ASMFC River Herring Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop Scheduled for August 21-25, in Arlington, VA

May 23, 2023 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold the River Herring Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop on August 21-25 at the Westin Pentagon City, 1800 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA. The stock assessment, which is scheduled for completion in early 2024, will evaluate the health of both alewife and blueback herring stocks (collectively referred to as river herring) along the Atlantic coast and inform management of these species. Both species were last assessed in 2017. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to the public, with the exception of discussions of confidential data*, when the public will be asked to leave the room.

For more information about the assessment or attending the upcoming workshop (space is limited), please contact James Boyle, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atjboyle@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

* Each state and federal agency is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of its data and deciding who has access to its confidential data. In the case of our stock assessments and peer reviews, all analysts and, if necessary, reviewers, have been granted permission by the appropriate agency to use and view confidential data. When the assessment team needs to show and discuss these data, observers to our stock assessment process are asked to leave the room to preserve confidentiality.