Saving Seafood

Council Actions

Daniel McKiernan Elected ASMFC Chair

Dewey Beach, DE – Today, member states of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) thanked Joseph Cimino of New Jersey for a successful two-year term as Chair and elected Daniel McKiernan of Massachusetts to succeed him.
 
“I’m honored to be chosen by my fellow Commissioners to lead our efforts for the next two years. One of my priorities will be to work with my colleagues in the states and federal agencies to seek resources to fund fundamental fisheries data collection and science activities to support our management programs. Other key topics over the next two years will be our ability to adapt to changes in species distribution and availability and how best to respond to the recalibration of recreational fishing effort and harvest data from the Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey,” said Mr. McKiernan.
 
Mr. McKiernan continued, “I want to thank outgoing Chair, Joe Cimino for his leadership in tackling some challenging management issues for species such as American lobster, American eel, Atlantic striped bass, Atlantic menhaden, horseshoe crab, and red drum. He helped support the advancement of fisheries science through the completion of an impressive number of benchmark stock assessments and assessment updates for river herring, red drum, American lobster, horseshoe crab, tautog, Atlantic sturgeon, and Atlantic menhaden (single species assessment update and ecological reference points benchmark assessment). Further, under his leadership, the Commission also strengthened stakeholder engagement in horseshoe crab management by bringing together diverse stakeholders for a Delaware Bay management objectives workshop to provide recommendations for possible revisions to the management process, and by increasing nontraditional stakeholder representation on the Horseshoe Crab Advisory Panel to more equitably balance user group perspectives. Lastly, Mr. Cimino initiated the process to consider possible changes to voting practices and declared interests on species management boards.”
 
Additionally, advances in habitat conservation were made by the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) through its funding of five on-the-ground projects, which will open over seven river miles and restore over 110 acres of habitat. These include dam removal projects in New Jersey and Massachusetts, as well as saltmarsh and oyster restoration projects in Maryland and Florida. ACFHP will also be hosting a Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workshop in 2026 focused on developing a Seed Transfer Best Management Practices Guidance Document.
 
From a data collection and management perspective, the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) also made progress under Mr. Cimino’s leadership. ACCSP supported 20 partner agency data collection projects and expanded the scope and security of the ACCSP Data Warehouse. ACCSP held a data accountability workshop and extended data validation tools within electronic reporting systems; extended implementation of harvester One Stop Reporting; and made progress on a methodology to more fully use for-hire logbooks in Marine Recreational Information Program’s catch statistics.
 
Mr. McKiernan has directed the Massachusetts Division of Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF) since late 2019, where he develops agency policies, represents the Commonwealth in interstate and federal fishery management forums and administers nearly all aspects of the DMF’s in-state management and regulations for fisheries management. He began his professional career as a field biologist for DMF in 1985 and worked closely with the lobster fishery as a sea sampler and an assistant marine biologist. He brought his field experience to DMF’s headquarters and has worked on fisheries management and policy for almost four decades. He has worked diligently to achieve co-existence between endangered right whales and the maritime and fishing industries in Massachusetts.  In 2023, Massachusetts was recognized with the NOAA Fisheries “Partner in the Spotlight” award for exceptional efforts to the conservation and recovery of Northern Right Whales.
 
Mr. McKiernan is practiced in the arenas of federal and interstate fisheries management. As a long-standing representative to the Commission, he has chaired numerous species management boards and was recognized for his management efforts with the Commission’s Award of Excellence in 2018. He is a strong promoter of conservation and accountable fisheries management for commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries, and the seafood industry at large. Mr. McKiernan is a graduate of UMASS-Dartmouth and earned an MS in Fisheries Biology from Auburn University. He received the Massachusetts Pride in Performance Award, as well as the Massachusetts Lobsterman’s Association “Ralph W. Maling” Award of Excellence for dedicated service on behalf of the Commonwealth’s lobster industry.
 
The Commission also elected Doug Haymans, Director of the Georgia Coastal Resources Division, as its new Vice-Chair.

ASMFC 83rd Annual Meeting Final Supplemental Materials Now Available

October 24, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Final supplemental materials for the Commission’s 83RD Annual Meeting are now available at for the following Boards. Links can be found under Supplemental 2 (following the respective Board’s agenda).

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Public Comment

 ISFMP Policy Board – Revised Draft Agenda and Meeting Overview

 Please note that there will not be a Marine Recreational Information Program Presentation on Thursday, so the ISFMP Policy Board will now start at 10:15 a.m. on October 30.

