The NEFMC meeting will be on Tuesday, October 25 and Wednesday, October 26, 2011 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Holiday Inn By the Bay, Portland, ME.
Click here for sector workshop documents.
The NEFMC meeting will be on Tuesday, October 25 and Wednesday, October 26, 2011 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Holiday Inn By the Bay, Portland, ME.
Click here for sector workshop documents.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, responsible for fisheries management in federal waters, launched an initiative on Sept. 20 to develop a vision and strategic plan for the region's managed fisheries.
According to a news release issued by MAFMC, the council recognizes it faces long-term challenges, such as maintaining productive ecosystems and addressing the needs of communities that rely on ocean resources. The council is reaching out to recreational and commercial anglers and other stakeholders for insight into how to best manage fish stocks.
"This is a pivotal moment in the management of our region's fisheries … we need to work closely with our constituents to develop a cohesive vision for the future," said council chairman Rick Robins. "This will enable us to identify successful outcomes for our fisheries and the fishing communities that depend on their continued resilience and productivity."
Read the complete story from Stardem.
At its September meeting, the Council addressed issues related to sea scallop, Atlantic herring, groundfish, skate and monkfish management. It also addressed the Touchstone Report prepared by Mr. Preston Pate and the SRA Consulting Group concerning their Review of the New England Fishery Management Process.
Additionally, a number of reports and presentations were received. These included a report from the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee on Acceptable Biological Catch for species in the groundfish stock complex and for the whiting and hake stocks regulated under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; a summary of the June 2011 Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee meetings on the winter flounder stocks; a briefing by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) concerning two proposals under consideration in the New England region; a presentation by Marcus Hartley on his report At-Sea and Dockside Monitoring Programs in the Northeast; and an update to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s report titled Report for Fishing Year 2010 on the Performance of the Groundfish Fishery.
View the Summary of the Council Meeting
The Council’s Groundfish Committee met Wednesday, October 5, 2011. A number of actions were taken that affect FW 47 development. Here is a quick overview of the major decisions. The meeting summary will be available in about a week.
1. SNE/MAB windowpane flounder:
a. The PDT was directed to develop an option that would invoke the mixed stock exception for SNEMAB windowpane flounder. If approved by the Council and NMFS, this might allow catches that are more than the overfishing limit for this stock.
b. The Committee voted to consider a specific sub-ACL for SNE/MAB windowpane flounder for the multispecies fishery, the scallop fishery, and an as yet undefined other category – this other category will be based on information expected shortly from NERO.
2. The Committee expressed concerns with draft AM measures for ocean pout, windowpane flounder stocks, wolffish, and halibut. They added an AM option for halibut that would ban possession if the ACL is exceeded, and an option that would allow retention of one wolffish per commercial fishing trip with an AM that would ban possession.
3. Proposed an option for GB YTF that would allow the RA to transfer uncaught YTF from the scallop fishery to the groundfish fishery late in the year. NOAA GC expressed concerns that this may not be an item that can be adopted through a framework action. Also, they adopted an option that scallop fishery AMs would only be triggered if the overall ACL is exceeded (rather than as at present, where the AM is triggered if the sub-ACL is exceeded).
4. Directed the PDT to consider a sub-ACL for SNE/MA winter flounder for the scallop fishery.
5. The Committee also voted to adopt the PDT’s recommendation to eliminate the common pool restricted gear areas as part of the adoption of new AMs.
6. NERO representatives explained how the target ASM coverage level for FY 2012 was determined. This presentation is now available on the Council web page (multispecies “what’s new”).
7. The Committee discussed groundfish priorities for 2012 but decided to wait until the November Committee meeting to develop a Committee recommendation for the Council.
The Groundfish Advisory Panel and the Recreational Advisory Panel will meet November 1 (separate meetings), and the Committee will meet again on November 2. Meeting notices will be sent early next week.The final vote for the framework is planned for the November Council meeting.
At its meeting on Wednesday, October 5, 2011, the New England Fishery Management Council will continue development of Framework Adjustment 47 (FW 47) to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan.
For recreational fishermen interested in the accountability measures for GOM haddock that may be adopted for FY 2012, please note this issue will be discussed at a Groundfish Committee meeting that will be held November 2. There may also be a meeting of the Recreational Advisory Panel to discuss the same issue; ideally that would be before the November 2 Committee. Please check Savingseafood.org and nefmc.org closer to the meetings for additional information.
See the Committee Meeting Documents here.
Responding to industry red flags, the regional fishery management council has signaled a willingness to rethink the scheduled shift in at-sea monitoring costs from the government to the industry for the 2012 fishing year.
