MAFMC Archives - Page 23 of 39

ASMFC & MAFMC Set Summer Flounder 2019-2021 Specifications

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) approved revised specifications for the 2019 fishing season and set new specifications for 2020 and 2021. The revised specifications are based on the results of the 2018 benchmark stock assessment, which found the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. The new limits are consistent with the recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters (0‐3 miles from shore). The Council will forward its recommendations for federal waters (3 – 200 miles from shore) to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval. The Council and Commission decided to set commercial quotas and RHLs for all three years, with the intent to maintain regulatory stability. The revised commercial quota was approximately a 49% increase over the previously set 2019 quota.

While the revised RHL represents an approximate 49% increase over the previously set 2019 RHL, the Commission chose to maintain status quo recreational measures, which are projected to achieve a harvest level close to the revised RHL based on the calibrated recreational harvest data from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). As a result, regions established under Addendum XXXII may submit proposals to make minor adjustments to their 2019 recreational measures, such as adjusting the start and end dates of the season, but must hold projected 2019 harvest at 2018 levels. These proposals will require Technical Committee review and Board approval. Additionally, the Commission and Council approved the use of conservation equivalency, allowing state measures to be extended into federal waters, pending acceptance of final state measures by the Regional Administrator.

Based on the findings of the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review, the stock was not overfished nor experiencing overfishing in 2017. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) in 2017 was estimated to be 98 million pounds, approximately 78% of the biomass target of 126 million pounds. The fishing mortality rate was estimated to be 0.334 in 2017, below the fishing mortality threshold of 0.448.

Recruitment in 2017 was estimated at 42 million fish at age 0, below the time series average of 53 million fish at age 0. Recruitment has been below average since 2011.

Data analyzed by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center for the assessment indicate increasing relative abundance of older fish and an expanding age structure. However, the data also indicate a decrease in relative total abundance since the late 2000s, as well as decreasing trends in average lengths and weights at age for both sexes, suggesting slower growth and delayed maturity which impacts the biological reference points. The assessment shows current mortality from all sources is greater than recent recruitment inputs to the stock, which has resulted in a declining stock trend. Additionally, the assessment found the spatial distribution of the resource is continuing to shift northward and eastward.

A key attribute of the assessment is the incorporation of revised recreational catch data. In July 2018, MRIP revised the previous recreational catch estimates with a calibrated 1982-2017 time series that corresponds to the new MRIP survey methods. For comparison with the previous estimates, the revised estimates of 2017 recreational landings and discards are over three times the previous estimates. The revised recreational catch estimates increased the 1982-2017 total annual catch by an average of 29 percent, ranging from 11 percent increase in 1989 to 43 percent increase in 2017. The increase in estimated removals resulted in an increased population estimate compared to previous assessments.

For more information about please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior FMP Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org.

A PDF of the press release can be found here – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5c868122pr11FlukeSpecs2019-2021andAssessment.pdf

Mid-Atlantic Council Takes Final Action on Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) met jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board) to select preferred alternatives for the Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment. The Council and Board first considered final action in December 2018 but postponed their decisions until their March 2019 meeting.

At the meeting, the Council and Board approved a commercial allocation alternative which establishes a commercial quota trigger of 9.55 million pounds. This alternative specifies that a coastwide quota of up to 9.55 million pounds in any given year will be distributed according to the current (status quo) allocations. In years when the coastwide quota exceeds 9.55 million pounds, the additional quota beyond this trigger would be distributed based on equal shares to all states except Maine, Delaware, and New Hampshire, which would split 1% of the additional quota. The revised commercial allocations are expected to become effective January 1, 2020 at the earliest with a possible delay until January 1, 2021.

The Council and Board also approved revised Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives for summer flounder, which focus on ensuring biological sustainability of the summer flounder resource, supporting and enhancing development of the effective management measures, and optimizing social and economic benefits from the resource.

No changes were made to the federal permit qualification criteria, and the Council did not add landings flexibility policies to the list of frameworkable items in the FMP.

Additional information about this action is available at: http://www.mafmc.org/actions/summer-flounder-amendment. The Council will forward its recommendations to the National Marine Fisheries Service for approval. The full Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will consider final approval of the amendment, based on the Board’s recommendations, at their 2019 Spring Meeting.

Questions? Contact Kiley Dancy, Fishery Management Specialist, kdancy@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5257.

ASMFC & MAFMC Recommend Approval of Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment

March 11, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended approval of the Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment. The Amendment revises the management program’s goals and objectives specific to summer flounder and implements new state-specific commercial allocations.

The Amendment was initiated in December 2013, with joint work on the Amendment by the Board and Council beginning in 2014. Initially, the Amendment was to consider changes to both commercial and recreational summer flounder fisheries, but over time was refocused to address commercial issues and Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives.

The revised management program’s goals and objectives focus on ensuring biological sustainability of the summer flounder resource, supporting and enhancing development of effective management measures, and optimizing social and economic benefits from the resource. These revisions were made to reflect current priorities in sustainably managing the resource.

The new state commercial allocations are based upon a 9.55 million pound trigger point. When the annual coastwide commercial quota is at or below 9.55 million pounds, the formula for allocating the quota to the states will remain status quo, i.e., the same state-specific percentages that have been in effect since 1993. When the annual coastwide quota exceeds 9.55 million pounds, additional quota above 9.55 million pounds will be distributed as follows: 0.333% to the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Delaware and 12.375% to the remaining states (see table below). As a result, state allocations will vary over time based on overall stock status and the resulting coastwide commercial quotas. For 2019-2021, the Board and Council approved an annual coastwide commercial quota of 11.53 million pounds. Depending on the timing of final rule-making by NOAA Fisheries, the new state allocation strategy could go into effect as early as January 2020.

