Saving Seafood

Council Actions

American Eel Board Releases Draft Addendum VI for Public Comment Draft Addendum Considers Maine’s Glass Eel Quota for 2025 and Beyond

February 5, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s American Eel Management Board has released Draft Addendum VI to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel for public comment. The Board initiated the addendum to address Maine’s glass eel fishery quota, which expires at the end of 2024. Draft Addendum VI presents options to set Maine’s quota as well as the number of years the quota would remain in place once it is implemented, and whether or not an additional addendum would be required to maintain the same quota for subsequent years.

 
Addendum V, approved in August 2018, maintained Maine’s glass/elver eel quota of 9,688 pounds, previously established by Addendum IV, and specified that the quota be set for three years (2019-2021). The quota was extended for an additional three years (2022-2024) through Board action in 2021. Since Maine’s current glass eel quota of 9,688 pounds expires after 2024, the Board initiated Draft Addendum VI to establish a quota for the 2025 fishing season and beyond.
 
One virtual public hearing has been scheduled to gather public input on Draft Addendum VI on Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. Details on how to register and attend the hearing are provided below.
 
Webinar Instructions
In order to provide comment at any virtual or hybrid hearings, you will need to use your computer (voice over internet protocol) or download the GoToWebinar app for your phone. Those joining by phone only will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. In those cases, you can send your comments to staff via email or US mail at any time during the public comment period. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 562.247.8422 and enter access code 960-376-742.
 
To register for the public hearing webinar, please click HERE. The hearing will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you are new to GoToWebinar, you can download the software by (clicking here) or via the App store under GoToWebinar. We recommend you register for the hearing well in advance of the hearing since GoToWebinar will provide you with a link to test your device’s compatibility with the webinar. If you find your device is not compatible, please contact the Commission at info@asmfc.org (subject line: GoToWebinar help) and we will try to get you connected. We also strongly encourage participants to use the computer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) so you can ask questions and provide input at the hearing. 
Submitting Comments
The Draft Addendum is available athttps://asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/AmericanEelDraftAddVI_GlassEelQuota_PublicComment.pdf or via the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. Public comment will be 
accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on March 24, 2024 and should be sent to Caitlin Starks, Senior FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; or at comments@asmfc.org(Subject line: Glass Eel Draft Addendum VI).
 
For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atcstarks@asmfc.org.

States Schedule Public Hearings on American Eel Draft Addendum VII Draft Addendum Considers Changes to Commercial Yellow Eel Coastwide Harvest Cap

February 5, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The majority of Atlantic coastal states from New Hampshire through Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum VII to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel. Draft Addendum VII considers management measures to reduce the commercial yellow eel coastwide harvest cap in response to the 2023 benchmark stock assessment, which found the stock remains depleted. The Draft Addendum also considers options to modify monitoring requirements based on recommendations from the stock assessment and Technical Committee. Some hearings will be conducted in-person, and some hearings will be conducted via webinar, or in a hybrid format. If your state does not hold a hearing, or you are unable to participate in your state’s scheduled hearing, you are welcome to participate in any of the virtual or hybrid hearings. The public hearing details follow:


 
Date and Hearing Format
State/Agency
Contact
Tuesday, February 20
Webinar Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection
 
The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.  
Joe Cimino
609.748.2063
 
 
Tuesday, February 27
Webinar Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
New Hampshire Fish and Game Dept.
 
The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.  
Cheri Patterson
603.868.1095
Tuesday, March 5
Webinar Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
 
The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.  
Jesse Hornstein631.444.0714
Thursday, March 7
In-person Hearing
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
 
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
 
Hearing Location:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
380 Fenwick Road, Building 96
Fort Monroe, VA, 23651
Shanna Madsen757.247.2247
Tuesday, March 12
In-person Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
 
Hearing Location:
Tawes State Office Building, C-1
580 Taylor Avenue 
Annapolis, MD 21401
443.758.6547
 
 
 
Wednesday, March 13
In-person Hearing
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
 
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
 
Hearing Location:
Dover Public Library
35 Loockerman Plaza 
Dover, DE 19901 
John Clark302.739.9108
 
The Board initiated Draft Addendum VII in August 2023 in response to findings of the 2023 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report. The results of the assessment indicate the stock is at or near historically low levels due to a combination of historical overfishing, habitat loss, food web alterations, predation, turbine mortality, environmental changes, and toxins, contaminants, and disease. The assessment and peer review recommend reducing fishing mortality on the yellow eel life stage, while also recognizing that stock status is affected by other factors. The benchmark assessment proposed a new index-based tool for setting the yellow eel coastwide cap, since there is no statistical model for estimating the population size of American eel. This tool, called ITARGET, is an index-based method that needs only catch and abundance data from surveys to provide management advice on coastwide landings.
 
