February 2024 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Tuesday, February 6 – Wednesday, February 7, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia.

• Meeting Motions

• Meeting Summary

Recordings

• February 6, 2024 (AM)  – SC/OQ Species Separation Requirements Amendment

• February 6, 2024 (PM)  – Business Session, Briefing Book Tutorial, Legal Review/Financial Disclosure & Recusal Training

• February 7, 2024 (AM)  – Offshore Wind Updates, Black Sea Bass Assessment Overview

• February 7, 2024 (PM)  – Sturgeon Bycatch Framework, Industry Based Survey White Paper, Awards

Agenda and Briefing Materials

• Agenda

• Status Updates

• Combined Briefing Book

Tuesday, February 6th

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment - Review and approve Public Hearing Document

• Briefing Materials (Tab 1)

• Supplemental: Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee and Advisory Panel Meeting Summary (2/5/24)

• Presentation

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ---------- LUNCH ----------

1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Business Session

• Executive Director’s Report (Tab 2)

  • Supplemental: IRA Project Proposals

  • Presentation - Tilefish Outreach

• Organization Reports:

  • NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office - Status of Actions Report

  • NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center

  • NOAA Office of General Counsel

  • NOAA Office of Law Enforcement

  • US Coast Guard

• Liaison Reports (Tab 3)

• Other Business and General Public Comment

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.  Briefing Book Tutorial

4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Legal Review, Financial Disclosure and Recusal Training – John Almeida, NOAA Fisheries General Counsel

• Briefing Materials (Tab 4)

• Presentation

Wednesday, February 7th

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Offshore Wind Updates

• Briefing Materials (Tab 5)

• Supplemental:

  • Community Offshore Wind Fact Sheets

  • Leading Light Wind Update

  • Bluepoint Wind Update

  • Approval of NEFMC HAPC in Southern New England Wind Lease Areas

• Presentations:

  • BOEM Activity Update

  • Establishing a Fisheries Fund Regional Administrator

  • Vineyard Wind

  • Kitty Hawk Wind

  • Community Offshore Wind

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Black Sea Bass Assessment Overview
Larry Alade, Kiersten Curti, NEFSC

• Briefing Materials (Tab 6)

• Presentation

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ---------- LUNCH ----------

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sturgeon Framework

• Briefing Materials (Tab 7)

• Presentation

• Supplemental

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) White Paper “Draft Proposed Plan for a Novel Industry Based Multispecies Bottom Trawl Survey on the Northeast US Continental Shelf”
Dr. Kathryn Ford, NEFSC

• Briefing Materials (Tab 8)

• Presentation

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Awards Presentation

• Briefing Materials (Tab 9)