The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's April 2016 meeting to be held April 11-14, 2016 in Montauk, NY. The meeting will be held at the Montauk Yacht Club, 21 Star Island Road, Montauk, NY 11954, Telephone 631-668-3100.
Webinar: For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/april2016/.
Briefing Materials: Documents will be posted at www.mafmc.org/briefing/april-2016 as they become available.
Agenda
Monday, April 11
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Tilefish Committee
- Review blueline tilefish alternatives, Advisory Panel recommendations and public comments
 - Consider SSC ABC recommendations
 - Develop recommendations to Council for final action on amendment
 
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Committee and River Herring & Shad Committee
- Review Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) mackerel coverage alternatives and Advisory Panel comments
 - Make recommendations to Council for preferred IFM alternatives for public hearings
 
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Committee and River Herring & Shad Committee Joint with River Herring and Shad Advisory Panel
- Review 2013 Stocks in the Fishery (River Herring and Shad) White Paper
 - Develop recommendations to the Council regarding terms of reference for reconsideration of River Herring and Shad as stocks in the fishery
 
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Executive Committee
- Review MAFMC and other Council ABC Control Rules and Risk Policies
 - Discuss framework to modify existing MAFMC Risk Policy
 
Tuesday, April 12
9:00 a.m. Council Convenes
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM)
- Review and discuss draft EAFM Guidance Document
 
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Unmanaged Forage Fish Amendment
- Review Fishery Management Action Team, Ecosystems and Ocean Planning Advisory Panel, and Ecosystems and Ocean Planning Committee comments
 - Review and approve public hearing document
 
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. European Union Pelagic Advisory Council and EAFM, Dr. Verena Ohms, Pelagic Advisory Council
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. November 2016 Discard Methods Workshop, Michael Lanning - NMFS
Wednesday, April 13th
9:00 a.m. Council Convenes
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Golden Tilefish – 2017 Specifications
- Review SSC, Advisory Panel, Monitoring Committee, and staff recommendations for 2017 specifications
 
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Golden Tilefish Framework 2 – Meeting 2
- Review and adopt Framework
 
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Blueline Tilefish Amendment
- Review Tilefish Committee recommendations
 - Approve Blueline Tilefish Amendment
 
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Law Enforcement Report
- NOAA Office of Law Enforcement
 - U.S. Coast Guard
 
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Scup Gear Restricted Areas Framework
- Review alternatives and adopt framework
 
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Omnibus Industry-Funded Monitoring Amendment
- Review Committee recommendations
 - Select preferred alternatives for public hearings
 
Thursday, April 14th
9:00 a.m. Council Convenes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Spiny Dogfish Trip Limits
- Review ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Trip Limit modification request
 - Consider changes to the trip limit
 
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. National Bycatch Reduction Strategy, NMFS Representative
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Business Session
- Organization Reports
- NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office
 - NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center
 - NOAA Office of General Counsel
 - Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
 
 - Liaison Reports
- New England Council
 - South Atlantic Council
 - Regional Planning Body
 
 - Executive Director's Report, Chris Moore
 - Science Report, Rich Seagraves
 - Committee Reports
- Collaborative Research Committee
 - Executive Committee
 
 - Continuing and New Business