The Ecosystem and Ocean Planning (EOP) Committee and Advisory Panel (AP) of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, from 2:00 P.M. through 4:00 P.M. The meeting will take place over webinar with a telephone-only connection option.

The purpose of this meeting is for the EOP Committee and AP to provide initial feedback and input on a new research project the Council is collaborating on with a team from Rutgers University. The project will develop forecast models to predict short-term (1-10 years) distribution changes for four economically important Mid and South Atlantic species. Short-term projections should provide for greater management utility and application since most management considerations and decisions operate at similar timescales. The EOP Committee and AP will provide feedback on the utility of these types of models, data availability, and potential outcomes.

Webinar Details

To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/dec19eopandap/. Audio connection instructions will pop up automatically when you join the webinar. For audio-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736; and enter room number 5939710#.

Meeting Materials

1. Agenda

2. Project proposal - Near-term forecasts of species distributions for fisheries management

3. Project fact sheet by Lenfest

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee will meet via webinar on Monday, December 2, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Webinar details will be posted on this page prior to the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is to review the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment prior to formal action by the Council. In addition, if appropriate, the Committee will recommend preferred alternatives for the Council to consider. An agenda and background documents will be posted on this page prior to the meeting.

Webinar Information

To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/scoqdec2/, type your name, and click “Enter Room.” Audio connection instructions will pop up when you enter the webinar. For telephone-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter room number 9294759.

Meeting Materials

• Agenda (updated 11/22/19)

• Staff Recommendations Memo

• Excessive Shares Document

• Summary of the September 17, 2019 SCOQ AP and Committee meeting

• Additional Written Comments Received as of 11/27/19

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Research Steering Committee will meet on Friday, November 22, 2019, from 10:00 A.M. through 12:00 P.M. The meeting will take place over webinar with a telephone-only connection option.

The purpose of this meeting is for the Research Steering Committee to review and provide feedback on the Council’s draft Five-Year (2020-2024) Research Priorities document. The draft document has been re-organized and prioritized based on feedback and input from the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Monitoring Committees and Advisory Panels. Research Steering Committee recommendations will be incorporated into the draft document and provided to the Council prior to the December 2019 Council meeting when final review and approval is scheduled to take place.

Webinar Information

To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/researchnov2019/. Audio connection instructions will pop up automatically when you join to the webinar. For telephone-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter room number 5939710#.

Meeting Materials

1. Meeting Agenda

2. Draft 2020-2024 Comprehensive Research Priorities

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting, jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel on Friday, November 22, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to review staff and Monitoring Committee recommendations for 2020 recreational management measures for summer flounder, scup and black sea bass, and to provide Advisory Panel input on the 2020 recreational management measures for all three species.

Webinar

The meeting will be held via webinar, which can be accessed at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/fsb_ap_nov2019/. Meeting audio can also be accessed via telephone by dialing 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 5068871.

Meeting Materials

• Final agenda

• Summer flounder 2020 recreational measures staff memo

  • Supplemental: Public Comment from Tom Smith

• Scup 2020 recreational measures staff memo

• Black sea bass 2020 recreational measures staff memo

• Bluefish 2020 recreational measures staff memo

Note that a draft Monitoring Committee report from their 11/13-11/14 meeting will be posted here if available prior to the AP meeting.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a public webinar on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., to provide information on options available to commercial fishing operators for electronically submitting required Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) in the Greater Atlantic Region.  This is in support of the Council’s joint action with the New England Fishery Management Council that could require electronic reporting of VTRs by operators holding commercial fishing permits for species managed by either council that require the submission of VTRs.

Webinar Information

The meeting will be held via webinar (http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/evtr_publicmtg/) with a telephone audio connection (provided when connecting). Audio-only access is available at phone number: 1-800-832-0736, Room Number: 5765379.

Background

The Council is considering requiring electronic reporting of commercial fishery Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) in a joint action with the New England Fishery Management Council. This action would change the method of transmitting VTRs—the required data elements would not change. Existing regulations requiring that VTRs be completed before arriving at the dock would not change, but the timeline for submitting electronic reports may change. This meeting will provide a review of approved electronic VTR applications, initial steps that would be necessary for commercial operators to begin reporting electronically, and a demonstration of two of the most popular electronic reporting applications (with limited time for questions)  to convey information on the process involved for  commercial operators to report VTRs electronically.

