Saving Seafood

Tilefish Recreational Permitting and Reporting Webinar Next Tues – 4/28

April 23, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Recreational tilefish anglers may soon be subject to new permitting and reporting requirements. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar on Tuesday, April 28, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., to provide information on obtaining recreational tilefish permits and options available to recreational tilefish anglers for electronically submitting VTRs. During the webinar, staff from the Council and NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Office will cover the following topics, with opportunities for Q&A after each:

  • Overview of the proposed action.

  • Demonstration of how to obtain a permit.

  • Demonstration of the NOAA/GARFO Fish Online application for submitting reports.

The webinar will be recorded and made available on the Council’s website for later viewing.

For more in formation, including meeting materials, visit the event page on the Council’s website.

Read the full release here

ASMFC 2020 Spring Meeting Webinar Final Agenda and Materials Now Available

April 22, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2020 Spring Meeting Webinar (May 5 & 6, 2020) are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2020-spring-meeting-webinar; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. For ease of access, all documents have been combined into one document Main Meeting Materials. Supplemental materials will be posted to the website on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.

The agenda is subject to change. 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. It is our intent to begin at the scheduled start time for each meeting, however, if meetings run late, the next meeting may start later than originally planned.

Board proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar, with separate webinar links for each day. May 5th meeting participants and attendees can register for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9135385124352928269 (Webinar ID: 894-169-955), while May 6th participants and attendees can register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6204543422027821581 (Webinar ID: 918-539-707). IMPORTANT: When registering, Commissioners, proxies, and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council members (on Wednesday only for Council members), should place two zeros (00) prior to their names (e.g., 00Toni Kerns). Detailed instructions on joining and participating in the webinars can be found at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2020SpringMeeting/Webinar_Instructions.pdf.

Each day, we will begin the webinar 30 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.

We strongly recommend Commissioners and proxies connect to the webinar using the computer audio (VoIP). For the best sound quality, we recommend you get a headset (any headphones with a microphone should work, such as headphones you use with your phone).

For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, you can do so by dialing 631.992.3221 (access code: 129-744-343) for the May 5th meetings and dialing 562.247.8422 (access code: 839-924-158) for May 6th meetings.

For management boards that are anticipated to take final actions, such as the Atlantic Herring and Tautog Management Boards, the public and stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide brief comments on actions for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period, as time allows. For all other meetings, the public should anticipate limited opportunity to provide comment via the webinar. When public comment is allowed, it will be at the discretion of the individual Board Chairs. As such, we strongly encourage members of the public to submit written comments in advance to be included in the meeting materials. Please see the following revised Public Comment Guidelines for more information about submitting public comment prior to the meeting.

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. Please note these guidelines have been modified to adapt to meetings via webinar.

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 the webinar will be included in the briefing materials.
2. Comments received by 5 PM on the Tuesday, April 28, 2020 will be included in the supplemental materials.
3. Comments received by 10 AM on Monday, May 4, 2020 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

Comments should be submitted via email at comments@asmfc.org. All comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.

Recreational Tilefish Anglers: Learn How to Obtain a Permit and Report Your Catch

April 14, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Recreational tilefish anglers may soon be subject to new permitting and reporting requirements. Under proposed regulations published by NOAA Fisheries, private recreational vessels (including for-hire operators using their vessels for non-charter, recreational trips) would be required to obtain a federal vessel permit to target or retain golden or blueline tilefish north of the Virginia/North Carolina border. These vessel operators would also be required to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically within 24 hours of returning to port for trips where tilefish were targeted or retained. For more information about the proposed requirements, check out our Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting FAQs.

NOAA Fisheries is encouraging anglers not already using another electronic VTR system to utilize NOAA Fish Online, which is available through a mobile app or a web-based portal. Other systems that may be suitable for recreational anglers include SAFIS eTrips/mobile and SAFIS eTrips Online. You can access information about approved applications and other aspects of electronic reporting on the NOAA Fisheries website.

Read the full release here

Scoping Hearing Webinars Scheduled for Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment

April 13, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold two scoping webinars to gather public input on a management action to consider potential modifications to the allocations of the black sea bass commercial quota among the states of Maine through North Carolina. Scoping webinars will be held on Monday, May 11 and Thursday, May 14, 2020. Written comments will be accepted through May 31, 2020.

The Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) jointly manage black sea bass from Maine through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The Council develops regulations for federal waters while the Commission develops regulations for state waters. The black sea bass commercial quota is managed on a coastwide basis in federal waters. In state waters, it is allocated among the states of Maine through North Carolina using percentages loosely based on historical landings from 1980-2001. Under the current allocations, 67% of the annual coastwide quota is divided among the states of New Jersey through North Carolina, and 33% is divided among the states of New York through Maine.

The most recent black sea bass stock assessment shows that spawning stock biomass in the northern region (approximately Maine through Hudson Canyon) has greatly increased since 2002, when the state allocations were first approved, while the amount of biomass in the southern region (approximately south of Hudson Canyon through Cape Hatteras) has not experienced significant change. Some northern region states have noted that changes in availability and distribution have made it increasingly difficult to constrain landings to their current allocations. The Council and Commission initiated this action to consider whether changes should be made to the state allocations and whether these allocations should be managed under both the Commission and Council Fishery Management Plans (FMPs), rather than only under the Commission’s FMP as is currently the case.

The scoping period is an important opportunity for members of the public to provide input on the range of management alternatives that should be considered in this action. Scoping comments will help the Council and Commission ensure that public concerns are addressed in a thorough and appropriate manner. An additional public comment period will be held later in 2020 to solicit input on preferred alternatives.

Read the full release here

New State of the Ecosystem Reports Document “Big Picture” Around Fishing

April 7, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Two newly issued reports provide a snapshot of the Northeast U.S. Shelf Ecosystem. They look at everything from phytoplankton production at the bottom of the food web to the fishery harvests at the top. One report focuses on Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine the other on the waters of the Mid-Atlantic Bight. These are the three major regions within the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem.

These annual reports are part of a larger, ongoing NOAA-wide initiative. It provides a consistent national approach to managing ecosystems that is flexible enough to accommodate regional needs. This Integrated Ecosystem Assessment approach is intended to help resource managers integrate physical, biological, economic, and social components of ecosystems into their decision-making. This will help them to balance trade-offs and determine which approaches are more likely to achieve their desired goals. The 2020 State of the Ecosystem Reports inform the New England and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils.

“This approach has helped give the council structure with specific steps to define what our management goals and objectives are, figure out how we can address them, and understand what that means for areas such as economics,” said Brandon Muffley, a fishery management specialist at the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

The State of the Ecosystem reports were produced by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, with additional collaborators from academic research institutions, non-profit organizations, and state agencies.

Read the full release here

ASMFC 2020 Spring Meeting Webinar Scheduled for May 5 & 6, 2020

April 3, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Due to concerns regarding the coronavirus and following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission cancelled its in-person Spring Meeting. Instead, a number of Boards will be meeting via webinar to either (1) take required actions to allow for the fishery to be prosecuted now and into next year or (2) take non-decisional actions that allow for the continued development of draft management documents. Specifically, the Atlantic Herring and Tautog Management Boards will consider management actions. The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council will consider approval of its Funding Decision Document and request for proposals.  The Atlantic Menhaden and Atlantic Striped Bass Management Boards will be informational though the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board may provide feedback on next steps. The Bluefish and Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Boards will be meeting jointly with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to review public comment on two scoping/public information documents, and provide further direction on the development of the respective Draft Amendments. Unless stated otherwise by the respective Board chairs, all votes will be recorded via roll call.

The agenda can be found below, attached, and on the ASMFC website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2020-spring-meeting-webinar.

For management boards that are anticipated to take final actions, such as the Atlantic Herring and Tautog Boards, the public and stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide brief comments on actions for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period, as time allows. For all other meetings, the public should anticipate limited opportunity to provide comment via the webinar. When public comment is allowed, it will be at the discretion of the individual Board Chairs. As such, we strongly encourage members of the public to submit written comments in advance to be included in the meeting materials. Please see the revised Public Comment Guidelines (below) for more information about submitting public comment prior to the meeting.

For the remainder of Board actions previously scheduled to occur at the Spring Meeting, these actions have been deferred to the Summer Meeting or will be addressed via email. The types of issues that would be addressed via email include administrative items, such as FMP Reviews.

Details about the webinar and meeting process will be provided prior to the meeting.

