Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Archives

ASMFC 2025 Spring Meeting Final Agenda and Materials Now Available

April 24, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spring Meeting will be May 5 – 8, 2025 at The Westin Crystal City. This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and remote) to allow for participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders. The room block is now closed; if you need assistance reserving a room, please contact Lisa Carty at lcarty@asmfc.org.

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Spring Meeting are now available athttps://asmfc.org/events/2025-spring-meeting/; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. For ease of access, all boards have been combined into one document – https://asmfc.org/resources/management/management-presentations/2025-spring-meeting-materials-combined-may-2025/. Supplemental materials will be posted to the website on Wednesday, April 30.

Please note: The Weakfish Management Board meeting, previously scheduled for Monday, May 5 (3:45 – 4:45 PM) has been canceled. Instead, the Spiny Dogfish Management Board will be held on May 5 from 3:45 – 4:15 PM, with an Atlantic Herring Management Board meeting to follow from 4:30 – 5 PM.

Webinar Information

Meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, May 5 at 1:30 PM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be Noon on Wednesday, May 8). To register for the webinar, please go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/60738568308578650(Webinar ID: 826-144-067). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you may also call in at +1.562.247.8321, access code 112-047-383. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.

Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter. If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Meeting Process

Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

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 opportunities to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide 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 comments will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already 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 comments 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 (April 14) will be included in the briefing materials.

2. Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, April 29, will be included in supplemental materials.

3. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, May 2, 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.

Meetings Materials for the May 1 Northern Shrimp Section and Advisory Panel Meetings are Now Available

April 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Meeting materials for the Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section (Section) and Advisory Panel (AP) upcoming meetings are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/northern-shrimp-section-6/ and https://asmfc.org/events/northern-shrimp-advisory-panel-4/, respectively. Both groups will meet on Thursday, May 1, at the Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port, 433 Fore Street, Portland, Maine. The AP will meet from 9 – 11 AM to review public comment and provide input on Draft Amendment 4.

The Section will meet from 12 – 3 PM on the same day to select final management options and consider recommending final approval of Amendment 4 to the Commission; if the document is moved forward, the Business Session of the Commission will consider its final approval on May 8 as part of the Spring Meeting. The Section will also review the final report from the industry-based pilot winter sampling program. Draft Amendment 4 considers options for setting multi-year moratoria and the implementation of a management trigger. The management trigger would be comprised of a set of biological and/or environmental indicators that could signal when the northern shrimp stock in the Gulf of Maine is at a population level that could support sustainable fishery.

Webinar Information

Only the Section meeting will be available via webinar. To register for the webinar, please go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4876698453855280735 (Webinar ID: 137-901-131). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), you may also call in at +1 (415) 655-0052, access code 983-888-617. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN. The webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter. If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Meeting Process

The Section Chair will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The Chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For more information, please contact Chelsea Tuohy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atctuoy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Changes to Process for Setting Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish

April 14, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) have approved modifications to the process for setting recreational measures (bag, size, and season limits), as well as the recreational accountability measures, for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council recommended these changes through a framework action, and the Policy Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Addendum III to the Bluefish FMP. These changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the Council and Commission to improve recreational management of these jointly managed species.

The current process for setting recreational measures, referred to as the Percent Change Approach, was implemented in 2023 and will sunset at the end of 2025. During a joint meeting last week in Galloway, New Jersey, the Council and Policy Board discussed several options to improve or replace the Percent Change Approach for 2026 and beyond. After reviewing public comments and recommendations from technical committees and advisory panels, the Council and Policy Board agreed to maintain the current process with several modifications based on lessons learned over the past few years. These changes will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase of changes aims to better account for stock status when setting measures and will create more opportunities for stability in management measures. The current system uses three biomass categories to guide whether measures should change; the revised approach adds a fourth category for stocks near their biomass target and establishes a separate process for overfished stocks. These changes will take effect starting with the 2026 recreational measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The Council and Policy Board delayed the implementation of these changes for bluefish until 2028 to allow time for development of an appropriate methodology for evaluating the impacts of measures on bluefish harvest and discards. The bluefish stock has been under a rebuilding plan since 2022, and recreational measures will continue to be set based on the rebuilding plan until the stock is declared rebuilt.

