBN No. 003-024-09075-9, $37 for the soft cover edition; and No. 003-024-09074-1, $41 for the hard cover edition http://bookstore.gpo.gov/).

Copies are also available by calling the National Technical Information Service at 800-363-2068 or 703-605-6060 (PB2009-965301, $39 for the hard cover edition http://www.ntis.gov/products/statabs.aspx).

A CD-ROM version of the book will be available later.

Every edition of the Statistical Abstract, dating from 1878, is available in PDF or zip files on the Census Bureau’s Web site at http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

The 2009 Statistical Abstract: PDF Version

The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.

Use the Abstract as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information both in print and on the Web

Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations

57 - Living Arrangements of Persons 15 Years Old and Over by Selected Characteristics: 2007 [Excel 62k] | [PDF 453k]

788 - Individuals in Science and Engineering (S&E) Occupations as Share of Workforce by State and Other Areas: 2007 [Excel 58k] | [PDF 466k]

687 - Individuals and Families Below Poverty Level--Number and Rate by State [Excel 160k] | [PDF 453k]

The Abstract is also your guide to sources of other data from the Census Bureau, other Federal agencies, and private organizations.

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From The Bay Journal - December 2008

http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3467

Strong evidence found linking mycobacteriosis to striped bass mortality

Older, female fish appear to be the most affected

By Karl Blankenship

A new study provides the strongest indication to date that mycobacteriosis, a disease that has plagued Chesapeake Bay striped bass for more than a decade, likely results in the death of substantial numbers of rockfish.

Mycobacteriosis is a chronic wasting disease, distantly related to tuberculosis in humans, which was first discovered in the Bay's striped bass population in 1997. It can cause extensive tumor-like growths inside the fish, and is sometimes associated with ugly external lesions on the outside.

The disease infects the majority of rockfish by the time they are 3 years old, but scientists studying the infections have lacked any smoking gun evidence to answer one of their most basic questions: whether the infections are lethal to fish.

The new study, published in the October issue of Ecological Applications, used a computer model that drew on an extensive set of monitoring data to construct a strong circumstantial case that the disease leads to death, especially in older female fish.

"Based upon our best knowledge of the biology of this disease in fishes, the models are consistent with disease-associated mortality occurring," said David Gauthier, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University and lead author of the study. "This is really one of the first attempts to figure out what a chronic disease is doing in a wild, migratory finfish population."

It is difficult to track the fate of individual diseased fish in the wild, as the disease likely take months, if not years, to kill them, so the fish die one-by-one over time. As a result, the ability of scientists to prove the ultimate fate of the fish is problematic.

"It's not like a big fish kill where you wake up one day and there is a big pile of them washed up on the beach; these slowly die," said Rob Latour, associate professor of fisheries science at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and a co-author of the paper. "It is very difficult to observe these deaths."

The study overcame that problem by using information gathered from 1,420 striped bass collected from 2003 through 2005 by the Chesapeake Bay Multispecies Monitoring and Assessment Program, an ongoing VIMS program aimed at unraveling the Bay's complex food web.

Scientists examined each fish to determine whether it was infected. The results showed an increasing rate of infection for striped bass from age 1, when about one in four females and one in eight males was infected, to age 5, when about 80 percent of the males and 90 percent of the females had the disease.

After age 6, the prevalence rate stayed roughly the same for males, but dropped in half-to about 40 percent-for females.

That information was used in a model designed to help predict the impact of disease on aquatic populations that was recently developed by Dennis Heisey of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin, a co-author of the paper.

After a series of analyses using the model, the scientists found that data best fit a scenario in which the odds of survival among infected fish was greatly reduced.

In any given year, a female striped bass infected with mycobacteriosis has a 49 percent chance of surviving compared with a non-diseased fish, according to the model. Males also appeared to have a lower survival rate, although the model was less definitive about that.

"The model is interpreting the low disease prevalence in older animals as being indicative of mortality," Latour said. "If prevalence is going down, that means that more diseased animals are dying. So when you take a sample, you get fewer [infected fish] because they are already dead."

The model hinges on the assumption that fish infected by the disease will ultimately die. The paper notes that there is no evidence that fish can heal themselves. Studies of mycobacteriosis in other fish have indicated the disease is progressive, and ultimately fatal. Lab studies have also shown that with striped bass.

Nonetheless, some have have suggested that striped bass may recover because of the appearance that external lesions have healed on some fish. But Gauthier said that when those fish are examined, active disease is still present inside.

"The fish is not cured, at least as far as we know," Gauthier said. "There really is no evidence for regression of the disease."

The suggestion that females are more likely to succumb than males is a bit of a surprise. Females typically leave the Bay when they are 3 or 4 years old to migrate along the coast until they return to spawn, usually starting at about age 5. Because the prevalence of disease appears to be focused in the Chesapeake, some biologists had thought the females would have fared better because they leave the Bay.

