The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking public input on a proposed amendment to rebuild the Atlantic mackerel stock. Written comments must be received by May 9.
Reminder: Public Comment on Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda to Close Friday, April 22
The deadline for submitting public comment on the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Draft Addenda is this Friday, April 22nd at 11:59 PM.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) are considering changes to the process for setting recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council is considering these changes through a framework action, and the Commission is considering an identical set of options through draft addenda. Collectively, these management actions are referred to as the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/ Draft Addenda. The Council and Commission are scheduled to consider final action during the June 2022 Council Meeting.
Written comments may be submitted through April 22, 2022. Comments should be sent to Dustin Colson Leaning at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Harvest Control Rule).
The Commission’s Draft Document for Public Comment provides detailed information about each option under consideration in the Framework/Draft Addenda. Additionally, an Options Reference Guide has been developed to help stakeholders understanding and compare the proposed management options.
Contact: If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Julia Beaty at jbeaty@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5250.
Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Public Hearings on Atlantic Mackerel Rebuilding Amendment
April 2022 Council Meeting Summary
April 2022 Council Meeting Agenda
Public Hearings Scheduled for Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda
This action considers changes to the process for setting recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Eight virtual public hearings will be held between March 16 and April 13, 2022, and written comments may be submitted through April 22, 2022.
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to Meet March 15-16, 2022
February 2022 Council Meeting Summary
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) met February 8-9, 2022 via webinar. The following summary describes actions taken and issues considered during the meeting. Presentations, briefing materials, motions, and webinar recordings are available at the link below.
Reconsideration of 2022 Black Sea Bass Recreational Management Measures
In December 2021, the Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (Commission’s) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) jointly approved a 28% reduction in coastwide black sea bass harvest compared to the 2018-2021 average. This reduction was deemed necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 recreational harvest limit (RHL). They also jointly agreed to use the conservation equivalency process to waive federal waters measures and allow states to work together as regions to develop measures to collectively reduce harvest to prevent a 2022 RHL overage.
The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Technical Committee (TC) met several times in January 2022 to develop an agreed upon methodology for states to use when developing regional proposals for recreational black sea bass measures. The TC considered methodologies for identifying and smoothing outlier recreational harvest estimates at the state, wave, mode, and year level for 2018-2021. As a result of this analysis, the TC recommended a modified coastwide harvest reduction target of 24% but agreed that reductions ranging from 20.7% to 26.8% could be justified based on its outlier analysis.
During this meeting, the Council and Board reviewed the TC’s recommendations and voted to modify the coastwide reduction target to 20.7%. Under the conservation equivalency process, the Council and Board also approved non-preferred coastwide measures. These measures are intended to be waived in favor of regional measures which would collectively prevent an RHL overage. The Council and Board modified the non-preferred measures to reflect the revised harvest reduction target of 20.7%. The revised non-preferred coastwide measures include a 14-inch minimum size limit, a 5 fish possession limit, and an open season of May 15-October 8. The Council and Board’s December 2021 recommendation for precautionary default measures, consisting of a 16-inch minimum size, a 3 fish possession limit, and an open season of June 24-December 31, remained unchanged. These measures are intended to be implemented in any state or region that does not put forward a proposal that can be approved by the Board through the Commission’s conservation equivalency process.
Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda
The Council and the Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) met to review the range of alternatives in the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Draft Addenda. The goal of this proposed action is to establish a process for setting recreational bag, size, and season limits for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish such that measures aim to prevent overfishing, are reflective of stock status, appropriately account for uncertainty in the recreational data, take into consideration angler preferences, and provide an appropriate level of stability and predictability in changes from year to year. The alternatives under consideration include various methods to allow for greater stability in measures and more explicit consideration of stock status when setting the measures compared to the current process.
The Council and Policy Board requested that the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) provide a qualitative evaluation of the potential effect of each of the five primary alternatives in this proposed action on the SSC’s assessment and application of risk and uncertainty in determining acceptable biological catch levels. The intent is to provide the Council and Policy Board with information to consider the tradeoffs among the different alternatives with respect to the relative risk of overfishing, increasing uncertainty, fishery stability, and the likelihood of reaching or remaining at the target biomass level.
