August 28, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please find below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 74th Annual Meeting, which will be held November 2-5, 2015 at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine, FL. This email contains meeting details, including the preliminary agenda. All of the business meetings scheduled during this week (with the exception of closed sessions) are open to the public, free of charge.

Our Florida Commissioners have been working hard on the meeting details and are looking forward to welcoming you all to St. Augustine. Similar to our previous Annual Meetings in Florida, this meeting will be held jointly with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 66^th Annual Meeting. We have scheduled some overlapping events to allow for you all to spend time with your colleagues from the Gulf.  Our nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine was founded 450 years ago along Florida’s historic coast. Here, history comes alive in red-brick lanes leading to centuries-old churches, in forts where soldiers still walk the grounds, and on horse-drawn carriage rides through time. Head just out of town and back to nature along 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches.

ACCOMODATIONS: A block of rooms is being held at the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort (500 South Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, FL).  Lisa Hartman(lhartman@asmfc.org) will make Commissioner/Proxy reservations and will contact you regarding the details of your accommodations. Please notify Lisa of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations (including late arrivals), otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

For all other attendees, please make your reservations online at http://tinyurl.com/nlnogfn as soon as possible to obtain the negotiated room rate of $119.00 plus tax. Hotel reservations must be made before September 30, 2015. Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date.  Please be aware that you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment and you must notify the hotel of any cancellation prior to 72 hours before arrival or you will be billed one night’s room plus tax. If you have any problems regarding accommodations, please contact Lisa at 703.842.0740 or lhartman@asmfc.org. 

PLEASE NOTE: The negotiated room rate will be available from October 30^th through November 8^th. If you plan on arriving on Saturday, you should make your reservation as soon as possible since the hotel will also be hosting the Georgia Football Team following Saturday’s Georgia-Florida game.

 GETTING TO ST. AUGUSTINE: The World Golf Village Renaissance Resort is located in St. Augustine off of Interstate 95, and is easily accessible by either car or air. From the Jacksonville International Airport, take I-95 south to exit 323, International Golf Parkway. Following the exit, turn right onto International Golf Parkway, and right again into the main entrance to World Golf Village. Then follow signs to Hotel. The nearest major airport is Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). This airport is 45 miles from the Resort. Self-parking is complimentary for overnight guests.

REGISTRATION:  The meeting registration fee is $200/per participant and $150/per spouse or guest if you register by October 26, 2015. After October 26^th and in St. Augustine the fees will be $225 and $175, respectively. The registration fee covers the Monday night reception, the Tuesday night dinner, and the Wednesday Hart Award Luncheon, as well event materials. Payment is not required until you arrive at the meeting; however, we ask that you please assist us in planning for the meeting by registering as soon as possible. You may register by returning the attached registration form (by email, fax, or US mail) or online at http://mahi.accsp.org:8080/myJSPs/registration74thAnnualMtg.html. Once you have registered, payment can be made in several ways (1) check, cash or credit card at the ASMFC Registration Desk at the Annual Meeting; (2) credit card by calling Lisa Hartman at 703.842.0744; or (3) mail a check to ASMFC at 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA 22201. Please note all board/committee members attending the Annual Meeting will be reimbursed for the full pre-registration fee. However, late registration fees will not be reimbursed. 

FISHING TOURNAMENT: Plans are well underway for the 24^th Annual Laura Leach Fishing Tournament. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate. You will receive a t-shirt with your $20 entry fee with 100% of the tournament proceeds going to kids’ fishing programs in Florida. If you intend to fish, a fishing license can be obtained at https://license.myfwc.com or by visiting a local tackle shop that sells licenses.  The tournament runs from Sunday (11/1) through Wednesday morning (11/4); the raffle drawing and tournament prizes will be awarded at Wednesday Awards Luncheon.  Additional information about kayak rentals, fishing locations, tackle shops, etc. will be provided to tournament anglers.

