Saving Seafood

December 2019 MAFMC Meeting Report

December 18, 2019 — The following was released by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met December 9-12, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. During this meeting, the Council:

  • Approved the use of regional conservation equivalency for the recreational summer flounder fishery in 2020*
  • Approved status quo recreational scup and black sea bass management measures in state and federal waters in 2020*
  • Approved recreational bluefish measures for 2020 consisting of a 3-fish bag limit for the shore and private mode and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire modes*
  • Approved a scoping document for the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/ Recreational Allocation Amendment*
  • Agreed to develop the Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Addendum/Amendment as a joint action with the ASMFC*
  • Approved a supplemental scoping document for the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment*
  • Approved the Commercial eVTR Omnibus Framework with a 48-hour reporting deadline
  • Selected a preferred alternative and approved the Omnibus Risk Policy Framework
  • Selected preferred alternatives and approved the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment
  • Approved the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan
  • Approved the Comprehensive Five Year (2020-2024) Research Priorities document
  • Finalized the EAFM summer flounder conceptual model and agreed to move forward with development of a summer flounder recreational discards management strategy evaluation
  • Identified four areas of expertise needed on the Scientific and Statistical Committee
  • Reviewed and approved a list of actions and deliverables for the 2020 Implementation Plan
  • Received an update on habitat activities

Read the full December 2019 Council Meeting Report for details on these discussions and decisions. Briefing materials, presentations, motions, and webinar recordings are available here.

* Items denoted with an asterisk (*) were undertaken during joint meetings with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and Bluefish Management Board.

Press Release, Summaries and Motions from the Joint ASMFC/MAFMC December 2019 Meeting Now Available

December 17, 2019 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The press release, meeting summaries and motions from the December 2019 Joint Meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/ASMFC_MAFMCSFlounderScupBSBBluefish_Dec2019.pdf. The document can also be obtained on the Commission website on the Meeting Archives page at http://www.asmfc.org/home/meeting-archive.

Council and Commission Recommend Recreational Bluefish Management Measures for 2020

December 17, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Last week, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) approved new recreational fishing regulations for the 2020 Atlantic bluefish fishery from Florida to Maine. These measures, which include a 3-fish bag limit for private anglers and shore-based fishermen and a 5-fish bag limit for for-hire fishermen, represent a substantial reduction compared to the federal 15-fish bag limit that has been in place since 2000. The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters (0-3 miles from shore), while the Council will forward its recommendation for federal waters (3 – 200 miles from shore) to the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval.

The most recent operational assessment of the Atlantic bluefish stock concluded that the stock is overfished but not experiencing overfishing. During their joint meeting in October, the Council and Commission adopted a recreational harvest limit (RHL) of 9.48 million pounds for 2020 and 2021, which is an 18% decrease compared to the 2019 RHL. Using the current regulations, the recreational sector is projected to land 13.27 million pounds, which will exceed the RHL by 28.56%. Therefore, the Council and Commission met last week to approve new recreational management measures to constrain harvest to the reduced RHL.

The Council and Commission considered several combinations of bag limits and minimum size limits, including options to set a single set of regulations for all fishing modes or different regulations for shore/private modes and the for-hire mode. Although the Council’s Bluefish Monitoring Committee recommended a coastwide 3-fish bag limit, the majority of comments from the public and Bluefish Advisory Panel (AP) members expressed opposition to this option, noting that it would have severe economic consequences for the for-hire sector, which was only responsible for 3.6% of coastwide landings from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, AP members and the public emphasized that these proposed reductions come at a challenging time for for-hire stakeholders as they are also facing new restrictions on striped bass, black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup.

After an extensive discussion and thorough consideration of public comments, the Council recommended and Commission approved a 3-fish bag limit for private and shore modes and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire mode. No restrictions were made to minimum fish size or seasons.

“For many years, bluefish has been one of our most abundant recreational fisheries,” said Council Chairman and ASMFC Board member Mike Luisi. “The Council and Commission are fully committed to the effective conservation and management of this stock, but we also recognize that a sudden change in regulations could have severe socioeconomic consequences for some stakeholders. After evaluating a wide range of options and considering numerous comments from the public, we feel that this approach is the most fair and effective way to achieve the necessary reduction in harvest next year.”

The Council and Commission are continuing to work on development of a rebuilding plan as part of the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. Additional information and updates on this action are available at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/bluefish-allocation-amendment.

