March 28, 2025 — U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) has reintroduced legislation to add the state of Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), one of the eight regional fishery councils that manages commercial fishing in the United States.
The Mid-Atlantic Council holds primary management authority over federal waters off the coasts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
March 14, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) are accepting comments through Thursday, March 20, 2025, on the range of issues and information to be considered in the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Bluefish FMP.
The proposed amendment may consider options for managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes (referred to as sector separation), as well as options related to the collection and use of recreational data, such as private angler reporting and enhanced for-hire vessel trip reporting requirements. The Council and Commission are currently conducting scoping for this action. Input provided in this phase will help the Council and Commission identify issues of concern and determine which types of management alternatives should be further developed.
Written comments can be submitted by any of the following methods:
The Public Information/Scoping Document provides a broad overview of the issues identified for consideration in the amendment, management approaches that may be considered, and a series of questions to guide public comment. For more information, visit the Council or Commission webs
If you have any questions, please contact Kiley Dancy (kdancy@mafmc.org, 302-526-5257) or Tracey Bauer (tbauer@asmfc.org, 703-842-0723).
February 7, 2025 — Should party boats have different regulations for fluke than, say, surf fishermen?
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council are floating an idea to split several recreational fisheries into two separate management sectors, a strategy that fishermen have raised before at fishery meetings but never really got any air under it.
The federal regulatory bodies are currently scoping the idea and has opened the question to comment, giving the public until March 20 to submit their opinions. The separate management would just be for the summer flounder, porgy, sea bass and bluefish fisheries.
January 24, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, February 11 – Wednesday, February 12, 2025. This will be a fully virtual meeting. Briefing materials will be posted on the February 2025 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 conducted on the Webex meeting platform. No pre-registration is required. Connection instructions are available on the meeting page. The meeting will also be live streamed to the Council’s YouTube channel.
Agenda: A detailed agenda is available here. Key actions and topics for consideration at the meeting include:
January 10, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates for two openings on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Successful candidates will serve a three-year appointment beginning in March of 2025.
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. 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).
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 fisheries ecology and life history, forage fish biology, recreational fisheries, survey design, and stock assessments.
Individuals interested in applying for nomination to the SSC must submit a current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume and a brief letter describing qualifications, relevant experience, and reason for interest in joining the SSC. All applications received will be reviewed by the Council’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will recommend up to two applicants for consideration and approval by the full Council.
Applications and materials may be submitted by email to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, at admin@mafmc.org. All applications must be received by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, January 17, 2025. If you have any questions or need further information about the process, please contact Brandon Muffley at bmuffley@mafmc.org; 302-526-5260. Additional information about the SSC is available at https://www.mafmc.org/ssc.
December 20, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Captain Dewey Hemilright, commercial fisherman and former Council member, as the recipient of the Ricks E Savage award. The award, which was presented during the Council’s December meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, is given annually to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management and conservation of fishery resources in the mid-Atlantic region.
Based out of Wanchese, North Carolina, Captain Hemilright is the owner/operator of the F/V Tarbaby. He was first appointed to the Council in 2012 to fill a mid-term vacancy and was reappointed for three additional full terms, serving for a total of 11 years. During this time, his on-the-water expertise and deep knowledge of the East coast fisheries enriched Council discussions and provided crucial perspective on how management decisions impact fishing communities.
“Dewey asked insightful questions and consistently shared his wealth of knowledge and experience with the Council and stakeholders,” said Council Chair Wes Townsend. “While he often served as a voice for the U.S. fishing industry, he did an outstanding job of balancing the interests of commercial fisheries and the sustainable management of the resources as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.”
Captain Hemilright chaired the Council’s Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Committee for seven years and served on most of the Council’s other committees at different times. He also represented the Council in other key roles, most notably as liaison to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and representative on NOAA Fisheries’ HMS Advisory Panel.
The Council extends its gratitude to Captain Hemilright for his years of service and congratulates him on this well-deserved honor.
October 22, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) is accepting applications for the next Greater Atlantic Fisheries Science and Management Workshop in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
MREP is designed to equip fishermen with tools to engage in shaping regulatory action and to participate in collaborative science. Created by fishermen, for fishermen, MREP brings commercial, charter, and recreational fishermen from North Carolina to Maine together with regional scientists and managers to learn the processes, share insights, and network.
The workshop is free and includes hotel lodging, meals, and travel reimbursement for accepted participants.
Space is limited – the application takes 5-10 minutes to complete (click here). Applications received by Friday November 8 will be prioritized.
