NOAA Fisheries has scheduled an additional listening session for stakeholders to provide comments on Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOA). The listening session session will be held December 3, 2020 from 12:00-2:00 ET.
NOAA Fisheries Announces Commercial Blueline Tilefish Fishery Closure
Proposed 2021 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Specifications
Comments on the proposed rule are due December 2, 2020.
Mid-Atlantic Council to Meet by Webinar December 14-17, 2020
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Monday, December 14 through Thursday, December 17, 2020. This meeting will be conducted by webinar. Additional information is available on the meeting webpage.
NOAA Fisheries Announces Proposed Adjustments to the Council’s Risk Policy
NOAA Fisheries to Require Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting for Mid-Atlantic and New England Commercial Vessels
Reminder: Submit Comments on the Draft Addendum XXXIII/Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment
Black Sea Bass Sensitive to Ocean Noise in Wind Energy Development Areas
October 2020 Council Meeting Summary
NEFSC Soliciting Butterfish and Illex Stock Assessment Working Group Members
Fishermen, Dealers, Processors - Join USITC Roundtable on Impacts of Imports and Illegal Fishing
October 2020 Council Meeting Agenda and Briefing Materials
ASMFC and MAFMC Schedule Public Hearings on Draft Addendum XXXIII/Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment
NOAA Fisheries Announces Illex Squid Directed Fishery Closure
Mid-Atlantic Council Announces New Mobile App for Recreational Tilefish Reporting
August 2020 Council Meeting Summary
Mid-Atlantic Council Submits Comments to GARFO and NEFSC Regarding Redeployment of Observers in the Northeast
Read the letter here
NOAA Fisheries Proposes Amendment 21 to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, the Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment
NOAA Fisheries has published a proposed rule for the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Summer Flounder Commercial Issues and Goals and Objectives Amendment (Amendment 21 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan). This amendment proposes revisions to the summer flounder commercial state quota allocation percentages and the fishery management plan goals and objectives. Amendment 21 is intended to increase equity in state allocations when annual coastwide commercial quotas are at or above historical averages, while recognizing the economic reliance coastal communities have on the state allocation percentages currently in place.
Supporting Documents
Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (May 2020)
Amendment action page (background information and documents)
Questions?
Industry: Contact Emily Keiley, NOAA Fisheries Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9116
Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Office, 978-281-9103
NOAA Fisheries Announces Increase to the Illex Squid Annual Quota
August 3, 2020 - The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries announces an increase to the 2020 acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the Illex squid fishery from 26,000 mt to 30,000 mt. This quota increase was recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council based on preliminary work by its Illex Squid Working Group, which concluded that the species continues to be lightly exploited and the fishery footprint is small. The Illex squid fishery has closed each summer in 2017, 2018, and 2019. This increase will enable full utilization of the available resource. This rule is effective on August 4, 2020.
For more details, please read the rule as filed in the Federal Register, and our permit holder bulletin.