August 30, 2016 — The following was released by the ASMFC:
Please find below and attached the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 75th Annual Meeting, which will be held October 23-27, 2016 at the Harborside Hotel in Bar Harbor, Maine. This email contains meeting details, including the preliminary agenda. All of the business meetings scheduled during this week (with the exception of closed sessions) are open to the public, free of charge. However, if you plan on attending any of the Annual Meeting social events, please help us prepare for these events by registering early (see below and attached for more details). Please note the preliminary agenda, which is also available athttp://www.asmfc.org/home/2016-annual-meeting, is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided in the Preliminary Agenda which follows.
Our Maine Commissioners have been working for quite a while now on the meeting details and are looking forward to welcoming you all to Bar Harbor. Surrounded by Acadia National Park and located at the edge of the sea there is a special mystique to Bar Harbor that you have to experience to understand!
ACCOMODATIONS: A block of rooms is being held at the Harborside Hotel (55 West Street, Bar Harbor, ME. Please make your reservations by calling (800)328-5033 as soon as possible to obtain the negotiated room rate of $159.00 plus tax. Hotel reservations must be made before September 26, 2016. Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date. Please be aware that you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment and you must notify the hotel of any cancellation prior to 72 hours before arrival or you will be billed one night’s room plus tax. If you have any problems regarding accommodations, please contact Cindy at 703.842.0740 or crobertson@asmfc.org.
PLEASE NOTE: The negotiated room rate will be available from October 22nd through the 27th.
GETTING TO BAR HARBOR: Bar Harbor is accessible by automobile, plane or boat! The flights into Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport are not plentiful in the latter half of October, but you can get connecting flights from Boston and Portland into Bar Harbor Airport. Bangor has many flights daily – even some nonstop flights from Washington, D.C., and it is an hour and 15 minutes from Bar Harbor. Portland has even more flights from up and down the coast, and the drive to Bar Harbor from Portland is 3 hours.
REGISTRATION: The meeting registration fee is $200/per participant and $150/per spouse or guest if you register by October 17, 2016. After October 17th and in Bar Harbor the fees will be $225 and $175, respectively. The registration fee covers the Sunday night reception, the Tuesday night dinner, and the Wednesday Hart Award Luncheon, as well event materials. Payment is not required until you arrive at the meeting; however, we ask that you please assist us in planning for the meeting by registering as soon as possible. You may register by returning the fillable registration form (by email to lhartman@asmfc.org, fax (703.842.0741, or US mail to 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA 22201). Once you have registered, payment can be made in several ways (1) check, cash or credit card at the ASMFC Registration Desk at the Annual Meeting; (2) credit card by calling Lisa Hartman at 703.842.0744; or (3) mail a check to ASMFC (address above). (Please note all board/committee members attending the Annual Meeting will be reimbursed for the full registration fee. However, the additional $25 for late registration fees will not be reimbursed.)