On Sept. 27, 2923, from 2:00 – 3:00pm eastern time, NOAA Fisheries will conduct a public webinar to provide information on the agency’s development of a procedural directive to guide the agency in future application of section 304(f) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).  The deadline for submission of feedback on this project is COB November 17, 2023.

Webinar Registration

Please register in advance for this webinar.  Once you are registered, the URL and password will be sent to you by email.

Background

In anticipation of an increasing number of fish stocks shifting in geographic distribution, new fisheries emerging, and other demographic shifts in fisheries, NOAA Fisheries has identified a need to set forth a consistent and transparent plan for identifying the geographic scope of fisheries and determining which Regional Fishery Management Council(s) (Council) will be responsible for fisheries that extend or have moved beyond the geographical area of authority of any one Council, including those that move, across Council boundaries.  The draft procedural directive is available here:  Draft Procedural Directive on 304(f).

Submit Comments

NOAA Fisheries will accept public input during the webinar and will also accept written feedback submitted prior to COB November 17, 2023.  NOAA Fisheries does not plan to develop formal responses to comments.  Written comments may be submitted to Marian.Macpherson@noaa.gov.

Mid-Atlantic Council Comments on the Draft Policy

Given the Mid-Atlantic Council’s shared regional boundaries with two other East coast Councils, as well as the number of Mid-Atlantic stocks that extend beyond the Council region boundaries, this procedural directive has the potential to directly impact a number of Mid-Atlantic Council fishery management plans. The Mid-Atlantic Council is currently developing comments on the draft policy. Learn more here.