Written by Jen Levin, Sustainable Seafood Program Manager, and Sam Gimley, Sustainable Seafood Project Manager

China is a big deal. On our desks alone, the pencil holders, lamps, monitors, and computers were all MADE IN CHINA. China’s impact on global markets is no secret, and the same holds for seafood. China is the biggest producer, consumer, and exporter of seafood in the world. With this market power, China holds enormous influence over seafood sustainability.

So it made sense to bring the 10^th International Seafood Summit, an annual conference focused on seafood sustainability, to Hong Kong this past September. We were fortunate to attend, along with a few hundred other representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the seafood industry, research institutions, and management agencies.

Over the three-day conference, we learned a lot about what is going on around the world to improve the sustainability of seafood, and we learned about some of the continuing challenges. Overall, some themes emerged for us:

• IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing continues to be a problem. Many efforts are in place to trace product back to the vessel so that buyers can be assured their product was legally harvested. Overall, transparency is becoming an expectation, and opportunities for traceability are evolving.
• NGOs increasingly work with, rather than against, industry on initiatives to improve on the sustainability of seafood. Fishery Improvement Projects, or FIPs, are becoming ubiquitous around the world (stay tuned for more about an example of a FIP in Indonesia).
• Aquaculture plays a huge role in seafood production (over half of the world’s seafood supply is now farm-raised), bringing with it a whole suite of its own sustainability issues. The shear scope of people involved is overwhelming. In Thailand alone, there are over 1 million hectares dedicated to shrimp farming, and 80% of that production is small scale.

While we primarily focus on Gulf of Maine seafood here, understanding the global supply and marketplace helps enormously as we work with buyers who play a critical role in creating market demand for responsible practices around the world. After all, according to the FDA, we import over 80% of the seafood we consume, most of which hails from…You guessed it: China.

Written by Sam Gimley,
Sustainable Seafood Project Manager

Last Sunday concluded the Out of the Blue Atlantic mackerel promotion.  When the project’s Steering Team originally selected mackerel for promotion, the sentiment was that it would provide the greatest challenge to promote, despite having the largest Total Allowable Catch of the five selected Out of the Blue species.  Mackerel are migratory fish that prefer cooler water, and it is unclear what impact the abnormally warm ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Maine are having on the seasonal distribution of mackerel.  In addition, mackerel has one of the lowest ex-vessel values in the region, which provides little incentive for fishermen to harvest it.  The combination of these two factors can result in an inconsistent mackerel supply, unlike the previously promoted redfish.  Despite concerns around supply, participating restaurants were able to communicate their demand for mackerel and fishermen responded in time to secure mackerel for the promotional period and beyond.

One of those fishermen was Dan Harriman, who fishes out of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.  Dan is a diverse harvester who mixes lobstering, with lesser-known fishing practices such as tub trawling and weir fishing.  Weirs are stationary or fixed nets placed in areas where fish congregate, typically near a river or shallow water.  The lead part of the weir net guides the fish (or squid) through a “V” shaped opening and into an enclosed pen.  The narrow end of the “V” makes it difficult for fish to escape and the fish remain in the enclosure until they are harvested.  Weirs are one of the oldest forms of fishing, but are no longer commonly used in the region.  Dan’s weir has been in his family since the 1950s and he has been fishing it for the last 10 years.

During GMRI’s Trawl to Table event, when Dan’s weir-caught squid was served at lunch, Dan explained that he also harvested mackerel from his the weir and suggested I come see how it was fished.  Given that I had never seen a weir in action before, I promptly accepted.  Two weeks later, I spent the morning with Dan and his crew as they emptied the weir of 400 pounds of squid and 40 pounds of bluefish.  Dan explained that it requires two skiffs and his larger lobster boat to school the catch into a small area, where it is then hauled out of the water and iced down in totes.  It was a remarkably quick process and only took a few hours, allowing Dan and his son to spend the rest of the day lobstering.  Although the weir produced no mackerel the morning I visited (they harvested 7,000 pounds the day before of course), it was still a fascinating glimpse into a unique fishing practice.  Pictures of my visit can be seen here, along with a brief video.

