October 2025 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met Tuesday, October 7 – Thursday, October 9, 2025, at The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia, PA.

• Motions

• Webinar Recordings

• Meeting Report

Agenda and Briefing Materials

• Agenda

• Stock Status

• Combined Briefing Book

Tuesday, October 7th  

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Executive Committee (Closed Session): review Ricks E Savage Award nominations

• Briefing Materials (Tab 1)

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Executive Committee (Open Session): review draft deliverables for 2026 Implementation Plan

• Briefing Materials (Tab 2)

• Supplemental - proposed additions to the 2026 Implementation Plan:

  • In-Season Illex Squid Quota Increase (submitted by GARFO Regional Administrator Mike Pentony)

  • Regulatory flexibility in ACL setting (submitted by Council member Michelle Duval)

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

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting Framework: review preliminary draft alternatives

• Briefing Materials (Tab 3)

• Presentation

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Update

• Briefing Materials (Tab 4)

• Presentation

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Mackerel Rebuilding and 2026-2027 Specifications Framework, Including River Herring and Shad Cap: review draft alternatives

• Briefing Materials (Tab 5)

• Presentation

• Supplemental:

  • Supplemental staff memo (10/2/25)

  • 2025 Management Track Assessment Report

  • Public Comment

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Acknowledgement of Outgoing Council Member Peter Hughes

Wednesday, October 8th     

Note: The timing of some agenda items has been revised.

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Amendment: review public hearing document

• Briefing Materials (Tab 6)

• Presentation

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Gear Marking/On-Demand Gear Framework: final action

• Briefing Materials (Tab 7)

• Presentation

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Joint NEFMC-MAFMC Monkfish Specifications Framework: final action

• Briefing Materials (Tab 9)

• Presentation

11:30 a.m. –12:00 p.m. New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) Omnibus Management Flexibility Amendment: Monkfish Provisions

• Briefing Materials (Tab 10)

• Presentation

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

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Joint MAFMC-NEFMC Spiny Dogfish Framework (Including Accountability Measures Modifications and 2026-2027 Specifications): final action

• Briefing Materials (Tab 8)

• Presentation

4:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Habitat Activities Update – Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division

• Briefing Materials (Tab 11)

• Presentation

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Coast Regional Fisheries Compensation Program

• Briefing Materials (Tab 12)

• Presentation

Thursday, October 9th

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

Committee Reports:

• Scientific and Statistical Committee Report (Tab 13)

Executive Director’s Report

• Briefing Materials (Tab 14)

• Supplemental:

  • Hudson Canyon Expedition Overview

  • MAFMC Response to Executive Order 14276

    • Other Councils’ Responses: New England / South Atlantic / Gulf / North Pacific / Pacific / Western Pacific

  • MAFMC 50th Anniversary Communications Overview

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 (Tab 15)

• New England Council - NEFMC September 2025 Agenda

• South Atlantic - SAFMC Liaison Report

Other Business and General Public Comment