The Policy Board approved its draft addenda for public comment. Public hearings will take place through the Commission process in the coming months. Additional information on hearing dates and locations will be posted on the Council and Commission’s websites once it is available. The Council’s framework action will consider the same range of alternatives as the Commission’s addenda. The Council does not typically hold public hearings for framework actions. Therefore, the Council agreed that additional hearings beyond those planned through the Commission process are not necessary.
Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch
Spencer Talmage (NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office) provided an update on the formation and planned activities of the Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Working Group. Atlantic sturgeon, a slow growing and late maturing species, have been listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) since 2012. On May 27, 2021, NOAA Fisheries released a “batched” biological opinion which considered the effects of several fishery management plans on ESA-listed species. The Biological Opinion specifies a number of requirements necessary to minimize the impacts of any incidental take. These include a requirement that NMFS convene a working group to address Atlantic sturgeon bycatch in the Federal large mesh gillnet fisheries. The group aims to produce a review of available bycatch information relevant to federal large mesh gillnet fisheries and then use this review to develop an action plan to reduce Atlantic sturgeon bycatch in relevant fisheries by 2024. There will be opportunities for public input throughout the process. Members of the Council and public asked questions and provided feedback related to the process and information used. Some voiced concerns over the goal of Action Plan completion in May 2022, stating this may not be realistic.
Other Business
Financial Disclosures: John Almeida (NOAA Office of General Counsel, Northeast) provided a briefing on financial disclosure and recusal requirements.
2022 Meeting Topics: Executive Director, Dr. Chris Moore, provided an overview of planned meeting topics for 2022.
SSC Appointments: The Council approved reappointment of 16 SSC members whose three-year terms will expire in March 2022.
GSCHMA: The Council received an update on a recent leadership discussion regarding the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area.
Offshore Wind: Staff provided updates on recent offshore wind activities. The Council briefly discussed the overlap of the draft Central Atlantic wind energy call areas and the Frank R. Lautenberg Deep Sea Coral Protection Areas. In December 2021, the Council requested that these coral areas be excluded from all stages of wind energy development, including these early planning stages for the Central Atlantic.
NTAP: The Council reviewed a list of new and reappointed members of the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP).
Hudson Canyon: The Council discussed a recent NOAA comment period seeking comments on whether a nomination for Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary should remain in the inventory of potential future marine sanctuaries. This area was added to the inventory in 2017 and is undergoing a five-year review process to determine whether it still meets a set of 11 criteria against which proposals for sanctuaries are evaluated. In 2017, the Council wrote a letter expressing concern about designating of a sanctuary in Hudson Canyon given the inability to guarantee that the Council would retain management authority in the area. The designation process for marine sanctuaries is separate from the nomination process, and designation has not been initiated for the Hudson Canyon area. If designation of this area were considered, the Council would provide comments during this highly participatory process that typically takes 3-5 years.
Next Meeting
The next Council meeting will be held April 5-7, 2021. This will be a hybrid meeting with options to participate virtually or in person in Galloway, New Jersey. A complete list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.
MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Changes to Commercial and Recreational Allocations of Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass
Reminder: MAFMC and ASMFC to Consider Final Action on Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment
Next week, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) will consider final action on the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment during the Council’s December 2021 Council Meeting.
Final action was previously considered in April 2021 but was postponed until December to allow further progress to be made on the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework and Addendum. The purpose of this joint amendment is to consider adjusting the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational fisheries for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Details on the specific alternatives being considered are available in the Decision Document and in the Combined Briefing Materials. Additional background information can be found here.
Meeting Details: This agenda item is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14 (please note that this start time is subject to change). Members of the public are welcome to attend in person at the Westin Annapolis (100 Westgate Circle Annapolis, MD 21401) or online via Webex webinar (Meeting number: 2330 933 4966; Meeting password: ncKMj56xX6p). Please see the December 2021 Meeting Page for additional details, including health and safety precautions. A live stream of the meeting will also be available on our YouTube channel.
Public Comment: Members of the public participating in person and remotely will have opportunities to provide oral comments during the meeting. There is no need to pre-register for public testimony. At the appropriate time, the chairman will provide instructions on how to indicate your desire to speak. You may also submit written comments through the December 2021 Public Comment form or via email to cmoore@mafmc.org. Comments submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 9, will be combined and posted as supplemental materials on the meeting page (please note that comments submitted by December 1 are already included in the briefing materials). After December 9, comments may only be submitted through the comment form (no email).
