Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Archives - Page 36 of 45

Read the Latest South Atlantic Update Newsletter; June Council Meeting Reminder

June 1, 2017 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The fishermen and other experienced members of the Council’s 11 advisory panels have historically provided grass root recommendations for management measures considered by the Council. Advisory panel members can now also share their experience and observations to complement scientific and landings data through new Fishery Performance Reports.

The species-specific reports, modeled after those used by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, are designed to provide an annual description of factors that influence fishing effort and catch, market trends, environmental changes, and other factors that may not be fully accounted for in the stock assessment process. According to the Mid-Atlantic Council, the information provided in the reports can become particularly important during the process of setting quotas for data-poor stocks.

Advisory panel members represent a diversity of fishing interests, knowledge and regional experience – recreational, commercial and for-hire/charter captains, seafood dealers, bait & tackle manufacturers, chefs, and others provide input about fisheries in their area. The diversity of the advisory panels provides a unique opportunity to gather information from across the region.

During a series of advisory panel meetings held in April, members were asked to provide answers to specific questions about a fishery in their area. Questions included: “How would you rate the quality of the fishery? What factors have influenced recent landings (market or otherwise)? Are there recent changes you have observed in the fishery? Are current regulations appropriate? If not, how can they be improved?” Background information on the fishery is included in the initial report for discussion purposes.

Read the full newsletter here

MAFMC June 2017 Council Meeting in Norfolk, VA

May 16, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Meeting Materials: Briefing documents will be posted at http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/june-2017 as they become available.

Public Comments: Written comments must be received by Wednesday, May 24, 2017 to be included in the Council meeting briefing book. Comments received after this deadline but before close of business on Thursday, June 1, 2017 will be posted as “supplemental materials” on the Council meeting web page. After that date, all comments must be submitted using an online comment form available at available at http://www.mafmc.org/public-comment. Comments submitted via the online form will be automatically posted to the website and available for Council consideration. Late comments will no longer be distributed to Council members via email.

Webinar: For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/june2017.

Agenda

PDF Version

Tuesday, June 6th

9:00 a.m. Council Convenes

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. SARC Presentation – Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Assessments, Jim Weinberg – NEFSC

9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Specifications

Develop recommendations for 2018- 2020 specifications

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment

Approve scoping document

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lobster Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Framework, GARFO Staff

Discuss alternatives

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Risk Policy Framework – First Meeting

Review and approve options for potential revision to current MAFMC Risk Policy and ABC Control Rules

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Climate Velocity Over the 21st Century and Its Implications for Fisheries Management in the Northeast U.S., James Morley – Rutgers

Review climate-velocity-driven species distribution projections for 2020 through 2100.
Identify potential propriety species for adaptation of fisheries management to climate change

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Cooperative Research in the Mid-Atlantic

Review of NEFSC Cooperative Research and response to MAFMC request, Jon Hare – NEFSC
Mid-Atlantic Council approach to collaborative research

Wednesday, June 7th

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Committee, Meeting as a Committee of the Whole – Specifications

Review fishery performance and make recommendations for 2018-2020 specifications, including butterfish cap

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Shad/River Herring (RH/S) Committee, Meeting as a Committee of the Whole

Review RH/S cap operation and RH/S progress update
Make recommendations for RH/S cap amount modification if necessary

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Committee, Meeting as a Committee of the Whole – Squid Amendment

Review alternatives, public comments, and staff recommendations
Select preferred alternatives and adopt amendment

3:30 p.m. Council Convenes

3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Law Enforcement Reports

NOAA Office of Law Enforcement
S. Coast Guard

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Data Modernization in the Northeast Region, Barry Clifford – NMFS and Mike Cahall – ACCSP

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Habitat Update

EFH review progress
Mid-Atlantic fish habitat assessment project

Thursday, June 8th

9:00 a.m. Council Convenes

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Business Session

Committee Report
- SSC Committee
Executive Director’s Report, Chris Moore
- Review and approve SOPP revision regarding paid parental leave
Science Report,Rich Seagraves
Organization Reports
- NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office
- NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center
- NOAA Office of General Counsel
- Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Liaison Reports
- New England Council
- South Atlantic Council
- Regional Planning Body
Continuing and New Business

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board Approves Scup Addendum XXIX & Finalizes 2017 Black Sea Bass Recreational Management Measures

May 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXIX to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. The Addendum shortens the length of the commercial scup summer period and extends the length of the winter II period (Table 1).

