April 23 – 26, 2019Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team

In-Person MeetingProvidence Marriott Downtown

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

Facilitated by CONCUR: Scott McCrearyBennett Brooks

Introductions

New Member Departing Member Representation

Chad Power Russ AllenState Resource Manager

(New Jersey)

Scott Landry Jooke Robbins Academic/Scientific

(Center for Coastal Studies)

Alex Costidis Mark SwingleAcademic/Scientific (Virginia Aquarium)

Toni Kerns Megan WareFishery Management Organization (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries

Commission)

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 32008 Wildlife Trust, NOAA Permit # 594-1759Right Whale No. 3180 and her newborn calf; 30 mi. East of Brunswick, GA

Donna Wieting, Director, Office of Protected Species, National Program

Kim Damon-Randall, Deputy Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region

Michael Asaro, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources (Acting) Greater Atlantic Region

Welcome

Purpose of this meeting

Objective: Develop consensus recommendations on a suite of measures that will achieve a 60 to 80% reduction in mortalities and serious injuries of right whales in U.S. fisheries to support NMFS rulemaking that will be initiated in May 2019

Take Reduction Process:• The work of the Take Reduction Team is to develop consensus take reduction recommendations if

incidental mortality and serious injury (M&SI)of marine mammals in commercial fisheries exceeds the Potential Biological Removal. We will test for consensus at this meeting. If consensus is not reached, we will document the level of support for the range of possibilities considered, noting the views of both the majority and minority

• NMFS has the ultimate responsibility to take actionU.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4

Meeting goal: Identify and recommend modifications to the ALWTRP to further reduce impacts of U.S. fixed gear fisheries on large whales and reduce mortality and serious injury to below PBR for right whales

Agenda, Tuesday April 23, 2019 - AM10:00 Introductions and welcome

• Donna Wieting, Director, Office of Protected Resources• Kim Damon Randall, Deputy Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region (GAR)• Michael Asaro, Acting Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, GAR

10:30 Agenda review, meeting protocols10:45 Recap of intersessional work

• NMFS, Team Members

11:30 Right whale population status - Jon Hare, Director, Northeast Fisheries Science Center

11:45 Overview and discussion of Decision Support Tool • North Atlantic right whale density model – Jason Roberts, Duke University• Vertical line model – Neal Etre, Industrial Economics• Risk landscape - Burton Shank, Sean Hayes, Doug Sigourney; Northeast Fisheries Science Center• Risk reduction decision support – Burton Shank, Sean Hayes, Doug Sigourney

1:00 Lunch

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5

Agenda, Tuesday April 23, 2019 - PM

2:00 Demonstration and discussion of Risk Reduction Decision Support Tool

• Burton Shanks, Sean Hayes, Doug Sigourney Northeast Fisheries Science Center

3:30 Breakout groups assignments 3:40 In breakout groups

• Discuss risk reduction elements • Become familiar with use of Decision Support Tool

5:30 Team reflections, breakout group recaps5:45 Public Comments and Adjourn

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6

Agenda, Wednesday, April 24, 20198:00 Recap of day 18:15 Identify emerging areas of general agreement from breakout groups 9:00 Reconvene breakout groups: consider how risk reduction elements

can combine into suites of take reduction measures toward goal12:00 Lunch1:00 Full Team check-in, reflections on morning

breakout group discussions2:00 Breakout groups continue deliberations4:00 Team reflections, breakout group recaps5:15 Public comment5:30 Adjourn

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 7

Agenda, Thursday, April 25, 2019

8:00 Recap of Day 2, review of breakout groups’ potential suites of take reduction measures

9:00 Integrate breakout groups findings as full TeamIdentify broad areas of support

12:00 Lunch 1:00 Identify and refine promising suites of take reduction

measures4:45 Public comments5:00 Adjourn

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 8

Agenda, Friday, April 26, 2019

8:00 Recap of Day 3, review areas of broad support on take reduction elements and suites

8:30 Finalize, confirm and recommend suite of take reduction measures

10:30 Review gear marking, reporting, monitoring elements (time permitting)

