The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, April 7 – Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the Westin New York Grand Central (212 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017; 212-490-8900) with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.
Webinar Information
Coming soon
LIVE STREAM: To listen to the meeting without joining the webinar, check out the Council meeting live stream on YouTube.
Public Comment
Public comments will be accepted from in-person and remote participants on all major agenda items. Written comments can be submitted through the comment portal linked below or by email to cmoore@mafmc.org. Comments received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, will be included in the relevant briefing tab. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026, will be posted as supplemental materials. After the supplemental comment deadline, comments may only be submitted via the comment form (no email).
Comment form - coming soon
Agenda and Briefing Materials
Briefing tabs will be posted on March 27. Supplemental materials will be added as they become available.
Tuesday, April 7th
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment
Review public input obtained during comment period
Review recommendations from Fishery Management Action Team (FMAT), Ecosystem and Ocean Planning (EOP) Committee and Advisory Panel, and staff
Consider final action and submission to NOAA Fisheries
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Habitat Activities Update – Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division (HESD)
Presentation on activities of interest in the region
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sturgeon Project Update – Dewayne Fox, Delaware State University
Review preliminary results of project comparing catch rates of dogfishes and Atlantic Sturgeon in standard low-profile gillnets
Wednesday, April 8th
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Scup Winter I Quota Period Landings Threshold Analysis
Review and consider potential management action
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Multi-Year Specifications
Review staff memo and consider initiating an omnibus management action
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ---------- LUNCH ----------
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting Framework
Review public comments and Tilefish Committee recommendations
Select preferred alternatives and take final action
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program Scoping for Monkfish and/or Skate Wings – Jennifer Couture, NEFMC
Review and approve scoping document
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Spiny Dogfish Ageing Project Summary – Madison Philipp and Dr. Michelle Passerotti, NOAA Fisheries
Review results of project to improve dogfish ageing
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Council Award Presentation
Presentation of the 2025 Ricks E Savage Award
Thursday, April 9th
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Business Session
Committee Reports:
Scientific and Statistical Committee
Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP)
Executive Director’s Report – Dr. Chris Moore
Organization Reports:
NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Office of General Counsel, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, US Coast Guard
Liaison Reports: New England Council, South Atlantic Council
Other Business and General Public Comment