HAMPTON, N.H. – October 11, 2012 – The New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) Groundfish Oversight Committee met last Thursday to continue development of Framework Adjustment 48 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Throughout the discussion, there were several key issues that emerged as focal points for a great deal of Committee and public comment, as well as debate.

The Committee discussed recreational measures for fishing year 2013, reviewed recommendations from both the Groundfish Advisory Panel (GAP) and the Recreational Advisory Panel (RAP), and worked to develop alternatives to improve at-sea and dockside monitoring programs. Issues related to closed area management and access, as well as the groundfish resource sharing agreement between the United States and Canada prompted a great deal of discussion. Committee and public comments related to these issues can be found below.

Listen to Vito Giacalone, of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, comment on the delicate nature of the U.S. and Canada stock sharing agreement.

Listen to NEFMC Council Chair, Rip Cunningham, discuss the possibility of renegotiating with Canada for a larger share of the groundfish resource in the vicinity of eastern Georges Bank.

Listen to Groundfish Committee Member, David Goethel, discuss the effectiveness of the closed areas, as well as what environmental factors merit a closure.

Listen to Groundfish Advisory Panel Chair, Bill Gerencer, discusses the past, present, and future of the closed areas.

Listen to Maggie Raymond, of Associated Fisheries of Maine, discuss closed area access and the fishery’s need for changes to accountability measures.

Listen to Groundfish Committee Member, David Goethel, express the need for accurate yellowtail stock assessment data.

Listen to Rich Canastra, of Buyers And Sellers Exchange (BASE) New England, take issue with the value of the closed areas.

Listen to Peter Shelley, of the Conservation Law Foundation, stress the importance of recognizing all of the productivity factors present in the closed areas before opening them up.

Listen to Shaun Gehan, an attorney for the Fisheries Survival Fund, discuss the scallop industry’s desire to reduce yellowtail bycatch in the scallop fishery.

Listen to Ron Smolowitz, of the Fisheries Survival Fund, discuss closed area management and the future of the scallop fishery.