January 24, 2022 — The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, February 1 through Thursday, February 3, 2022. The public is invited to listen live and provide input during designated opportunities for public comment. Due to ongoing public safety considerations related toCOVID-19, this meeting will be conducted entirely by webinar.
START TIME: 10:00 a.m. on Day 1 and 9:00 a.m. on Day 2 and Day 3. The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.
PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES: The Council wants to hear from you. Here’s how you can let the Council know what you think.
•WRITE A LETTER: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 27, 2022.
•TALK TO THE COUNCIL: You’ll be able to address the Council directly through two different avenues:
1.By commenting on motions at the discretion of the Council chair (raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon); and
2.By speaking during the open period for public comment. Here are the Guidelines for Providing Public Comment.
•OPEN PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: On Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 12:00 p.m., the Council will offer the public an opportunity to provide comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda. Given the Council’s busy meeting schedule, we ask that you limit remarks to 3-5 minutes.
◦ SIGN UP NOW: Interested in speaking? Email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org to get on the list.
WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.
•Here are instructions in the Remote Participation Guide for successfully joining and participating in the webinar.
•THIS IS KEY! If you want to speak during opportunities for public comment, you need to: (1) register for the webinar; and (2) actually “join” the webinar. People who call in by telephone without joining the webinar will be in listen-only mode. Those who take both steps – register and then join the webinar – will see the meeting screen and be able to click on a “raise hand” button, which will let the meeting organizer know you want to be unmuted to speak.
•We have a Help Desk in case you get stuck joining the webinar or have trouble along the way. Phone numbers are listed on the Help Desk Poster, or just email helpdesk@nefmc.org and we’ll get right back to you.
CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone without joining the webinar, dial +1 (631) 992-3221. The access code is 248-228-740. Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply. Remember, you will not be able to speak if you do not first join the webinar as described above. This phone number provides a “listen-only” option without the webinar component.
AGENDA: All meeting materials and the agenda are available on the Council’s website at NEFMC February 1-3, 2022 meeting. Additional documents will be posted as they become available.
EMERGENCY ACTION: Please note that the Council will discuss a request for secretarial emergency action related to the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area under the Habitat Committee report.
GROUNDFISH: The Council will devote Day 3 of this meeting to groundfish issues to allow for extensive discussion of: (1) the final report from the Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Workshops; and (2) important issues related to the 2023 Atlantic Cod Research Track Assessment. The Council also will make recommendations on recreational measures for Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock for the 2022 fishing year.
THREE MEETING OUTLOOK: A copy of the New England Council’s Three Meeting Outlook is available HERE.
COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS: Anyone with questions prior to or during the Council meeting should contact Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.