 Webinar Information

The Law Enforcement Committee, Habitat Committee and Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee have unique webinar links that are available as part of the individual committee materials.

Meeting proceedings for all other boards/committees will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, October 27 at 9 AM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:30 PM on Thursday, October 30). To register for the webinar, please go to:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5300899939524393048 (Webinar ID: 817-087-699)

If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP), you may also call in at +1.562.247.8422, access code 307-011-519. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.

Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter. If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Meeting Process

Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

 Public Comment Guidelines

To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunities to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comments will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comments for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).

  1. Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (October 6) will be included in the briefing materials.
  2. Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, October 21 will be included in supplemental materials.
  3. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, October 24 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email.

October 2025 Council Meeting Summary

October 16, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met October 7-9, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA. A summary of key actions and discussions from the meeting is now available.

Read the October 2025 Council Meeting Summary

Additional materials, including briefing documents, presentations, motions, and webinar recordings, can be found on the Meeting Page.

If you have any questions, please contact Mary Sabo (msabo@mafmc.org, 302-526-5261) or another member of Council staff.

Next Meeting: 

The next Council meeting will be held December 15-18, 2025, in Washington, DC.A full list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.

ASMFC 83rd Annual Meeting Details, Final Agenda and Public Comment Guidelines

October 16, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 83rd Annual Meeting will be held October 27-30, 2025, at Hyatt Place Dewey Beach, 1301 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach, Delaware. This will be a hybrid meeting to allow for remote participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders in all meetings. The room block is now closed; if you need assistance reserving a room, please contact Lisa Carty at lcarty@asmfc.org. Please also notify Lisa Carty of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.

 
The final agenda and meeting materials are now be available at https://asmfc.org/events/2025-annual-meeting/; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. Supplemental materials will be posted to the website on Wednesday, October 22.
 
Webinar Information
The Law Enforcement Committee, Habitat Committee and Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee will have unique webinar links that are available as part of the individual committee materials.
 
Meeting proceedings for all other boards/committees will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, October 27 at 9 AM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:30 PM on Thursday, October 30). To register for the webinar, please go to:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5300899939524393048 (Webinar ID: 817-087-699)
 
If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP), you may also call in at +1.562.247.8422, access code 307-011-519. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN. 
 
Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter. If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.


 
Meeting Process 
Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak. 
 
Getting to Dewey Beach
Hyatt Place Dewey Beach is accessible by automobile or airplane. The nearest airports are Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY).  Philadelphia International Airport is a good choice for those coming from the North or South!  If you fly to any airport, you will need to rent a car to get to Dewey Beach. 
 
Registration
Completion of the Registration, Attendance, and Accommodations Form is required for all participants, whether or not you will be reimbursed for travel by the Commission. However, only those who will not be reimbursed for travel by the Commission (see travel authorization form) will need to pay the registration fee (e.g., guests and federal participants). The meeting registration fee is $225 for participants and $175 for spouses or guests. The registration fee covers the Monday night welcome reception, the Tuesday night dinner, and event materials.  
 
Fishing Tournament
Plans are well underway for the 32nd Annual Laura Leach Fishing Tournament. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate. You will receive a T-shirt with your $20 entry fee; and 100% of the tournament proceeds will be donated to the Delaware Take-a-Kid-Fishing Program. The tournament runs from Sunday (10/26) through noon on Wednesday (10/29); the raffle drawing and tournament prizes will be awarded Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. 
  
Public Comment Guidelines
To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:
 
For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunities to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.
 
For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. 
Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comments will not provide additional insight to the board.
 
For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.
 
In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comments for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).
 
1.      Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (October 6) will be included in the briefing materials.
2.      Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, October 21 will be included in supplemental materials.
3.      Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, October 24 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.
 
The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email.

NEFMC Acts on Monkfish, Scallops, Cod; Updates Key Habitat Protections

October 13, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

MONKFISH AND SKATES: STABILITY FOR MONKFISH, ADDED FLEXIBILITY FOR SKATE FISHERMEN

The Council approved final actions on monkfish and skate specifications for fishing years (FY) 2026–2028, with minimal changes to current monkfish catch limits through 2028 and increased opportunity for skates with changes in skate wing and bait possession limits.

Monkfish:

The Council recommended maintaining current catch limits for both the northern and southern management areas through Framework Adjustment 17, with no change to the existing days-at-sea or possession limits. The SSC recommended maintaining current catch limits through 2028, with precautionary reductions for the southern stock beginning in 2029. While overall catch limits remain status quo, the total allowable landings (TAL) for the northern area will decline by about 3% due to updated discard estimates; the southern area TAL remains unchanged. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) made the same recommendation at their October meeting.

