Comments submitted by The Pew Charitable Trusts on behalf of 12,381 members of the public Thomas A. Nies, executive director New England Fishery Management Council 50 Water St., Mill #2 Newburyport, MA 01950 RE: Atlantic Herring Amendment 8 Scoping Comments Dear Mr. Nies: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important matter for the Northeast’s marine ecosystem. I support the decision of the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) to explicitly account for Atlantic herring’s unique role as a forage fish in the ecosystem when setting catch limits. Herring is a valuable public resource. I commend the council for regarding this determination as an ecosystem issue and engaging experts in ecosystem-based fisheries management. Although the NEFMC initiated Amendment 8, it is not simply a New England issue. During annual migrations, Atlantic herring journey as far south as North Carolina and as far north as Nova Scotia. Herring has always been an important part of the marine food web throughout its range, but it has become even more vital with the decline of other forage species such as river herring, shad, mackerel, and menhaden. Recent scientific research supports leaving enough forage fish such as herring in the ocean to support not only their own population, but also viable populations of other species that depend on them. Many herring predators are depleted, and keeping enough herring in the ocean would improve the chances of recovery for cod, tuna, whales, and seabirds. I urge the NEFMC to consider alternatives for Amendment 8 that are based on this latest scientific guidance for managing forage fish. In addition to the ecological value of herring predators, there is tremendous economic worth in commercial and recreational fishing for tuna, cod, and striped bass, as well as whale and seabird watching in the Northeast. The NEFMC should consider, and quantify to the best of its ability, this economic value and recognize that it is dependent on abundant Atlantic herring during particular times of the year and in specific places in the ocean. Many predators are migratory, following prey and finding suitable habitat for mating, nesting, and growing. Amendment 8 should include alternatives that explicitly aim to keep Atlantic herring present in sufficient quantities when and where they are needed most by predators. Amendment 8 should also include options that curtail fishing incrementally as the Atlantic herring population declines and that stop all fishing for herring below a minimum population level. Thank you again for embarking on a long-term, ecologically based harvest policy for the Atlantic herring fishery. This is a significant step toward developing ecosystem-based fisheries management, which is a stated goal of both the NEFMC and of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service. I look forward to seeing the draft of the amendment with a full range of alternatives when the council releases it for public comment. Sincerely, First Name Last Name Address 1 City State Country Postal Code Personal Comment anabel nunez alsacia 151 santiago New York Albania 7630202 Maria SusanaGarcia santa cruz 1255 G Baigorria 2152 Argentina 2152 Alejandra Vega J. B. Justo 2681 Buenos Aires Alabama Argentina 1414 soledad sanchez villegas lincoln argentina Argentina 6070 monica picon segurola 143 merlo New York Argentina 11716 Maria Teresa Schollhorn Cabildo 2262 Buenos Aires Not in US Argentina 1428 Keep herring feeding the Noertheasts ocean ecosystem. Valli Gent Monash Australian Capital TerritoryAustralia 2904 Our world's stock of fish is being rapidly depleted to the point of no return. Without it being sustained, both humans and natasha watson Otford Indiana Australia 2508 wildlife will die. Stop overfishing! M Mari-Dale Sydney St Sydney New South Wales Australia 2000 Lyn Mews Sydney New South Wales Australia 2079 Caroline Hoisington 37 Cutler Rd. Clontarf New South Wales Australia 2093 Anthony Krithinakis 29 Permanent Av Earlwood New South Wales Australia 2206 Karen Baker 10-22 Milford Islington New South Wales Australia 2296 Sonia Geerlings po box 203 Macksville New South Wales Australia 2447 Please Help Atlantic Herring, they need a chance as do all the other creatures that are part of this fragile ecosystem. The Herring are such a valuable part of the Atlantic Ocean, Mark George Coffs Harbour New South Wales Australia 2450 everything has it's limits. Kerry Horvat Shellharbour New South Wales Australia 2529 Olivia Kemp Exeter New South Wales Australia 2579 Antje Nebel 6/109 Swan Street Brisbane Queensland Australia 4031 JACQUI GLYDE 206/225 Logan St EAGLEBY Queensland Australia 4207 JACQUI GLYDE 206/225 Logan St EAGLEBY Queensland Australia 4207 Shelley Goldsack Carrara Queensland