The second phase of modifications, which will be implemented for setting 2030 recreational measures and beyond, will update the process to use a catch-based target. Unlike the current process – which focuses on achieving a specific level of predicted harvest – a catch-based approach aims to achieve a target level of total dead catch, including both harvest and dead discards. This approach will allow for more explicit consideration of how measures affect discards. Some advisors and members of the public raised concerns about the potential for this change to create greater instability in management measures. After extensive discussion of each approach, the Council and Policy Board delayed the transition to a catch-based target until 2030 to allow time for additional analysis on the potential impacts to measures.

The Council and Policy Board also approved changes to the recreational accountability measures. These changes will be effective starting in 2026 for all four species. Under these revisions, when an accountability measure is triggered due to recent overages of the recreational annual catch limits, managers will also consider if those overages contributed to overfishing when determining the appropriate response.

The Council will submit the framework to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review and implementation, while the Commission’s measures are final for state waters. Additional information about this action is available on the Council and Commission websites.

Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment

In other related business, the Council and Policy Board also reviewed scoping comments on the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment from public hearings and written comments, as well as input provided by the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Advisory Panels and the Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team. Based on these comments, the Council and Policy Board agreed that recreational sector separation and recreational data collection should be addressed separately. Further development of the amendment will focus on management options for recreational sector separation, including mode management, as well as consideration of for-hire permitting and reporting requirements.

The Council and Policy Board separated out the recreational data collection and use issue from the amendment due to concerns that the complexity of this issue would cause significant delays in the amendment timeline. Council and Policy Board members also noted there is a need to more clearly define the objectives for recreational data collection improvement. This issue will be explored through a white paper which will consider the feasibility of various approaches and help the Council and Policy Board clarify goals for a potential future action. Additional information and updates are available on the Council and Commission action pages.

American Lobster Board Releases Draft Addendum XXXII for Public Comment Draft Addendum Considers Repealing Gauge and Escape Vent Measures of Addendum XXVII

April 1, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

One virtual public hearing has been scheduled to gather input on Draft Addendum XXXII to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Draft Addendum considers repealing all Addendum XXVII measures pertaining to scheduled increases in gauge and escape vent size limits. The public hearing is open to all stakeholders, regardless of state residency. The public hearing details follow:

Date	Hearing Information	Contact
Thursday, April 10 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.	Public Hearing Webinar on Lobster Addendum XXXII The webinar registration link is available here, and additional webinar instructions are below.	Caitlin Starks

Draft Addendum XXXII responds to economic concerns from the lobster industry regarding the Addendum XXVII measures. It aims to provide the Gulf of Maine states the opportunity to work closely with industry to identify alternative conservation strategies.

Under Addendum XXVII, a series of changes to the current gauge and escape vent sizes in Lobster Conservation Management Areas (LCMAs) 1, 3, and Outer Cape Cod were triggered based on observed declines in recruit abundance indices, starting with an increase to the minimum gauge size in LCMA 1 (Gulf of Maine) on July 1, 2025.

Addendum XXVII aimed to increase protection of the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank spawning stock biomass through proactive conservation measures. While the overall stock condition is favorable according to the 2020 Benchmark Stock Assessment, persistent declines have been observed in the juvenile lobster population and, more recently, in landings as well. A new stock assessment is expected to be completed this fall to provide updated information on the status of the resource.

Webinar Instructions

Please note that in order to comment during a virtual webinar hearing you will need to use your computer or download the GoToWebinar app for your phone. Those joining by phone only will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. In those cases, you can send your comments to staff via email or US mail at any time during the public comment period. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 213.929.4212 and enter access code 756-151-845. All are welcome to participate in virtual hearings.