Reminder: Nov. 20 Webinar on Commercial eVTR Options in the Greater Atlantic

November 19, 2019 — The following was released by The New England Fishery Management Council & The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) are considering an action that will require commercial fishing operators holding federal permits for species managed by either Council to report their Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) electronically rather than on paper.

Electronic Vessel Trip Reports (eVTRs) allow direct entry of data by the vessel operator using an electronic-based system (computer, smart phone, tablet). They have been an option for some fisheries since 2011 and all fisheries since 2013. These eVTRs have been required for all of the Mid-Atlantic and some of the New England for-hire fleet (due to also holding MAFMC permits) since 2018.

November 20 Commercial eVTR Webinar

In preparation for a possible transition to required electronic reporting for the commercial fleet, the MAFMC will host a webinar to review eVTR options, initial steps necessary for commercial operators to begin reporting electronically, and a demonstration of two of the most popular electronic reporting applications (with limited time for questions).

More Information

For additional information on the proposed action and resources for commercial fishing operators, or to sign up for notices specific to the eVTR action, visit http://www.mafmc.org/actions/commercial-evtr-framework.

MAFMC Meeting December 9-12, 2019 in Annapolis, MD

November 14, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold its next meeting December 9-12, 2019 at the Westin Annapolis (100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401, Telephone 410-972-4300).

Agenda: A detailed meeting agenda is available here.

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

Public Comments: Written comments may be submitted using the online comment form linked below or via email, mail, or fax (see this page for details). Comments received by 11:59 p.m. on November 27, 2019 will be included in the briefing book. Comments received after this date but before 5:00 p.m. on December 5, 2019 will be posted as supplemental materials on the Council meeting web page. After that date, all comments must be submitted using the online comment form linked below.

Webinar: For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/december2019.

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

Strategic Plan Public Input Webinars November 12 & 13

November 12, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold two webinars to gather public comments on the Draft 2020-2024 Strategic Plan. The webinars will be held on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

To join the webinars, go to: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/mafmc-strategic-plan/. Audio connection instructions will pop up automatically when the webinar opens. Telephone-only access is available by dialing 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 2122298#.

The Draft Strategic Plan is available on the Council’s website here. The plan includes updated vision and mission statements and proposes five major goals, with associated objectives and strategies, to guide the Council’s activities and management priorities for the next five years. Development of the plan was informed by public input provided through a survey and outreach meetings in early 2019.

Submit Written Comments

Written comments may also be submitted by any of the following methods:

Please include “Strategic Plan Comments” in the subject line if using email or fax or on the outside of the envelope if submitting comments by mail.

Comments must be submitted by Friday, November 15, 11:59 EST. The Council will review public comments and approve the final plan at its December meeting in Annapolis, MD.

For additional information and background documents, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.

November 20th Webinar on Options for Electronic Reporting of Commercial Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) in the Greater Atlantic

November 4, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) are considering an action that will require commercial fishing operators holding federal permits for species managed by either Council to report their Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) electronically rather than on paper. Fisheries covered include:

  • Atlantic Bluefish
  • Black Sea Bass
  • Scup
  • Summer Flounder
  • Spiny Dogfish
  • Tilefish
  • Squid
  • Atlantic Mackerel
  • Butterfish
  • Surfclam
  • Ocean Quahog
  • Northeast Multispecies (groundfish)
  • Monkfish
  • Atlantic Herring
  • Skates
  • Small-Mesh Multispecies (whiting/hake)
  • Red Crab
  • Sea Scallop

Electronic Vessel Trip Reports (eVTRs) allow direct entry of data by the vessel operator using an electronic-based system (computer, smart phone, tablet). They have been an option for some fisheries since 2011 and all fisheries since 2013. These eVTRs have been required for all of the Mid-Atlantic and some of the New England for-hire fleet (due to also holding MAFMC permits) since 2018.
November 20 Commercial eVTR Webinar

In preparation for a possible transition to required electronic reporting for the commercial fleet, the MAFMC will host a webinar to review eVTR options, initial steps necessary for commercial operators to begin reporting electronically, and a demonstration of two of the most popular electronic reporting applications (with limited time for questions).
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 20, 2019, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., EST
To Connect: Via webinar http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/evtr_publicmtg/ with a telephone audio connection (provided when connecting).
Audio only access: Conference phone number: 1–800–832–0736; Room Number: 5765379.
Note: The webinar will be recorded and made available on the MAFMC website (www.mafmc.org) for later viewing.

For additional information on the proposed action and resources for commercial fishing operators, or to sign up for notices specific to the eVTR action, visit http://www.mafmc.org/actions/commercial-evtr-framework.