Meeting Materials

• Agenda

• Frequently Asked Questions Related to Electronic Vessel Trip Reports in Commercial Fisheries

• Comparison of Systems Certified by NOAA to Submit Electronic Vessel Trip Reports

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Bluefish Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting, jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Bluefish Advisory Panel on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide comments and recommendations on recreational management measures for bluefish for the 2020 fishing year. The Monitoring Committee met on Thursday, November 14th. A summary will be available prior to the advisory panel meeting if available.

Webinar Information

The meeting will be held via webinar, which can be accessed at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/bfapnov19/. Audio connection instructions will pop up automatically when you join the webinar. For telephone-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter room number 5068609#.

Meeting Materials

• Agenda

• Bluefish Monitoring Committee Staff Memo: 2020-2021 Bluefish Recreational Management Measures

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has released its Draft 2020-2024 Strategic Plan for public review and comment. The plan includes updated vision and mission statements and proposes five major goals to guide the Council’s activities and management priorities for the next five years. Development of the plan was informed by public input provided through a survey and outreach meetings in early 2019.

The Draft Strategic Plan is available on the Council’s website here. All interested stakeholders and members of the public are invited to provide comments on the draft plan.

Strategic Plan Webinars

The Council will hold two public input webinars during which participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and offer public comments on the draft strategic plan. The webinars will be held on the following dates:

1. Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

2. Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

Connection information for both meetings will be posted at www.mafmc.org/council-events.

To join the webinars, go to: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/mafmc-strategic-plan/. Meeting audio can also be accessed via telephone by dialing 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 2122298.

Submit Written Comments

Written comments may also be submitted by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/2020-2024-strategic-plan

2. EMAIL to michelleduval22@gmail.com

3. MAIL to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901

4. FAX to 302.674.5399

Please include “Strategic Plan Comments” in the subject line if using email or fax or on the outside of the envelope if submitting comments by mail.

Comments must be submitted by Friday, November 15, 11:59 EST. The Council will review public comments and approve the final plan at its December meeting in Annapolis, MD.

For additional information and background documents, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.

The Ecosystem and Ocean Planning (EOP) Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, from 9:00 A.M. through 12:00 P.M. The meeting will take place over webinar with a telephone-only connection option. Webinar connection details will be posted on this page prior to the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is for the EOP Committee to review and provide feedback on an updated draft summer flounder conceptual model, supporting data availability and draft management questions. The development of the summer flounder conceptual model is part of the Council’s Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) decision framework and considers the high priority risk factors affecting summer flounder and its fisheries. The EOP Committee reviewed an earlier draft model in September 2019 and provided a number of recommendations for the technical workgroup to consider and address in a revised model. The EOP Committee will review these updates and develop recommendations for full Council consideration at the December 2019 Council meeting.

Webinar Information

To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/nov19eopwebinar/. Audio connection instructions will pop up automatically when you join to the webinar. For telephone-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter room number 5939710#.

Meeting Materials

• Meeting Agenda

• September 19-20, 2019 EOP Committee Meeting Summary

• Summer Flounder Conceptual Model, Data Elements and Definitions

• Revised Draft Management Questions

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has released its Draft 2020-2024 Strategic Plan for public review and comment. The plan includes updated vision and mission statements and proposes five major goals to guide the Council’s activities and management priorities for the next five years. Development of the plan was informed by public input provided through a survey and outreach meetings in early 2019.

The Draft Strategic Plan is available on the Council’s website here. All interested stakeholders and members of the public are invited to provide comments on the draft plan.

Strategic Plan Webinars

The Council will hold two public input webinars during which participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and offer public comments on the draft strategic plan. The webinars will be held on the following dates:

1. Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

2. Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

Connection information for both meetings will be posted at www.mafmc.org/council-events.

To join the webinars, go to: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/mafmc-strategic-plan/. Meeting audio can also be accessed via telephone by dialing 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 2122298.

