The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, December 10 – Thursday, December 12, 2024, in Annapolis, Maryland. The meeting will be held at the The Westin Annapolis (100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401; 410-972-4300), with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.
Webinar Information
Join the webinar (if prompted, enter Meeting number (access code): 2336 492 6322; Meeting password: tpQqfCkr344)
To join by phone only, dial (415)-655-0001 and enter the access code shown above.
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, November 27, 2024, will be included in the relevant briefing tab. Comments submitted after this deadline and before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024, 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 on or around Friday, November 29, 2024. Supplemental materials available after that date will be posted below the main briefing tab for the relevant agenda item.
Tuesday, December 10th
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Executive Committee Meeting (Closed Session)
Review 2024 Ricks E Savage Award nominations
10:00 a.m. Council Convenes with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 2025 Summer Flounder Recreational Measures Review
Review Advisory Panel and Monitoring Committee recommendations
Review previously adopted 2025 recreational measures and recommend changes if warranted
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 2025 Scup Recreational Measures Review
Review Advisory Panel and Monitoring Committee recommendations
Review previously adopted 2025 recreational measures and recommend changes if warranted
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ---------- LUNCH ----------
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 2025 Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures
Review Advisory Panel and Monitoring Committee recommendations
Recommend conservation equivalency or coastwide management and associated measures for 2025
2:00 p.m. ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board Adjourns / Council Convenes with the ASMFC’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Recreational Sector Separation and Catch Accounting Amendment
Consider approval of draft scoping/public information document
3:00 p.m. ASMFC Policy Board Adjourns
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 2024 Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Risk Assessment
Review final report
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 2025 Spiny Dogfish Specifications
Review recommendations from the SSC, Monitoring Committee, Advisory Panel, and staff
Review previously adopted 2025 specifications and management measures, and recommend changes if necessary
Wednesday, December 11th
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment Final Action
Review report from Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment Implementation Issues Workshop
Take up postponed motion to consider Alternative 5 as the preferred Amendment alternative
Select Council preferred alternative and take final action
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ---------- LUNCH ----------
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 2025 – 2029 Council Research Priorities
Review and approve the 2025 – 2029 Council Research Priorities
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 2025 Implementation Plan
Review and approve the 2025 Implementation Plan
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Butterfish Mesh Requirements
Review recommendations from the Law Enforcement Committee and staff
Consider adopting modifications to butterfish mesh requirements
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Ricks E Savage Award Presentation
Presentation of the 2023 Ricks E Savage Award
Thursday, December 12th
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Manomet’s River Herring Portal
Staff from Manomet will present the results of a Council-funded project to develop a hub for river herring and shad run data
9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Business Session
Committee Reports:
Scientific and Statistical Committee
Highly Migratory Species (HMS)
Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP)
Executive Director’s Report – 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.