April 2024 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Tuesday, April 9 – Thursday, 11, 2024 at The Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Recordings

  • April 9, 2024 - MSA Confidentiality Proposed Rule, Offshore Wind Compensation, State of the Ecosystem Report, EAFM Risk Assessment, Habitat Updates

  • April 10, 2024 (AM) - Dogfish/Monkfish Sturgeon Bycatch Framework, Industry Based Survey Update

  • April 10, 2024 (PM) - Golden Tilefish Catch Share Program Review, Golden Tilefish Research Track Assessment Overview, Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy Construction Sounds on Longfin Squid and Black Sea Bass, Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Exemptions Framework

  • April 11, 2024 - Business Session

Agenda and Briefing Materials

Tuesday, April 9th

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Proposed Rule to Update Regulations Associated with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act’s Confidentiality Requirements – NOAA Fisheries HQ Staff

1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Offshore Wind Fisheries Compensation Programs

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 2024 State of the Ecosystem Report – Dr. Sarah Gaichas, NEFSC

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  2024 Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Risk Assessment Report

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Habitat Activities Update – Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division

Wednesday, April 10th  

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Joint MAFMC/NEFMC Framework to Reduce Atlantic Sturgeon Interactions in the Monkfish/Dogfish Gillnet Fisheries: Final action

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. NTAP Progress Report for Industry-Based Survey Pilot Program

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

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Golden Tilefish Catch Share Program Review

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Golden Tilefish Research Track Assessment Overview

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy Construction Sounds on Behavior of Longfin Squid and Black Sea Bass – Aran Mooney, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Exemptions Framework Meeting #1 (with ASMFC SFSBSB Board)

Thursday, April 11th   

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Business Session

February 2023 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Tuesday, February 7 – Thursday, February 9, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Meeting Recordings

View the complete playlist of meeting recordings here.

Agenda and Briefing Materials

Executive Committee Meeting (Closed Session)

NOAA Fisheries Overview

(Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator, NOAA Fisheries)

Monkfish Framework Adjustment 13 & Research Set-Aside Priorities

(Dr. Rachel Feeney, New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC))

Squid Squad Update

(Kim Hyde, Anna Mercer, and Sarah Salois - Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC))

Illex Permit Action Follow-Up

Lessons Learned – Piloting an Automatic Jigging Machine in Southern New England Squid Fisheries (Longfin)

(Dr. David Bethoney, Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation)

Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Update

(Randy Blankinship, Chief, Atlantic HMS Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NOAA Fisheries)

Bluefish and Spiny Dogfish Research Track Assessments

(Russ Brown, Supervisory Research Fishery Biologist, NEFSC, NOAA Fisheries)

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team

(Coleen Coogan, Protected Resources, NOAA Fisheries)

Financial Disclosure and Recusal Presentation

(John Almeida, General Counsel, NOAA Fisheries)

-------- Lunch 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. --------

Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Industry Presentation

(Roger Mann, Virginia Institute of Marine Science Site Director for SCEMFIS)

Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment

NEFSC Cost Survey for Commercial Fishing Businesses Presentation

(Samantha Werner, Economist, NOAA Fisheries)

Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) Overview

(Lauren O’Brien, Senior Program Manager, Marine Resource Education Program, Gulf of Maine Research Institute)

Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) Presentation

Business Session

December 2022 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Monday, December 12, 2022 – Thursday, December 15, 2022 in Annapolis, Maryland. Portions of the meeting were conducted jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and Interstate Fishery Management Program Policy Board.

Meeting Recordings

View the complete playlist of meeting recordings here.

Briefing Materials

Executive Committee (Closed Session)

Ricks E Savage Award Nominations

Habitat Activities Update

Presentation from Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division

Offshore Wind Updates

Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment - Final Action

Harvest Control Rule Framework / Addendum Percent Change Approach and Recreational Fishery Models

Joint Meeting with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass 2023 Recreational Measures

Joint Meeting with the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

Scup

Black Sea Bass

Summer Flounder

Supplemental Materials for all Three Species

Previously Initiated Recreational Reform Actions

Joint Meeting with ASMFC Interstate Fishery Management Program Policy Board

Climate Change Scenario Planning: Review Final Scenarios and Discuss Applications

Monkfish Framework 13: 2023-2025 Specifications and Management Measures

Protected Resources Updates

2023 Implementation Plan

Proposed Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary

NMSA Section 304(a)(5) consultation

Business Session

October 2022 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Tuesday, October 4, 2022 – Thursday, October 6, 2022 in Dewey Beach, DE.

