June 28, 2023 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council covered three items related to the Northeast skate complex when it met June 27-29, 2023 in Freeport, Maine. These included:

• A brief recap of the May 22, 2023 assessment oversight panel meeting for the Skate Complex Management Track Stock Assessment, along with a reminder of the method used to assess skates (the peer review meeting for this assessment is scheduled for September 18-22, 2023);

• Acceptance of the final thorny skate whitepaper and discussion of next steps; and

• Initiation of Framework Adjustment 12 to set 2024-2025 specifications for the skate complex and consider removing the partial possession prohibition on barndoor skates and allowing possession of smooth skates.

THORNY SKATE REBUILDING: The Council made it a 2023 work priority to develop a whitepaper on potential approaches to support thorny skate rebuilding. The Council received a progress report on this work during its April 2023 meeting. The Skate Plan Development Team refined the draft whitepaper, which The thorny skate rebuilding whitepaper is posted here. was then presented to the Skate Committee and Advisory Panel for further discussion. The Council voted to accept the final version during its June meeting

June 20, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, June 27 through Thursday, June 29, 2023.  This will be an in-person meeting coupled with a webinar option for individuals who cannot or prefer not to attend in person.  Please participate remotely if you do not feel well.  Updates will be posted on the meeting webpage as needed.

 

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. each day.  The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES:  The Council wants to hear from you.  Here’s how you can let the Council know what you think.

 

• WRITE A LETTER:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 22, 2023. Please note that written comments must address items listed on the agenda for this meeting.

 

• TALK TO THE COUNCIL:  You’ll be able to address the Council directly through two different avenues:

 

1. By commenting on motions at the discretion of the Council chair (if commenting remotely, raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon); and

 

1. By speaking during the open period for public comment.  Here are the Guidelines for Providing Public Comment.

 

• OPEN PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:  On Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at 12:00 p.m., the Council will offer the public an opportunity to provide comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda.  Given the Council’s busy meeting schedule, we ask that you limit remarks to 3-5 minutes.

 

• • SIGN UP:  Interested in speaking?  If attending in person, fill out the sign-up sheet on the table at the entrance to the Council meeting room.  To speak remotely, email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org to get on the list.

 

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

 

• Here are instructions in the Remote Participation Guide for successfully joining and participating in the webinar.

 

• THIS IS KEY!  If you want to speak during opportunities for public comment, you need to: (1) register for the webinar; and (2) actually “join” the webinar.  People who call in by telephone without joining the webinar will be in listen-only mode.  Those who take both steps – register and then join the webinar – will see the meeting screen and be able to click on a “raise hand” button, which will let the meeting organizer know you want to be unmuted to speak.

 

• We have a Help Desk in case you get stuck joining the webinar or have trouble along the way.  Just email helpdesk@nefmc.org and we’ll get right back to you.

 

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone without joining the webinar, dial +1 (562) 247-8422.  The access code is 577-802-684.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.  Remember, you will not be able to speak if you do not first join the webinar as described above.  This phone number provides a “listen-only” option without the webinar component.

 

AGENDA:  All meeting materials and the agenda are available on the Council’s website at NEFMC June 27-29, 2023 meeting webpage.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

 

THREE MEETING OUTLOOK:  A copy of the New England Council’s Three Meeting Outlook is available HERE.

 

COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS:  Anyone with questions prior to or during the Council meeting should contact Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

June 12, 2023 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) seeks candidates for the position of Fishery Specialist. The specialist will assist in the preparation of fishery management plans, which requires a broad range of technical and communications skills.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: The application deadline is Friday, July 7, 2023.

This is a highly visible, demanding position. The successful applicant will work closely with the Council staff, as well as other professionals from state agencies, the federal government, fishery user groups, and academic institutions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the development of fishery management actions by the Council.
• Assist in the preparation of documents, including Environmental Impact Statements for fishery management plans/amendments and other related documents.
• Compile and analyze fisheries, environmental, biological, social, economic, and other technical data using databases and statistical analysis software.
• Communicate technical concepts effectively to decision-makers and the public.
• Work collaboratively with other fisheries scientists, economists, and social scientists.
• Prepare meeting summaries and assist in the conduct of public meetings.
• Conduct other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND ANALYTIC/COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• General understanding of or experience in the management of fisheries in federal waters.
• Experience working cooperatively with small teams to complete tasks under demanding deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to explain complicated issues to diverse audiences.
• Graduate degree in fisheries policy or science with experience in resource or fisheries-related analysis.
• Ability to research and analyze pertinent technical data and an understanding of various technical information sources.
• Demonstrated quantitative analytic and technical writing skills.
• Familiarity with plotting and analysis of data with Geographic Information Systems and solid understanding of Microsoft Office software packages.
• Experience with R and Rstudio a plus.
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills and ability to synthesize technical information from a variety of sources.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet exacting deadlines.

Further information about the position and the application process are available in the vacancy announcement.