Questions? For questions about the amendment, contact Kiley Dancy (kdancy@mafmc.org, 302-526-5257) or Dustin Colson Leaning (dleaning@asmfc.org, 703-842-0714). For questions about the meeting or public comment procedures, contact Mary Sabo (msabo@mafmc.org, 302-526-5261).
December 2021 Council Meeting - Quick Links
Reminder: Commercial VTRs Must be Submitted Electronically as eVTRs
On November 10, 2021, NOAA Fisheries implemented a new rule requiring all GARFO-permitted commercial fishing vessels to submit vessel trip reports electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of the trip. This also applies to vessels holding a NEFMC for-hire permit. This does not apply to vessels holding only an American lobster permit.
Paper vessel trip reports packages will no longer be distributed by GARFO.
After November 10, VTRs will only be accepted electronically.
If you have any delinquent VTRs, please mail them as soon as possible for processing before the deadline.
See GARFO’s webpage for more information on the requirements, and use this decision tree to help you decide if you need to use eVTR. Additional resources are available on the Council’s Commercial eVTR page.
How to Report
Vessel operators have several NOAA Fisheries-approved eVTR applications to choose from. Visit the NOAA Fisheries eVTR Software Options page for detailed information about approved applications and other aspects of electronic reporting. NOAA Fisheries has also developed a Decision Tree to help permit holders to determine which reporting applications will best meet their needs. Many commercial operators have chosen the SAFIS eTrips/mobile 2 or the NOAA Fish Online programs.
Frequent Questions: Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting - A series of questions and answers that will help make the transition to electronic Vessel Trip Reporting easier in the Greater Atlantic Region.
Training Opportunities
MAFMC Electronic Reporting Q&A Session - Thursday, November 18, 2021, 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
The Council and GARFO have both hosted eVTR training webinars. Recordings from those webinars are available at the links below.
GARFO Instructional Webinar Series (scroll down to the “Dates” section and click on the Recording links)
Additional eVTR Resources
The pages and videos linked below provide information to help get you started.
General
eVTR Tutorials
eTrips/Mobile 2 Tutorials:
VIDEO: Downloading the Application to your phone - Apple, Android
VIDEO: Entering and submitting a trip on your phone - Apple, Android
NOAA Fish Online Tutorials
Request for Nominations: Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP)
Get Answers to Your eVTR Questions: Council to Host Q&A Session – October 26, 5:00 p.m.
Beginning on November 10, 2021, all commercial vessels with federal permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic or New England Council will be required to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of a trip. Vessel operators have several NOAA Fisheries-approved eVTR applications to choose from. Many commercial operators have chosen the eTrips/mobile 2 or NOAA Fish Online.
In preparation for the upcoming implementation of these new requirements, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold an informal question and answer session on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Participants can join by Webex webinar or call in by phone (details below). Staff from the Mid-Atlantic Council, NOAA/GARFO, and ACCSP will be available to answer your questions about all things related to electronic reporting and using eTrips/mobile 2 or NOAA Fish Online. The webinar will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be open for at least an hour, but staff will remain online longer if needed to address any outstanding questions.
This is a great opportunity to get answers to your questions about using eTrips/mobile 2 or Fish Online. Questions that have been addressed in recent training webinars include:
Can I report the use of different gears or different fishing areas in a single trip?
Can I edit a trip once I have submitted it?
How can I complete my trip if I don’t have WiFi or cellular connection at sea?
Webinar and Call-In Information
Click here to join the webinar (If prompted, enter Meeting number: 2341 450 5348; Meeting password: nKjY7pD6vM2)
To join by phone: Dial 1-844-621-3956 and enter Access Code: 23414505348#
Additional eVTR Resources
Commercial fishermen are encouraged to transition to electronic reporting as soon as possible to allow time for any issues to be addressed before the November 10 implementation date. The pages and videos linked below provide information to help get you started.
General
Past Training Webinars
The Council and GARFO have both hosted training webinars with step-by-step demonstrations of electronic reporting applications. Recordings from those webinars are available at the link below.
