Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan Archives

Groundfish: NEFMC Initiates Framework Adjustment 65 with Specifications, Rebuilding Plans, and Management Measures

April 22, 2022 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council initiated Framework Adjustment 65 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan when it met April 12-14, 2022 for a hybrid meeting in Mystic, CT. The framework will contain the following components:

Revised status determination criteria specifying when overfishing is occurring or a stock is overfished;
Revised rebuilding plans for Gulf of Maine cod and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder;
Fishing year 2023 and 2024 total allowable catches for the U.S./Canada management units of Eastern Georges Bank cod and Eastern Georges Bank haddock, as well as Georges Bank yellowtail flounder;
Fishing year 2023 and 2024 specifications for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder and Georges Bank cod, including a cod catch target for the recreational fishery;
Fishing year 2023, 2024, and 2025 specifications for 14 groundfish stocks – Georges Bank haddock, Gulf of Maine haddock, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder, Georges Bank winter flounder, Gulf of Maine winter flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, American plaice, witch flounder, pollock, white hake, Atlantic halibut, ocean pout, and Atlantic wolffish;
Additional measures to promote stock rebuilding for Gulf of Maine cod and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, and
Revised acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules in consultation with the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee.

Read the full release from the NEFMC

Amendment 23 Implementation Outreach Workshops

October 21, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The New England Fishery Management Council developed Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan to revise the groundfish sector monitoring program. The Council’s selected measures include a requirement for 100 percent of sector groundfish trips to be monitored, if the agency can reimburse industry’s costs. Sectors would be able to use either human at-sea monitors or either of two electronic monitoring options, or a combination of those options, to meet their monitoring requirement.

While NOAA Fisheries reviews Amendment 23, we are determining how to implement the measures if they are approved. On October 12, we hosted an informational webinar and we have scheduled a series of virtual workshops this fall to assist industry in preparing for the implementation of Amendment 23, if approved. The informational webinar focused on presenting information about the new Maximized Retention Electronic Monitoring model, implementation decisions made to date, a timeline for additional implementation decisions, and our outreach plan to engage constituents in collaboratively planning implementation details.

Informational Webinar

October 12, 2021: 2-3:30 p.m.

Click here for a recording of the webinar.

Virtual Workshops

We are also planning a series of virtual workshops, with multiple webinars to allow each to focus in-depth on a limited number of topics. We will limit the number of attendees for each webinar to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to engage in the discussion. Topics will be chosen based on public feedback so that we focus on the issues of interest to our constituents.

We will be rescheduling the first workshop, initially scheduled for October 27, to a later date this fall. Next week we will post an agenda for the November 3 workshop.

Please email us to register for a workshop webinar, suggest topics for a workshop agenda, or to provide other feedback for the workshops.

For more information on the webinar and virtual workshops, visit the event page.

Questions?

Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

NOAA Fisheries Approves Adjustments to Fishing Year 2020 Specifications for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

March 25, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Each year, NOAA Fisheries determines how much unused quota sectors may carry over from the previous fishing year based on final catch data. Today we are announcing, through a final rule, the amount of allocation each sector may carry over from the 2019 to 2020 fishing year, which ends April 30, 2021. This rule also corrects minor errors published in Framework Adjustment 59 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. These errors are administrative and do not change the amount of quota allocated to sectors or the common pool for the 2020 fishing year.

For details, including tables presenting the carryover allocations, see the rule as filed in the Federal Register or our bulletin.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Spencer Talmage, Sustainable Fisheries, 978-281-9232

Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175

NOAA Fisheries Approves Adjustments to Fishing Year 2019 Specifications for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

January 24, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

This rule also corrects minor errors published in Framework Adjustment 58 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. These errors are administrative and do not change the amount of quota allocated to sectors or the common pool for the 2019 fishing year.

For details see the rule as filed in the Federal Register or our website.

Groundfish: NEFMC Approves Framework 59; Receives Progress Report on Amendment 23

December 17, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its early December meeting in Newport, RI, the New England Fishery Management Council approved Framework Adjustment 59 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Among other provisions, the framework includes 2020-2022 specifications for 15 groundfish stocks in the Northeast multispecies complex, as well as total allowable catches (TACs) for three groundfish resources on Georges Bank that the U.S. shares with Canada.

Also on the groundfish end, the Council received:

A presentation from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) on the recent operational assessments for 14 groundfish stocks – the report and presentation are available here;
A report from the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) on the SSC’s overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for groundfish stocks and Atlantic sea scallops – the presentation and related documents can be found here;

Read the full release here

Groundfish Catch Share Program Review: Public Meetings Scheduled for July/August in Ports From Maine to New York

July 2, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is conducting a review of the groundfish sector system, which is a catch share program under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The public is encouraged to provide comments during an upcoming series of port meetings or in writing until August 19, 2019.

