August 2025 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Monday, August 11 – Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Westin Annapolis (100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401, 410-972-4300) with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.

Webinar Information

• Click here to join the meeting (if prompted, enter access code: 2347 766 8181 and password: nhHDUdTp233)

• To join by phone only, dial 415-655-0001 and enter access code 2347 766 8181

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, July 30, 2025, will be included in the relevant briefing tab. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, August 7, 2025, will be posted as supplemental materials. After the supplemental comment deadline, comments may only be submitted via the comment form (no email).

• Submit Comments

Agenda and Briefing Materials

Briefing materials and presentations will be added as they become available.

• Agenda

• Stock Status

• Combined Briefing Book (updated to include full SSC report)

Monday, August 11

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness

• Briefing Materials (Tab 1)

• Supplemental:

  • Additional Comment - Gehan Law on Behalf of Intershell International

    • Petition for Reopening HSC HMA (May 2025)

  • Additional Comment - LIsa Wooleyhan

• Presentation

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) Blueline Tilefish Letter

• Briefing Materials (Tab 2)

• Presentation

Tuesday, August 12

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 2026-2028 Illex Squid Specifications

• Briefing Materials (Tab 3)

• Presentation

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Overview of SQUIBS Longfin Squid Data Collection Program
Dr. Anna Mercer, Cooperative Research Branch Chief, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

• Briefing Materials (Tab 4)

• Presentation

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Track Assessment

• Briefing Materials (Tab 5)

• Presentation

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

1:00 p.m. Council Convenes with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Program (ISFMP) Policy Board

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Recreational Sector Separation Amendment

• Briefing Materials (Tab 6)

• Presentation

3:00 p.m. ISFMP Policy Board Adjourns

• Council Convenes with the ASMFC Bluefish Management Board

3:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. 2026-2027 Bluefish Specifications

• Briefing Materials (Tab 7)

• Supplemental:

  • Bluefish Monitoring Committee/Technical Committee Meeting Summary

    • Bluefish Management Uncertainty Tool Methods

  • Additional Public Comment

• Presentation

4:45 p.m. Council Adjourns

4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  ASMFC Bluefish Board Only - Bluefish Fishery Management Plan review

• Bluefish FMP Review

Wednesday, August 13

9:00 a.m. Council convenes with the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 2026-2027 Summer Flounder Specifications

• Briefing Materials (Tab 8)

• Supplemental:

  • Monitoring Committee Meeting Summary

• Presentation

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 2026-2027 Scup Specifications

• Briefing Materials (Tab 9)

• Supplemental:

  • Monitoring Committee Meeting Summary

• Presentation

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

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 2026-2027 Black Sea Bass Specifications

• Briefing Materials (Tab 10)

• Supplemental:

  • Monitoring Committee Meeting Summary

  • Additional Public Comment

• Presentation

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. SSC White Paper on Separate OFLs and ABCs for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass

• Briefing Materials (Tab 11)

• Presentation

4:00 p.m. Council Adjourns

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Only

• Summer Flounder FMP Review

• Scup FMP Review

• Black Sea Bass FMP Review

Thursday, August 14

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Swearing in of new Council members and election of officers

9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Business Session

• Committee Reports (Tab 12):

  • Scientific and Statistical Committee

  • Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP)

• Executive Director’s Report (Tab 13)

  • Supplemental:

    • May 2025 CCC Meeting Summary

    • Council Awards Memo

• Organization Reports:

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

  • NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center

  • NOAA Office of General Counsel

  • NOAA Office of Law Enforcement - NOAA OLE Report

  • US Coast Guard

• Liaison Reports (Tab 14)

  • New England Council

  • South Atlantic Council

• Other Business and General Public Comment