Consistent with the agency's emergency rule on observer waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic and under the authority granted to the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator at 50 CFR Part 648.11(c), NOAA Fisheries is extending the waiver granted to vessels with Greater Atlantic Region fishing permits to carry human observers or at-sea monitors for an additional two weeks, through May 2, 2020.
Recreational Tilefish Anglers: Learn How to Obtain a Permit and Report Your Catch
Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Scoping Hearings for Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment
Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold two scoping webinars to gather public input on a management action to consider potential modifications to the allocations of the black sea bass commercial quota among the states of Maine through North Carolina. Scoping webinars will be held on Monday, May 11 and Thursday, May 14, 2020. Written comments will be accepted through May 31, 2020.
The Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) jointly manage black sea bass from Maine through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The Council develops regulations for federal waters while the Commission develops regulations for state waters. The black sea bass commercial quota is managed on a coastwide basis in federal waters. In state waters, it is allocated among the states of Maine through North Carolina using percentages loosely based on historical landings from 1980-2001. Under the current allocations, 67% of the annual coastwide quota is divided among the states of New Jersey through North Carolina, and 33% is divided among the states of New York through Maine.
The most recent black sea bass stock assessment shows that spawning stock biomass in the northern region (approximately Maine through Hudson Canyon) has greatly increased since 2002, when the state allocations were first approved, while the amount of biomass in the southern region (approximately south of Hudson Canyon through Cape Hatteras) has not experienced significant change. Some northern region states have noted that changes in availability and distribution have made it increasingly difficult to constrain landings to their current allocations. The Council and Commission initiated this action to consider whether changes should be made to the state allocations and whether these allocations should be managed under both the Commission and Council Fishery Management Plans (FMPs), rather than only under the Commission’s FMP as is currently the case.
The scoping period is an important opportunity for members of the public to provide input on the range of management alternatives that should be considered in this action. Scoping comments will help the Council and Commission ensure that public concerns are addressed in a thorough and appropriate manner. An additional public comment period will be held later in 2020 to solicit input on preferred alternatives.
Hearing Schedule
Both scoping hearings will be conducted by webinar.
Monday May 11, 2020, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
Thursday May 14, 2020, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm EDT
To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/bsb-com-allocation-scoping/. Telephone connection instructions appear upon connecting, or you can call 800-832-0736 and enter room number 5068871#. You must call by phone to ask questions and provide comments.
Written Comments
In addition to providing comments at either of the scoping hearing webinars, you may submit written comments by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday May 31, 2020. Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:
ONLINE: http://www.mafmc.org/comments/bsb-com-allocation-amendment
EMAIL: jbeaty@mafmc.org
MAIL: Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
800 North State Street, Suite 201
Dover, DE 19901FAX: 302.674.5399
Please include "Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Amendment" in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments. All comments, regardless of submission method, will be shared with the Commission and Council and will be made publicly available on their respective websites. It is not necessary to submit the same comments to both the Council and Commission or through multiple channels.
Learn More
For additional information and updates on development of this action, please visit http://www.mafmc.org/actions/bsb-commercial-allocation. The scoping document contains background information and details on potential management approaches. A recorded scoping presentation can be viewed here.
Contact
Please direct any questions about the amendment to Julia Beaty, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, at jbeaty@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5250.
Northeast Observer Waiver Extended Through April 18
April 2, 2020 - The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Consistent with the agency's emergency rule on observer waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic and under the authority granted to the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator at 50 CFR 648.11(c), NOAA Fisheries is extending the waiver granted to vessels with Greater Atlantic Region fishing permits to carry human observers or at-sea monitors for an additional two weeks, through April 18, 2020. We will continue to evaluate the need for further extensions of this waiver on a weekly basis.
Additional details are available here.
New Paper Synthesizes Current Knowledge on the Role of Sand Lances in the Northwest Atlantic ecosystem
A paper published this week in the journal Fish and Fisheries synthesizes current knowledge on the role of sand lances in the Northwest Atlantic ecosystem and describes implications for conservation and management. Sand lances are sometimes referred to as “quintessential forage fish” and are important prey for a variety of fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Sand lances are among the more than 50 previously unmanaged taxa included in the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment. This amendment implemented the first commercial possession limit for sand lance, and many other previously unmanaged forage species, in Mid-Atlantic federal waters. The paper, linked below, highlights the work of the Mid-Atlantic Council to protect these important species.