For more information about MREP, please visit https://mrep.gmri.org/faqs or email mrep@gmri.org. Regional industry involved with MREP can also share their experiences:
• Hank Soule, Groundfish Sector Manager – (603) 781-9718
• Rick Bellavance, Charter Captain, RI – (401) 741-5648
• Robert Ruhle, Commercial Fisherman, NC – (252) 305-0960
September 16, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Climate-driven changes in species distributions create uncertainties in the fisheries management process, in some cases leading to governance challenges as species move across jurisdictional boundaries. Species distribution changes can also have important effects on fishery behavior, fishing locations, and market/shoreside trends. Understanding these dynamics and their impacts will be critical for reducing uncertainties in the management process and for developing climate resilient management and governance strategies.
The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a highly qualified contractor to develop a framework for evaluating and monitoring species distribution changes. This project will be conducted in two phases. During the first phase, the contractor will develop a comprehensive synthesis of data and other information regarding stock and fishery distribution trends for Mid-Atlantic Council managed species. During the second phase, the contractor will develop a framework to monitor changes in species distributions and fishery locations, including appropriate indicators and metrics designed to indicate potential governance issues for managers. The contractor will test the application of this framework with a sub-set of species managed by, or of interest to, the Mid-Atlantic Council. The outcomes of this work will inform a Council policy for monitoring and responding to changes in stock and fishery distributions.
Complete details about the scope of work, contractor qualifications, and proposal submission instructions can be found in the request for proposals (RFP). Proposals are due October 18, 2024.
August 13, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Public Input Webinar Scheduled for Aug. 20; Written Comments Accepted Through Sept. 4
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking public input to inform development of its next strategic plan. The Council’s strategic plan provides a framework for prioritizing activities from year to year and ensuring steady progress toward long-term goals. The current plan will expire at the end of 2024. The Council is now soliciting public input to help shape the next plan for 2025 through 2029.
Interested parties are encouraged to provide input during a public webinar scheduled for Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Written comments may also be submitted via a public comment form or by email to msabo@mafmc.org. All comments must be received by Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
This is an important opportunity for the public to help shape the future management of Mid-Atlantic fisheries. The Council welcomes feedback on its performance relative to the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan as well as recommendations for priority issues to be addressed in the next plan for 2025-2029.
The Council is scheduled to review public comments and consider a draft strategic plan at its October 2024 Council Meeting.
Quick Links
Questions? Contact Mary Sabo at msabo@mafmc.org or 302-526-5261.
July 24, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Monday, August 12 – Thursday, August 15, 2024 at The Westin Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA. This will be an in-person meeting with a virtual option. Council members, other meeting participants, and members of the public will have the option to participate in person or virtually via Webex webinar.
Briefing Materials: Please see the August 2024 Council Meeting Page for webinar details, briefing materials (as they become available), and other updates.
Public Comments: Public comments will be accepted from in-person and remote participants on all major agenda items. Written comments can be submitted through the comment portal or by email to cmoore@mafmc.org. The deadline for comments to be included in the briefing book is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, 2024, will be posted as supplemental materials on the meeting page. After the supplemental comment deadline, comments may only be submitted via the comment form (no email).
Live Stream: The meeting will be live streamed to the Council’s YouTube channel.
Agenda Overview
Visit the meeting page for additional details.
Monday, August 12
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Swearing in of New Council Members / Election of officers
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 2025-2027 Golden Tilefish Specifications
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 2025 Blueline Tilefish Specifications
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Grant Program
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management Road Map
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel Updates
Tuesday, August 13
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Council Process Review – Final Report
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 2025 Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Specifications
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ———- LUNCH ———-
1:00 p.m. Council Convenes with the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. MRIP Update and Listening Session
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 2025 Summer Flounder Specifications
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Summer Flounder Mesh Exemptions Framework/Addendum
4:30 p.m. Council and Board Adjourn
Wednesday, August 14
9:00 a.m. Council Convenes with the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 2025 Scup Specifications
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 2025 Black Sea Bass Specifications
11:30 a.m. Council Adjourns
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Only – FMP Review and Vice-Chair Election
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ———- LUNCH ———-
1:00 p.m. Council Convenes with ASMFC Interstate Fishery Management Program Policy Board
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Recreational Measures Setting Process Framework/Addenda – Approve draft addenda for public comment
3:30 p.m. Council Convenes with ASMFC Bluefish Management Board
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 2025 Bluefish Specifications
5:00 p.m. Council Adjourns
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ASMFC Bluefish Board Only – FMP Review and Vice-Chair Election
Thursday, August 15
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Business Session