12:30 Next steps, future planning1:00 Adjourn

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 9

Photo courtesy of: Georgia Wildlife Resources Division NOAA Permit #594-1759

Take Reduction Team Operating ProtocolsEmphasis for this meeting: Recommendations for Agency consideration

• Agency has imperative to act, this is the Team’s best chance to inform Agency action

• Work collaboratively cross-caucus to co-invent approach that integrates across interests, aspirations and concerns

• Make use of best available information • Refrain from negotiating through the press

as this can stifle open dialogue and harden positions.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10

From TRT Operating Protocols

• Active, focused participation • Effective representation of

constituency • Respectful interaction • Ask questions of each other• Integration and creative thinking• Mutual gains approach• Strive for consensus

Opportunities for public comment at the end of each dayMedia asked to hold questions until discussion breaks

Intersessional Efforts• Rope Teleconference

• Closed Area Teleconference

• Gear Marking – Friday agenda item

• ASMFC line reduction

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11

Rope

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 12

Rope teleconference• Scott Kraus summarized discussions from New England Aquarium’s Fishing Rope

Meeting (report submitted 4/22)• Some non-consensus support that moving toward reduced rope strengths

would reduce mortality and serious injury by up to 72% for 1700lbf breaking strength rope.

• Provided a table comparing options for consideration by TRT and,• Provided research recommendations

• Erin Summers provided updates to Maine DMR’s study of fishing rope breaking strength and load cell measurements

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 13

Work Group Members: Kristen Monsell, David Borden, Colleen Weiler, Dennis Heinemann, Chad Power, Jane Davenport, Toni Kerns, Cheri Patterson, Bob Glenn, Amy Knowlton, Erin Summers, Mason Weinrich, Mike Lane, John Haviland, Rob Martin

Objective: Discuss and compare the seasonal closures proposed by Team members with recent shipstrike dynamic management area actions (following past ALWTRT closed area methods)

Closed Area Work Group Teleconference

Closed Area Teleconference

Reviewed interactive maps of recent Dynamic Management Areas• Capture most current sightings data• Follow procedures formerly used to establish seasonal fishery closures

based on the identification of persistent aggregations of right whales

Closure Issues• If implemented, frequent review of whale distribution needed• Effectiveness is dependent on response: closures in areas where gear is removed seasonally are more

effective than areas where gear is moved• US dynamic closures impractical administratively and operationally create safety concerns in some

weather• Future closure to endlines could conditionally allow ropeless fishing; concerns about unintended zoning

implications

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 14

Team Intersessional Effort Erin Summers – Update on Line Work

Nick Record – Update on Gulf of Maine copepods

Sarah Sharp – Update on Right Whale Necropsy Results

Bill McLellan – Reminder of whale force production and linebreaking strengths

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 15

April 2019 ALWTRT Breakout GroupsFacilitator Scott McCreary Bennett Brooks Cindy Cook Keith MattsonTrap Pot (NE) Patrice McCarron

John HavilandPeter Brodeur

Kristen PorterDave Borden Beth Casoni

John WilliamsBobby Nudd

Dwight CarverMike Sargent

Gillnet NE Sooky Sawyer Todd Sutton Bob Martin

Conservation Jane DavenportColleen Weiler

Sharon Young Kristen MonsellMason Weinrich

Brian Sharp

State Michael Greco (NJ)Bob Glenn (MA)

Chad Power (NJ)Scott Olszewski (RI)

Erin Summers (ME)Meghan Rickard (NY)

Cindy Driscoll (MD)Cheri Patterson (NH)

Federal Resource Managers

Dennis Heineman Dave Wiley (not Tuesday)

Barb Zoodsma Kristy

Fishery Management Charlie Phillips Terry Alexander Toni Kerns Kiley DancyScience Scott Kraus

Scott LandryBill McLellanBob Kenney

Caroline GoodAlex Costidis

Nick Record,Stormy Mayo

NOAA Recorders and Support

Jessica PowellJackie Taylor

David MorinDanielle Palmer

Allison Murphy Kate Sampson

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 16