Mid-Atlantic Council Honors Jack Casey with James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award

Jack Casey (left) with Council Chair Wes Townsend

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Jack Casey as the recipient of the James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award. The award was presented during the Council’s April meeting in Galloway, New Jersey, in recognition of Casey’s pioneering work in cooperative fisheries research and his decades-long contributions to the scientific understanding of shark species along the East Coast.

The Council established the award in memory of Captain Jimmy Ruhle – a commercial fisherman, former Council member, and trailblazer in cooperative fisheries research. The award celebrates individuals or groups who have made exceptional contributions to cooperative research in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Jack Casey’s legacy is one of innovation, leadership, and collaboration. A U.S. Navy veteran who began his fisheries career in 1960 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Casey quickly recognized the untapped potential of working directly with fishermen to advance scientific understanding. In 1962, he launched the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program with fewer than 100 volunteer fishermen. Under his leadership, the program expanded into one of the most successful and enduring partnerships between the scientific and fishing communities, resulting in hundreds of thousands of sharks tagged and an unparalleled body of data on shark movements, behavior, and biology. His efforts helped transform the public’s perception of sharks and laid the groundwork for significant advancements in shark science.

In addition to founding the tagging program, Casey played a leading role in establishing NOAA’s marine fisheries laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island, where the Apex Predators Program continues his legacy of collaboration and innovation.

“This award is a fitting tribute to a man whose work helped define what cooperative research can achieve,” said Council Chair Wes Townsend. “Jack inspired generations of scientists, many of whom continue to carry forward his commitment to collaboration and innovation.”

Council member Robert Ruhle, who is the son of the award’s namesake, noted that Casey played an important role in his family’s involvement in cooperative research. “You are a big part of why I’m sitting at this table now and why my father sat at the table for nine years,” Ruhle said to Casey. “You broke the mold and showed the world what can happen when science and industry work together toward the same goal.”

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Captain Adam Nowalsky Receives Ricks E Savage Award

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Captain Adam Nowalsky as the recipient of the 2024 Ricks E Savage award. The award, which was presented during the Council’s April meeting in Galloway, New Jersey, is given annually to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management and conservation of fishery resources in the mid-Atlantic region.

Nowalsky was appointed to the Council in 2015 and served with distinction for nine years before terming out in 2024. During his tenure, he was one of the Council’s most engaged and influential voices, known for his willingness to dive into complex management issues.

“Adam’s ability to see all sides, to think creatively, and to contribute constructively made him a trusted colleague and a valuable contributor,” said Wes Townsend, Council Chair. “He consistently raised the bar for everyone involved in the Council process.”

During his time on the Council, Nowalsky was particularly engaged in recreational fisheries management issues. With more than two decades of experience fishing South Jersey waters as a licensed charter operator, he brought practical knowledge and an understanding of anglers' concerns to the Council's decision-making process. Notably, he was a driving force behind the Recreational Reform Initiative, a joint effort launched in 2019 by the Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) which aims to improve management of recreational fisheries for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish.

From 2016 to 2021, Nowalsky chaired the Council’s Research Steering Committee, leading efforts to navigate complex decisions about the future of the Research Set-Aside program. His leadership extended beyond the Council as well, serving as New Jersey’s Legislative Proxy to the ASMFC since 2010, where he has chaired numerous boards. He also played a central role in bringing the Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) to the Mid-Atlantic region and continues to serve on the MREP Steering Committee.

“Adam’s legacy is one of dedication, integrity, and collaboration,” said Townsend. “His contributions have left a lasting mark on the Council and the broader Mid-Atlantic fisheries community.”

The Council extends its gratitude to Captain Nowalsky for his years of service and congratulates him on this well-deserved honor.

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Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Contractor to Operationalize Ecosystem and Habitat Indicators to Support Fisheries Management

The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a highly qualified contractor to develop priority ecosystem and habitat indicators and identify management processes, documents, and/or actions where these indicators can be integrated to support management decisions. The proposal submission deadline is May 30, 2025.

MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Changes to Process for Setting Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) have approved modifications to the process for setting recreational measures (bag, size, and season limits), as well as the recreational accountability measures, for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council recommended these changes through a framework action, and the Policy Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Addendum III to the Bluefish FMP. These changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the Council and Commission to improve recreational management of these jointly managed species.

The current process for setting recreational measures, referred to as the Percent Change Approach, was implemented in 2023 and will sunset at the end of 2025. During a joint meeting last week in Galloway, New Jersey, the Council and Policy Board discussed several options to improve or replace the Percent Change Approach for 2026 and beyond. After reviewing public comments and recommendations from technical committees and advisory panels, the Council and Policy Board agreed to maintain the current process with several modifications based on lessons learned over the past few years. These changes will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase of changes aims to better account for stock status when setting measures and will create more opportunities for stability in management measures. The current system uses three biomass categories to guide whether measures should change; the revised approach adds a fourth category for stocks near their biomass target and establishes a separate process for overfished stocks. These changes will take effect starting with the 2026 recreational measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The Council and Policy Board delayed the implementation of these changes for bluefish until 2028 to allow time for development of an appropriate methodology for evaluating the impacts of measures on bluefish harvest and discards. The bluefish stock has been under a rebuilding plan since 2022, and recreational measures will continue to be set based on the rebuilding plan until the stock is declared rebuilt.

The second phase of modifications, which will be implemented for setting 2030 recreational measures and beyond, will update the process to use a catch-based target. Unlike the current process – which focuses on achieving a specific level of predicted harvest – a catch-based approach aims to achieve a target level of total dead catch, including both harvest and dead discards. This approach will allow for more explicit consideration of how measures affect discards. Some advisors and members of the public raised concerns about the potential for this change to create greater instability in management measures. After extensive discussion of each approach, the Council and Policy Board delayed the transition to a catch-based target until 2030 to allow time for additional analysis on the potential impacts to measures.

The Council and Policy Board also approved changes to the recreational accountability measures. These changes will be effective starting in 2026 for all four species. Under these revisions, when an accountability measure is triggered due to recent overages of the recreational annual catch limits, managers will also consider if those overages contributed to overfishing when determining the appropriate response.

The Council will submit the framework to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review and implementation, while the Commission’s measures are final for state waters. Additional information about this action is available on the Council and Commission websites.

Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment

In other related business, the Council and Policy Board also reviewed scoping comments on the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment from public hearings and written comments, as well as input provided by the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Advisory Panels and the Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team. Based on these comments, the Council and Policy Board agreed that recreational sector separation and recreational data collection should be addressed separately. Further development of the amendment will focus on management options for recreational sector separation, including mode management, as well as consideration of for-hire permitting and reporting requirements.

The Council and Policy Board separated out the recreational data collection and use issue from the amendment due to concerns that the complexity of this issue would cause significant delays in the amendment timeline. Council and Policy Board members also noted there is a need to more clearly define the objectives for recreational data collection improvement. This issue will be explored through a white paper which will consider the feasibility of various approaches and help the Council and Policy Board clarify goals for a potential future action. Additional information and updates are available on the Council and Commission action pages.

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February 2025 Council Meeting Summary

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met by webinar February 11-12, 2025. The following is a summary of actions taken and issues considered during the meeting. Presentations, briefing materials, motions, and webinar recordings are available on the Council’s February 2025 meeting page. A PDF version of this meeting summary is available here.

Highlights

During this meeting, the Council:

  • Requested that NOAA Fisheries establish control dates for federally permitted recreational for-hire participants in the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries

  • Reviewed and provided feedback on a preliminary range of alternatives for the Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures Framework

  • Reviewed the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) 3-year Review Report

  • Received a presentation on a new database that compiles literature on the impacts of fishing gear on marine habitats

  • Received updates on several Northeast Fisheries Science Center surveys and related topics

  • Received a presentation on the LOC-NESS project, which aims to advance research into marine carbon dioxide removal approaches

  • Appointed Dr. Holly Kindsvater (Virginia Tech University) and Dr. Yong Chen (Stony Brook University) to the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee

Recreational For-Hire Control Dates 

The Council voted to request that NOAA Fisheries establish control dates for federally permitted recreational for-hire participants in the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries. A control date is a notice to the public that the Council may consider developing management measures to limit participation in the fishery in the future, and in doing so may use the control date as a reference point when determining fishery access criteria.

The Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment, which is currently in the scoping phase of development, will consider options for managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes (referred to as sector separation), as well as options related to recreational data collection and reporting. The Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Policy Board may consider whether modified requirements or access limitations for for-hire permits are needed to achieve the amendment’s objectives. Control dates are intended to discourage speculative entry or fishing activity while managers consider if, and how, participation in the fishery may be affected.

The control dates will be published as soon as possible in the Federal Register, along with a request for public comments on this issue. Publication of a control date does not have any immediate impact on fishery participants or fishing privileges. The Council may choose to incorporate the control dates into federal qualification criteria if measures to limit fishery access are developed in the future, but the Council is not bound to these dates and could use alternative dates or criteria. The Council may also choose to take no further action on federal for-hire access criteria. The motion made at this meeting to establish control dates applies only to federal for-hire permits; however, the Council and Policy Board may also discuss options for state level for-hire permits later in the amendment development process.

Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures Framework

The Council reviewed and provided feedback on several preliminary alternatives to be further developed as part of Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures Framework. The Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) currently requires pound for pound paybacks of any Annual Catch Limit (ACL) overages as an accountability measure. This framework adjustment will consider if there are some circumstances where modified/relaxed payback accountability measures may be sufficient. Per Council discussion at the meeting, staff will work with the Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee to ensure the development of a reasonable range of alternative accountability measures and related impact analyses. Both the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils will review a revised set of alternatives in June 2025. Final action is expected in late 2025, and the Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel will also have an opportunity to provide advice on the action.

Fishing Gear Effects Database

Council staff and Dr. David Stevenson provided an overview of a new database that compiles literature on the impacts of fishing gear on marine habitats throughout the U.S. and territories. Developed with funding provided by the Mid-Atlantic Council and NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation, the Fishing Gear Effects on Marine Habitats Database provides an easily accessible and searchable tool to assist Council/NOAA staff, researchers, and stakeholders in evaluating/managing the adverse effects of fishing gears on marine/estuarine habitats. The online application offers search and filter tools, detailed reference pages, and a map of study locations. Users can also submit new references for review via an online form.

Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology 3-Year Review

Photo Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Council staff summarized recent performance of the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) based on a 3-Year Review report. This review considered SBRM operation from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022, though only the last year could be fully analyzed due to COVID-19 impacts on observer deployment. Fewer SBRM precision targets were met in that last year compared to the average found in the previous 3-Year Review, likely due to a mix of COVID-19 data gaps disrupting analyses of where to place observers, as well as general funding limitations. While not part of the SBRM performance criteria, the review noted that several stocks’ discard estimates in recent assessments have been relatively imprecise. The majority of stocks, however, had discard estimates with less than a 30% coefficient of variation (CV) (above a 30% CV is a common threshold indicating precision concern). Section 9 of the report includes a variety of recommendations for future operations.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center Survey Update

Dr. Kathryn Ford provided an update on several Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) fishery-independent surveys and related topics. The presentation included updates on 2024 survey performance, planning efforts for 2025, as well as an update on contingency planning for the Henry B. Biglow bottom trawl survey vessel. Dr. Ford also summarized recent discussions by the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) and NTAP Working Group on developing an Industry-Based Survey, noting that the group continues to meet every three weeks to refine a phased pilot project design. Finally, the presentation included updates on several other survey related topics, including the National Survey and Data Acquisition Program and plans for offshore wind survey mitigation.

LOC-NESS Project

The Council received a presentation from Dr. Adam Subhas on the LOC-NESS project (short for Locking Ocean Carbon in the Northeast Shelf and Slope). This project aims to advance research into marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches, such as ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), a potential type of mCDR that de-acidifies sea water while storing carbon away from the atmosphere. As a supplement to emissions reductions, OAE may help to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment and society.