Press release from the University of Massachusetts Amherst: At the Base of the Food Chain, a Small Fish Should Command Greater Notice, Researchers Say
Mid-Atlantic Council Solicits Public Input on MSB FMP Goals/Objectives and Illex Permits Amendment
April 2020 Council Meeting Webinar
Due to public health concerns related to the spread of COVID-19, the April Council Meeting will be conducted by webinar only. Additional details and webinar connection information are available here.
2020-2021 Sea Scallop and Monkfish Research Set-Aside Projects Selected
14 Projects Selected for 2020-21 Research Set-Aside Support
NOAA Fisheries has selected 12 sea scallop and 2 monkfish projects for 2020-2021 awards through two research set-aside (RSA) programs. The New England Fishery Management Council established the Sea Scallop RSA Program and the Monkfish RSA Program to address research questions that support management of commercial fisheries for these species. Projects will investigate scallop and monkfish research priorities to improve our knowledge and management of these species. For more information on these awards and the programs, please visit this page
Questions?
Ryan Silva, RSA Liaison, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 978-281-9326
Media: Teri Frady, Research Communications, 508-495-2239
April 2020 Council Meeting Agenda
The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's meeting to be held April 7-9, 2020. The meeting will be held at Seaview, a Dolce Hotel (401 S. New York Rd, Galloway, NJ 08205, Telephone: 609-652-1800).
Meeting Materials: Briefing documents will be posted at http://ww.mafmc.org/briefing/april-2020 as they become available.
Public Comments: Written comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on March 25, 2020 to be included in the briefing book. Comments received after this date but before 5:00 p.m. on April 2, 2020 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/april2020.
Agenda: View the meeting agenda here.
NOAA Fisheries Proposes Atlantic Chub Mackerel Measures
NOAA Fisheries has announced proposed measures adopted by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council as part of Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan to manage chub mackerel.
Because a directed fishery for Atlantic chub mackerel recently emerged in the Mid-Atlantic, in 2017 the Mid-Atlantic Council implemented initial measures to maintain existing catch levels while it developed a long-term management approach. In the intervening three years, the Council has collected more detailed information on chub mackerel and has developed management measures to help achieve and maintain the sustainability of the chub mackerel resource.
This action would designate essential fish habitat; set catch limits for 2020-2022; and implement an annual catch limit, accountability measures, possession limits, permitting and reporting requirements, and other administrative measures for Atlantic chub mackerel caught from Maine through North Carolina.
Proposed 2020 and Projected 2021-2022 Atlantic Chub Mackerel Specifications
For more details, please read the rule as published in the Federal Register. Supporting analysis for this rule is available on the Council’s website.
The comments due date is April 8, 2020. To submit comments, please use the Federal e-rulemaking portal, or send comments by regular mail to Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA, 01930. Please mark the outside of the envelope, "Comments on the Comments on Chub Mackerel Proposed Rule."
Questions?
Fishermen: Contact Doug Christel, Regional Office, 978-281-9141
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175
Reminder: Scoping Comment Deadlines for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment and Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment
MACAN Webinar: Perspectives from Commercial Shellfish Industry Members
March 10-11 SSC Meeting Materials Now Available
February 2020 Council Meeting Summary
NOAA Fisheries Announces Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Quotas for 2020
February 26, 2020 - The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries announces 2020 fishing year quotas in the Atlantic mackerel, longfin squid, Illex squid, and butterfish fisheries, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action maintains previously approved catch levels for 2020 for Illex squid, longfin squid, and butterfish, rolls over the 2019 catch level to 2020 for Atlantic mackerel, removes the initial 89 mt river herring and shad catch cap, maintains the 129 mt river herring and shad catch cap, and makes other minor adjustments to the management plan.
For more details, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.
Questions?
Fishermen: Contact Aly Pitts, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9352
Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175
SAFMC to Host Dolphin and Wahoo Participatory Workshops
NC Sea Grant Offers Fisheries Science Course
NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Measures for Private Recreational Tilefish Vessels
MAFMC and NEFMC Approve Omnibus Commercial eVTR Framework
The New England Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council have taken final action on an omnibus framework adjustment that will require commercial fishermen to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically as eVTRs instead of on paper for all species managed by both Councils.