Written by Ellen Agnew, Communications Intern

The threat of climate change has scientists asking questions large and small about the impact it may have on our world. At the “Gulf of Maine in a Changing Climate” conference at Bowdoin College this past June, local researchers discussed the changes they’ve seen in the Gulf of Maine, from large shifts in ocean circulation to the effects of increased river discharge. Gulf of Maine Research Institute and University of Maine scientists, Drs. Andrew Pershing, Nicholas Record, and Jeffrey Runge talked about an organism smaller than a grain of rice, the zooplankton species Calanus finmarchicus (pictured right). The future of the Gulf may hinge on the fate of Calanus so though their subject is small, the importance of their research may be enormous.

Despite its high abundance, Calanus in the Gulf of Maine is not well-understood. Runge seeks to describe the Calanus life cycle. The Gulf of Maine is at the southernmost end of the Calanus’ range and is warmer than its northern habitats. Typically, Calanus spend late winter and spring feeding, building their lipid stores, and producing offspring. In summer, Calanus enters diapause, a state similar to hibernation, and lives off of its lipid stores while food is scarce and predation is high. Runge and his team modeled the Calanus life cycle in the Gulf. Contrary to expectations, they found that the Calanus were spending only half the time in diapause as they would in their northern range. The warmer temperatures of the Gulf cause Calanus to consume its fat stores more quickly and it ends its diapause prematurely. The Calanus then produces an extra fall generation, an event unique to Calanus in the Gulf of Maine. Further understanding of the Calanus life cycle in the Gulf of Maine could be gained through more consistent monitoring.

In an effort to illuminate the history of Calanus in the Gulf of Maine, Pershing and Record analyzed 45 years of data collected by Continuous Plankton Recorders, devices that are towed behind ships to collect plankton specimens. They found that plankton biodiversity in the Gulf skyrocketed during the 90s. In terrestrial ecosystems, high biodiversity leads to ecosystem stability and strength. However, in the Gulf of Maine, as many plankton species thrived, Calanus populations plummeted. This depletion of Calanus meant there was less to eat for Calanus’ predators, including the endangered right whale. Their research highlights not only the importance and complexity of Calanus’ place in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem, but the need for further study of how biodiversity operates in oceanic systems. A rise in biodiversity will not bode well for the Gulf if its crucial keystone species, the Calanus is lost in exchange.

The 90s spike in biodiversity was likely the result of changes in arctic winds in the late 80s that sent fresh, arctic waters spilling into the Gulf of Maine. Calanus flourish in cold, salty, ‘oceanic’ waters. The Gulf is currently growing warmer and fresher, indicating that the Gulf of the 90s may have been foreshadowing a Gulf of the future. Experts are cautioning Calanus could disappear from the Gulf entirely, possibly within the next fifty years. However, this prediction is based on studies done in the northern end of the Calanus range. However, Runge’s research revealed differences between Gulf of Maine Calanus and their northern brethren. By understanding the Calanus life cycle and its overall role in the Gulf of Maine specifically, the researchers may be able to better pinpoint what might happen to Calanus…and what might happen to the Gulf of Maine if the Calanus vanishes.

Written by Ellen Agnew, Communications Intern

I am adrift in Casco Bay, packed into a life raft with five others, having just abandoned our sinking ship. After only a few minutes, I’m overheating in my immersion suit, and everyone is already a little antsy and claustrophobic. It’s a good thing the dock is only a few feet away.

We’re simulating a ship sinking scenario as part of our fishing vessel safety training taught by John McMillan of McMillan Offshore Survival Training. John has taught emergency preparedness training courses for over twenty years and it is clear that his teachings come not just from regulations or safety manuals, but from hard-earned real world experience. He began our 8 hour course with a video that would have swept away any doubts about the importance of this training, had I had any to begin with. The news clip depicts a fishing vessel that has just been struck by another, larger ship. The crew members have just enough time to quickly don life vests and abandon ship before it disappears into the water. The entire process lasts only 50 seconds.

Safety-at-sea is something that the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) takes very seriously. Our scientists conduct most of their at-sea research aboard working fishing vessels. Commercial fishing has been labeled one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation. Emergencies happen in an instant, requiring quick reactions. This training is mandatory for all GMRI staff who go to sea in any capacity, so I was joined by a number of other staff members, as well as several fishermen from up and down the Maine coast.

