Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Archives

NEW YORK: A familiar name earns one of the Mid-Atlantic’s top honors

April 17, 2026 — The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named longtime industry representative and former Council member Peter Hughes as the recipient of the 2025 Ricks E. Savage Award, recognizing his decades of contributions to fisheries management and conservation in the region.

The award was established in 2006 to recognize individuals who have added value to the Council process and management goals through significant scientific, legislative, enforcement, or management activities. The Council’s meeting last week in New York City was when Hughes accepted the award.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Council Presents Ricks E Savage Award to Peter Hughes

April 16, 2026 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Peter Hughes, longtime industry representative and former Council member, as the recipient of the 2025 Ricks E Savage Award. The Council established the award in 2006 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the management and conservation of fishery resources in the mid-Atlantic region. The award was presented to Hughes during the Council’s meeting last week in New York City.

A native of Elyria, Ohio, Hughes first discovered his love of fishing during family vacations on Long Beach Island. That early passion eventually led him to Cape May, New Jersey, in 1986, where he began his career in commercial fisheries aboard the F/V Atlantic Prince. In 1990, he transitioned to a shoreside role at Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., where he has worked for more than 35 years and now serves as Director of Sustainability. Hughes was appointed to the Council in 2016 and served with distinction for nine years before completing his service in 2025. During this time, he became one of the Council’s most steadfast leaders, bringing broad, practical knowledge of fisheries to every discussion.

As Chair of the Council’s Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Committee for eight years, Hughes guided the Council through the development of several challenging management actions, including two Atlantic mackerel rebuilding actions, an amendment to establish long-term management of chub mackerel, and a framework that established measures to limit future capacity increases in the Illex squid fishery. He also served as Chair of the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee for five years, providing steady leadership throughout the development of a major amendment to modify species separation requirements in the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries.

Hughes also served as the Council’s liaison to the New England Fishery Management Council throughout his entire tenure, representing the Mid-Atlantic Council on several New England committees. In that role, he ensured clear communication between the Mid-Atlantic and New England Councils, conveying priorities, decisions, and concerns in both directions.

Hughes was also recognized for his approach to public engagement. “Peter took public comment very seriously and was sensitive to the competing interests of recreational and commercial stakeholders, as well as differing sectors within the industry,” said Joe Cimino, Council Chair. “He always came to the table with the goal of finding the best possible solutions for all parties.” One notable example came during the development of the Atlantic Mackerel Rebuilding Amendment, when the Council was considering a federal recreational possession limit for mackerel. Early options ranged from 10 to 15 fish. After reviewing public comments and input from the New England states regarding the potential impacts on for-hire businesses that rely on mackerel for bait, Hughes proposed expanding the range to include a 20-fish limit. The Council ultimately adopted that option, which reduced the burden on those businesses while still meeting rebuilding objectives.

The Council extends its gratitude to Peter Hughes for his years of dedicated service and congratulates him on this well-deserved honor.

Request for Proposals: Facilitation Services for a Recreational Sector Separation Workshop

March 10, 2026 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a contractor to provide facilitation services for a stakeholder workshop on Recreational Sector Separation for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The proposal submission deadline is April 10, 2026.

Background: The Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Policy Board are currently developing an amendment to consider managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational modes (referred to as sector separation), as well as potential changes to for-hire permit and reporting requirements. In December 2025, the Council and Policy Board determined that additional stakeholder input was necessary to refine the draft management alternatives. As a result, a workshop will be held in September 2026 and will convene approximately 20 highly engaged recreational stakeholders to provide feedback on the current range of options.

Scope of Work: The selected contractor will work closely with Council and Commission staff to support the planning and execution of the workshop. Key responsibilities include:

Pre-Workshop Coordination: Assist with identifying participants, refining workshop objectives, and coordinating workshop logistics.
Workshop Design and Agenda Development: Develop a detailed agenda and structured discussion formats.
Briefing Materials: Assist with developing clear, accessible background materials for participants.
Workshop Facilitation: Serve as the primary facilitator for the 1 to 1.5-day in-person workshop.
Summary Report: Prepare a written summary of discussions, key themes, and recommendations for Council and Policy Board consideration.

