October 2025 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, October 7 – Thursday, October 9, 2025, at The Notary Hotel Philadelphia (21 North Juniper Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-496-3200) with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.

Webinar Information

  • Click here to join the meeting (if prompted, enter access code:2342 852 3245 and password: YNdWeRfF979)

  • To join by phone only, dial 415-655-0001 and enter access code 2342 852 324

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, September 24, 2025, will be included in the relevant briefing tab. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, October 2, 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

Tuesday, October 7th  

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, October 8th     

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Amendment: review public hearing document

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Gear Marking/On-Demand Gear Framework: final action

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

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Joint MAFMC-NEFMC Spiny Dogfish Framework (Including Accountability Measures Modifications and 2026-2027 Specifications): final action

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Joint NEFMC-MAFMC Monkfish Specifications Framework: final action

3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) Omnibus Management Flexibility Amendment: Monkfish Provisions

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

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

Thursday, October 9th

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