Read the full release here

MAFMC Strategic Plan Survey Deadline Extended to March 8

February 26, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has extended the deadline for members of the public to complete the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan Survey. The survey will now be available until Friday, March 8, 2019. All interested stakeholders are encouraged to weigh in on how the Council has performed under its current strategic plan and what issues should be addressed in the Council’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan.

The survey is designed to take about 15 minutes to complete and includes opportunities to comment on the Council’s vision and mission as well as the specific goals and objectives that will guide the Council’s management activities over the next five years.

The Council encourages everyone to visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAFMC-Strategic-Plan-Survey to access the survey. All responses are anonymous and will be aggregated for analysis and presentation. The public will have another opportunity to provide comments on the draft strategic plan later in 2019.

For additional information and updates on the strategic planning process, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.

DELAWARE: Governor’s Office seeking Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council nominees

February 14, 2019 — The Office of Gov. John Carney is seeking candidates to be nominated for Delaware’s Obligatory Seat on the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.

To be eligible for consideration as a nominee by the governor for selection to the MAFMC seat by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, individuals must be Delaware residents and must complete and submit a nomination application kit outlining their fisheries background, experience and ability to serve as a council member.

The MAFMC is responsible for managing fisheries in mid-Atlantic federal waters extending from three to 200 miles offshore from New York through North Carolina. MAFMC members must be prepared to attend six MAFMC meetings a year during a three-year term, with each meeting typically lasting four days. Council members are compensated by the MAFMC for travel expenses for transportation, hotel and meals and receive a stipend of $483.52 per meeting day.

Read the full story at the Dover Post

Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Public Input for Next Five-Year Strategic Plan

February 12, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking public input on the future of fisheries management in the Mid-Atlantic. A survey released today provides an opportunity for stakeholders to weigh in on how the Council has performed under its current strategic plan and what issues should be addressed in the Council’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan.

All interested stakeholders are invited to take the survey, which is designed to take about 15 minutes. The survey includes opportunities to comment on the Council’s vision and mission as well as the specific goals and objectives that will guide the Council’s management activities over the next five years.

The Council encourages everyone to visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan to access the survey. Paper copies can be obtained by contacting the Council office at 877-446-2362. The survey will be available through February 28, 2019.

All responses are anonymous and will be aggregated for analysis and presentation. The public will have another opportunity to provide comments on the draft strategic plan later in 2019.

For additional information and updates on the strategic planning process, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.

March 2019 MAFMC Meeting Agenda

February 5, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s meeting to be held March 6-7, 2019 at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront (3001 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, Telephone 757-213-3000).

Meeting Materials: Briefing documents will be posted at http://ww.mafmc.org/briefing/march-2019 as they become available.

Public Comments: Written comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on February 20, 2019 to be included in the briefing book. Comments received after this date but before 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2019 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 available at available at http://www.mafmc.org/public-comment.

Webinar: For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/march2019.

Agenda: Click here for a detailed meeting agenda.

MAFMC and NEFMC Seek Applicants for Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP)

January 24, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council & Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) is seeking qualified candidates to serve on the panel. Current members and all interested parties are encouraged to apply. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, February 22, 2019 by 5:00 p.m.

The NTAP is a joint advisory panel of the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. It is comprised of Council members, as well as fishing industry, academic, and government and non-government fisheries experts who provide advice and direction on the conduct of trawl research. It is supported by NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). Additional information about the NTAP is available at www.mafmc.org/ntap.

The panel consists of 20 members as follows:

Two members each from the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (4 total)
Up to three fishery stakeholder representatives appointed by each Council (6 total)
Two academic and non-academic scientists appointed by each Council (4 total)
Two members from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (2 total)
Four staff members from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (4 total)

NTAP was established in 2015 to: (1) bring commercial fishing, fisheries science, and fishery management professionals in the northeastern U.S. together to identify concerns about regional research survey performance and data; (2) identify methods to address or mitigate these concerns; (3) and promote mutual understanding and acceptance of the results of this work among peers and in the broader community.

The panel is co-chaired by representatives of the New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils who are jointly responsible for conducting meetings and coordinating with the NEFSC to ensure that meeting summaries and other products are produced and distributed.

The NTAP charter requires a regular review of its membership. NTAP currently is seeking applications for membership. Key areas of expertise that will be important in the selection of successful applicants include: Gear design and construction, trawl gear efficiency, trawl mensuration, fish behavior, fishery acoustics, and survey statistics and stock assessments.

How to Apply
Anyone interested in applying for the NTAP may download an application at www.mafmc.org/ntap. Applications can also be obtained by calling the Mid-Atlantic Council office at (877) 446-2362. Completed applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 22, 2019.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Matt Seeley, Mid-Atlantic Council staff, at mseeley@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5262.

MAFMC Seeks Public Input for Next Five-Year Strategic Plan

January 24, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

All responses are anonymous and will be aggregated for analysis and presentation. The public will have another opportunity to provide comments on the draft strategic plan later in 2019.

For additional information and updates on the strategic planning process, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.

February 2019 MAFMC Meeting Cancelled

January 22, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The February 2019 meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has been cancelled due to the government shutdown. The Council is considering rescheduling some of the planned agenda items for a shorter meeting tentatively scheduled for March 6 and 7 in Virginia Beach. However, feasibility of this option is highly dependent on when the government reopens. For additional information, please contact Chris Moore (cmoore@mafmc.org, 302-526-5255).

Please note that a number of committee and advisory panel meetings have also been cancelled as a result of the shutdown. Updates about cancellations and rescheduled meeting dates are being posted on an ongoing basis at http://www.mafmc.org/newsfeed/2019/federal-shutdown-effects-on-mafmc-meetings.