Additional Information: Complete details about the scope of work, contractor qualifications, and proposal submission instructions can be found in the full request for proposals (RFP).

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Meet February 10-11, 2026

January 28, 2026 — The following was release by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, February 10 – Wednesday, February 11, 2026. This will be a fully virtual meeting.

Meeting Materials: Briefing materials and presentations will be posted on the February 2026 Council Meeting Page as they become available.

Public Comment: The Council welcomes public comment from in-person and remote participants. Instructions and deadlines for submitting comments are available on the meeting page.

Webinar and Live Stream: The webinar will be hosted via Webex. Pre-registration is not required. Connection details are available on the meeting page. The meeting will also be live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel.

Agenda: A detailed agenda is available here.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo at msabo@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5261.

Request for Nominations: Scientific and Statistical Committee – Apply by Jan. 16

January 7, 2026 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Successful candidates will serve a three-year appointment beginning in March of 2026.

The SSC serves as the Council’s primary scientific/technical advisory body and provides independent scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch and rebuilding targets. The SSC also provides science advice and information on stock status, bycatch, habitat, social and economic impacts of management measures, and research priorities. SSC members are also expected to serve on various technical working groups and peer review panels as part of their SSC responsibilities.

The SSC typically meets 4-5 times per year, with meetings lasting from one to three days. Meetings may be held in-person or via webinar, and in-person meetings are usually held in the Mid-Atlantic region (e.g., Philadelphia, PA or Baltimore, MD). Eligible SSC members receive a daily stipend for meetings and are reimbursed for travel expenses.

Membership is composed of state and federal employees, academia, and independent experts with scientific and technical expertise in biology, statistics, stock assessments, economics, social science, and other relevant disciplines. Highly qualified candidates from all relevant fields are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to applicants with expertise in stock assessments, survey design, fisheries ecology and life history, and recreational fisheries.

Individuals interested in applying for nomination to the SSC must submit a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume and a brief letter describing qualifications, relevant experience, and reason for interest in joining the SSC. Materials should be submitted by email to admin@mafmc.org by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, January 16, 2026. The Council’s Executive Committee will review all applications and recommend applicants for consideration and approval by the full Council.

Additional information about the SSC is available at https://www.mafmc.org/ssc. If you have any questions or need further information about the process, please contact Brandon Muffley at bmuffley@mafmc.org or 302-526-5260.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension to Host Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) Course

January 6, 2026 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is offering an introductory fisheries science course for stakeholders of New Jersey’s marine fisheries. The 2026 Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) course is open to everyone who is interested in New Jersey’s marine fisheries. The course’s objective is to educate stakeholders of New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fisheries so that they will better understand and make progress on issues impacting these industries, including the science, management, and responsible stewardship of fishery resources. Visit the IFISSH web page or download the course flyer for additional details.

Ten classes will meet via Zoom webinar on Tuesday evenings (6:30 – 9:00 PM) from February 3 through April 7. Visit this link to register and submit program fee payment ($40/person) by January 30, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Douglas Zemeckis (zemeckis@njaes.rutgers.edu, 732-349-1152) or Dina Baudo (dbaudo@co.ocean.nj.us, 732-349-1152).

NOAA Fisheries head says science is his priority

December 19, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Pineiro Soler said his top priority at the U.S. agency is improving science.

“My priorities when I took this job was number one science,” Soler said. “We have to have better science. We have to improve the science. We have to improve not our effort but our products, our results. And that’s number one priority of this administration.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Reminder: Mid-Atlantic Council Solicits Public Input on Essential Fish Habitat Amendment

December 2, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold five public hearings to gather public input on a draft amendment to update Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) descriptions and maps for all 14 Council-managed species. The first hearing will be held by webinar today, December 2, at 6:00 p.m.

