January 3, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
CONTRACTOR WANTED: The New England Fishery Management Council is soliciting the services of an independent contractor to update a January 2015 discussion related to river herring and shad. The document reviewed and summarized management and legal considerations associated with adding river herring and shad as stocks in the Atlantic herring fishery. The application deadline is January 15, 2018. More information is available at Council Seeks Contractor to Update “Stocks in the Atlantic Herring Fishery” Discussion Document.
COUNCIL PROGRAM REVIEW: The Council continues to encourage stakeholders to participate in the ongoing external review of how it conducts business. The review is intended help the Council identify its strengths and weaknesses and flag potential areas for improvement. Twelve port meetings and one webinar meeting were held in November and December to gather public input. Two more port meetings are scheduled for:
- Monday, January 8, Montauk, NY – Montauk Playhouse Community Center, 240 Edgemere Street, 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 9, Cape May, NJ – Rutgers University, 1636 Delaware Ave., 5 p.m.
Three fishery managers and three scientists have been selected to serve on the independent review panel. They are:
- Robert Beal, Executive Director, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
- Robert Gill, former member and Chair, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; current member, Gulf Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee
- Dan Hull, Chairman, North Pacific Fishery Management Council
- Dr. Pamela Mace, Principal Adviser Fisheries Science, Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand
- Dr. Bonnie McCay, Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor, Rutgers University
- Dr. Kenny Rose, France-Merrick Professor in Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration, Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
The review panel will meet Tuesday, March 13 through Friday, March 16 to discuss Council operations and conduct its work. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Boston Logan Airport.
Stakeholders still have time to take the online survey, which is available HERE. More information can be found at Council Program Review.
JANUARY COUNCIL MEETING: The New England Council will meet for two days in Portsmouth, NH from Tuesday, January 30 through Wednesday, January 31 at the Sheraton Harborside on Market Street. The agenda is available at January 2018 Council meeting.
QUESTIONS: Call or email Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.