Table 1. New Quota Periods approved in Addendum XXIX

Winter I	January 1-April 30 (120 days)
Summer	May 1- September 30 (153 days)
Winter II	October 1-December 31 (92 days)

This action seeks to allow for the better utilization of the commercial quota, which has been under-harvested since 2011. Specifically, the change in quota period length allows for higher possession limits for a longer period of time each year, thus increasing the likelihood the commercial fishery will fully harvest the quota. The quota allocation for each period remains unchanged. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) also took the same action through Framework 10. The Council will forward its recommendation to NOAA Fisheries for final approval.The Board and Council’s action will not affect the 2017 quota period start and end dates; these changes will likely be implemented for 2018 commercial quota. The Addendum will be finalized and available on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org (on the Scup webpage), within the next few weeks.

The Board also reviewed the final 2016 black sea bass recreational harvest estimates and considered changes to current measures to meet the 2017 RHL. Based on the performance of the 2016 fishery, which indicated a reduction is needed to stay within the 2017 RHL, the Board set the possession limit for wave 6 (November/December 2017) at five fish in state waters from Rhode Island through New Jersey. All other state measures remain unchanged from 2016.

Request for Proposals: Evaluation of F-Based Management for the Recreational Summer Flounder Fishery

May 2, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council seeks a highly-qualified contractor to evaluate the feasibility of developing a fishing mortality (F) based management approach for the recreational summer flounder fishery that is consistent with and meets the Council’s requirements to implement Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability Measures (AMs) as mandated under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA).

Please review the Request for Proposals for complete details and instructions for proposal submission.

Proposals are due by June 19, 2017.

NOAA Publishes Proposal for Forage Species Limits

April 26, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries has published a proposed rule for the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Unmanaged Forage Fish Omnibus Amendment. This amendment would implement an annual landing limit, possession limits, and permitting and reporting requirements for certain previously unmanaged forage species and species groups within Mid-Atlantic Federal waters. The purpose of this action is to prevent the development of new, and the expansion of existing, commercial fisheries on certain forage species until the Council has adequate opportunity and information to evaluate the potential impacts of forage fish harvest on existing fisheries, fishing communities, and the marine ecosystem.

Comments will be accepted through May 30, 2017. Please see the Proposed Rule for details and instructions for submitting comments.

Additional background information about the amendment may be found on the Council’s website at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/unmanaged-forage.

For further information, contact Douglas Christel, NMFS Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9141, douglas.christel@noaa.gov, fax 978-281-9135.

States to host hearings on changes to squid fishery

NOAA Fisheries Publishes Proposed Rule for Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment

April 24, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Comments will be accepted through May 30, 2017. Please see the Proposed Rule for details and instructions for submitting comments.

Additional background information about the amendment may be found on the Council’s website at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/unmanaged-forage.

For further information, contact Douglas Christel, NMFS Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9141, douglas.christel@noaa.gov, fax 978-281-9135.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed Rule for Unmanaged Forage Fish in the Mid-Atlantic

April 24, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries announces a proposed rule to protect unmanaged forage fish. Forage fish are small schooling species that serve as prey for larger commercially and recreationally important fish, as well as for marine mammals and sea birds. Anchovies, herring, chub mackerel, and sardines are some common forage fish.

Commercial fisheries occasionally catch forage species, and we know little about the amount of forage species caught in Mid-Atlantic waters. Because of their importance to the food web, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council wants to keep current levels of forage species catch stable while it collects more information on these species. This new information will help inform future scientific assessments and management decisions.

This action would be the first action in the Atlantic to list 14 forage species and species groups as ecosystem component species. This action would set landing and possession limits to prevent the further expansion of commercial fisheries on forage species by federally permitted fishing vessels within Mid-Atlantic federal waters (see map below).

