The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's meeting to be held August 13-16, 2018 in Virginia Beach, VA. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront (3001 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach, VA 23451, Telephone 757-213-3000).
Meeting Materials: Briefing documents will be posted at http://ww.mafmc.org/briefing/august-2018 as they become available.
Public Comments: Written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 1 to be included in the Council meeting briefing book. Comments received after this deadline but before 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 9 will be posted as “supplemental materials” on the Council meeting web page. After that date, all comments must be submitted using an online comment form available at available at http://www.mafmc.org/public-comment.
Webinar: For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/august2018.
Agenda
Monday, August 13th
1:00 p.m. Council Convenes
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Swearing in of New and Reappointed Council Members
1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Election of Officers
1:30 p.m.– 2:30 p.m. Illex Control Date and 2018 and 2019 Fishery
- Consider a new or existing (August 2, 2013) control date.
- Review and consider adjustment to 2018 and 2019 Illex specifications
2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Atlantic Mackerel Framework and Specifications
- Approve rebuilding plan and associated 2019-2021 specifications including river herring and shad cap
Tuesday, August 14th
9:00 a.m. Council Meeting with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Boards
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. MRIP Presentation on New Estimates, NMFS
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Framework and Addendum on Conservation Equivalency, Block Island Sound Transit, and Slot Limits
- Framework meeting 1 - review draft alternatives
- Review and approve draft addendum
12:30 p.m. – 1:30p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Black Sea Bass Specifications
- Review SSC, Monitoring Committee, Advisory Panel, and staff recommendations for 2019 specifications
- Adopt 2019 specifications
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Black Sea Bass Wave 1 Fishery and Letter of Authorization (LOA)
- Consider a potential February 2019 opening of the recreational Wave 1 fishery
- Discuss the continued development of the LOA Framework
Wednesday, August 15th
9:00 a.m. Council Meeting with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Boards
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Summer Flounder Specifications
- Review SSC, Monitoring Committee, Advisory Panel, and staff recommendations for 2019 specifications
- Adopt 2019 specifications
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Scup Specifications
- Review SSC, Monitoring Committee, Advisory Panel, and staff recommendations regarding previously implemented 2019 specifications
- Recommend changes to 2019 specifications if necessary
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Bluefish Specifications
- Review SSC, Monitoring Committee, Advisory Panel, and staff recommendations for 2019 specifications
- Adopt 2019 specifications
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bluefish Allocation Amendment
- Review scoping comments and discuss next steps
- Determine issues to be included in public hearing document
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ASMFC Bluefish FMP Review
Thursday, August 16th
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, Anne Hawkins
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Draft Amendment 11 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP for Management of Shortfin Mako Sharks, NMFS
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Business Session
- Committee Reports
- SSC Report
- Executive Director's Report, Chris Moore
- Organization Reports
- NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office
- NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center
- NOAA Office of General Counsel
- NOAA Office of Law Enforcement
- US Coast Guard
- Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
- Liaison Reports
- New England Council
- South Atlantic Council
- Regional Planning Body
- Continuing and New Business