December 2015 Council Meeting in Annapolis, MD

The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's December 2015 meeting on December 7 - 10, 2015 in Annapolis, MD. 

On Monday, December 7, the meeting will be held at the O’Callaghan Annapolis Hotel (174 West St., Annapolis, MD: telephone 410-263-7700). On Tuesday, December 8 through Thursday, December 10, the meeting will be held at the Westin Annapolis (100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, MD: telephone 410-972-4300).  Additional details and briefing materials will be posted on the December 2015 Council Meeting page.

Webinar: Audio and presentations during the meeting will be live-streamed on the internet at the link below. The webinar is broadcast in "listen only" mode, meaning that participants will be unable to provide comments or speak to the Council via the broadcast. To join the webinar: 

Agenda

PDF Agenda

Monday, December 7

O’Callaghan Annapolis Hotel

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.  Executive Committee (CLOSED)

  • Ricks E Savage Award nominees and other awards

10:00 a.m.  Council Convenes

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  Comprehensive 5-year Research Priority Plan

  • Review and approve plan

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  Non-Fishing Activities that Impact Fish Habitat

  • Review and approve policies

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.  Golden Tilefish Framework 2 – Meeting 1

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Blueline Tilefish Alternatives

  • Review public hearing document

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Spiny Dogfish Committee Meeting as a Committee of the Whole

  • Review findings from SSC meeting
  • Adjust specification recommendations as appropriate

Tuesday, December 8

Westin Annapolis

8:30 a.m.  Council Convenes

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.  Unmanaged Forage – The Pacific Council Experience, Rich Lincoln

9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  Unmanaged Forage Species Amendment

  • Review and approve list of species for inclusion in the public hearing document
  • Review and approve management alternatives for NEPA analysis and public hearing document

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.  Scup GRA Framework – Meeting 1

  • Discuss and adopt alternatives

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.  Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.  Summer Flounder Goals and Objectives Workshop, Fisheries Forum

  • Review feedback from Fisheries Forum project
  • Discuss priorities for revised FMP goals and objectives
  • Identify draft goals and objectives for Summer Flounder Amendment

Wednesday, December 9

Westin Annapolis

9:00 a.m.  Demersal Committee Meeting as a Committee of the Whole with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Boards

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  2016 Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Commercial Management Measures

  • Review recommendations from the Monitoring and Technical Committees
  • Recommend changes to commercial management measures if appropriate

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Summer Flounder 2016 Recreational Management Measures

  • ASMFC Addendum for summer flounder (Board Action)
  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2016
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016 management measures

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Summer Flounder Recreational Management Measures (continued)

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.  Summer Flounder Amendment

  • Discuss timeline and update on progress

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.  Black Sea Bass 2016 Recreational Management Measures

  • ASMFC Addendum for black sea bass (Board Action)
  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2016
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016 management measures

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Scup 2016 Recreational Management Measures

  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2016
  • Adopt recommendations for 2016 management measures

Thursday, December 10

Westin Annapolis

8:00 a.m.  Council Convenes

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.  GARFO Recreational Implementation Plan, Mike Pentony

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.  NEFSC Strategic Plan, Bill Karp

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  2016 Implementation Plan

  • Review and approve Implementation Plan

10:30 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
    • Regional Planning Body
  • Executive Director's Report, Chris Moore
  • Review and approve change to SOPPs
  • Science Report, Rich Seagraves
  • Committee Reports
    • Executive Committee
    • Collaborative Research Committee
    • River Herring/Shad Committee
  • Continuing and New Business

View this announcement as a PDF