Paperwork Reduction Act Request for Comments: Sea turtles in Virginia pound nets data collection

NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on June 10, 2021 (86 FR 30918) requesting comments on a renewal for collection of information requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This collection of information involves the requirement for Virginia pound net fishermen to report interactions with endangered and threatened sea turtles, found both live and dead, in their pound net operations to NMFS and if necessary, the appropriate rehabilitation and stranding network. The comment period closes August 9, 2021. For additional information please contact Carrie Upite at (978) 282-8475 or email at Carrie.Upite@noaa.gov.

Click here to read the full notice in the federal register.

MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Bluefish Rebuilding Plan and Revised Allocations

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Bluefish Management Board (Board) jointly recommended approval of the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. The Amendment updates the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives, initiates a rebuilding plan, establishes new allocations between the commercial and recreational sectors, implements new commercial allocations to the states, revises the process for quota transfers between sectors, and revises how the management plan accounts for management uncertainty.

The Council and Board initiated the Amendment in December 2017 to consider revisions to the commercial and recreational fisheries allocations and the state-specific commercial allocations. In 2019, an operational stock assessment for bluefish indicated the stock was overfished, and the Council and Board subsequently decided to incorporate the rebuilding plan in the Amendment.

During their joint meeting last week, the Council and Board reviewed a summary of the five virtual hearings and written comments submitted by 378 individuals and organizations, in addition to the recommendations of their joint Advisory Panel.   

After weighing the pros and cons of shorter and longer rebuilding plan timeframes, the Council and Board ultimately selected the rebuilding plan which utilizes a constant fishing mortality approach and is projected to rebuild the stock in 7 years. Rebuilding progress will be analyzed through management track stock assessments every two years. The management track assessment scheduled for later this month will be the first step in informing specifications for the 2022-2023 fishing years.

The revised sector allocations increase the recreational allocation from 83% to 86% of the acceptable biological catch and decrease the commercial allocation from 17% to 14%. The Council and Board used catch data from 1981-2018 as the basis for sector allocations since it more accurately captures the cyclical nature of the fishery, while providing each sector with sufficient access to the resource considering historical usage.

The Council and Board based state commercial allocations on more recent data to improve efficiency within the commercial fishery and better reflect the current distribution of the stock. As such, the Amendment allocates a baseline quota of 0.1% to each state, and then allocates the rest of the commercial quota based on landings data from 2009 to 2018 (see Table 1 below). Recognizing that several states will be losing quota during a time when the coastwide commercial quota is already at an historic low, the Council and Board decided to phase-in the allocation changes over 7 years in order to reduce short-term economic impacts to the affected commercial fishing industry. The Council and Board also committed to reviewing the approved state allocations within 5 years.

Table 1. Revised state allocation percentages of the bluefish commercial quota based on 2009-2018 landings data with a minimum default allocation of 0.1%. Previous allocations are provided for comparison purposes.

Bluefish-state-allocations2.jpg

The Amendment also updates the sector transfer process to allow for quota transfers in either direction between the commercial and recreational sectors. Previously, quota could only be transferred from the recreational sector to the commercial fishery. The transfers will now be capped at 10% of the acceptable biological catch for a given year.

Finally, the Amendment modified the management uncertainty tool within the FMP to a sector-specific approach. It allows the Council and Board to apply a buffer to either sector, in the form of a quota reduction, to account for management uncertainty during specifications. While this tool has not been used often, the modified approach allows managers to better target areas of uncertainty within one sector without reducing the quota or harvest limit in the other sector.

As next steps, the Council will forward its recommended approval of the Amendment to NOAA Fisheries for final consideration and implementation. The Commission will consider final approval of the Amendment at its August meeting.

Additional information about this action is available on the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment page.

For more information, please contact:

  • Matthew Seeley, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, mseeley@mafmc.org, 302-526-5262

  • Dustin Colson Leaning, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, dleaning@asmfc.org, 703-842-0714

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NOAA Fisheries Reminder: Update your Fish Online Account by June 1

The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As part of our conversion to online permitting and eVTR, we are changing the way that vessel owners and operators login to Fish Online starting June 1.

To access Fish Online, instead of entering your permit number and PIN combination, you must now login using your personal Fish Online user account. We made this change to increase your account security and to enable vessel owners to give access, or “entitlements,” to their vessel records to other trusted people while managing multiple vessels in one account. We began implementing this process in 2020 and continue to reach out to vessel owners and operators to provide information and offer technical assistance.

Vessel Owners

Earlier this year, in anticipation of our annual vessel permit renewal season, we mailed instructions to vessel owners on how to update their accounts. Owners must use their user accounts to:

  • Use services such as permit renewals and electronic reporting.

  • Review landings data submitted by operators and dealers.