The review focuses on the first six years of the catch share program under Amendment 16 to the FMP, covering fishing years 2010 to 2015, which span from May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2016. Information prior to the program’s implementation also will be included for fishing years 2007 to 2009. This period covers May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2010.

Read the full release here

Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23: NEFMC Approves Alternatives for Development

April 18, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its mid-April meeting in Mystic, CT, the New England Fishery Management Council approved a wide range of alternatives that will be further developed for consideration in Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23. This step paves the way for the Groundfish Committee, Plan Development Team, and Groundfish Advisory Panel to continue working on these alternatives and advance the amendment to the next level of analyses.

The Council also dealt with three other groundfish-related issues. In short, the Council:

Modified its policy on gear standards in order to facilitate the use of new gear when accountability measures (AMs) are triggered;
Received an update on its Groundfish Catch Share Review, which covers fishing years 2010-2015; and
Received a quick overview of the ongoing listening sessions being conducted to solicit public comment on whether the Council should develop a limited access program for the recreational party/charter boat fishery under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (groundfish plan).

Read the full release here

Whiting Amendment 22 Comment Period Reopens; Council to Host November 14 Informational Webinar

October 25, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has reopened the public comment period on Whiting
Amendment 22 and will host an informational webinar on Wednesday, November 14 at 3 p.m. The webinar will cover the amendment’s proposed alternatives, as well as pertinent information in the accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Written comments are welcome until November 23, 2018.

The Whiting Amendment – officially called Amendment 22 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan –proposes to limit access to the small-mesh multispecies fishery. The five impacted stocks are northern silver hake, southern silver hake, and offshore hake, which collectively are referred to as whiting, and northern and southern red hake. The draft amendment contains three sections, which cover:

Limited access qualification criteria;
Whiting and red hake possession limits by permit type; and
Permit conditions, which would apply only if the Council decides to approve a limited access program.

Read the full release here

Whiting Amendment 22: NEFMC Schedules Five Hearings to Consider Limited Access Program for Small-Mesh Multispecies

July 6, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled five public hearings on Draft Amendment 22 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This amendment proposes to establish a limited access program for five stocks of small-mesh species: northern silver hake, southern silver hake, and offshore hake – collectively referred to as “whiting” – as well as northern red hake and southern red hake.

The amendment contains three components: (1) limited access qualification criteria; (2) silver and offshore hake possession limit alternatives; and (3) permit “characteristics and conditions” that could apply if limited access is adopted. Although the Council voted in December 2017 to send Amendment 22 out to public hearing with “no action” as its preferred alternative, public input is highly encouraged on all options.

The Council is committed to hearing all points of view before making a final decision in September.

Public Hearing Schedule

Gloucester, MA – Thursday, July 19, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station, 30 Emerson Avenue, 4 p.m.
Tinton Falls, NJ – Monday, July 23, DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Hope Drive, 7 p.m.
Montauk, NY – Tuesday, July 24, Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation Inc., 240 Edgemere Street, 5 p.m.
Warwick, RI – Wednesday, July 25, Hampton Inn & Suites, 2100 Post Road, 7 p.m.
New Bedford, MA – Thursday, July 26, Fairfield Inn & Suites, 185 MacArthur Drive, 7 p.m.

Whiting Possession Limits by Permit Type

Amendment 22 proposes to: (1) retain or adjust whiting possession limits for vessels that qualify for a limited access permit; and (2) create an “incidental” possession limit for non-qualifiers. If the Council decides against establishing a limited access program, it still could adjust possession limits through this amendment. The new limits then would apply to any vessel with an open access Category K permit that operates in a small-mesh exemption program.

Read the full release here

NOAA Fisheries Withdraws the Northeast Fishing Sector IX Operations Plan

November 20, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Through an Interim Final Rule filed this morning, NOAA Fisheries withdraws approval of the 2017 and 2018 Northeast Fishery Sector IX operations plan. The Regional Administrator determined that the sector and its participants have not complied with the requirements of their approved operations plan, and that the continuation of the Sector IX operations plan will undermine achievement of the conservation and management objectives of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This action follows the guilty plea and sentencing of Mr. Carlos Rafael, a major participant in Sector IX, who admitted to falsely reporting catch information.

Any Sector IX vessels that are currently at-sea on a groundfish trip must return to port immediately, and are allowed to offload and sell their catch. After that, vessels that are eligible to fish under other permits, without declaring a sector trip or using a multispecies day-at-sea, can continue to do so during the 2017 fishing year. Sector participants may not declare a sector trip or use a multispecies day-at-sea for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year. Sector IX may not lease in or out any groundfish allocation.

Read the rule as filed this morning in the Federal Register.

The comment period for this interim final rule closes on December 20.

You may submit comments on this document via the Federal eRulemaking Portal beginning November 22 or by sending them to John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope, “Comments on the Interim Final Rule to Withdraw Approval of NEFS 9.”

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175

Learn more about NOAA at their site here.