Meanwhile, language directing NOAA to continue fully funding at sea monitoring has been written into a Senate appropriations bill.
"The council motion is 100 percent supported by the Northeast Seafood Coalition," Jackie Odell, executive director of the Gloucester-based coalition, said in an email to the Times. "Unfortunately, it may not be done in time for May 1, 2012 (the start of the 2012 fishing cycle), when industry payment kicks in. This makes what Congress does that much more important.
"The coalition thanks the entire New England delegation, especially Sens. (John) Kerry, (Olympia) Snow and (Susan) Collins," she added, "for working directly with us to make sure language directing their agency to fully fund monitoring in 2012 was included in the Senate fiscal year 2012 bill.
"This is the first critical hurdle in this appropriations process," Odell said, "The current annual catch limits and the financial state of the industry are not at a level to support at sea monitoring in 2012."
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times
DANVERS — New England's Fishery Management Council Wednesday decided to attempt an after-the-fact tweaking of the groundfish catch share/sector system to prevent "excessive" control and "over consolidation" of the nation's newest commodities market in wild protein stocks.
But questions about when, how or even if to proceed that emerged in committee and during debate by the full council meeting here left no clear hint of what the effort might produce — if anything.
Some industry forces, representing big off-shore boats based in Maine, have cautioned against actions that could serve to redistribute equity in the fishery.
The action was unanimous, but came following a 14-3 vote against holding off the start of the initiative until November.
The decision came a week after a study of the full first year of catch share fishing by quasi voluntary business cooperatives known as sectors, but the anti-monopoly initiative has been working its way toward the public since last year.
Published by the NOAA science center in Woods Hole, the report confirmed anecdotal reports that many years of consolidation of the fleet, based primary in Gloucester and New Bedford, accelerated in 2010 after the fishery was reorganized to encourage buying and selling of permits under the new catch share management system and trading of ultra low allocations.
Read the complete story by Richard Gaines in The Gloucester Times
On the heels of a "sobering" report by NOAA scientists documenting accelerating consolidation in the groundfishery in the first year operating in sectors with catch shares, the regional management council Wednesday begins discussing fleet diversity and limiting the accumulation of quota by the biggest players.
In nine of 14 groundfish stocks, 25 fishermen or corporations have come to control at least 50 percent of the quota, according to a draft document by staff for the members of the New England Fishery Management Council.
The council debate Wednesday will be followed by "a scoping period" to provide the public with an opportunity to identify issues and alternatives to be studied before any action, which is projected in 2014.
The staff report reinforced the study by the five social scientists at NOAA's science center at Woods Hole that found 20 percent of the vessels accounted for 80 percent of the revenues. That report came out last Wednesday.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.
The New England Council will broadcast its September meeting from the CoCo Key Hotel and Resort in Danvers, MA (please note the additional day).
This Webinar will be held daily from:
Monday, September 26, 2011 to Thursday, September 29, 2011
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. EST
Register Now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/967505630
Once registered, you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer
Council Meeting Agenda
September 26-29, 2011
CoCo Key Resort and Hotel
50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923
Tel: (978) 777-2500 | Fax: (978) 750-7959
Monday, September 26, 2011
9:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Acting Council Chairman Rip Cunningham)
9:05 Swearing in of Reappointed Council Members and Election of 2011-2012 Council Officers
(Pat Kurkul, NOAA/NMFS Regional Administrator)
10:30 Reports on Recent Activities
Council Chairman, Executive Director, NMFS Regional Administrator, NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries
Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard,
NOAA Enforcement/VMS, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
12:00 Experimental Fishery Permit Applications (Chris Kellogg, NEFMC staff)
Review and approve any comments on pending experimental fishery permits received since the last meeting
12:10 Open Period for Public Comments
Opportunity for the public to provide comments on items relevant to Council business but not listed on the meeting agenda
12:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1:30 NOAA and Council Response to the Touchstone Fisheries Management Process Report
Pat Kurkul (NOAA/NMFS Regional Administrator) and Frank Almeida (NEFSC Acting Science and Research Director)
on Regional Office and Science Center initiatives; Patricia Fiorelli (Council staff) on improving communications with
stakeholders; and Rip Cunningham about the development of a shared vision and strategy to guide the fishery
management process
4:00 Initial Discussion of 2012 Council Management Priorities (Executive Director Paul J. Howard)
Preliminary review of management priorities for next year
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
8:00 a.m. Monkfish Committee Report (Council member Terry Stockwell)
Review and consider approval of goals and objectives for Amendment 6; the action was initiated to consider catch shares
management for this fishery
9:30 Skate Committee Report (Council member David Goethel)