Please click HERE to register for the public hearing. The hearing will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you are new to GoToWebinar, you can download the software by (clicking here) or via the App store under GoToWebinar. We recommend you register for the hearing well in advance of the hearing since GoToWebinar will provide you with a link to test your device’s compatibility with the webinar. If you find your device is not compatible, please contact the Commission at info@asmfc.org (subject line: GoToWebinar help) and we will try to get you connected. We also strongly encourage participants to use the computer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) so you can ask questions and provide input at the hearing.

Submitting Comments

The public is encouraged to submit comments at any time during the addendum process. The Draft Addendum is available at https://asmfc.org/actions/american-lobster-draft-addendum-xxxii/. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EDT) on April 25, 2025 and should be sent to Caitlin Starks, Senior FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; or to comments@asmfc.org(Subject line: Lobster Draft Addendum XXXII) or via the public comment form on the American Lobster Draft Addendum XXXII Action Tracker webpage.

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Section and Advisory Panel to Meet May 1 Section to Consider Approval of Amendment 4

March 31, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section (Section) and Advisory Panel (AP) will meet on Thursday, May 1, at the Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port, 433 Fore Street, Portland, Maine. The AP will meet from 9 – 11 AM to review public comment and provide input on Draft Amendment 4.

The Section will meet from 12 – 3 PM on the same day to consider final approval of Amendment 4 and review the final report from the industry-based pilot winter sampling program. Draft Amendment 4 considers options for setting multi-year moratoria and the implementation of a management trigger. The management trigger would be comprised of a set of biological and/or environmental indicators that could signal when the northern shrimp stock in the Gulf of Maine is at a population level that could support sustainable fishery. Meeting materials and webinar details will be available April 17 at https://asmfc.org/events/northern-shrimp-section-6/.

For more information, please contact Chelsea Tuohy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atctuoy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

American Lobster Board Approves for Public Comment Draft Addendum XXXII to Repeal Gauge and Escape Vent Measures of Addendum XXVII

March 19, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Lobster Management Board approved Draft Addendum XXXII for public comment. Responding to economic concerns from the lobster industry, the Draft Addendum considers repealing all Addendum XXVII measures pertaining to gauge and escape vent size limits. Concurrently, the Gulf of Maine states will work closely with industry to identify alternative conservation strategies and will report back to the Board at upcoming quarterly meetings.

Under Addendum XXVII, changes to the current gauge and escape vent sizes in Lobster Conservation Management Areas (LCMAs) 1 (Gulf of Maine), 3 (federal offshore waters), and Outer Cape Cod were triggered based on observed declines in recruit abundance indices, with the original implementation date of June 1, 2024. In August 2024, the Board delayed the implementation date so that the series of changes to gauge and vent sizes, starting with an increase to the minimum gauge size in LCMA 1, would begin July 1, 2025.

Addendum XXVII aimed to increase protection of the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank spawning stock biomass through proactive conservation measures. While the overall stock condition is favorable according to the 2020 Benchmark Stock Assessment, persistent declines in the juvenile lobster population, and now in landings, remain a cause for concern. A new stock assessment is underway and will be completed this fall to provide updated information on the status of the resource.

Draft Addendum XXXII considers two options: full implementation of Addendum XXVII by July 1, 2025 or repealing all of its gauge and escape vent measures. The Draft Addendum does not consider changes to regulations prohibiting the issuance of 10% additional trap tags above the trap limit or allocation in LCMAs 1 and 3, nor to the v-notch possession definition provision of Addendum XXVII.

