The New England Fishery Management Council is conducting public hearings to solicit comments on developing Amendment 22 to the Northeast Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery.  A hearing will be held on December 21, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation (240 Edgemere St. Montauk, New York 11954; Phone: 631-668-1124).

Documents

• Meeting Notice
• Scoping Document

Background

The purpose of this action is to implement measures that would prevent unrestrained increases in fishing effort by new entrants to the fishery. The need for the amendment is to reduce the potential for a rapid escalation of the small-mesh multispecies fishery, possibly causing overfishing and having a negative effect on red hake and whiting markets, both outcomes having negative effects on fishery participants.

Through limited access criteria and measures that would apply to qualifying and non-qualifying vessels, the amendment is intended to help ensure that catches of the small-mesh multispecies and other non-target species will be at or below specifications, reducing the potential for causing accountability measures to be triggered and resulting closure of the directed fishery. Three types of measures listed below could be considered. The scoping document includes a list of questions to consider when commenting for each of the following:

1. Limited access qualification criteria that would determine whether vessels may target small-mesh multispecies;
2. Limited access permit characteristics and conditions; and
3. Permit categories and associated measures.

Addressing this purpose and need requires the development of an amendment to the FMP to fully consider and analyze an appropriate range of management alternatives. The Council is seeking comments and input from the public on this specific issue. The hearings are being held by the Council in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

A scoping document is available on the New England Council’s website (http://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/smallmesh-multispecies) or may be obtained by contacting the New England Council office at (978) 465-0492.

Written Comments

Members of the public may submit oral and/or written comments at any public hearings or submit written comments directly to the New England Fishery Management Council. Written comments must be received on or before 5 p.m. EST, Tuesday, December 22, 2015. Written comments should be sent to:

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director
New England Fishery Management Council
50 Water Street, Mill 2
Newburyport, MA 01950;
Fax (978) 465–3116.
Email: comments@nefmc.org

Please note on your correspondence; “Small-Mesh Multispecies Amendment 22 Scoping Comments.”

The New England Fishery Management Council is conducting public hearings to solicit comments on developing Amendment 22 to the Northeast Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery.  A webinar hearing will be held on December 17, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Webinar Details

• Register to participate for the hearing at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5272201506328155394 
• Call in info: Toll: +1 (914) 614-3221 Access Code: 539-710-362

Documents

• Meeting Notice
• Scoping Document

Background

The purpose of this action is to implement measures that would prevent unrestrained increases in fishing effort by new entrants to the fishery. The need for the amendment is to reduce the potential for a rapid escalation of the small-mesh multispecies fishery, possibly causing overfishing and having a negative effect on red hake and whiting markets, both outcomes having negative effects on fishery participants.

Through limited access criteria and measures that would apply to qualifying and non-qualifying vessels, the amendment is intended to help ensure that catches of the small-mesh multispecies and other non-target species will be at or below specifications, reducing the potential for causing accountability measures to be triggered and resulting closure of the directed fishery. Three types of measures listed below could be considered. The scoping document includes a list of questions to consider when commenting for each of the following:

1. Limited access qualification criteria that would determine whether vessels may target small-mesh multispecies;
2. Limited access permit characteristics and conditions; and
3. Permit categories and associated measures.

Addressing this purpose and need requires the development of an amendment to the FMP to fully consider and analyze an appropriate range of management alternatives. The Council is seeking comments and input from the public on this specific issue. The hearings are being held by the Council in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

A scoping document is available on the New England Council’s website (http://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/smallmesh-multispecies) or may be obtained by contacting the New England Council office at (978) 465-0492.

Written Comments

Members of the public may submit oral and/or written comments at any public hearings or submit written comments directly to the New England Fishery Management Council. Written comments must be received on or before 5 p.m. EST, Tuesday, December 22, 2015. Written comments should be sent to:

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director
New England Fishery Management Council
50 Water Street, Mill 2
Newburyport, MA 01950;
Fax (978) 465–3116.
Email: comments@nefmc.org

Please note on your correspondence; “Small-Mesh Multispecies Amendment 22 Scoping Comments.”

The Council's River Herring and Shad (RH/S) Committee met via webinar on Monday, November 23, 2015 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to review recent developments in RH/S conservation and to consider potential RH/S activities for 2016.

Summary: http://www.mafmc.org/s/23_RHS-Com-Summary.pdf
Webinar Recording: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/p857jheujab/ 

Agenda

1. Introductions
2. Presentation on TEWG Results (D. Borggaard - NMFS GARFO)
    -Draft TEWG Fisheries Group Update
    -Presentation
3. RH/S-related lawsuits update (K. Collins - NOAA GC)
4. Update on SMAST & RH/S catch information (D. Bethoney - SMAST)
   -Presentation
5. Overview of RH genetics research/findings (D. Hasselman)
   -See summary in Draft TEWG Fisheries Group Update (above, page 5)
6. Presentation on environmental data and river herring bycatch (S. Turner - MA-DMF)
   -Article Abstract/Excerpts
   -Presentation
7. Current RH/S caps and Mid-Atlantic/New England alignment issues (J. Didden)
   -Alignment Memo
   -2015 vs 2016 MAFMC Mackerel RH/S Cap
   -2015 vs 2016 NEFMC Atl. Herring RH/S Cap
   -RH/S Cap Performance
   -Industry Funded Monitoring (IFM) Omnibus Amendment Update

8. Committee consideration of other potential RH/S actions for MAFMC (including potential revisiting of time/area "hotspot" closures)
   -Public Comment Opportunity

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel will meet jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel on Tuesday November 17, 2015 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 p.m.