Once we’re in the life raft, Don, John’s assistant teacher, bobs in the water next to us and asks, now that we’ve abandoned ship, what we want to do next. Thanks to the comprehensive training we received that morning, we know that we would cut our ties from the ship if it appeared to be unsafe, drop anchor, set off a flare, and assess any injured crewmembers.

At the end of the day, John assures us that we would now know what to do in any emergency situation, from putting out an onboard fire, rescuing someone who had fallen overboard, to evacuating a ship and while I agree he’s probably right, I hope I never again happen to find myself floating in a life raft in Casco Bay.

 By Sarah Morrisseau

Christine and I flew to San Francisco to be part of the three-day citizen science conference at the California Academy of Sciences in May. The Academy is in the very early stages of developing a citizen science program for California focused on public education and engagement with biodiversity. The program must tie to an active research agenda, and help solve a conservation issue.

This meeting brought together 60+ people from science, citizen science, and education fields to share and collect best practices for citizen engagement, scientist engagement, and technology platforms that enable and support community-based science initiatives. Participants spanned the country, representing programs at Cornell, UC Davis, National Audubon, Stanford University, Berkeley, The Smithsonian, and – well – the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. This photo shows me with our new pals Rusty Russell (Botany Collections Manager at The Smithsonian’s National Herbarium and the EarthWatch Expedition Scientist), and Allen Fish (Director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory in San Francisco).

Read More on the Vital Signs Community Blog http://vitalsignsme.org/blog/sharing-vs-ca

By Michelle Corry, guest blogger

Owner, five-fifty-five and Petite Jacqueline

On June 1, five fifty-five and Petite Jacqueline will join 18 other Maine restaurants in a ten-day promotion of an underutilized Gulf of Maine seafood species.  The effort, known as Out of the Blue, is being coordinated by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and seeks to raise consumers’ awareness of lesser-known, locally harvested seafood.  Over the past year, GMRI has worked with chefs and fishermen to identify particular species from the Gulf of Maine that are underutilized or under-appreciated.  As a result, GMRI will be coordinating different Out of the Blue promotional weeks for each of the species.

The first species being promoted is redfish, also known as ocean perch.  Redfish was chosen because it is a well-managed and abundant fish, but fishermen only harvest about 30% of what they are allowed to take at a sustainable level.  While redfish can be found in restaurants and markets from time to time, it is not as well known as other Gulf of Maine seafood.  As part of Out of the Blue, five-fifty-five and Petite Jacqueline have committed to serving redfish from June 1 to June 10.  One dish at five-fifty-five will be “one fish, two fish, redfish, blue fish,” a tantalizing combination of dill-smoked New England bluefish, redfish mousseline, crispy red skin cracker, shaved celery salad, and just-charred lemon. Petite Jacqueline will serve up “redfish meuniere” with lemon-beurre blanc, green beans, and capers.

We are excited to participate in the program and feel it is an excellent way to support the local fishing industry, while also providing our guests with another delicious and healthy seafood option.  We are looking forward to this week’s promotion and other upcoming Out of the Blue promotions.

Paul Dobbins of Ocean Approved recently gave a talk as part of GMRI’s Sea State Lecture series. The Gulf of Maine has long produced some of the world’s most delicious fish and seafood offerings, but the idea that it can also be a source of vegetables like kelp is truly fascinating. If you missed the lecture or live too far from Portland to join us, you can listen to an audio recording of Paul’s talk.

Much of the life in the world’s oceans is smaller than a grain of rice.  Rebecca Jones, a UMaine scientist who works in GMRI’s lab, is in Norway as part of a special research expedition to learn more about a type of zooplankton, called Calanus, which powers the marine food web in the North Atlantic. Read more on Rebecca’s blog:  http://rjjzoop.wordpress.com/

Twenty educators representing Maine elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and a 4-H program joined three Vital Signs Educator Leaders at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute on April 6 to learn about and participate in our Vital Signs program.

Visit the Vital Signs blog to learn more.