Sign up for Mid-Atlantic Offshore Wind Updates

October 31, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

U.S. offshore wind energy development is moving at a fast pace. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has created a new offshore wind updates email list to distribute updates on offshore wind energy developments that may affect Mid-Atlantic Council-managed fisheries.

These email updates will be sent about once per month and will contain relevant updates from the previous month; however, the Council makes no guarantees that they will contain the most current information or all potentially relevant updates.

To sign up for this list, go to http://www.mafmc.org/email-list, enter your email address and check the box for “Offshore Wind Updates.” If you are already subscribed to any other Council email lists, this will not affect your other subscriptions.

The first offshore wind update for October 31, 2019 is included below. If you do not sign up for the offshore wind updates list at the link above, you will not receive future updates on this topic.

Updates for October 31, 2019

1. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is seeking public comments on draft guidelines for lighting and marking of structures supporting renewable energy projects, including offshore wind projects. More information is available here.

2. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) finalized contracts with Equinor Wind US LLC for the Empire Wind project in the New York Bight and with Sunrise Wind LLC (a joint venture of Ørsted A/S and Eversource Energy) for the Sunrise Wind project south of Rhode Island.

  • Click here for the Fisheries Mitigation Plan for the Empire Wind Project.
  • Click here for the Fisheries Mitigation Plan for the Sunrise Wind Project.

3. NYSERDA published a report titled Launching New York’s Offshore Wind Industry: Phase 1.

4. Equinor Wind created a brochure describing feedback they have received from the fishing industry to date on the layout of offshore wind turbine arrays for their Empire and Boardwalk Wind projects off New York/northern New Jersey.

5. A graduate student at the University of Rhode Island is conducting an online survey of members of the commercial fishing industry on their preferences for offshore wind farm layouts. Click here to take the survey.

More Information

For information on specific projects, please see the individual developer webpages linked at: http://www.mafmc.org/northeast-offshore-wind.

All recent notices to mariners (e.g., notices of survey activities) received by the Council are posted at: http://www.mafmc.org/offshore-wind-notices.

If you wish to suggest an item for inclusion in the next month’s update, please email wind@mafmc.org.

Wind updates from the New England Fishery Management Council are included in their periodic news roundups. To sign up for New England Fishery Management Council updates, please email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org.

SAFMC to Hold Scoping Webinars on Designation of Special Management Zones in NC and SC

October 23, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has scheduled scoping webinars and is soliciting public comments on potential designation of special management zones (SMZs) in federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina (Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 34). The draft regulatory amendment contains actions to:

Designate 30 artificial reefs in federal waters off North Carolina as SMZs

  • Prohibit use of efficient gear (e.g., bandit, pots, sink nets, buoy gear) on those reefs
  • Restrict harvest of snapper grouper species with spear on those reefs to the recreational bag limit

Designate 4 artificial reefs in federal waters off South Carolina as SMZs

  • Prohibit use of efficient gear (e.g., bandit, pots, sink nets, buoy gear) on those reefs
  • All harvest of snapper grouper species on those reefs would be limited to the recreational bag limit

Three scoping webinars will be held on October 28, 29, and 30 at 6:00 p.m. Registration is required:

Individuals can also participate in the webinars in-person at designated listening stations in North Carolina. Details are available here.

The Scoping Summary Document, video presentation, and the Online Comment Form are now available from the South Atlantic Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

MAFMC Releases Draft Strategic Plan for Public Comment

October 15, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has released a Draft 2020-2024 Strategic Plan for public review and comment. The plan includes updated vision and mission statements and proposes five major goals to guide the Council’s activities and management priorities for the next five years. Development of the plan was informed by public input provided through a survey and outreach meetings in early 2019.

The Draft Strategic Plan is available on the Council’s website here. All interested stakeholders and members of the public are invited to provide comments on the draft plan.

Strategic Plan Webinars

The Council will hold two public input webinars during which participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and offer public comments on the draft strategic plan. The webinars will be held on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

To join the webinars, go to: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/mafmc-strategic-plan/. Meeting audio can also be accessed via telephone by dialing 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 2122298.

Submit Written Comments

Written comments may also be submitted by any of the following methods:

Please include “Strategic Plan Comments” in the subject line if using email or fax or on the outside of the envelope if submitting comments by mail.

Comments must be submitted by Friday, November 15, 11:59 EST. The Council will review public comments and approve the final plan at its December meeting in Annapolis, MD.

For additional information and background documents, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.