June 6, 2023 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program will support two recommended projects during 2023 and 2024 that focus on one of the highest research priorities identified by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The priority calls for:

“Research to develop a standardized catch per unit effort (CPUE) index for the commercial directed monkfish gillnet fishery to be used for stock assessment purposes.”

The New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils jointly manage the monkfish fishery. The New England Council has the administrative lead. The Councils and NOAA Fisheries work together to support the Monkfish Research Set-Aside Program. While the Councils determine the research priorities, NOAA Fisheries manages the RSA competition and administers the program.

NOAA Fisheries announced the recommended 2023-2024 awards on June 6, 2023. No federal money is used to support monkfish RSA projects. Instead, the RSA awards come in the form of monkfish days-at-sea. The Councils “set aside” 500 days-at-sea annually from the total number of monkfish days allocated tolimited access monkfish vessels. The money generated from compensation fishing under these days is used to fund the research and compensate industry partners.

Read the full release here

May 9, 2023 — The following was released New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met April 18-20, 2023 in Mystic, Connecticut and covered a dozen different topics ranging from monkfish to skates, scallops to habitat, groundfish to Atlantic sturgeon, Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management, and more. Here are the highlights.

MONKFISH: One of the Council’s 2023 priorities is to consider recommendations from the Research SetAside (RSA) Program Review and develop measures to improve the Monkfish RSA Program’s effectiveness. The charge is two-fold: (1) revisit the use of RSA days-at-sea and the ability to flip to an RSA day while at sea; and (2) form a workgroup of fishermen, NOAA Fisheries and Council staff members, Monkfish Committee members, and others as needed to “discuss the Monkfish RSA Program and identify potential improvements.” The Monkfish RSA Program has seen limited use for many years now, which prompted the Council’s request to undertake the review as a 2023 Council Priority

THE RESULT: The Council viewed this presentation and approved the proposal for establishing a workgroup to improve the Monkfish RSA Program. The workgroup will meet June 5, 2023.

PROTECTED RESOURCES – ATLANTIC STURGEON: The Council received an update on efforts underway to reduce bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the large-mesh monkfish and spiny dogfish fisheries. The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils jointly manage the two fisheries. New England has the administrative lead for monkfish and the Mid-Atlantic Council has the lead for dogfish. The two Councils are collaborating on a joint sturgeon action as outlined in this draft 2023 work plan.

THE RESULT: For its part, the New England Council initiated Framework Adjustment 15 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan. The measures in the framework will be based on recommendations from NOAA’s Action Plan to Reduce Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch in Federal Large-Mesh Gillnet Fisheries. Large mesh is defined as “greater than or equal to 7 inches” in this action.

May 7, 2023 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking the services of an independent contractor to prepare an analysis of recruitment assumptions used in stock projections for white hake. The application deadline is May 15, 2023.

This is a short-term, temporary contractor role, commencing on or about May 20, 2023. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will review the analysis in the summer of 2023 (tentative date August 10, 2023). The analysis may be used to modify the white hake rebuilding plan and could be used to update Overfishing Limits (OFL) and Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) recommendations for future years. All work under this request for proposals (RFP) is expected to be completed by October 1, 2023.

White hake is a key component of the Northeast Multispecies fishery, commonly caught in gillnet and trawl gear. Revenues from white hake during the period 2017-2021 averaged $4.8 million per year, about nine percent of total groundfish revenues.

The stock underwent a Level 3 management track assessment in 2022. The Peer Review Panel concluded the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. The same determination was made by NOAA Fisheries. Stock projections from this assessment were used to develop catch advice for future years.

The role of this project is to examine the recruitment time series used to establish white hake reference points and catch advice. The examination should focus on whether there is information in the time series that supports using a different assumption.

The response to this RFP should describe in detail the analytic approach that will be used to examine this issue. Analyses should be based on the existing assessment model and data stream for white hake. It should not explore different assessment models.

Desired experience, demonstrated skills, expected responsibilities, deliverables, and application submission details are outlined in the request for proposals.

May 7, 2023 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has charged its Atlantic Herring Committee with further developing two focused items related to 2023 herring work priorities. Both requests were the result of considerable discussion during the Council’s April 18-20, 2023 meeting in Mystic, Connecticut.

The Herring Committee’s recommendations will come back to the Council in June for further consideration and may involve a change in priorities for herring. A change would require a two-thirds majority vote by the Council. The topics at hand were related to the Council’s 2023 work plan to:

Revisit the Inshore Midwater Trawl Restricted Area, also known as a buffer zone or exclusion zone, that was: (1) developed by the Council in Atlantic Herring Amendment 8; (2) implemented by NOAA Fisheries; and (3) vacated by a U.S. District Court judge on March 29, 2022, meaning it is no longer in place (see map below); and

Conduct an analysis to investigate what combination of factors may have led to the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office’s (GARFO) low 2020 to The inshore area shaded in dark gray above was implemented in Herring Amendment 8 as a zone where midwater trawlers were prohibited from fishing year-round. A court vacated the measure. • 2022 river herring and shad by catch estimates in the Atlantic herring fishery.