The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold four scoping hearings in July 2017 to solicit public input on the Excessive Shares Amendment to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog (SCOQ) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through July 21, 2017.

The objectives of this amendment are to (1) implement measures that specifically define what constitutes an excessive share in the SCOQ Individual Fishing Quota (ITQ) program, and (2) review and if necessary revise goals and objectives in the FMP. During the scoping comment period, which will include scoping meetings, the public may provide comments on the range of issues and information that should be considered, including comments related to the excessive shares issue in the SCOQ ITQ fisheries and goals and objectives of the FMP, as well as any other issues that might be of concern regarding to the management of the SCOQ ITQ fishery. 

Additional information is available in the scoping guide for this action, which will be available by June 19, 2017 on the Council’s website at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/scoq-excessive-shares-amendment.

Scoping Schedule

Public scoping hearings will be held on the following dates:

1. Monday July 10, 2017, 6:30 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn Providence Airport, 1 Thurber Street, Warwick, RI 02886. Telephone: (401) 734-9600.
2. Tuesday July 11, 2017, 6:30 p.m., Webinar. Audio and visual access will be available at http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/scoqexcessshare/. The webinar can also be accessed via phone by calling 1-800-832-0736, room #9294759. Members of the public may also attend in-person at the Council office (800 North State St., Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901) if they contact the Council by July 7, 2017.
3. Wednesday July 12, 2017, 6:30 p.m., The Grand Hotel, 1045 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204. Telephone: (609) 884-5611.
4. Monday July 17, 2017, 6:00 p.m., Ocean Pines Branch Library, 11107 Cathell Road, Berlin, MD 21811. Telephone: (410) 208-4014.

Submit Written Comments:

In addition to providing comments at any of the scoping hearings, you may submit written comments by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on July 21, 2017. Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/scoq-excessive-shares-amendment-scoping  
2. EMAIL to jmontanez@mafmc.org
3. MAIL to Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, Delaware 19901
4. FAX to (302) 674-5399

Please include “SQOQ Excessive Shares Amendment Scoping Comments” in the subject line if using email or fax or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments.

Please direct any questions about the amendment to José Montañez, jmontanez@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5258.