MAFMC Solicits Public Input on MSB FMP Goals/Objectives and Illex Permits Amendment

March 18, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on an amendment to address revisions to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) fishery management plan (FMP) goals/objectives and modifications to Illex fishery permitting. Five webinar-based public hearings will be held between March 30 and April 13, 2020. Written comments will be accepted through April 20, 2020.

This amendment is being developed to address the following objectives:

  • Consider revising the overall MSB FMP goals and objectives
  • Consider the appropriate number of permits and related management measures in the Illex fishery and reduce the number of directed permits if appropriate

For more information, contact Jason Didden at jdidden@mafmc.org (also 302-526-5254) or visit this amendment’s action page: http://www.mafmc.org/actions/illex-permitting-msb-goals-amendment. The action page has a public hearing document, and a video presentation will be posted there by March 21, 2020.

Public Hearing Schedule

Due to public health concerns, hearings will be conducted by webinar. To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/msb-illex-2020/. Telephone connection instructions appear upon connecting, or you can call 800-832-0736 and enter room number 7833942#. You must call by phone to participate. You can contact Jason Didden to test your connection ahead of time. Please participate in the webinar designated for your region (but you can join any if necessary):

  1. Monday March 30, 2020, 6:00 p.m. – Massachusetts and north
  2. Tuesday March 31, 2020, 6:00 p.m. – Rhode Island and Connecticut
  3. Wednesday April 1, 2020, 6:00 p.m. – New York
  4. Thursday April 2, 2020, 6:00 p.m. – New Jersey and Delaware
  5. Monday April 13, 2020, 6:00 p.m. – Maryland and south

Written Comments

Written comments should be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 20, 2020 through one of the following methods, with the subject “MSB Goals and Illex Permits”:

  1. Email to Jason Didden: jdidden@mafmc.org
  2. Online at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/illex-permitting-msb-goals-amendment
  3. Mail to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE, 19901
  4. Fax to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council at 302-674-5399

April Council Meeting Will Be Conducted By Webinar Only

March 17, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Due to public health concerns related to the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s April meeting will be conducted by webinar only. This webinar-based meeting replaces the in-person meeting previously scheduled to be held in Galloway, New Jersey. Because of the revised format, several non-essential agenda items have been postponed, and the meeting has been shortened to occur over two days (April 7-8). A revised agenda and webinar connection information are available at http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/april-2020.

We will make every effort to accommodate oral public comments during the meeting. However, we strongly encourage members of the public to submit written comments in advance to be included in the briefing book. Comments may be submitted using our online comment form or via mail, email, or fax (instructions and comment deadlines are available here).

Potential meeting participants and members of the public are encouraged to check the Council’s website frequently for information and updates.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo, msabo@mafmc.org, (302) 518-1143.

Reminder: Scoping Comment Deadlines

March 16, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Reminder: Scoping Comment Deadline for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment and Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment

Scoping Comment Deadline: March 17, 2020, 11:59 p.m. EDT

Tomorrow is the deadline to submit scoping comments on two amendments that will consider potential changes to the management of summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Scoping is the first and best opportunity to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered in these amendments. You are encouraged to submit comments on which options may or may not be useful or practical for meeting the goals of these amendments, as well as any other relevant issues that should be considered.

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) are developing this joint amendment that will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments on potential changes to the commercial/recreational allocations for these three species. Eleven scoping hearings were held between February 13 and March 3. Written comments are due by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment

The Council and ASMFC are developing this joint amendment in order to (1) update the goals and objectives of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan; (2) perform a comprehensive review of the bluefish sector allocations, commercial allocations to the states, and transfer processes; and (3) initiate a bluefish rebuilding plan. Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments on any of these issues. Eleven scoping hearings were held between February 13 and March 4. Written comments are due by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Monkfish RSA Program Supports Two Novel 2020-2021 Projects

March 16, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The 2020-2021 Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program will support two innovative projects designed to help researchers and fishery managers better understand the stock structure and movement of monkfish and more easily detect these fish on the seabed, which could be useful in survey applications.

Monkfish is managed jointly by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The New England Council has the administrative lead. The Monkfish RSA Program was established in Amendment 2 to the Councils’ Monkfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment specifies that 500 monkfish days-atsea will be “set aside” annually from the total number of monkfish days allocated to limited access monkfish vessels in order to address research priorities identified by the Councils. The intent is that this research will enhance everyone’s understanding of the monkfish resource and contribute to the body of information that’s available for management decision-making

Read the full release here