April 26, 2013 — The following was released today by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Next week the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold five public hearings throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to collect public input on the Draft Omnibus Recreational Accountability Measure Amendment. The amendment was initiated in December 2012 to evaluate alternatives to the existing accountability measures for 5 recreational fisheries—summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, bluefish, and Atlantic mackerel.
Current regulations require that a recreational overage (when the catch exceeds the Annual Catch Limit) be paid back in a subsequent year. The amendment will consider a range of alternatives to a pound-for-pound payback, including both proactive and reactive management measures. Combinations of proactive and reactive measures can be used to prevent overages from occurring and address overages when they do occur.
Additional information about the alternatives being considered is available in the Draft Public Hearing Document.
Submit Written Comments
Written comments must be received on or before 5 p.m., EST, on May 15, 2013. Comments may be submitted in one of the following ways:
– Emailed to info1@mafmc.org with "RECREATIONAL AM Amendment" included in the subject line.
– Mailed to the Council office at: 800 North State St., Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901 should be mailed to the Council office at the address below and marked ‘‘RECREATIONAL AM AMENDMENT’’
– Online through the Council website
Please direct questions to Jim Armstrong, Fishery Management Specialist, through email (jarmstrong@mafmc.org) or telephone 302-526-5250.
Public Hearing Schedule
All hearings begin at 7:00 p.m.
April 29- Warwick, RI
The Crowne Plaza
801 Greenwich Ave.
Warwick, RI 02886
Phone: 401-732-6000
April 30- Riverhead, NY
Hyatt Place Long Island/East End
431 East Main Street
Riverhead, NY 11901
Phone: 631-574-8008
May 1- Manahawkin, NY
Holiday Inn- Manahawkin, NJ
151 Route 72 East
Manahawkin, NJ
Phone: 609-481-6100
May 2- Ocean City, MD
Clarion Fontainebleau
10100 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, MD 21842
Phone: 800-638-2100
May 3- Virginia Beach, VA
The Hilton VA Beach
3001 Atlantic Ave.
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Phone: 757-213-3000
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) is one of eight regional councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council has primary responsibility for twelve species of fish and shellfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between 3 and 200 miles off the Mid-Atlantic coast. Member states include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.
For more information visit the MAFMC website here