Skate FY 2026–2028 Specifications:

The SSC advised higher near-term catch limits and a gradual reduction through 2030, noting no overfishing but continued rebuilding for thorny skate, which remain overfished, and recommended revisiting catch advice within two years. The Council recommended a 28% increase in the Annual Catch Limit (ACL) over the current FY 2024–2025 ACL (32,155 mt) for FY 2026–2027 (41,282 mt) and a 10% increase for FY 2028 (37,154 mt). The Council usually recommends skate specifications for two years at a time, but for this cycle it recommends three years, aligning the timing of monkfish and skate specification setting moving forward. The Council also recommended modest increases in skate possession limits to improve operational efficiency and offset travel costs around wind farm areas, while avoiding market oversupply. Skate wing limits will rise by 500 lbs. per season (to 4,500 lbs in Season 1 and 6,500 lbs in Season 2), and skate bait limits will increase by 5,000 lbs., to 30,000 lbs. per trip. You can find meeting materials for both decisions here.

NOAA Fisheries Extends Emergency Measures for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery, Ensuring the Fishery Continues Uninterrupted Through April 30, 2026

October 3, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

Today, NOAA Fisheries signed a temporary rule that extends the emergency measures necessary for the Northeast Multispecies to continue operating in fishing year 2025. This action ensures the fishery can continue without interruption in the absence of approved specifications and other measures for the full fishing year 2025. The extended emergency measures would remain in place through April 30, 2026, unless replaced by other measures. With this emergency rule extension, all emergency measures remain in place. Sector and common pool allocations are updated in this extension to reflect the final rosters that were not available when the emergency rule was originally implemented. Additionally, errors in table formatting in the original emergency rule are corrected.

The emergency rule set interim specifications for 2 stocks of cod (Gulf of Maine cod and Georges Bank cod) and for Georges Bank haddock, and affirmed specifications for other Northeast Multispecies stocks previously set in Frameworks 65 and 66. The action also approved groundfish sector operations plans and allocated annual catch entitlements to sectors, set trimester total allowable catches and possession limits for commercial vessels fishing in the common pool, and prohibited commercial common pool vessels and recreational vessels from possessing Georges Bank cod. For all details see the Federal Register Notice.

Background: On May 2, 2025, NMFS published an emergency rule to implement fishing year 2025 management measures for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The emergency rule ensured that the fishery could operate at the start of the fishing year on May 1, 2025, mitigating the adverse economic impact to the groundfish fishery if measures were not put in place. The emergency rule is in effect for 180 days, from May 1, 2025, through October 28, 2025. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, an emergency rule can be extended for an additional 186 days if necessary. Framework 69 to the FMP, which recommends the annual specifications necessary to authorize the fishery to operate in the 2025 fishing year beginning on May 1, 2025, and projected specifications for fishing years 2026 and 2027, remains under consideration by NMFS.

This Announcement is also available HERE.

Council Operations During Federal Government Shutdown

October 1, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is continuing normal operations during the federal government shutdown. The Council’s next meeting, scheduled for October 7–9, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA, will proceed as planned. Additional information can be found on the October 2025 Council Meeting Page.

Most of the Council’s federal partners at the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) are currently on furlough. If the shutdown remains in place, the Council will conduct as much business as possible, recognizing that the absence of federal partners may require some meetings or events to be rescheduled. Any changes will be posted on the Council event calendar.

NEFMC seeks Scientific and Statistical Committee Nominees to Serve 2026-2028

October 1, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

Request for Nominations
New England Fishery Management Council Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC)

The Council is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee.

  • SSC appointments are for three years with a limit of three consecutive terms. The term under this request for nominations will begin in January 2026 and end December 2028.
  • SSC members receive a daily stipend for meetings and are reimbursed for travel expenses.
  • Nominees must submit:
    • A brief letter of interest describing reasons for wanting to join the SSC
    • A resume or CV, including the length and type of relevant experience; and
    • A completed Statement of Financial Interest Form.
  • All materials must be received by December 19, 2025 and should be sent via email or mail to Sherie Goutier, Executive Assistant at:
    • sgoutier@nefmc.org;
    • New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950

SSC nominees should have expertise in stock assessment methods, population dynamics, statistics, fisheries biology, marine ecology, economics, or other social sciences as they apply to fisheries management. SSC members are expected to provide independent, scientific advice to the Council.

