May 22, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The states of Massachusetts through Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public comment on Draft Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Tautog. The details of those hearings follow.
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 6 p.m.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
101 Academy Drive
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at 617.626.1534
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 6 p.m.
University of Rhode Island Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at 401.423.1943
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Monday, June 26, 2017 at 7 p.m.
CT DEEP Boating Education Center, Building 3
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: Mark Alexander at 860.447.4322
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.
NYSDEC Division of Marine Resources
205 Belle Mead Road, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: John Maniscalco at 631.444.0437
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Ocean County Administration Building
Public Hearing Room 119
101 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Russ Allen at 609.748.2020
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 6 – 8 p.m.
DNREC Lewes Facility
901 Pilottown Road
Lewes, Delaware
Contact: John Clark at 302.739.9914
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Thursday, June 15, 2017 at 6 p.m.
Ocean Pines Library
11107 Cathell Road
Berlin, Maryland
Contact: Angel Willey at 410.456.0311
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 5:30 p.m.
2600 Washington Avenue
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Joe Cimino at 757.247.2236
The Draft Amendment proposes a fundamental change in tautog management, moving away from management on a coastwide basis towards regional management. In addition, Draft Amendment 1 proposes the establishment of a commercial harvest tagging program, as well as new goals and objectives, biological reference points and fishing mortality targets, and a stock rebuilding schedule.
Specifically, Draft Amendment 1 proposes delineating the stock into four regions due to differences in biology and fishery characteristics, as well as limited coastwide movement.
Table 1. Four-Region Management Approach
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1) Massachusetts – Rhode Island |
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2) Long Island Sound (CT and NY LIS) |
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3) New Jersey – New York Bight |
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4) Delaware – Maryland – Virginia |
Management options by region have been developed in response to the 2016 stock assessment update. Long Island Sound and New Jersey-New York Bight would be required to take harvest reductions due to the regional overfishing stock status, while Massachusetts-Rhode Island and Delaware-Maryland-Virginia would not have to take harvest reductions, but are proposing regional measures.
A commercial harvest tagging program is being proposed to address an illegal, unreported and undocumented fishery that has persisted for more than a decade. Reports of illegally harvested fish have been documented in cases against fishermen, fish houses, and at retail markets and restaurants. The tagging program, which would accommodate both the live and dead commercial markets, was recommended by the Commission’s Law Enforcement Committee to increase accountability in the fishery and curb illegal harvest. A tautog tag trial was conducted to investigate the impact of the tags on the resource and found no mortality or degradation to fish health.
The Draft Amendment is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/Tautog_DraftAmendment1_PublicComment_May2017.pdf or on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org (under Public Input). Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Amendment either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 14, 2017 and should be forwarded to Ashton Harp, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at aharp@asmfc.org(Subject line: Tautog Draft Amendment 1).
Final action on the Amendment is scheduled to occur in August. For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.