Submit Written Comments

Written comments may also be submitted by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/2020-2024-strategic-plan

2. EMAIL to michelleduval22@gmail.com

3. MAIL to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901

4. FAX to 302.674.5399

Please include “Strategic Plan Comments” in the subject line if using email or fax or on the outside of the envelope if submitting comments by mail.

Comments must be submitted by Friday, November 15, 11:59 EST. The Council will review public comments and approve the final plan at its December meeting in Annapolis, MD.

For additional information and background documents, please visit www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan or contact Michelle Duval at michelleduval22@gmail.com or 919-601-3798.

The Fishery Management Action Team (FMAT) for this action will meet to develop options and analyses.

Action Page Link

Contact Jason Didden at jdidden@mafmc.org or 302-526-5254 for additional information.

The commercial eVTR Fishery Management Action Team (FMAT) will meet via webinar on Friday, October 25, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the eVTR framework document and alternatives in preparation for final action in December (MAFMC) and January (NEFMC).

Additional information and webinar details can be obtained by contacting Karson Coutre (kcoutre@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5259.)

About FMAT Meetings

Fishery Management Action Team (FMAT) meetings are working meetings of the Council, NOAA Fisheries, and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission staff. Information on FMAT meeting locations and how to connect via phone or webinar (if available) may be obtained by contacting Council staff prior to the meeting. This information is not posted to the Council’s website. The date and time of FMAT meetings are generally posted to the calendar on the Council’s website, sometimes with very little notice. FMAT members may discuss topics listed on the agenda in any order and may also discuss topics not listed. Members of the public may attend FMAT meetings, or listen to the meetings if they are broadcast, but should not expect to participate in the discussion unless the FMAT chair invites public input during a specified public comment period to be noted at the beginning of the meeting. Work carried out by the FMAT is considered during committee and/or Council meetings, during which public comments are encouraged.

The Northeast Regional Marine Fish Habitat Assessment Offshore Team will meet October 9, 2019, from 9:30am to 5:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Fairfield Inn & Suites New Bedford (West Chop Room) - 185 MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740.

The Northeast Regional Marine Fish Habitat Assessment Inshore Team will meet September 24, 2019, from 9:30am to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the University of Connecticut Avery Point (1084 Shennecossett Rd, Groton, CT 06340). There is parking onsite for a $1 per hour fee – see here: https://park.uconn.edu/avery-point-guest-parking/.

The Council’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel will hold a webinar meeting, jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to review recent operational stock assessment information for scup and black sea bass, and to review the recommendations of the Scientific and Statistical Committee and Monitoring Committee for 2020-2021 specifications for all three species. The advisory panel will also review an analysis of commercial scup discards, and will be asked for input on commercial minimum mesh size requirements.

Webinar Connection

• Webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/fsb-ap-sept-2019/

• Audio: 1-800-832-0736, room number 4472108

Meeting Materials

• Draft Agenda

• SSC and Monitoring Committee Reports

  • September SSC Report

  • Draft Monitoring Committee Catch and Landings Limit Recommendation Tables

• Summer Flounder

  • Staff Memo: 2020 Summer Flounder Specifications Review

  • Summer Flounder 2019 Data Update

• Black Sea Bass

  • Staff Memo: 2020-2021 Black Sea Bass ABC recommendations, revised 9/4/19

  • Supplemental memo on black sea bass 2020-2021 specifications, added 9/11/19 with minor revisions 9/13/19

  • 2019 Operational Assessment and Peer Review Panel Report: Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Scup, revised 9/4/19

• Scup

  • Staff Memo: 2020-2021 Scup Specifications

  • Commercial Fishery Scup Discard Report

  • 2019 Operational Assessment and Peer Review Panel Report: Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Scup, revised 9/4/19

• Commercial Mesh Size Regulations

  • Mesh Size Issues Overview for Monitoring Committee

  • Supplemental: Collaborative Research Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Mesh Size Study Final Report

The Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Advisory Panel will meet on Monday, September 23, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to review and provide input on options for modifying access to the Illex squid fishery as well as for revisions to the MSB Plan Goals/Objectives. The terms of reference for a working group on in-year Illex quota adjustments will also be discussed.

