April 2025 Council Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, April 8 – Thursday, April 10, 2025 at the Seaview Dolce Hotel (401 South New York Road, Galloway, NJ 08205; 609-652-1800), with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.

Webinar Information

  • Coming Soon

LIVE STREAM: All portions of the meeting (excluding closed sessions) will be live streamed to the Council’s YouTube channel. Recordings will available under “Past Live Streams” as soon as the live stream ends.

Public Comments

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 or by email to cmoore@mafmc.org. Comments received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, will be included in the relevant briefing tab. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, 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 materials will be posted below as they become available.

Tuesday, April 8th

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 2025 Mid-Atlantic State of the Ecosystem Report (Tab 1)
Dr. Sarah Gaichas, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

  • Review report and provide feedback

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 2025 Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Risk Assessment Report (Tab 2)

  • Review report and provide feedback

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 5-Year Review (Tab 3)

  • Review and approve report

Wednesday, April 9th 

9:00 a.m. Council convenes with Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Policy Board

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Recreational Measures Setting Process Framework/Addenda (Tab 4)

  • Review public comments

  • Review FMAT/PDT recommendations

  • Review Advisory Panel input

  • Consider final action

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

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment (Tab 5)

  • Review scoping comments

  • Review FMAT/PDT and Advisory Panel input

  • Discuss scope of action and next steps

3:00 p.m. ASMFC Policy Board adjourns

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Gear Marking / On-Demand Gear Framework (Tab 6)

  • Review the purpose of the framework

  • Provide guidance on draft alternatives

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Council Awards Presentation

  • Presentation of the 2024 Ricks E Savage Award and the 2025 James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award

Thursday, April 10th

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

  • Committee Reports:

    • Scientific and Statistical Committee (Tab 7)

  • Executive Director’s Report (Tab 8) - Dr. Chris Moore

  • 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:

    • New England Council

    • South Atlantic Council

  • Other Business and General Public Comment]

This meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 USC 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request. The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they appear and are subject to change, as necessary.  Other items may be added, but the Council cannot take action on such items even if the item requires emergency action without additional public notice.  Non-emergency matters not contained in this agenda may come before the Council and / or its Committees for discussion, but these matters may not be the subject of formal Council or Committee action during this meeting.  Council and Committee actions will be restricted to the issues specifically listed in this agenda.  Any issues requiring emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that arise after publication of the Federal Register Notice for this meeting may be acted upon provided that the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency.  The meeting may be closed to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.