  • Provide account access to other trusted people.

  • Manage multiple vessels in one account.

If you are a vessel owner and have not yet created your login credentials, we strongly encourage you to do so by going to the How to Create an Account in Fish Online instructions located on our Vessel Trip Reporting web page. These step-by-step directions demonstrate how to create a validated Fish Online account by using either a Credential Security Code (CSC) or by calling our Help Desk.

Vessel Operators

Vessel operators also need a Fish Online account to use any of  GARFO’s eVTR applications and to view their previously submitted eVTRs. Starting last month, we began sending notices to vessel operators and will continue this process throughout the summer. Once vessel operators receive a letter in the mail, if they have not already, they should create their user accounts as soon as possible by going to the How to Create an Account in Fish Online instructions located on our Vessel Trip Reporting web page. These step-by-step directions demonstrate how to create a validated Fish Online account by using either the Credential Security Code (CSC) in the letter we mailed to you or by calling our Help Desk.

Questions?

For assistance with obtaining your CSC code, entitling vessels, or creating your Fish Online user account:

  • Call our Vessel Reporting Help Desk at 978 -281-9188 from the phone number listed on your vessel permit. This is needed to verify your identity.

  • Contact your local Port Agent.

MAFMC Job Announcement: Administrative Support Specialist

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), headquartered in Dover, Delaware, is seeking applicants for an Administrative Support Specialist position. The Council is responsible for the conservation and management of fisheries within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off the coast of the Mid-Atlantic region (North Carolina to New York). Additional information about the Council is available at www.mafmc.org.

Position: Administrative Support Specialist

Date Posted: April 26, 2021

Closing Date:  May 14, 2021

Location: Dover, Delaware

Salary Range: $41,000 - $52,000 annually

Position Summary

The Administrative Support Specialist is a full-time position reporting directly to the Executive Director. This position provides administrative support to the Council staff to ensure accurate and timely workflow, and efficient and effective office operations. Individuals skilled in a Microsoft program environment with experience in information organization and database management preferred. Strong interpersonal, organizational, and writing skills are desired.

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Duties

  • Answer phones and route calls to the appropriate staff member.

  • Collect and distribute incoming mail and send outgoing mail.

  • Manage office supply inventory and place orders as needed.

  • Ensure functionality of office equipment, coordinate all equipment maintenance, and requisition new equipment as needed.

  • Coordinate the maintenance of Council vehicles.

  • Maintain Council files, both electronic and paper, in an organized manner and in accordance with federal guidelines.

  • Respond to public requests for information.

  • Maintain contact databases and email distribution lists.

  • Prepare and distribute official correspondence.

  • Maintain organization templates and update as needed.

  • Assist in the preparation of annual progress reports.

  • Maintain an office calendar, and schedule meetings and appointments as requested.

Meeting Planning and Coordination

This position has overall responsibility for planning and organizing logistics for six Council meetings per year plus numerous committee and advisory body meetings and public hearings. Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Schedule and identify locations for future Council meetings (typically 1-2 years in advance) and other meetings as requested.

  • Secure meeting space and lodging for participants, ensuring that meeting venues have the appropriate technology capabilities and can meet the needs of the meeting being planned.

  • Prepare and submit Federal Register notices for all scheduled meetings within the required timeframes.

  • Prepare travel authorizations and distribute travel vouchers to meeting participants.

  • Coordinate travel arrangements as requested.

  • Communicate effectively with staff, Council members, other meeting participants, ensuring that meeting information is accurate and provided in a timely manner.

  • Attend all Council meetings (6 per year, 3-4 days each, in locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region), and other meetings as assigned.

  • Oversee all aspects of Council meeting planning, execution, and follow-up. Specific tasks (in addition to those described above) include drafting and distributing meeting agendas, compiling and distributing printed and electronic briefing materials, planning hospitality events, coordinating with meeting presenters and speakers, transporting and setting up AV equipment (microphones, speakers, projectors, etc.), setting up and monitoring the webinar broadcast throughout the meeting, troubleshooting IT issues as needed, providing on-site coordination with facility staff, creating and editing meeting recordings, assisting with the compilation of follow-up reports, and ensuring that all meeting records are organized and stored in an appropriate manner.

Staff Support

  • Assist with the preparation, proofreading, and formatting of documents and reports.

  • Assist with tasks such as sending email communications to stakeholder lists and making minor website updates, ensuring attention to detail and overall quality.

  • Assist with the collection and organization of public comments.

  • Provide assistance to the Financial Officer, as needed.

  • Other tasks as assigned.

Travel Requirements

Duties require overnight travel to locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region (North Carolina to New York), usually 3-4 days every two months.

Minimum Requirements

  • Education: An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree (preferred) in a relevant field.

  • Experience: At least three years’ experience in a professional administrative role.