Draft Addendum VII also proposes options to reduce the requirements for biological sampling during young-of-year surveys conducted by the states, based on the stock assessment finding that individual length and pigment stage data are not useful for evaluating population trends. In addition, it considers changing the requirements for the collection of trip-level harvester data on catch per unit effort, and the policy used to determine if a state qualifies for de minimis status and can be exempt from implementing fishery regulations and monitoring requirements.
 
Webinar Instructions
In order to provide comment at any virtual or hybrid hearings, you will need to use your computer (voice over internet protocol) or download the GoToWebinar app for your phone. Those joining by phone only will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. In those cases, you can send your comments to staff via email or US mail at any time during the public comment period. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 562.247.8422 and enter access code 796-096-508. If your state does not hold a hearing, or you are unable to participate in your state’s scheduled hearing, you are welcome to participate in any of the virtual or hybrid hearings.
 
For all virtual or hybrid hearings, please click HERE and select the hearing(s) you plan to attend from the dropdown menu to register for a public hearing webinar. Hearings will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you are new to GoToWebinar, you can download the software by (clicking here) or via the App store under GoToWebinar. We recommend you register for the hearing well in advance of the hearing since GoToWebinar will provide you with a link to test your device’s compatibility with the webinar. If you find your device is not compatible, please contact the Commission at info@asmfc.org (subject line: GoToWebinar help) and we will try to get you connected. We also strongly encourage participants to use the computer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) so you can ask questions and provide input at the hearing. 
 
Hearing Presentation Recording
For those who cannot attend any in-person or virtual hearings, the Commission will also post a recording of the hearing presentation on the Commission’s YouTube page so that stakeholders may watch the presentation and submit comment at any time during the comment process. This recording will be available by mid-February.
Submitting Comments
The Draft Addendum is available athttps://asmfc.org/files/Science/AmEelDraftAddendumVII_YellowEelCap_PublicComment_Feb2024.pdf or via the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. All those interested in the management of American eel are encouraged to provide input either by participating in public hearings, which may be conducted via webinar, or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on March 24, 2024 and should be sent to Caitlin Starks, Senior FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Yellow Eel Harvest Cap Draft Addendum). 

DELAWARE: Revised Meeting Materials Now Available for the February 14th meeting of the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board

February 1, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please note that the meeting materials link for the February 14th meeting of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board has been changed tohttps://asmfc.org/files/Meetings/SFlounderScupBSB_BoardMaterials_Feb14_2024_v2.pdf due to a correction made in one of the documents. The link in the email below has also been updated.

 

ASMFC 2024 Winter Meeting Presentations, Recordings, and Revised Meeting Summary Now Available

January 29, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Presentations and recordings from last week’s Winter Meeting are now available athttps://www.asmfc.org/home/2024-winter-meeting; just click on the relevant link at the Board or Committee header in the agenda. Recordings can also be found on the Commission’s YouTube Channel athttps://www.youtube.com/ASMFCvideos.

Please note that the roll call vote for one of the motions of the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has been corrected (the motion at the top of page 13). The revised meeting summary document can be found athttps://asmfc.org/files/2024WinterMeeting/2024WinterMeetingSummary_revised.pdf.

American Lobster Board Initiates Draft Addendum XXX to Clarify Addendum XXVII Impacts on Foreign Imports

January 26, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s American Lobster Management Board initiated Draft Addendum XXX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Draft Addendum is being considered to clarify how the measures of Addendum XXVII, approved in May 2023, will apply to foreign imports of American lobster.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act prohibits imports of whole live lobster smaller than the minimum possession size in effect at the time under the Commission’s American lobster management program. This provision, referred to as the Mitchell Provision, was passed to prevent imports of lobster smaller than what the US industry can harvest. The current minimum gauge size for Lobster Conservation Management Area (LCMA) 1 of 3 ¼” is the smallest minimum size in effect for the US lobster fishery.
 
Under Addendum XXVII, changes to the current gauge and escape vent sizes in LCMA 1 (inshore Gulf of Maine) are triggered when a 35% decline in recruit abundance for the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank stock is observed. As of October 2023, the trigger index had declined by 39% with the inclusion of 2022 survey data in the index. Therefore, a series of gradual changes to gauge and vent size will begin January 1, 2025, starting with an increase to the minimum gauge size in LCMA 1 from 3 ¼” to 3 5/16”. Starting in January 2025, this 3 5/16” gauge size will be the smallest minimum gauge size in effect. Draft Addendum XXX aims to clarify that Addendum XXVII shall include compliance with the Mitchell Provision, meaning the smallest minimum size for foreign imports would match the smallest minimum size in effect for the US industry.
 