SSC Membership

The Council appointed two new members to its Scientific and Statistical Committee:

  • Dr. Holly Kindsvater is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kindsvater’s research is focused on fisheries ecology and evolution, including marine and freshwater species. Her lab studies the connection between evolution and ecology to solve conservation challenges related to fisheries and climate change.

  • Dr. Yong Chen is a professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. His lab focuses on fisheries population dynamics, quantitative fisheries ecology, and stock assessments and management. His research investigates the interactions of commercial fishing, environmental drivers and dynamics of fisheries populations and communities.

The Council also approved reappointment of 13 existing SSC members. All new and reappointed members will begin serving a three-year term effective March 1, 2025.

Upcoming Meetings

The next Council meeting will be held April 8-10, 2025 in Galloway, New Jersey. A complete list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.

NEFSC Invites Input on June 2026 Management Track Assessments

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) will hold a virtual community input meeting on Wednesday, February 26th, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. to help guide development of the June 2026 Management Track Assessments for the following stocks:

  • Atlantic herring 

  • Butterfish

  • Georges Bank Atlantic cod 

  • Georges Bank haddock 

  • Longfin inshore squid 

  • Ocean quahog

Input on topics such as movement, stock health, and fishing behavior dynamics will help assessment scientists better understand what is happening on-the-water and improve the science. Anyone who is unable to join the meeting or wants to provide additional input can provide comments through the community input form through April 30, 2025.

Learn more on the NEFSC event page.

MAFMC and ASMFC to Hold Public Information/Scoping Hearings on Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment

Five scoping hearings will be held between February 25 and March 5, 2025. Written comments will be accepted through March 20, 2025.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension to Host Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) Course - Register by Jan. 31

The Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) Course) is offered annually via webinar by Rutgers Cooperative Extension to educate stakeholders of New Jersey’s marine fisheries on the science, management, and responsible stewardship of fishery resources so that they are better prepared to make progress on and get involved with issues impacting their industries. 

Ten classes will meet via Zoom webinar on Tuesday evenings (6:30 - 9:00 PM) from February 4 through April 8. Each class will include a mixture of presentations with Q&A and open discussion. Visit the IFISSH course webpage for additional details including a list of topics and confirmed speakers. 

Please visit this link to register and submit program fee payment ($40/person) by January 31.

Reminder: Scientific and Statistical Committee Applications Due January 17

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates for two openings on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Successful candidates will serve a three-year appointment beginning in March of 2025.

The SSC serves as the Council’s primary scientific/technical advisory body and provides independent scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch and rebuilding targets. The SSC also provides science advice and information on stock status, bycatch, habitat, social and economic impacts of management measures, and research priorities. SSC members are also expected to serve on various technical working groups and peer review panels. The SSC typically meets 4-5 times per year, with meetings lasting from one to three days. Meetings may be held in-person or via webinar, and in-person meetings are usually held in the Mid-Atlantic region (e.g., Philadelphia, PA or Baltimore, MD).

Membership is composed of state and federal employees, academia, and independent experts with scientific and technical expertise in biology, statistics, stock assessments, economics, social science, and other relevant disciplines. Highly qualified candidates from all relevant fields are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to applicants with expertise in fisheries ecology and life history, forage fish biology, recreational fisheries, survey design, and stock assessments.

Individuals interested in applying for nomination to the SSC must submit a current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume and a brief letter describing qualifications, relevant experience, and reason for interest in joining the SSC. All applications received will be reviewed by the Council’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will recommend up to two applicants for consideration and approval by the full Council.  

Applications and materials may be submitted by email to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, at admin@mafmc.org. All applications must be received by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, January 17, 2025. If you have any questions or need further information about the process, please contact Brandon Muffley at bmuffley@mafmc.org; 302-526-5260. Additional information about the SSC is available at https://www.mafmc.org/ssc.