Approve final 2012-2013 specifications for the skate complex; possible changes address annual catch limits, total allowable
landings for the wing and bait fisheries, skate wing and bait possession limits, and a monitoring adjustment to count
transfers-at-sea reported on Vessel Trip Reports against the skate bait total allowable landings
10:30 Summary of the June 2011 Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee Meetings
(SAW/SARC 52) (NEFSC liaison Dr. Jim Weinberg)
Review of the benchmark assessments for three winter flounder stocks
11:15 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) (Maureen Bornholdt, BOEMRE)
General update and a review of two BOEMRE proposals: 1) Call for Information and Nominations for Commercial Leasing
for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts; and 2) A Notice of Intent
to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Characterization Activities on the
Atlantic OCS Offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts
12:15 p.m. Lunch Break
1:15 Scientific and Statistical Committee Report (Dr. Chris Legault, SSC Chairman)
Review the SSC’s recommendations concerning ABC’s for a number of groundfish stocks in the Northeast multispecies
complex and the whiting and hake stocks that are regulated under the Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
2:15 Scallop Committee Report (Council member Dr. David Pierce)
Approve final action on Framework Adjustment 23 to the Scallop FMP; the alternatives proposed relate to: 1) A requirement
for a turtle deflector dredge for scallop dredge vessels; 2) A revision to the yellowtail flounder accountability measures
proposed in Amendment 15; 3) A change how catch in state waters is accounted for in the limited access general category
management program for the Northern Gulf of Maine area; and 4) When a scallop vessel declares into the scallop fishery to
improve scallop fleet operations
Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change. The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the meeting.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
8:00 a.m. Groundfish Oversight Committee Report (Rip Cunningham)
Issues to be discussed include: 1) Approval of a scoping document for an amendment to consider accumulation limits and
fleet diversity; 2) Update on the upcoming sector workshop scheduled for October; 3) Update on Framework Adjustment 47
to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, including recommendations that address accountability measures for ocean pout,
windowpane flounder, Atlantic halibut, and Atlantic wolffish, and alternative Georges Bank yellowtail flounder rebuilding
strategies and ABCs for fishing year 2012 -2014; 4) A report on the 2011 Transboundary Resources Assessment
Committee‘s review of the status of Eastern Georges Bank cod and haddock, and Georges Bank yellowtail flounder; and 5)
Consider and possibly approve the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee’s recommendations for fishing year
2012 quotas for Eastern Georges Bank cod and haddock, and Georges Bank yellowtail flounder
12:00 p.m. Lunch Break
1:00 Overview of the report At-sea and Dockside Monitoring Programs in the Northeast
(Marcus Hartley, Northern Economics)
1:45 Update to the NEFSC Report Performance of the Northeast Groundfish Fishery Interim Report for Fishing Year 2010
(May 2010 – January 2011) (Drew Kitts, NEFSC)
2:45 Whiting Committee Report (David Goethel)
Approve management alternatives for inclusion in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Multispecies FMP
Amendment 19 (to address the small mesh fishery which includes stocks of red hake, silver hake, offshore hake);
alternatives may include annual catch limits (ex. allocations, buffers for management uncertainty, landings limits), as well as
accountability measures and possibly other mechanisms to regulate the fishery
Thursday, September 29, 2011
8:00 a.m. Herring Amendment 5 Draft EIS Review/Approval (Council member Doug Grout)
1) Review the Draft Terms of Reference for the upcoming benchmark stock assessment for herring scheduled for June
2012 and forward any recommendations to the Northeast Regional Coordinating Committee;
2) Review and approve a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring FMP for the
purpose of further review and comment at public hearings; during the discussion the Council intends to:
address any outstanding/unresolved issues regarding the management alternatives under consideration; review Herring
Advisory Panel comments regarding Amendment 5; and review/discuss Amendment 5 impact analyses; possibly
identify preferred alternatives for public hearings; Amendment 5 alternatives currently address adjustments to the
fishery management program and reporting requirements for vessels and dealers, measures to address trip notification
requirements, carrier vessels, and transfers of herring at-sea; also a catch monitoring program that could maximize
sampling and address net slippage, alternatives to allocate observer coverage on limited access herring vessels; river
herring bycatch and criteria for midwater trawl vessel access to year-round groundfish closed areas
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 Herring agenda items – continued
4:30 Other Business
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal
action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that
require emergency action under section 305 (c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to
address the emergency. Documents pertaining to Council actions are available for review prior to a final vote by the Council. Please call (978) 465-0492,
ext. 100 for copies or check the Council website at www.nefmc.org. Comments submitted to the council for consideration at this meeting, must be
received by 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011. Notice Issue, Friday, Sept 1, 2011.