But if the disease is still progressing inside the fish, then the added stress females face when returning to the Chesapeake may result in their deaths, Latour said. "You could argue that the combined stress of migration with spawning makes their mortality rates different from that of males," he said.

The scientists said it's unclear whether the disease kills the fish directly, or makes them more susceptible to death by other causes, such as predation, or stress.

Another question that remains unanswered is whether the mortality rate is great enough to affect the overall striped bass population.

There is some evidence that that could be happening. An analysis of fish tagging data published last year by Hongua Jiang, of North Carolina State University, found evidence that natural (non-fishing) mortality has increased among striped bass in Maryland since the late 1990s. That study did not indicate why natural mortality might be increasing, but noted that the increase began shortly after scientists began detecting mycobacteriosis in striped bass.

Stock assessment models used by scientists to estimate fish abundance and in turn, provide the basis for fishery regulations, assume natural mortality remains constant over time. If a disease is changing that, it could have implications for the overall stock. On the other hand, if most of the mortality is taking place after many fish have reproduced, the effect may be minimal.

One of the next steps would be finding a way to incorporate disease impacts into stock assessment models, Gauthier said.

"We have demonstrated now that we do have this disease-associated component within the system," he said. "Now we need to build this into fisheries models in order to try to estimate what the effects on the population could be."

Although the paper states that it provides the most definitive evidence to date that mycobacteriosis is causing "significant disease-related mortality" in the Bay, it said that further research should be aimed at validating the assumption used in the model.

"We intend this to drive future research directions," Gauthier said. "We've demonstrated that it looks like we've got something very significant going on in older female fish. So this is a portion of the population we really need to take a careful look at."

Other authors of the paper include Chris Bonzak, Jim Gartland and Wolfgang Vogelbein at VIMS, and Erin Burge of Coastal Carolina University.

Karl is the Editor of the Bay Journal

There has been a recent change in our business strategy for the high-density fish culture operation in California. Due to ever increasing production cost and static pricing, resulting from competition with low-cost seafood imports, we are shifting the operations from fish culture to wastewater treatment and algae-based biofuels development.

On September 9, 2008, USDA-APHIS published an interim rule in the Federal Register (73 FR 52173-52189) to restrict the interstate movement and importation into the United States of live fish that are susceptible to viral hemorrhagic septicemia, a highly contagious disease of certain freshwater and saltwater fish. That interim rule was scheduled to become effective on November 10, 2008.

USDA-APHIS is delaying the effective date of the interim rule until January 9, 2009. This delay will provide APHIS with time to consider all comments and make some adjustments to the interim rule that may be necessary in order to successfully implement it. (PDF of entire Federal Register publication)

PINE BLUFF, ARK. – The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) announced today the relocation of its main office to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, effective July 21, 2008.

NAA has been located in Charles Town, West Virginia, since its inception in 1989. Its current office administrator, Mary Lee Supplee, is retiring on July 21 from the position she has held for 19 years. Kelly Goodwin, a trained research biologist, has been hired as NAA’s new office administrator. Goodwin has worked in Pine Bluff as a research assistant at the University of Arkansas Aquaculture/Fisheries Center for nearly 10 years, conducting laboratory and field research as well as administrative duties. In the past, Goodwin has lived on a fish farm and engaged in its day-to-day operations.

NAA President Dr. Randy MacMillan said, “We’re looking forward to adding Kelly to the NAA team. Her career at the university has prepared her for working with and understanding the challenges faced by American aquaculturists. Our new relationship with the university will provide NAA members with additional expert resources. Mary Lee Supplee will truly be missed by everyone at NAA; she has left an indelible mark on our organization, and we wish her well in her future endeavors.”

The office will be located on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) campus, with access to acclaimed university researchers and a wealth of fisheries resources. UAPB and its Chancellor, Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Jr., “have been welcoming to the NAA,” according to Executive Director Betsy Hart, and offered NAA use of conference room and teleconferencing facilities as well as faculty and student collaboration from the Aquaculture/Fisheries Center (AFC). The AFC is a recognized leader in aquaculture and fisheries education, research and extension programs.

Affiliated associations, including the U.S. Trout Farmers Association (USTFA), the Striped Bass Growers Association (SBGA) and American Tilapia Association (ATA), will also relocate to the UAPB campus. The NAA office hours, mailing address, phone and fax numbers listed below will be the same for all affiliated groups. All new contact information will go into effect July 21.

NEW OFFICE HOURS & CONTACT INFORMATION (effective July 21)

NAA
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central time
Address: P.O. Box 1647, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71613
Tel: 870-850-7900, Fax: 870-850-7902
E-mail: naa@thenaa.net
New website address: www.thenaa.net

USTFA
E-mail: ustfa@thenaa.net
Website: http://www.ustfa.org

SBGA
E-mail: sbga@thenaa.net
Website: http://www.stripedbassgrowers.org/

ATA
E-mail: ata@thenaa.net
Website: http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ata.html