A press release will follow with details on the public hearing schedule and how to submit written comments. The Board will meet to review submitted comments and consider final action on the addendum at its next meeting. For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Final Supplemental Materials for the March 18 American Lobster Management Board Meeting Now Available

March 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The final supplemental materials for the upcoming meeting of the American Lobster Board are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/american-lobster-management-board-4/ or you can access them directly https://asmfc.org/resources/management/species-board-proceedings/american-lobster-managment-board-supplemental-2-materials-march-2025/. At the meeting, the Board will consider approval of Draft Addendum XXXII for public comment. The Draft Addendum will consider repealing all Addendum XXVII measures pertaining to gauge and escape vent size limits. This action responds to industry concerns regarding the potential economic impacts of an increase to the minimum gauge size in the Gulf of Maine and uncertainty surrounding trade issues with Canada. In addition, the Gulf of Maine states have agreed to work with the lobster industry to develop management strategies to ensure the long-term health of the resource and the coastal communities that it supports.

Webinar Information

To register for the webinar, please go tohttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5146448237796194138 (Webinar ID: 755-528-995). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP) via your computer, you can also call in at +1 (914) 614-3221, access code 543-426-674. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.

Meeting Process

The Board Chair will provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of the meeting. The Board Chair will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the Board Chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

The webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter. If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Public Comment Guidelines

With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in 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. The Board Chair will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the Board Chair will decide 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, the Board Chair will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. The Board Chair has the flexibility to decide 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 already 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, the Board Chair has 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 by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11 will be included in supplemental materials.

2. Comments received by 10 a.m. on Monday, March 17 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.

For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org.

Supplemental Materials for the March 18 American Lobster Management Board Meeting Now Available

March 12, 2025 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The supplemental materials for the upcoming meeting of the American Lobster Board are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/american-lobster-management-board-4/ or you can access them directly at https://asmfc.org/resources/management/species-board-proceedings/american-lobster-managment-board-supplemental-materials-march-2025/. At the meeting, the Board will consider approval of Draft Addendum XXXII for public comment. The Draft Addendum will consider repealing all Addendum XXVII measures pertaining to gauge and escape vent size limits. This action responds to industry concerns regarding the potential economic impacts of an increase to the minimum gauge size in the Gulf of Maine and uncertainty surrounding trade issues with Canada. In addition, the Gulf of Maine states have agreed to work with the lobster industry to develop management strategies to ensure the long-term health of the resource and the coastal communities that it supports.

Webinar Information

Meeting Process

Public Comment Guidelines

For agenda action items that have already 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, the Board Chair has the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

1. Comments received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11 will be included in supplemental materials.

2. Comments received by 10 a.m. on Monday, March 17 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.

For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org.

ASMFC proposes interim plan for male-only horseshoe crab harvesting

February 24, 2025 –A new draft plan from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) would allow regulators to set a multi-year male-only harvest of Delaware Bay horseshoe crabs while the commission updates the computer model it uses to manage the species.

Horseshoe crabs are primarily harvested for their blood, which is used for biomedical testing by the pharmaceutical industry – although they are also used as bait.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Ecological Reference Points Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop Scheduled for March 3 – 6, in Arlington, VA

February 21, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Ecological Reference Points (ERP) Work Group will be meeting March 3 – 6, 2025 at the Commission’s office, 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA. The ERP Work Group will explore various modeling approaches to be used in the assessment, which will be used to evaluate the health of the stock and inform the management of the species in an ecological context.

The ERP assessment is scheduled to be peer-reviewed later in 2025 through the SouthEast Data Assessment Review process. Visit the Commission’s website calendar (https://asmfc.org/events/) for information on the dates and times of those meetings.

All Commission assessment workshops are open to the public. Time may be allotted for public comment at the discretion of the Chair of the ERP Work Group but may also be limited to keep the workshop on schedule. Additional information on the workshop, including webinar registration, can be found here.

For more information about the assessments or attending the workshop, please contact James Boyle, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at jboyle@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740, or Jainita Patel, Fisheries Science Coordinator, at jpatel@asmfc.org or 703.842.0720.