The Board will meet in late February/early March to consider approving Draft Addendum XXX for public comment. There are currently no regulations in place to restrict the maximum size of imported lobster, though the Board expressed interest in exploring this possibility further through a separate action. For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atcstarks@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Approves Addendum II Establishes Measures to Continue Progress Towards Stock Rebuilding

January 25, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved Addendum II to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Addendum modifies recreational and commercial measures to reduce fishing mortality in 2024, establishes an expedited response process to upcoming stock assessments, and addresses requirements for recreational filleting. Addendum II builds upon the 2023 emergency action by changing the measures in the FMP to reduce fishing mortality and support stock rebuilding. Addendum II measures will replace the emergency action measures upon its implementation by the states by May 1, 2024.

“First and foremost, thank you to the 2,000 members of the public who submitted public comments. The Board had difficult issues to discuss, and public comments were a crucial part of the deliberations,” said Board Chair Megan Ware from Maine. “The Board remains focused on rebuilding the stock by 2029. The upcoming 2024 stock assessment will be an important checkpoint on progress toward rebuilding.”

For the ocean recreational fishery, the Addendum implements a 28” to 31” slot limit, 1-fish bag limit, and maintains 2022 season dates for all fishery participants; this maintains the same ocean recreational measures adopted under the recent emergency action. For the Chesapeake Bay recreational fishery, the Addendum implements a 19” to 24” slot limit, 1-fish bag limit, and maintains 2022 season dates for all fishery participants. For the commercial fishery, the Addendum reduces commercial quotas by 7% in both the ocean and Chesapeake Bay.

To address concerns about recreational filleting allowances and compliance with recreational size limits, the Addendum establishes two requirements for states that authorize at-sea/shore-side filleting of striped bass: racks must be retained and possession limited to no more than two fillets per legal fish.

To enable an expedited management response to upcoming stock assessments prior to the 2029 rebuilding deadline, the Addendum establishes a mechanism allowing the Board to respond to a stock assessment via Board action if the stock is not projected to rebuild by 2029.

States must submit implementation plans by March 1, 2024 for Board review and approval, which will take place at a special Board meeting to be scheduled for later in March. All Addendum II measures must be implemented by May 1, 2024.

Addendum II will be available in February on the Commission website athttp://www.asmfc.org/species/atlantic-striped-bass under Management Plans and FMP Reviews. For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atefranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

NEFMC January 30-February 1, 2024 Meeting – Portsmouth, NH – Listen Live

January 22, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, January 30 through Thursday, February 1, 2024.  This will be an in-person meeting coupled with a webinar option for individuals who cannot or prefer not to attend in person.  Please participate remotely if you do not feel well.

LOCATION:  The Venue at Portwalk Place, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. all three days.  The Council will meet briefly in closed session on Tuesday morning.  The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

COUNCIL PUBLIC OUTREACH:  Join the Council on Tuesday, January 30 at 6:00 p.m. for an informational exchange to foster open lines of communication among Council members, staff, industry, and meeting attendees.  The event will be held on the lobby level of the AC Hotel, 299 Vaughan Street, which is a four-minute walk from the Council meeting room at The Venue at Portwalk Place.  All are welcome.  Light snacks will be provided.

OFFSHORE WIND:  After the Council concludes its business on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, fisheries liaisons from several offshore wind energy development companies will host an informational meet-and-greet event at Hampton Inn & Suites.  The hotel is across the alley from the Council’s meeting venue.  All are welcome to attend.

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 25, 2024. Please note that written comments must address items listed on the agenda for this meeting.
  • 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 (if commenting remotely, raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon); and
  1. By speaking during the open period for public comment.  Here are the Guidelines for Providing Public Comment.
  • OPEN PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:  On Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 1:45 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:  Interested in speaking?  If attending in person, fill out the sign-up sheet on the table at the entrance to the Council meeting room.  To speak remotely, 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.

  • We have a Help Desk in case you get stuck joining the webinar or have trouble along the way.  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 (415) 655-0052.  The access code is 607-102-343.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.  This phone number provides a “listen-only” option without the webinar component.  You will not be able to speak if you do not first join the webinar.

AGENDA:  All meeting materials and the agenda are available on the Council’s website atNEFMC January 30-February 1, 2024 meeting webpage.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

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.

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Meet February 6-7, 2024

January 21, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, February 6 – Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at The Westin Arlington in Arlington, Virginia.

Please see the February 2024 Council Meeting Page for webinar details, briefing materials (as they become available), and other updates.