GARFO Instructional Webinar Series (scroll down to the “Dates” section and click on the Recording links)
eVTR Tutorials
eTrips/Mobile 2 Tutorials:
NOAA Fish Online Tutorials
East Coast Fishery Management Organizations Invite Stakeholder Input on Climate Change Scenario Planning
*** Please note that this questionnaire has closed ***
To help prepare fisheries for an era of climate change, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is collaborating with other East Coast fishery management organizations on a climate change scenario planning initiative. Scenario planning is a way of exploring how fishery management may need to evolve over the next few decades in response to climate change. Additional details are available in the introductory brochure.
We are currently in the scoping phase of the initiative. During this phase we are gathering stakeholder input on forces of change that could affect East coast fisheries in the future. We are inviting all interested stakeholders to complete a questionnaire about the ways you think climate change and other factors will affect fisheries and management in the future. The questionnaire, available at the link below, contains 12 questions and should take 10-30 minutes to complete. This is a great and easy opportunity to become involved and offer your ideas to help guide the issues that we will explore throughout this initiative.
The link will remain open until September 30, 2021, but we encourage you to submit responses as soon as possible. Additional Information about scenario planning can be found at the links below.
October 2021 Council Meeting Webinar
Council to Host eVTR Training Workshop – September 15, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Beginning on November 10, 2021, all commercial vessels with federal permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic or New England Council will be required to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of a trip. This workshop will include a step by step tutorial of ACCSP’s free software application eTrips Mobile 2.
Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Applicants for Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel Vacancies
Obituary of Dr. James H. "Jim" Gilford, Former Council Member and Chairman
Dr. James "Jim" Harold Gilford, age 92, passed away on Thursday, August 19, 2021. Dr. Gilford served on the Council from 1992 to 2001, including six years as Council Chairman. After his tenure as a Council member, he continued to serve on the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and served as SSC Chair from 2005 to 2008. In 2008, Dr. Gilford was presented with the Council’s Ricks E Savage Award. This award is designed to recognize a person who has added value to the Mid-Atlantic Council's processes and management goals through significant scientific, legislative, enforcement or management activities. Dr. Gilford was recognized for, among other things, his leadership, service, and dedication to the Council while serving as its Chairman.
August 2021 Council Meeting Summary
Council Revises Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Recommendations
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved a 1% increase in New York’s black sea bass commercial allocation, bringing New York’s baseline share of the coastwide quota to 8%, during a meeting last week with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (Commission) Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board). This action modifies the state commercial quota allocations that had been previously approved through the Council’s Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment and the Commission’s Addendum XXXIII to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan.
The Amendment and Addendum, approved in February 2021, address significant changes in the distribution of black sea bass that have occurred since the original allocations were implemented in 2003. Among other things, these actions changed Connecticut’s baseline allocation from 1% to 3% of the coastwide quota to address its disproportionally low allocation compared to the increased availability of black sea bass in state waters. The Amendment and Addendum also added the state-by-state allocations to the federal FMP.
In March, New York appealed the allocation changes approved by the Board in February, arguing that its baseline quota should increase similarly to that of Connecticut as it too had experienced a significant disparity between allocation and the abundance/availability of black sea bass in Long Island Sound, which is shared by New York and Connecticut.
The Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) considered the appeal in May. Finding that it was justified, the Policy Board remanded the section of Addendum XXXIII addressing baseline allocations back to the Board for corrective action to address impacts to New York’s baseline allocation in a manner comparable to the consideration given to Connecticut. Based on the Policy Board’s decision, the Board was required to increase New York’s baseline allocation by up to 2%.
During their June Council Meeting, the Council considered the implications of this decision and agreed to revisit these allocations with the Board, with the goal of maintaining the same final recommendations in the Council’s Amendment and the Commission’s Addendum.
During last week’s meeting, the Council and Board considered various potential increases in New York’s baseline quota. Both management bodies ultimately approved a 1% increase. The Council will forward its revised recommendations to NOAA Fisheries for final approval. A table containing the revised state allocations of the black sea bass commercial quota can be found below.
For more information, visit http://www.mafmc.org/actions/bsb-commercial-allocation or contact Julia Beaty, Fishery Management Specialist, jbeaty@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5250.
*These allocations represent the baseline quota plus the regional biomass distribution based on the results of the 2021 Operational Stock Assessment. These allocations will be updated if future assessments indicate a change to the biomass distribution.