Meeting Recordings

View the complete playlist of meeting recordings here.

Agenda Overview and Briefing Materials

Executive Committee – 2023 Implementation Plan (Open Session)

Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment

Approve Draft Amendment for Public Hearings

Review Excessive Shares Amendment Proposed Rule

Robert’s Rules of Order Overview

Collette Collier Trohan, A Great Meeting, Inc.

Essential Fish Habitat Amendment

Review NRHA products and consider initiating omnibus amendment

NOAA Fisheries Draft Ropeless Roadmap Report

NEFSC Fishery Monitoring and Research Division Update

NOAA’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy

Private Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting Update

Climate Change Scenario Planning Update

Spiny Dogfish 2023 Specifications

Joint Council and SSC Meeting

Business Session

August 2022 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Monday, August 8, 2022 – Thursday, August 11, 2022 at The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. This was conducted as a hybrid meeting, with in-person and virtual participation options.

Agenda Overview and Briefing Materials

Bluefish 2023 Specifications

Board Only - ASMFC Bluefish FMP Review

EAFM Recreational Summer Flounder Management Strategy Evaluation

Summer Flounder 2023 Specifications

Scup 2023 Specifications

Black Sea Bass 2023 Specifications

Board Only: ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP Review

BOEM Guidance for Mitigating Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy Projects on Commercial and Recreational Fisheries

Community Offshore Wind Project (lease OCS-A-0539 off New Jersey)

East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning

Ecosystem and Ocean Planning (EOP) Committee Report - Hudson Canyon Marine Sanctuary Proposal

Update on New England Fishery Management Council Activities Affecting Mid-Atlantic

Butterfish 2023 – 2024 Specifications

Report on Illex Squid Research Track Assessment Process

Illex Preliminary 2023 Specifications

Update on Illex Permit Amendment (Amendment 22 to the Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish FMP)

Business Session

This meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 USC 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

June 2022 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Tuesday, June 7 – Thursday, June 9, 2022 in Riverhead, New York.

Agenda Overview and Briefing Materials

Update on Northeast Regional Habitat Assessment products

MAFMC Aquaculture Policy

New Jersey Ocean Acidification Monitoring Network

Dr. Grace Saba, Rutgers University

2023 Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Specifications (Review)

Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy Presentation

Sharon Benjamin, NOAA Fisheries

Summer Flounder Management Strategy Evaluation Update

Dr. Gavin Fay, UMass Dartmouth, and Dr. Lou Carr-Harris, NEFSC

Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework / Addenda

Council Meeting with the ASMFC ISFMP Policy Board

Mackerel Rebuilding 2.0 Amendment

2023 Longfin Squid Specifications (Review)

2023 – 2025 Chub Mackerel Specifications

Unmanaged Commercial Landings Report

NEFSC Shad and River Herring Update

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Phase II

Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Draft Action Plan

Research Set-Aside Program Redevelopment

Business Session

 

May 5, 2022 (Meeting with ASMFC Policy Board)

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board on Thursday May 5, 2022, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to receive a progress update on the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda. This is an ASMFC-hosted meeting and will be conducted in a hybrid format, with options for both in person and webinar participation. Webinar connection instructions and hybrid meeting details are provided on the ASMFC Spring 2022 Meeting page. The meeting will be held at the Westin Crystal City, 1800 S. Eads Street, Arlington, VA 22202.

August 4, 2021 (Meeting with ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Board)

The Council will meet via webinar with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder Scup, Black Sea Bass Management Board on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Additional details may be available on the ASMFC 2021 Summer Meeting page.

Webinar

Please note that this meeting will be hosted by the ASMFC using GoToWebinar.

Register for the Webinar 

(Webinar ID: 606-517-315)

If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you can may also call in at 415.655.0052. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar; see webinar instructions for details on how to receive the PIN. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, you can do so by dialing 415.655.0052 (access code: 904-450-431). If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Agenda - Wednesday, August 4, 2021

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board with Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)

  • Consider ISFMP Policy Board Directive for Changes to Addendum XXXIII: Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Final Action

  • Board Only: Consider Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance for the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass for the 2020 Fishing Year (D. Colson Leaning/S. Lewis) Action

  • Other Business/Adjourn

Briefing Materials