The purpose of the SSC is to assist the Council in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information relevant to the development of fishery management plans. The committee may:

  • Provide guidance to ensure that fishery management plans are based on the best scientific information available.
  • Provide the Council with scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch, overfishing limits, and achieving rebuilding targets, as well as social and economic impacts of management measures.
  • Provide peer reviews of regional scientific work, and methods and analyses prepared by the Council’s Plan Development Teams. Individuals may be appointed to serve on regional peer review panels, including for stock assessments.
  • Advise the Council on the preparation of comments on scientific issues.

More information is available in the Council’s Operations Handbook. If you have questions or need further details, please contact Rachel Feeney: rfeeney@nefmc.org; (978) 465-0492 ext. 110.

The Council Responds to Executive Order 14276; Pauses the Gear Marking Framework and Approves a Management Flexibility Amendment

September 30, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met in Gloucester, MA from September 23 – 25, 2025.

Notable outcomes are summarized below.

COUNCIL FINALIZES RESPONSE TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 14276 ON SEAFOOD COMPETITIVENESS

At its September meeting, the New England Fishery Management Council finalized its response to Executive Order (EO) 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” The letter, developed in coordination with NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO), lays out a work plan to reduce regulatory burdens, increase fishery production, improve economic returns, and help prevent unnecessary closures. The Council submitted its recommendations to NOAA Fisheries on September 30, 2025.

To shape its response, the Council sought broad input from all Advisory Panel members and Plan Development Teams. Based on this input, the Executive Committee drafted a list of recommendations for new and ongoing actions and submitted this to the Council for approval. The list contains four key areas:

  1. Council Actions in the NOAA Fisheries Rulemaking Process: urged timely implementation of Northeast Multispecies Framework Adjustment 69 and the Atlantic Herring 2025–2027 specifications.

  2. Council Actions Currently Under Development: continue work currently underway related to increases in management flexibility, specifications for monkfish and skates, reduced burdens in the dogfish fishery, and a scallop strategic plan.

  3. Possible New Council Actions: the Council will consider updates to vessel baseline restrictions, herring slippage rules, monkfish management, accountability measures, gillnet exemption areas, and outdated regulations.

  4. Non-Council Actions: that call on federal agencies to expand seafood marketing, strengthen science and monitoring, support recreational management tools, invest in climate-ready fisheries, and streamline NEPA reviews.

The full list of recommended actions is available here.

ASMFC Initiates Stakeholder Engagement Process to Inform Revisions to the Utility, Reward, and Harvest Policy Functions of the ARM Framework Stakeholders Invited to Apply by October 3 Deadline

September 26, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board is initiating a collaborative stakeholder process to inform revisions to the Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework. The ARM Framework is a model used to provide annual harvest levels for horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay region, and is designed to balance the needs of the horseshoe crab fishery with the ecological needs of migratory shorebirds, which depend on horseshoe crab eggs as a food source.

Building on previous recommendations developed at the 2025 Delaware Bay Management Objectives Workshop of the ARM Framework, this process will focus on reviewing and revising the core mathematical functions of the ARM model—specifically the Utility, Reward, and Harvest Policy (U/R/H) functions. Combined, these functions incorporate stakeholder values to determine the optimal harvest level given the estimated numbers of horseshoe crabs and red knots. The goal of this process is to elicit stakeholder values and perspectives to develop clear, actionable recommendations for revising the U/R/H functions, ensuring they are technically sound and transparently reflect diverse stakeholder priorities (i.e., horseshoe crab and shorebird conservation interests, biomedical needs, and commercial fishery demand).
The stakeholder process will occur between October 2025 and May 2026 and will use a phased approach including educational sessions to build a shared understanding of the ARM Framework and U/R/H functions; a two-day workshop in January 2026, using a structured dialogue among participating groups to develop quantitative values that can be integrated into the model, and model updates to integrate stakeholder values and input into the next iteration of the ARM Framework. The Commission has retained Compass Resource Management to be neutral third-party facilitators and analysts for this process. Participants will represent bait fisheries; biomedical groups; dealers; ecosystem, shorebird, and horseshoe crab conservation and science planning groups; and state and federal resource managers.
Stakeholders that would like to participate in this important conversation on the management of the Delaware Bay horseshoe crab resource are invited to apply. Applications should be submitted here by October 3, 2025. To foster a productive and focused discussion, the number of active workshop participants will be limited. Those who are not selected as active participants are welcome to participate in small group interviews and educational sessions, and to attend the workshop as observers.
For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atcstarks@asmfc.org.