Cornell University Cooperative Extension Butterfish/River Herring Bycatch Avoidance Network 

To Squid Fleet Fisherman,

The goal of this project is to assist squid fisherman in avoiding Butterfish and River Herring/Shad bycatch that has the potential to limit their ability to catch longfin squid. By reducing Butterfish and River Herring/Shad bycatch, the squid fleet can avoid triggering accountability measures that will result in costly fishery closures. The Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CCE), with funding provided by NOAA’s Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP), has designed a program to help the squid fleet avoid Butterfish and River Herring/Shad bycatch in the offshore fishery.

Chart of the fishing areas of the Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic regions will be mailed to you upon request. The range of areas covered by this program will coincide with the offshore longfin squid fishery. We will conduct real-time communication on the location of Butterfish and River Herring/Shad bycatch that is based on daily at-sea reports from captains. We will compile fleet information and email the locations of Butterfish and River Herring/Shad bycatch “hot spots” back out to the fleet to assist fishing vessel captains to avoid high concentrations of these species while targeting squid.

All reporting is through Boatracs email and Macro 12.

We are asking you to participate by reporting bycatch levels daily when you are fishing so we can provide the most accurate and timely information on Butterfish and River Herring/Shad bycatch areas. Enclosed is the information and instructions needed to participate. If you are new to the program, please fill out the Email Authorization and return it to CCE via fax, mail or email. 

We appreciate your participation in the bycatch avoidance effort.  Please do not hesitate to contact me at 631-727-7850 ext. 317 or at hotspot@cornell.edu with any questions.

Sincerely,

Tara Froehlich

Cornell University Cooperative Extension

Email Authorization Worksheet

This form must be completed and signed before Boatracs will enable your e-mail services to and from the vessel(s) 

___________Initial here if you would like the Bycatch Avoidance e-mails to be sent to and from the vessel.

Be sure to indicate “TO BOAT”,and “FROM BOAT” to indicate the direction of the permission. Email addresses without the direction will NOT be processed.

E-mail Addresses Allowed: (indicate TO BOAT, FROM BOAT OR BOTH)

email address: hotspot@cornell.edu

 Please fill out the information below and sign this form authorizing us to communicate hotspot reports via email and text messages.

Vessel Name                                                            

Vessel E-mail Address                                 

Name /Title (please print)                                   

Cell Phone #                                 

Signature                                 

Please print then mail, fax, or scan and email this form back to CCE.

 Fax: (631) 727-7130 Attention: Tara Froehlich

Email: taf4@cornell.edu

Mail: Cornell Marine Program, Attention: Tara Froehlich

423 Griffing Avenue

Riverhead, NY 1190