Australia 4211 Yvonne Griffiths PO Box 1442 Mudgeeraba Queensland Australia 4213 Oscar Griffiths PO Box 1442 Mudgeeraba Queensland Australia 4213 Sylvia Cooper 1Stanhill Dve Surfers Paradise Queensland Australia 4217 Loretta Obrien 1/43 murlong cres 4221 Queensland Australia 4221 It is past time to consider the consequences of our actions. To survive ourselves we must ensure the earth's eco systems do not collapse. The world needs fishing limits that leave enough Patricia mcKinlay Ipswich Queensland Australia 4305 to do that. Kushla Gale Mt Lofty Queensland Australia 4350 martin Balkwill The Summit Queensland Australia 4377 Without the herring, the food chain is in turmoil and may never be recovered to the detriment of our grand children and their Gregory Meadows Caboolture Queensland Australia 4510 children and grand children down the line. Joan Gumley Rockhampton Queensland Australia 4701 Rose Sherwell East Mackay Queensland Australia 4740 Peter Cummins 13 Sidlaw St Cairns Queensland Australia 4878 George Theobald 136 Hope Street Cooktown Queensland Australia 4895 Work with the ecosystem, not against it. Our future is at stake. ginger neimo po box 57 adelaide South Australia Australia 5072 Caroline Ward 10 Davidson Avenue Crafers South Australia Australia 5152 Jane Mallyon Diana Cres Adelaide South Australia Australia 5162 Elaine black adelaide South Australia Australia 5162 paula xiberras 1 hill road hobart Tasmania Australia 70011 Peter Flanagan 405 Barkly Street Brunswick Victoria Australia 3056 jenny Ilasi 21/130 High St. Northcote Melbourne Victoria Australia 3070 Shannon Hurley 25 valley ho Chirnside park Victoria Australia 3116 Any in-balance in this ecosystem will affect the whole marine Catherine Money Ferntree Gu.aully Victoria Australia 3156 life Kristina Cook Melbourne Victoria Australia 3178 Elisabeth Rodda 3 Lynott street Melbourne Victoria Australia 3182 Penny meek Melbourne Victoria Australia 3204 Jolie Boyd Geelong Victoria Australia 3216 Justin Wolff 26 Beach Road Ocean Grove Victoria Australia 3226 Carl Carlsonick Unit 8 914 ligar st Ballarat Victoria Australia 3350 Shirley Coughlin Melbourne Victoria Australia 3448 Don't diminish the herring in the sea. Atlantic herring are most important to the marine ecosystem as they are a known food source for whales, seabirds, and larger fish such as tuna and cod. Constant overfishing is unacceptable and you must ensure that there are enough herring let in the ocean at the right time and right locations so that predators have enough to eat and thus sustain their populations. These populations are ecologically significant but also have a commercial value. Therefore I ask that any decision you make ensures the abundance of the Atlantic herring. Please protect the herring for the long-term health of the ecosystem and in Maria Riedl Mildura Victoria Australia 3500 fact the economy. Ben Evans Golden Square Victoria Australia 3555 If you don,t protect our Herring, or all of our fish stocks for that matter, it WILL have a knock on effect and destroy eco systems Dean Addison Wangaratta Victoria Australia 3677 that as a result impact directly on to us. Think about it. I guess importantly the whole ecosystem should be considered Paula Ewington Sherbrooke Victoria Australia 3789 when making future fisheries decisions- Kay Bradfield Perth Western AustraliaAustralia 6018 Kerrie Di Cataldo 15 Balgor Court, KelmscottPerth Western AustraliaAustralia 6111 Nigel Rice 53 Angorra rd My Nasura Western AustraliaAustralia 6112 Stephanie Preedy 25, Jagoe loop Willagee Western AustraliaAustralia 6156 It is crucial to our oceans sustainability and survival that we take immediate effective action to protect the marina life in it. This includes prevention of overfishing for the long term Sandra Reed 195 South Terrace South Fremantle Western AustraliaAustralia 6162 survival of herring and the marine ecosystem Terry Ware Perth Western AustraliaAustralia 6210 John Griffiths PO Box 1442 Mudgeeraba Wisconsin Australia 4213 I think we've already taken our share of the ocean's wealth. We Suzyu Manigian Cygnet Coast Road Petcheys Bay Wyoming Australia 7109 have to leave SOMETHING for the rest of the ecosystem. Bianca Sodfried Türkenhain 4 Purbach Alaska Austria 90511 Margit Otterbach Brockhausengasse 20/30 Wien Not in US Austria 1220 Monika Huber Springergasse 6 Vienna Not in US Austria A-1020 Atlantic herring are important to the ecosystem, not just to the Elisabeth Richter Strelzhofgasse 50 Wiener Neustadt Virginia Austria 23450 fishermen who catch them! Elisabeth Bechmann Neugebäudeplatz St. Pölten Wyoming Austria 3100 Ingrid Frassl Johann-Kaller-Gasse 29 Gerasdorf bei Wien Austria 2201 katja wybo rue du jardin amougies 7750 Belgium 7750 hella van buynder van stralenstraat 42 antwerpen