FOR SPOUSES/GUESTS: The Monday Morning Social for Spouses and Guests will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the hotel. On Tuesday, Ancient City Tours will take spouses and guests to some of the notable historic sites in St. Augustine, including the Fountain of Youth (remember to drink the water!), the Lightner Museum, and Castillo de San Marcos Fort.  Sit back as the driver shares the history and sights of our Nation’s Oldest City on the Old Town Trolley tour.  Lunch will be provided at the Five Flags Café.

The final agenda and meeting materials will be available on October 22, 2015 on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-Annual-Meeting. We look forward to seeing you all in St. Augustine in November!

Preliminary Agenda

The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

 

2:00 – 5:30 p.m.                                Registration

 

Monday, November 2, 2015

 

7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                      Registration

 

8:00 – 10:30 a.m.                              American Lobster Management Board 

• Discuss Management Response to the 2015 American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report

o   Report from Subcommittee (Subset of Board, Lobster Conservation Management Team and Technical Committee Members) Input on the Southern New England Stock

o   Technical Committee Report

• Discussion and Initiation of an Addendum to Set Effort Controls for Jonah Crab-only Trap Fishermen
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 American Lobster Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance
• Review and Consider Approval of Advisory Panel Membership

 

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.                  Atlantic Herring Section

• Set Fishery Specifications for 2016-2018
• Review and Consider Approval of Draft Amendment 3 for Public Comment

 

1:45 – 3:45 p.m.                                Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

• Review Wave 4 Data (if available) for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Recreational Harvest and Discuss Potential Implications for 2016 Management
• Consider Continuing the Ad-Hoc Approaches to Regional Management for Black Sea Bass
• Consider Approval of the Terms of Reference for the Black Sea Bass Benchmark Stock Assessment
• Review the  2015/2016 Black Sea Bass Quotas Based on the Outcome of the September 2015 Mid-Atlantic Fishery management Council Science and Statistical Committee Meeting
• Update Board on Scup Scoping/Public Information Document for Amendment
• Update Board on the Schedule of Assessment Updates for Summer Flounder and Scup

 

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.                                Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Executive Committee 

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members only)

• Status Report (Program and Committee Updates)
• Independent Program Review Progress
• APAIS Update
• Governance Update
• Executive Committee Membership Standard Operating Procedures
• Recommendations from the Operations and Advisory Committees on Project Funding

 

3:00 – 6:00 p.m.                                Registration

 

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.                                ACCSP Coordinating Council 

• Status Report (Program and Committee Updates)
• Independent Program Review Progress
• Governance Update
• Executive Committee Membership Standard Operating Procedures
• Recommendations from the Operations and Advisory Committees on Project Funding
• Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

 

6:30 – 8:00 p.m.                                 Welcome Reception 

 

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

 

7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                      Registration

 

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.                              Executive Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners only)

• Review Guidance Documents
• Review Fiscal Year 2015 Audit

 

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                      Habitat Committee

• Discuss Improvements to Habitat Factsheet Content and Rollout
• Review 2015 Work Plan and Set 2016 Work Plan
• Discuss Progress on Fishery Management Plan Amendments, Habitat Bottlenecks White Paper, and Sciaenid Habitat Source Document

8:30 a.m. – Noon                              Joint Meeting of the SEAMAP-SA and GSMFC Crustacean Workgroups

 

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.                            American Eel Management Board

• Technical Committee Report on Maine’s Life Cycle Survey Proposal
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 American Eel Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance

 

11:30 a.m. – Noon                           Weakfish Management Board

• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Weakfish Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance
• Update on 2016 Benchmark Stock Assessment

 

Noon – 1:30 p.m.                             Legislators and Governors’ Appointees Luncheon

 

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.                                Winter Flounder Management Board

• Review the Groundfish Assessment and Review Meeting Stock Assessment Update Results for the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Stocks
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Winter Flounder Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance

