April 19, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The public is invited to attend a joint meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board to be held on May 10, 2017 in Alexandria, Virginia. The meeting will be held at The Westin Alexandria, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA, 22314, Telephone (703) 253-8600.
Meeting Materials: Briefing documents will be posted at http://ww.mafmc.org/briefing/may-2017 as they become available.
Public Comments: Written comments received byThursday, April 27, 2017 will be included in the Council meeting briefing book. Comments received after this deadline but before close of business on Thursday, May 4, 2017 will be posted as “supplemental materials” on the Council meeting web page. After that date, all comments must be submitted using an online comment form. Comments submitted via the online form will be automatically posted to the website and available for Council consideration. A link to this form will be available at http://www.mafmc.org/public-comment. Late comments will no longer be distributed to Council members via email.
Webinar: Webinar connection information will be posted at http://ww.mafmc.org/briefing/may-2017 prior to the meeting.
Agenda
Wednesday, May 10th
1:00 p.m. Welcome/Call to Order
1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Scup Quota Period Framework (Framework 10 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP)
- Final action
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Comprehensive Summer Flounder Amendment
- Review draft range of alternatives for commercial issues
- Approve range of alternatives for further development and inclusion in a public hearing document
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Review Implementation of 2017 Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Black Sea Bass Wave 1 Fishery
- Review white paper on potential experimental recreational Wave 1 black sea bass fishery
- Consider postponed motion to allow experimental wave 1 for-hire fishery: Motion to allow an experimental 2018 January/February (wave one), recreational, federally permitted for-hire fishery for black sea bass with a 15 fish per person possession limit, a suspended minimum size limit, and a zero discard policy to allow for barotrauma, and a mandatory trip reporting requirement.
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Review Board White Paper on Summer Flounder Recreational Specifications
5:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Other Business/Adjourn