More information about the proposed EFH updates can be found in the Public Hearing Document and on the Amendment Webpage. An interactive EFH Demo App allows users to view EFH by species and life stage, compare current and proposed EFH designations, and explore the underlying data and methodology. Click here to watch a video walkthrough of the app’s main features.

Comments may be submitted at any of the following public hearings. Two hearings will focus on specific species, while others will be “all species” sessions. If you are only interested in a particular species, we encourage you to join one of the species focus webinars.

December 2, 2025, 6:00 p.m. (Webinar) – All Species: Open Discussion – Registration
December 9, 2025, 6:00 p.m. (Webinar) – Focus: Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, Bluefish, and Spiny Dogfish – Registration
January 6, 2026, 6:00 p.m. (Webinar) – Focus: Mackerels, Squids, Butterfish, Tilefishes, Surfclam, and Ocean Quahog – Registration
January 13, 2026, 6:00 p.m. (Webinar) – All Species: Open Discussion –Registration
February 3, 2026, 6:30 p.m. (In-Person) – Westin Crystal City (1800 Richmond Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202). All Species: Open Discussion.

Written comments are being accepted until Tuesday, February 11, 2026.

Questions? Contact Jessica Coakley at jcoakley@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5252.

Mid-Atlantic Council Solicits Public Input on Essential Fish Habitat Amendment

November 18, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold five public hearings to gather public input on a draft amendment to modify Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) designations and descriptions for 14 of the Council’s managed species. Hearings will be held between December 2, 2025 and February 3, 2026, and written comments will be accepted through February 11, 2026.

EFH is defined as “those waters and substrates necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity.” Regional fishery management councils are required to identify and describe EFH for each species managed under a federal FMP. Once Councils have identified EFH, federal agencies must consult with NOAA Fisheries regarding whether their actions may adversely affect EFH.

In April 2025, the Council completed a review of EFH designations in collaboration with the New England Fishery Management Council. Based on the information and methods developed during this review, the Council is proposing to revise EFH designations and descriptions for its entire portfolio of managed species. These updates incorporate fish abundance data from multiple inshore and offshore surveys, as well as environmental data from several sources. Additional details can be found in the in the Public Hearing Document and on the Amendment Webpage.

Members of the public are invited to comment on any aspect of the draft amendment. Following a review of comments received, the Council will select a preferred alternative and submit the amendment to NOAA Fisheries for review and rulemaking.

Public Hearings

Comments may be submitted at any of the following public hearings. Two of the hearings will focus on specific species, while others will be “all species” sessions. If you are only interested in a particular species, we encourage you to join one of the species focus webinars.

December 2, 2025, 6:00 p.m. Webinar Registration. All Species: Open Discussion.
December 9, 2025, 6:00 p.m. Webinar Registration. Focus: Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, Bluefish, and Spiny Dogfish.
January 6, 2026, 6:00 p.m. Webinar Registration. Focus: Mackerels, Squids, Butterfish, Tilefishes, Surfclam, and Ocean Quahog.
January 13, 2026, 6:00 p.m. Webinar Registration. All Species: Open Discussion.
February 3, 2026, 6:30 p.m. In-Person: Westin Crystal City (1800 Richmond Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202). All Species: Open Discussion.

Written Comments

Written comments may be submitted by any of the following methods. Comments must be received by Tuesday, February 11, 2026.

Email to jcoakley@mafmc.org (use subject “EFH Amendment”)
Online at https://www.mafmc.org/comments/efh-amendment
Mail to Chris Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901. Mark the outside of the envelope “EFH Amendment.”

October 2025 Council Meeting Summary

October 16, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met October 7-9, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA. A summary of key actions and discussions from the meeting is now available.

Read the October 2025 Council Meeting Summary

Additional materials, including briefing documents, presentations, motions, and webinar recordings, can be found on the Meeting Page.

If you have any questions, please contact Mary Sabo (msabo@mafmc.org, 302-526-5261) or another member of Council staff.

Next Meeting:

The next Council meeting will be held December 15-18, 2025, in Washington, DC.A full list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.