The meeting will take place over webinar with a telephone-only connection option. See below for connection information.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss recreational management measures (e.g. bag limits, size limits, and seasons) for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries in 2016. 

Webinar Information

To connect, visit: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/fsb-ap-nov2015/. (Internet explorer or Firefox browser recommended). 

For audio, dial: 800-832-0736, and use room number 4472108. 

Meeting Materials

• Summer Flounder Staff Memo
• Scup Staff Memo
• Black Sea Bass Staff Memo
• Monitoring Committee Recommendation Summary

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Council's Collaborative Research Committee will meet via webinar meeting on Friday, November 13, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to identify research priorities for the Council's upcoming collaborative research funding opportunity.

• Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/crc-2/
• Audio Conference: (800) 832-0736, Meeting Room: 2122298

Background: The Council has undertaken a short-term (2015-2017) collaborative research initiative and intends to provide funding for several projects that address specific, Council-defined collaborative research topics pertaining to mid-Atlantic fisheries. During this meeting, the Collaborative Research Committee will identify approximately 5-6 research priorities which will be used to guide the solicitation of proposals and selection of projects to receive funding.

Meeting Materials

Download all meeting materials combined (recommended)

• Agenda
• Staff Memo
• Collaborative Research Priority Options (Draft 2) 
• Research Priority Rating Scale Example
• Draft 5 Year Comprehensive Research Plan
• Request for Proposals: Managing Collaborative Research
• New England Fishery Management Council Documents
  • NEFMC RFP #1: Managing Collaborative Research
  • NEFMC RFP #2: Groundfish Research Proposals
  • NEFMC Press Release: Northeast Consortium/NEFMC Announce Funded Collaborative Research Projects

Additional Background Resources

• Cooperative Research and Cooperative Management White Paper August 2015
• A Mid-Course Review of the Strategic Direction for the Cooperative Research Program in the Northeast, March 2012

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel (AP) will meet jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC’s) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass AP on Thursday, October 22, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held via webinar with a telephone-only connection option.

• Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/fsb-ap-oct22/ 
• Telephone-only Connection: 800-832-0736, room number 4472108

The purpose of this meeting is to solicit advisor input on specific commercial management measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. These include, but are not limited to, the commercial minimum fish size, trawl mesh size requirements, seasonal possession limits triggering the minimum mesh size requirements (i.e., incidental possession limits), other possession limits, other gear requirements, and exemption programs for all three species. The Council and the ASMFC will consider the input from the AP in December when reviewing recommendations on commercial measures from the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring and Technical Committees.

Meeting Materials

• AP Background and Questions for Commercial Measures Review

This meetings is physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

This hearing will be conducted by webinar. There will be an audio only option which will require a phone connection. 

Webinar link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/unmanaged_forage_scoping/

Audio only: 800-832-0736, room number 5068871

Directions to URI Narragansett Bay Campus

The Council's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee (Committee) will meet via webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Committee has initiated an evaluation of several current management measures for the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass commercial fisheries (e.g., minimum commercial fish sizes, minimum mesh sizes, seasonal possession limits triggering the minimum mesh sizes, other gear restrictions, and exemption programs). The Committee will meet via webinar to review initial analyses evaluating the effectiveness of the current regulations, identify additional work to be completed, and potentially begin development of recommendations to the Council.

Webinar Details

The meeting will be held via webinar with a telephone-only connection option.

Webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/fsb-mc-commercial/

Audio only: (800) 832-0736, Room number 4472108

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Council will host a public information webinar on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 6 p.m. to gather public perspectives on spiny dogfish management. The results of this meeting will be summarized for the Council when it meets in October 2015 to set spiny dogfish specifications and associated management measures.

Earlier on the same day, the Council's Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will meet to develop spiny dogfish management measure recommendations for 2016-2018 based on the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). A summary of current spiny dogfish management is available here. 

Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/dogfish2015/

Contact Jason Didden at 302-526-5254 if you have questions about using a webinar to participate in a meeting.

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Council's Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will meet via webinar on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to develop 2016-2018 spiny dogfish management measure recommendations based on the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). A summary of current spiny dogfish management is available here.

At 6 p.m. on the same day, Council staff will hold a public information meeting to gather public perspectives on spiny dogfish management. The results of both meetings will be summarized for the Council when it meets in October 2015 to set spiny dogfish specifications and associated management measures.

Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/dogfish2015/

Contact Jason Didden at 302-526-5254 if you have questions about using a webinar to participate in a meeting.

