August Council Meeting Agenda

The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's August 2015 meeting on August 10 - 13, 2015 in New York, NY. The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Midtown, 440 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019: telephone 212-581-8100.  Additional details and briefing materials will be posted on the August 2015 Council Meeting page.

For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/august2015/

Agenda

PDF Agenda

Monday, August 10th

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee

  • Review input from Advisory Panel on draft habitat policy documents
  • Provide comment/revisions to draft documents
  • Other general Committee updates

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee (continued)

Tuesday, August 11th

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Executive Committee

  • Discuss possible framework related to Council risk policy and harvest control rules.

10:00 a.m. Council Convenes

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Swearing in of New Council Members and Election of Officers

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Industry Observer Amendment

  • Review Amendment development and analyses
  • Approve alternative range for completion of draft Environmental Assessment

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Special Award

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Blueline Tilefish Action

  • Review scoping comments and approve plan of action

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Electronic For-Hire Vessel Trip Report Contract - Andy Loftus

  • Review findings and consider next steps

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. SARC 60 Presentation - Jim Weinberg

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Council Meeting with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Bluefish Board

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bluefish Specifications

  • Review SSC, Bluefish Monitoring Committee, and Advisory Panel recommendations regarding 2016, 2017, and 2018 harvest levels and associated management measures
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016, 2017, and 2018 harvest levels and associated management measures

Wednesday, August 12th

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Council Meeting with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Summer Flounder Specifications

  • Review SSC, Summer Flounder Monitoring Committee, and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2016, 2017, and 2018
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016, 2017, and 2018 commercial and recreational harvest levels and commercial management measures
  • Update on ASMFC activities regarding summer flounder

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Summer Flounder Amendment

  • Update on amendment progress and action plan
  • Discussion of FMP Goals and Objectives (with Fisheries Forum staff)

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Black Sea Bass Specifications

  • Review SSC, Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee, and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2016 and 2017
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016 and 2017 commercial and recreational harvest levels and commercial management measures

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Scup Specifications

  • Review SSC, Scup Monitoring Committee, and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2016, 2017 and 2018
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016, 2017, and 2018 commercial and recreational harvest levels and commercial management measures

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Scup Amendment

  • Discuss development and scoping

Thursday, August 13th

9:00 a.m. Council Convenes

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

  • Organization Reports
    • NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office
    • NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center
    • NOAA Office of General Counsel
    • NOAA Office of Law Enforcement
    • U.S. Coast Guard
    • Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
  • Liaison Reports
    • New England Council
    • South Atlantic Council
  • Executive Director's Report
  • Science Report
  • Committee Reports
    • Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee
    • SSC
  • Continuing and New Business