ASMFC 81st Annual Meeting Preliminary Agenda and Public Comment Guidelines

August 26, 2023 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The agenda 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 below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

Monday, October 16

9 – 9:30 a.m. Atlantic Herring Management Board

· Set Quota Periods for the 2024 Area 1A Fishery

· Update from New England Fishery Management Council

· Elect Vice-Chair

9:45 – 11:45 a.m. American Lobster Management Board

· Consider 2023 Jonah Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment

· Presentation of Stock Assessment Report

· Presentation of Peer Review Panel Report

· Consider Acceptance of Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for Management Use

· Consider Annual Data Update of American Lobster Indices

· Update on Addendum XXVII Trigger Index

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for American Lobster and Jonah Crab for the 2022 Fishing Year

· Consider Terms of Reference and Timeline for the American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment

· Consider Pursuing a Management Strategy Evaluation for American Lobster

11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. Lunch Break

1 – 1:45 p.m. Tautog Management Board

· Consider Technical Committee Report on Commercial Tagging Program

1 – 5 p.m. Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Steering Committee

2 – 4 p.m. Horseshoe Crab Management Board

· Consider Results of Stakeholder Survey on Delaware Bay Management Objectives

· Set 2024 Delaware Bay Harvest Specifications

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year

4:15 – 5 p.m. Shad and River Herring Management Board

· Consider Update to New Hampshire River Herring Sustainable Fishery Management Plan and Proposal to Reopen Fishery

· Progress Update on River Herring Benchmark Stock Assessment

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year

Tuesday, October 17

8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Coordinating Council

· Consider FY2023 ACCSP Project and Administrative Proposals for Funding

· Consider SciFish Policies for ACCSP’s Citizen Science Mobile Application

· Program and Committee Updates

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ACFHP Steering Committee (continued)

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Presentation on NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey Design and Estimates

12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1 – 5 p.m. Law Enforcement Committee

· Update on Tautog Tagging Program

· Update on Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Addendum II

· Update on Guidelines for Resource Managers on the Enforceability of Fishery Management Measures

· Discuss New England Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Efforts to Reduce Sturgeon Bycatch in the Spiny Dogfish Fishery

· Review Wildlife Officer Exchange Program

· Update on Species Management Boards

1:30 – 3 p.m. Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

· Progress Update on Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Assessment

· Review Virginia Chesapeake Bay Menhaden Study Design Report

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year Review

3:15 – 4:45 p.m. Coastal Pelagics Management Board

· Set 2024-2026 Cobia Recreational Measures

· Update on Cobia Benchmark Stock Assessment Timeline

· Elect Vice-Chair

5 – 5:45 p.m. Coastal Sharks Management Board

· Set Specifications for 2024 Fishing Year

· Update on NOAA Fisheries Ongoing Management Actions

· Elect Vice-Chair

Wednesday, October 18

8 – 10 a.m. Executive Committee

· Review and Consider Approval of FY23 Audit

· Discuss Per Diem Rate for Meals and Incidentals

· Legislative Update

· Future Annual Meeting Update

8:30 – 11:45 a.m. Law Enforcement Committee (continued)

10:15 – 11:45 a.m. Business Session of the Commission

· Consider 2024 Action Plan

· Review Draft 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

· Elect Commission Chair and Vice-Chair

11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. Captain David H. Hart Award Luncheon

1 – 1:45 p.m. Spiny Dogfish Management Board

· Review Atlantic Sturgeon Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team Alternatives

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022-2023 Fishing Year

1 – 5 p.m. Habitat Committee

· Status Updates: Habitat Management Series, Habitat Hotline Atlantic, and Habitat Fact Sheets

· Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Update

2 – 5 p.m. Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board

· Consider Approval of Draft Addendum II for Public Comment

Thursday, October 19

8:30 a.m. – Noon Habitat Committee (continued)

8:30 – 9:30 a.m. American Eel Management Board

· Progress Update on Development of Draft Addenda VI and VII

· Advisory Panel Report

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year

9:45 – 11:45 a.m. Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

· Consider Revised Conservation Equivalency Policy and Technical Guidance Document

· Stock Assessment Progress Reports

· Committee Updates

· Law Enforcement Committee

· Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership

· Habitat Committee

· Review Compliance Findings, if necessary

11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Lunch Break

12:15- 1:30 p.m. Sciaenids Management Board

· Review Annual Update to Black Drum Indicators

· Consider Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year

· Progress Update on Red Drum, Spot, and Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Stock Assessments

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 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 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 (September 25) will be included in the briefing materials.

2. Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, October 10 will be included in supplemental materials.

3. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, October 13 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.