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Scientific and Statistical Committee's (SSC) Scientific Uncertainty Subcommittee will hold a public meeting on Thursday, September 10, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Double Tree by Hilton Baltimore –BWI Airport, 890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, Maryland, 21090; telephone: (410)-859-8400.

The purpose of the meeting is to conduct a peer review of a scientific analysis submitted to the SSC at its July 2015 meeting concerning the use of data limited methods to specify the overfishing limit and acceptable biological catch for the northern stock (Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Maine) of black sea bass (Centropristis striata).  Pending the results of this review, this information/analysis may be used by the SSC in setting catch limits for this species for the fishing years 2016-2017.

Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Council’s Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Advisory Panel (AP) will meet on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore – BWI Airport (890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, Maryland, 21090; telephone: 410-859-8400.)

The purpose of the meeting is to provide input to the Council on the development of written Council policy on non-fishing activities that impact fish habitat. The development of written policy on these activities will allow the Council to comment more quickly on proposed activities and projects, and enable the Council to work more effectively in addressing fish habitat and ecosystem issues in our region. 

Meeting Materials

Download all briefing materials combined

• Agenda
• July 2015 AP Meeting Summary
• Marine Transport
  • Marine Transport Background Document
  • Marine Transport – Draft Council Policy
• Coastal Development
  • Coastal Development Background Document
  • Coastal Development – Draft Council Policy   

For other background and policy documents (liquified natural gas, offshore wind, and offshore oil), please see the Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee Briefing Materials from the August 2015 Council Meeting.

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The Council's Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel (AP) will meet via webinar on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. to review recent fishery performance and develop a Fishery Performance Report and/or other recommendations in preparation for the Council's setting of specifications at the October 2015 Council meeting. The FPR will be considered by the the Council and the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) during the development of specifications for the 2016-2018 fishing years.

Webinar link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/dogfishap2015/ 

Spiny Dogfish Fishery Information Document

Trigger Questions:

What factors have influenced recent catch?
  –Markets/economy?
  –Environment?
  –Fishery regulations?
  –Other factors?
Are the current fishery regulations appropriate? How could they be improved?
  -Gear regulations and exemptions?
  -Trip Limits?
  -Others?
Where should the Council and Commission focus their research priorities?
What else is important for the Council and Commission to know?

Special Accommodations: These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.Briefing materials and and webinar connection details will be posted on this page prior to the meeting.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel (AP) will meet jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass AP on Wednesday, July 29, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. until noon.

The meeting will be held via webinar with a telephone-only connection option.

Webinar link: 

http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/fsb-ap-july2015/

Audio only: 800-832-0736; Room number 4472108. 

The purpose of this meeting is for the advisors to review and comment on recent stock assessment information as well as the reports of the MAFMC’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee meetings held in July 2015.  The MAFMC and the ASMFC will consider the input from the AP in August when setting fishery specifications (i.e. catch and landings limits and management measures) for 2016-2018.

Background Materials

• SSC Meeting Report

• Monitoring Committee DRAFT meeting summary

Summer flounder 2016-2018 ABC Specifications

• Revised Staff Recommendations Memo, 7-17-2015
• Summer Flounder Staff Memo 7-9-2015
• Summer Flounder Assessment Update for 2015
• Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Performance Reports
  • Additional Advisor Comments
• Summer Flounder Fishery Information Document
• Public Comments:
  • Letter to SSC from Meade Amory
  • Letter to SSC from Virginia Seafood Coalition
  • Letter to SSC from Recreational Fishing Alliance
  • Letter to SSC from North Carolina Fisheries Association
  • Letter from New Jersey Senators Menéndez and Booker, and Rep. Pallone
• Staff Presentation to SSC

Scup 2016-2018 ABC Specifications

• Staff Memo: Scup Management Measures for 2016-2018
• Scup Stock Assessment Team Report (SCeMFiS Report), Steve Cadrin, J-J Maguire, and Robert Leaf
• Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Performance Reports (Scup - p. 5)
  • Additional Advisor Comments
• Scup Fishery Information Document
• 60th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (SAW-60)
  • Assessment Summary Report – Prepublication Draft
  • SAW-60 Panelist Reports
  • SAW-60 Working Papers

Black Sea Bass 2016-2018 ABC Specifications

• Black Sea Bass Staff Memo
• Black Sea Bass Data Update for 2015
• Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Performance Reports
  • Additional Advisor Comments
• Black Sea Bass Fishery Information Document 
• Jim Dawson Comments
• 2013 SSC Meeting Report
• Data Limited Techniques for Tier 4 Stocks: An alternative approach to setting harvest control rules using closed loop simulations for management strategy evaluation, Jason McNamee, Gavin Fay, Steven Cadrin
  • Memo: Recommendation for an ABC for black sea bass based on the Data Limited analysis
  • Data and code (zip file)
• Staff Presentation to SSC

Related Meeting Pages:

• SSC Meeting - July 21
• Monitoring Committee Meeting - July 23
• Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass AP Meeting - June 17