The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) have scheduled a series of scoping hearings to gather public input on the range of issues and information to be considered in the Comprehensive Summer Flounder Amendment. Hearings will be held September 29 – October 22 in coastal states from Massachusetts to North Carolina.
Check out the Comprehensive Summer Flounder Amendment Scoping Guide for a short summary of the scoping process.
The amendment will involve a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) related to summer flounder. Specifically, the Council and Commission will consider whether modifications to the FMP’s goals, objectives, and management strategies for summer flounder are needed.
Scoping is the first and best opportunity for members of the public to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered. The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding the range of potential issues to be addressed in the amendment. The Council and Commission are particularly interested in comments on the following topics:
- Fishery management plan goals and objectives
- Quota allocation between the commercial and recreational fisheries
- Commercial management measures and strategies
- Recreational management measures and strategies
- Discards in the commercial and recreational fisheries
- Ecosystem, habitat, bycatch, and protected species issues
- Data collection requirements and protocols
Learn More
- Summer Flounder Amendment Scoping Document - this document contains background information on summer flounder management and on issues that may be addressed in the amendment, as well as a description of the amendment process and timeline.
- Amendment Scoping Guide - this document includes a summary of the information in the scoping document and an overview of the scoping process.
- Summer Flounder Amendment Page - Additional information, updates, and documents will be posted here throughout the amendment development process.
Contacts
Kirby Rootes-Murdy, FMP Coordinator, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Krootes-murdy@asmfc.org, 703.842.0740
Kiley Dancy, FMP Coordinator, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
kdancy@mafmc.org, 302.526.5257
Scoping Schedule
Click on a link for location details and other information.
Written Comments
In addition to providing comments at any of the fourteen scheduled scoping hearings, you may submit written comments by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on October 31, 2014. Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:
ONLINE:
www.mafmc.org/comments/summer-flounder-amendment
EMAIL:
nmfs.gar.FlukeAmendment@noaa.gov
MAIL:
Bob Beal, Executive Director, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1050 North Highland Street, Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA 22201
----OR ----
Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901
Please include “Summer Flounder Amendment Scoping Comments” 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 compiled into a single document for review and consideration by both the Council and Commission. Please do not send separate comments to the Council and Commission.