Public Comments: Public comments will be accepted from in-person and remote participants on all major agenda items. Written comments can be submitted through the comment portal or by email to cmoore@mafmc.org. The deadline for comments to be included in the briefing book is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 1, 2024 will be posted as supplemental materials on the meeting page. After the supplemental comment deadline, comments may only be submitted via the comment form (no email).

Live Stream: The meeting will be live streamed to the Council’s YouTube channel.

 

Meeting Agenda

Tuesday, February 6th

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment                       

  • Review and approve Public Hearing Document

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ———- LUNCH ———-

1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Business Session

  • Committee Reports: Scientific and Statistical Committee
  • Executive Director’s Report – Dr. Chris Moore
  • Organization Reports: NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Office of General Counsel, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, US Coast Guard
  • Liaison Reports: New England Council, South Atlantic Council
  • Other Business and General Public Comment

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.  Briefing Book Tutorial

4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Legal Review, Financial Disclosure and Recusal Training

Wednesday, February 7th

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Offshore Wind Updates

  • Updates from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
  • Updates from the state working group on a fisheries compensation fund administrator
  • Updates from offshore wind project developers (Ørsted, Vineyard Wind, Kitty Hawk Wind, Community Offshore Wind)

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Black Sea Bass Assessment Overview

  • Overview of recently completed Research Track stock assessment

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ———- LUNCH ———-

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sturgeon Framework

  • Review progress on joint Mid-Atlantic/New England Council action to reduce Atlantic sturgeon interactions in the monkfish/dogfish gillnet fisheries
  • Approve final packages of alternatives

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) White Paper: “Draft Proposed Plan for a Novel Industry Based Multispecies Bottom Trawl Survey on the Northeast US Continental Shelf”

  • Overview of the Industry-based survey white paper
  • Consider next steps

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Awards Presentation

ASMFC 2024 Winter Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

January 17, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for ASMFC’s 2024 Winter Meeting are now available at https://www.asmfc.org/home/2024-winter-meeting. For ease of access, all the supplemental materials have been combined into one document: http://asmfc.org/files/2024WinterMeeting/2024WinterMtgSupplementalMaterials.pdf.

Please note the Shad and River Herring Management Board meeting, previously scheduled for Wednesday, January 24 from 12:45 – 1:30 p.m., has been cancelled. The Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board will now be held from 1:15 – 4:45 p.m.

American Lobster Management Board – Revised Agenda & Meeting Overview; TC Memo: Board Task on Lobster Information for the Northern Edge of Georges Bank; American Lobster Public Input Meeting for LCMA 2 and LCMA 3 Meeting Summary & Submitted Public Comment

American Eel Management Board – Revised Advisory Panel Nominations

Executive Committee – Draft 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

Coastal Pelagics Management Board – Draft Proceedings from October 2023; PDT Memo: Recreational Reallocation Draft Addendum Scoping Progress and Ongoing Questions; Draft Spanish Mackerel FMP Review for the 2022 Fishing Year

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Revised Agenda & Meeting Overview; Public Comment Summary & Submitted Written Comments; Advisory Panel Recommendations on Draft Addendum II Options; Addendum II Comments from the Law Enforcement Committee; PRT Review of New Jersey Conservation Equivalency Proposal for Striped Bass Bonus Program; Public Comment

ISFMP Policy Board – Revised Draft Agenda & Meeting Overview; Atlantic Menhaden Public Comment

Business Session of the Commission – Draft 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

As a reminder, the Commission’s Public Comment Guidelines are:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity 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 comment 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.

  1. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, January 19 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; please submit via email.

ASMFC 2024 Winter Meeting Final Agenda and Materials Now Available

January 10, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Winter Meeting will be January 23-25, 2024 at The Westin Crystal City. This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and remote) to allow for participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders. The room block is now closed; if you need assistance reserving a room, please contact Lisa Carty at lcarty@asmfc.org. The final agenda and meeting materials for the Winter Meeting are now available athttps://www.asmfc.org/home/2024-winter-meeting. For ease of access, all materials, with the exception of the Atlantic Striped Bass Board, have been combined into one document – 2024 Winter Meeting Materials Combined.

Webinar Information
Meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Tuesday, January 23rd at 12:30 PM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 11 AM) on Thursday, January 25th.  To register for the webinar, please go to:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8556735274724277084 (Webinar ID 795-025-635).

If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP) via your computer, you can also call in at +1.631.992.3221, access code 426-309-773. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar; see webinar instructions for details on how to receive the PIN.

For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.

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.

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

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 opportunity 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 comment 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 comment 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 (January 2) have been included in the briefing materials.

2.   Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, January 16 will be included in supplemental materials.

3.   Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, January 19 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.

We look forward to seeing you at the Winter Meeting!