December 2025 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, December 16 – Thursday, December 18, 2025, at Le Méridien Washington, D.C., The Madison (1177 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005; 202-862-1600) with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.

Webinar Information

  • Click here to join the meeting (if prompted, enter access code: 2343 948 5832 and password: nXB5wedn5c6)

  • To join by phone only, dial 415-655-0001 and enter access code 2343 948 5832

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, December 3, 2025, will be included in the relevant briefing tab. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025, will be posted as supplemental materials. After the supplemental comment deadline, comments may only be submitted via the comment form (no email).

Agenda and Briefing Materials

Briefing tabs will be posted on December 5. Supplemental materials will be added as they become available.

Tuesday, December 16th

9:00 a.m. Swearing in of new Council member, Laurie Nolan - New York

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Atlantic Mackerel Framework including Rebuilding, 2026-2027 Specifications, and River Herring / Shad Cap

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Joint MAFMC-NEFMC Spiny Dogfish Framework (Including Accountability Measures Modifications and 2026-2027 Specifications

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

Council Convenes with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC’s) Policy Board

1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Recreational Sector Separation Amendment

Council and ASMFC Policy Board Adjourn

Council Convenes with the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 2026-2027 Summer Flounder Recreational Measures

Wednesday, December 17th

9:00 a.m. NOAA Fisheries Leadership Remarks

Mr. Eugenio Pineiro Soler, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, and Mr. Evan Howell, NOAA Fisheries Chief Scientist

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 2026-2027 Scup Recreational Measures

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 2026-2027 Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board Adjourns

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

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting Framework

2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 2026 Implementation Plan

Thursday, December 18th

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Governance Projects Presentation

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