  • Other: Must have a valid driver’s license at time of hiring and for continued employment.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate:

  • Enjoys interacting with the public and has a positive/outgoing work attitude.

  • Has excellent written and verbal communication skills.

  • Is able to work independently and prioritize and execute multiple tasks at once to meet organizational needs.

  • Is reliable, detail oriented, and organized.

  • Has excellent computer skills and strong working knowledge of PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook.

  • Has knowledge of basic bookkeeping and associated software (e.g., QuickBooks).

  • Is able to take in complex information and directions and apply them effectively to work tasks.

  • Has a proven ability to maintain high productivity and communicate effectively with a team.

Though not required, the following qualifications are helpful/preferred:

  • Experience with meeting or event planning.

  • Experience with setting up and operating audio/visual equipment.

  • Knowledge of the Council's activities, functions and responsibilities.

Compensation/Location

The starting salary range for this position is $41,000 - $52,000 depending on prior experience. The Council offers a comprehensive benefits package including health and dental insurance, life insurance, annual (vacation) and sick leave, and a 401K retirement program.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter and résumé detailing relevant experience, training, and education that clearly support the position requirements. Please also provide contact information for three references. Please submit these materials to Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director, by email (cmoore@mafmc.org).  Applications must be received no later than May 14, 2021.

Terms of Employment

Upon hiring, the selected applicant will enter an initial probationary period of one year during which his or her performance will be evaluated by the Executive Director. Unsatisfactory performance, and/or failure to demonstrate the skills required for this position, may result in termination of employment at the end of the probationary period.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, reprisal, sex, sexual orientation, status as parent, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws (50 CFR 600.120). Council staff positions are filled solely on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications.

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ASMFC Seeks Proposals to Conduct Components of the At-Sea Monitoring Training Program

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to conduct components of the At-Sea Monitoring (ASM) Training Program for the NEFSC.

NMFS is required to collect biological and compliance data aboard U.S. domestic fishing vessels, data which cannot be obtained at the dock or on research vessels. Specifically, NMFS observer data is essential to reliably estimating catch and bycatch, and in helping to implement programs to reduce bycatch. A sharp increase to the coverage rate (up to 100%) for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery in Fishing Year 2022 and observer attrition during the 2020 fishing year have resulted in the need for approximately 140 new at-sea monitors.

The Awardee shall provide and retain the necessary qualified personnel, materials, equipment, services, and facilities to conduct components of the ASM training for NEFSC. The Awardee shall conduct approximately 4-6 trainings per year. The training will be conducted as a collaborative effort between NMFS and the Awardee; where some components of the training will be conducted by the Awardee and some training components will be conducted by NMFS.

Applicants seeking to apply to the RFP must submit, as a single file, an electronic proposal by email no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on May 19, 2021. Please see the RFP for complete proposal details, qualifying requirements, and submission instructions. The RFP is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/RFPs/AtSeaMonitorTrainingRFP_April2021.pdf.

For more information, please contact Deke Tompkins at dtompkins@asmfc.org or 313.303.2623.

Council to Hold Virtual Summer Flounder Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) Workshops

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold three virtual regional public workshops to solicit input on future management of the recreational summer flounder fishery. These workshops are part of the Council’s development of a management strategy evaluation (MSE) which will evaluate different management strategies designed to minimize discards in the recreational summer flounder fishery. Input provided during the workshops will build on the 800+ comments and suggestions that were submitted through a public comment form earlier this year. More information about this project can be found on the Summer Flounder Management Strategy Evaluation page.

During the workshops, participants will listen to a series of short background presentations and then provide input and feedback regarding summer flounder discard concerns, potential management objectives to address these concerns, and performance metrics and strategies to achieve these objectives. 

Workshop Schedule and Registration

The dates and times of the three virtual workshops are listed below. Individuals are encouraged to participate in the workshop for their region; however, all workshops are open to all individuals. Participants will first need to register for the workshop(s) in which they plan to attend. To help plan and organize the workshops, interested participants are encouraged to register at least 24 hours prior to a scheduled workshop.

  1. Massachusetts through Connecticut: Monday, March 29, 2021; 5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

    Register for the MA-CT Workshop

  2. New York through Delaware: Wednesday, March 31, 2021; 5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

    Register for the NY-DE Workshop

  3. Maryland through North Carolina: Monday, April 5, 2021; 5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

    Register for the MD-NC Workshop

Workshops will be held via Webex, which can be accessed using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Participants can also join and participate in the workshop with a phone-only connection; however, you will not be able to see any presentations or other materials shared on the webinar.  Once registered, you will receive an email from Webex with the webinar information including the webinar link, telephone number and access code, and a calendar invite.

Questions? Contact Brandon Muffley, bmuffley@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5260