The meeting will be held via webinar with a telephone-only audio connection: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/msb-ap-illex/. Telephone instructions are provided upon connecting, or the public can call direct: 800-832-0736, Rm: *7833942#.

Meeting Materials

• September 12, 2019 Committee Meeting Summary w/ new qualification options

• Staff Memo for September 12, 2019 Committee Meeting

• FMAT Summary (April 2019)

• Magnuson-Stevens Act LAPP Requirements

• Scoping comments and older background materials

The Council’s Bluefish Monitoring Committee will meet via webinar on Wednesday, September 18, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.  The purpose of the meeting is to recommend 2020-2021 annual catch limits, trip limits, discards and other management measures for the bluefish fishery.

Webinar Information

Webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/bf2019mc

Room #: 5068609

Conference #: 1-800-832-0736

Meeting Materials

1. Agenda

2. Bluefish Fishery Information Document

3. Bluefish Fishery Performance Report

4. 2019 Operational Assessment and Peer Review Panel Report

5. Staff Memo to SSC

6. Staff Memo to Monitoring Committee

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia-Airport, 9000 Bartram Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19153; telephone: 215-365-4500.

The purpose of this meeting is to review and provide comments on the Fishery Management Action Team’s recommendations to address potential actions from the Catch Share Program review conducted by Northern Economic, Inc. The input from the Committee on this topic will be presented to the Council’s Executive Committee at the October 2019 Council meeting, when the Council discusses its 2020 Implementation Plan.

In addition, the Committee will also review and provide input on the public hearing comments from the Excessive Shares Amendment. The input from the Committee on this topic will be presented to the Council at its December 2019 Council meeting, when the Council discusses the final action/approval of the Excessive Shares Amendment. An agenda and background documents will be posted on this page prior to the meeting.

Meeting Materials

• Meeting Agenda

Excessive Shares Amendment Public Comments

• Summary/Synthesis of All Comments Received

• Draft Public Hearing Meeting Summaries (4 hearings)

• Written Comments Received as of September 13, 2019

• Additional Written Comments Received

• Public Hearing Presentation

SCOQ FMAT Technical recommendations for Follow on Actions from the Catch Share Program Review

• Actions – Summary Matrix

• Summary of FMAT Meeting

Webinar Details (Listen-Only)

Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/sept17scoqctte/

To join the webinar, go to the link above, select “Enter as Guest,” and type your name in the box. Please note that this is listen-only webinar, meaning that participants must use their computer or the Adobe Connect mobile app to access the meeting. There is no call-in option. In listen-only mode, webinar attendees are not able to provide comments or participate in any way.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Advisory Panel (AP) will meet on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia-Airport, 9000 Bartram Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19153; telephone: 215-365-4500.

The purpose of this meeting is to review and provide comments on the Fishery Management Action Team’s recommendations to address potential actions from the Catch Share Program review conducted by Northern Economic, Inc. The input from the AP on this topic will be presented to the Council’s Executive Committee at the October 2019 Council meeting, when the Council discusses its 2020 Implementation Plan.

In addition, the AP will also review and provide input on the public hearing comments from the Excessive Shares Amendment. The input from the AP on this topic will be presented to the Council at its December 2019 Council meeting, when the Council discusses the final action/approval of the Excessive Shares Amendment. An agenda and background documents will be posted on this page prior to the meeting.

Meeting Materials

• Meeting Agenda

Excessive Shares Amendment Public Comments

• Summary/Synthesis of All Comments Received

• Draft Public Hearing Meeting Summaries (4 hearings)

• Written Comments Received as of September 13, 2019

• Additional Written Comments Received

• Public Hearing Presentation

SCOQ FMAT Technical recommendations for Follow on Actions from the Catch Share Program Review

• Actions – Summary Matrix

• Summary of FMAT Meeting

Webinar Details (Listen-Only)

Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/sept17scoqap/

To join the webinar, go to the link above, select “Enter as Guest,” and type your name in the box. Please note that this is listen-only webinar, meaning that participants must use their computer or the Adobe Connect mobile app to access the meeting. There is no call-in option. In listen-only mode, webinar attendees are not able to provide comments or participate in any way.

The Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will meet via webinar on Monday, September 16 at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to review annual specifications and management measures and make any appropriate recommendations.

The meeting will be held via webinar at the following link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/spinydogmc-2019/. Telephone instructions are provided upon connecting, or call direct: 800-832-0736, Rm: *7833942#. Anyone may also participate in the meeting from the Council office, located at 800 N. State St., Suite 201, Dover, DE  19901; telephone:  (302) 674-2331. Please call the Council at least 24 hours in advance if you wish to attend at the Council office.

The Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Committee will meet via webinar on September 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., to review preliminary options for modifying access to the Illex squid fishery as well as for revisions to the MSB Goals/Objectives. Additional information and webinar details will be posted on this page at a later date.

Webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/illex-com-2019/ Telephone instructions are provided upon connecting, or call direct: 800-832-0736, Rm: *7833942#.

Meeting Materials

• Staff Memo

• FMAT Summary (April 2019)

• Magnuson-Stevens Act LAPP Requirements

• Scoping comments and older background materials

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold four public hearings in August and September 2019 to solicit public input on the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment. The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through September 14, 2019.

The Excessive Shares Amendment considers a variety of approaches to ensure that no individual, corporation, or other entity acquires an excessive share of the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog individual transferrable quota (ITQ) privileges. In addition, this action includes measures to revise the process for specifying multi-year management measures, require periodic review of the excessive share cap level, and allow adjustments to be made under the frameworkable provisions of the FMP. Lastly, this action may also revise the management objectives for the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan.

Additional information is available at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/scoq-excessive-shares-amendment. A public hearing document is available HERE.

Attend a Hearing

Public hearings will be held on the following dates:

1. Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 6:30PM:  The Grand Hotel. 1045 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204; telephone: (609) 884-5611.

2. Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at 6:30PM:  Internet webinar. Connection information to be posted at www.mafmc.org/council-events prior to the meeting.

3. Monday, September 9, 2019 at 6:30PM:  LaQuinta Inns & Suites, 300 S. Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, MD 21801; telephone: (410) 546-4400.

4. Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 6:30PM:  Radisson Hotel Providence Airport. 2081 Post Rd, Warwick, RI 02886; telephone: (401) 739-3000.

Submit Written Comments:

In addition to providing comments at any of the public hearings, you may submit written comments by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on September 14, 2019. Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/scoq-excessive-shares-amendment;

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; or

4. FAX to (302) 674-5399.

Please include “SCOQ Excessive Shares Amendment 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.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold four public hearings in August and September 2019 to solicit public input on the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment. The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through September 14, 2019.

The Excessive Shares Amendment considers a variety of approaches to ensure that no individual, corporation, or other entity acquires an excessive share of the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog individual transferrable quota (ITQ) privileges. In addition, this action includes measures to revise the process for specifying multi-year management measures, require periodic review of the excessive share cap level, and allow adjustments to be made under the frameworkable provisions of the FMP. Lastly, this action may also revise the management objectives for the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan.

Additional information is available at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/scoq-excessive-shares-amendment. A public hearing document is available HERE.

Attend a Hearing

Public hearings will be held on the following dates:

1. Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 6:30PM:  The Grand Hotel. 1045 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204; telephone: (609) 884-5611.

2. Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at 6:30PM:  Internet webinar. Connection information to be posted at www.mafmc.org/council-events prior to the meeting.

3. Monday, September 9, 2019 at 6:30PM:  LaQuinta Inns & Suites, 300 S. Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, MD 21801; telephone: (410) 546-4400.

4. Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 6:30PM:  Radisson Hotel Providence Airport. 2081 Post Rd, Warwick, RI 02886; telephone: (401) 739-3000.

Submit Written Comments:

In addition to providing comments at any of the public hearings, you may submit written comments by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on September 14, 2019. Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:

1. ONLINE at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/scoq-excessive-shares-amendment;

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; or

4. FAX to (302) 674-5399.

Please include “SCOQ Excessive Shares Amendment 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.