 

2:00 – 4:30 p.m.                                Registration

 

3:15 – 5:45 p.m.                                Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

• Update on Working Group’s Progress for Ecosystem Management Objectives and Allocation
• Discuss Allowance of Cast Nets Under the Bycatch Provision of Amendment 2
• Provide Guidance to Plan Development Team on the Development of the Public Information Document for Draft Amendment 3

 

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.                                Annual Dinner at the Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

 

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

 

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.                              Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board 

• Review 2015 Stock Assessment Update and Projections on Reaching Coastwide Fishing Mortality Target with Addendum IV Regulations
• Technical Committee Report on Coastwide and Fleet-specific Fishing Mortality Reference Points

 

8:30 a.m. – Noon                              Law Enforcement Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members, authorized law enforcement personnel, and LEC Coordinators only)

• ISFMP Species Board Issues
• Federal and State Agency Reports
• Discussion of Atlantic Striped Bass Compliance Report Needs for 2016
• Review 2015 Action Plan Completion and 2016 Action Plan Items
• Closed Session (as needed, to discuss ongoing enforcement activities)

 

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.                  Tautog Management Board

• Review Public Comment on the Public Information Document to Draft Amendment 1
• Provide Guidance to Plan Development Team on the Development of Draft Amendment 1
• Review and Consider Approval of Advisory Panel Membership

 

12:15 – 1:45 p.m.                              ASMFC Captain David H. Hart & GSMFC Lyles-Simpson Awards Luncheon

 

1:45 – 5:45 p.m.                                Joint Meeting of the ASMFC Law Enforcement Committee and the GSMFC Law Enforcement Advisory Committee

 

1:45 – 2:45 p.m.                                Business Session

• Review and Consider Approval of 2016 Annual Action Plan
• Election of Chair and Vice-Chair
• Review Non-compliance Findings (if necessary)

 

2:00 – 6:00 p.m.                                Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Steering Committee

• Discuss Outcomes of the Recent Science and Data Committee Meeting and Next Steps for the Steering Committee
• Receive Updates on the Implementation Plan
• Discuss Potential Goals and Objectives for Next Conservation Strategic Plan
• Approve FY2016 Projects for Recommendation to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.                                Coastal Sharks Management Board

• Set 2016 Specifications Based on Federal Quotas (if available)
• Update on NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Amendment 6 Final Rule and Draft Amendment 9
• Review and Consider Approval of 2014 Coastal Sharks Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance

 

4:15 – 5:15 p.m.                                Spiny Dogfish Management Board

• Set Specifications for Spiny Dogfish
• Review and Consider Approval of 2014 Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance

 

Thursday, November 5, 2015

 

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.                 Horseshoe Crab Management Board

• Horseshoe Crab Technical Committee Report

o   Shorebird and Horseshoe Crab Survey Reports Summary

o   Adaptive Resource Management Framework Harvest Output for 2016

• Set Specifications for the 2016 Delaware Bay Fishery
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Horseshoe Crab Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance
• Update on the Virginia Tech Horseshoe Crab Trawl Survey

 

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                      ACFHP Steering Committee (continued)

 

9:15 – 11:15 a.m.                              Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

• Atlantic Sturgeon Stock Assessment Update
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Atlantic Sturgeon Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Report
• Habitat Committee Report
• Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Report
• Law Enforcement Committee Report
• Management and Science Committee Report

 

11:15 – 11:45 a.m.                            Business Session (if necessary)

 

12:15 – 1:45 p.m.                              South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board 

• Update on 2015 Red Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance
• Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Spanish Mackerel Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance
• Discuss Black Drum Compliance Report Deadline

 

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. Board chairs will use a speaker sign-up list in deciding 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 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, 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 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 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included in the briefing materials.

2.    Comments received by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday, October 27, 2015 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.

3.    Following the Tuesday, October 27, 2015 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).

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, fax, and email.