This action is part of an effort to integrate ecosystem-based management components into fishery management plans.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, as well as the supplemental documents on our website.

The comment period is open through May 30.

Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal or by mailing:

John Bullard, Regional Administrator

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930

Chub Mackerel Amendment Scoping Hearings: May 4–25, 2017

April 19, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold six public hearings in May 2017 to solicit public input on the Chub Mackerel Amendment to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through May 31, 2017.

The amendment considers measures to manage Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) as a stock in the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP with catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Council is developing this action in response to the recent development of a directed chub mackerel commercial fishery in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England.

Hearing Schedule

Thursday, May 4, 2017, 7:00-9:00 pm. Kingsborough Community College, room V-219. 2001 Oriental Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY, 11235. Telephone: 718-368-5000.
Monday, May 15, 2017, 6:00-7:30 pm. Virginia Marine Resources Commission 4th Floor Meeting Room. 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA, 23607. Telephone: 757-247-2200.
Tuesday May 16, 2017, 6:30-8:00 pm. Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort & Conference Center. 9100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD, 21842. Telephone: 410-524-7777.
Tuesday May 23, 2017, 6:30-8:00 pm. Congress Hall Hotel. 200 Congress Place, Cape May, NJ, 08204. Telephone: 888-944-1816.
Wednesday May 24, 2017, 6:30-8:00 pm. University of Rhode Island Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium. 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI, 02882. Telephone: 401-874-6222.
Wednesday May 25, 2017, 6:00-7:30 pm. Audio and visual access available at http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/chubscoping/. The webinar can also be accessed via phone by calling 1-800-832-0736, room #5068871.

Written Comments

Written comments are due by Thursday, May 31, 2017 and may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Mail or Fax to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE, 19901; FAX: 302-674-5399.
Email to jbeaty@mafmc.org.
Onlineat http://www.mafmc.org/comments/chub-amendment-scoping.

Please include “chub mackerel scoping comments” in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments.

Additional information and relevant background documents are available on the Council’s website at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/chub-mackerel-amendment. The scoping document will be posted on this page as soon as it becomes available.

Questions? Please direct any questions about the amendment to Julia Beaty (jbeaty@mafmc.org, 302-526-5250).

Web Version / PDF Version

NOAA Fisheries Proposes New Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder; No Changes to Scup

April 19, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries is seeking comment on proposed recreational fishery management measures for the 2017 summer flounder and scup fisheries.

The 2017 summer flounder recreational harvest limit is 3.77 million lb (1,710 mt), a decrease from the 2016 harvest limit of 5.42 million lb (2,458 mt). Accordingly, more restrictive management measures are necessary in 2017 to reduce landings by approximately 41 percent compared to 2016 landings, to ensure that the landings do not exceed the recreational harvest limit.

We are not proposing any changes to the recreational measures for the 2017 recreational scup fishery. The current measures are expected to keep landings within the 2017 recreational harvest limit.

We are proposing black sea bass recreational management measures in a separate rulemaking action.

Summer Flounder Proposed Measures

For summer flounder, in order to prevent overfishing in 2017, we are proposing stricter management measures than those in place in 2016. These measures would apply to all federally permitted party/charter vessels with applicable summer flounder and scup permits, regardless of where they fish, unless the state in which they land implements measures that are more restrictive.

We propose the Council’s and Commission’s recommended coastwide management measures for summer flounder, which are:

19-inch minimum fish size
Four fish per person possession limit
Open season from June 1-September 15

We propose to continue the “conservation equivalency” approach, in which states develop state or regional minimum sizes, possession limits, and fishing seasons that will achieve the necessary level of conservation. Both the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recommended continuing conservation equivalency.

For state waters, the Commission has reviewed measures submitted by the regions and certified that they are, in combination, the conservation equivalent of the Federal coastwide measures that would prevent overfishing.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register today, and the Supplemental Information Report on our website.

The comment period is open through May 4.

Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal or by mailing:

John Bullard, Regional Administrator

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930