September 5, 2013 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
Please find below the preliminary agenda for the Commission’s 72nd Annual Meeting in St. Simons Island, Georgia. The agenda may also be viewed here. Additional meeting details are also contained in the attached meeting notice, which includes the preliminary agenda, public comment guidelines, and directions to the hotel. All of the business meetings scheduled during this week (with the exception of closed sessions) are open to the public, free of charge. Please note the preliminary agenda is subject to change.
ASMFC 72nd Annual Meeting
The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
201 Arnold Road
St. Simons Island, GA
October 27-31, 2013
Preliminary Agenda
Please note: The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of meetings. Interested parties should anticipate meetings starting earlier or later than indicated herein.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
2:00 – 5:30 p.m. Registration
Monday, October 28, 2013
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Registration
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Atlantic Herring Section
9:45 – 11:45 a.m. American Lobster Management Board
12:45 – 2:45 p.m. Business Session (Strategic and Action Planning)
1:00 – 5:30 p.m. Management and Science Committee
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Menhaden Management Board
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Meet N’ Greet
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Registration
8:00 a.m. – Noon Management and Science Committee (reconvened)
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Steering Committee
8:30 a.m. – Noon Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board
12:15 – 2:15 p.m. Legislators and Governors’ Appointees Luncheon
2:15 – 4:15 p.m. Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Executive Committee (a portion of this meeting will be a closed session)
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board
4:15 – 5:15 p.m. ACCSP Coordinating Council
5:45 – 9:00 p.m. Annual Dinner – Georgia Coastal Resources Division
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
7:30 – 9:30 a.m. Executive Committee (a portion of this meeting will be a closed session)
8:00 – 11:00 a.m. ACFHP Steering Committee (reconvened)
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement Committee (a portion of this meeting may be a closed session)
9:30 a.m. – noon American Eel Management Board
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Captain David H. Hart Award Luncheon
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. American Eel Management Board (reconvened)
2:30 – 6:00 p.m. Habitat Committee
2:45 – 5:45 p.m. ISFMP Policy Board
5:45 – 6:00 p.m. Business Session (Election of Officers)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
8:00 – 10:00 a.m. Spiny Dogfish & Coastal Sharks Management Board
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Habitat Committee (reconvened)
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Horseshoe Crab Management Board
12:15 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch for Commissioners and Proxies
12:30 – 1:00 p.m. ISFMP Policy Board (reconvened if necessary)
1:00 –1:30 p.m. Business Session (reconvened if necessary)
Public Comment Guidelines
With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in 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 use a speaker sign-up list in deciding 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).
– Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (October 7, 2013) will be included on the briefing CD.
– Comments received by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday immediately preceding the scheduled ASMFC Meeting (in this case, the Tuesday deadline will beOctober 22, 2013) will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.
– Following the Tuesday, October 22, 2013 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).
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, fax, and email.
View a PDF version of the announcement here