The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Committee will on Monday February 25, 2019 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held via webinar, which can be accessed at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/feb2019msbcom/. Participants may also connect via telephone by calling 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 5068871.

The purpose of this meeting is for the Committee to review public comments, staff recommendations, and Advisory Panel recommendations and to develop their own recommendations for preferred alternatives for the Chub Mackerel Amendment. This amendment considers adding Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment includes alternatives regarding catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required for stocks “in the fishery.”

Meeting Materials

• Public Hearing Document

• Public Comment Summary

• February 2019 memo on staff recommendations for final action

• Chub Mackerel Amendment comments from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

• Summary of February 22, 2019 AP Meeting

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Advisory Panel will meet on Friday February 22, 2019 from 10:00 am to 12:00 p.m. The meeting will be held via webinar, which can be accessed at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/feb2019msbap/. Participants may also connect via telephone by calling 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 5068871.

The purpose of this meeting is for the Advisory Panel to review public comments and staff recommendations and provide recommendations for preferred alternatives for the Chub Mackerel Amendment. The Council will consider the Advisory Panel recommendations when they take final action on this amendment. This amendment considers adding Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment includes alternatives regarding catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required for stocks “in the fishery.”

Meeting Materials

• Public Hearing Document

• Public Comment Summary

• February 2019 memo on staff recommendations for final action

Webinar Information:

The webinar can be accessed at http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/chub_mackerel_public_hearing/. For telephone-only access, dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter room number 5068871.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Advisory Panel and Committee will meet on Monday September 24, 2018 from 10:00 am to 12:00 p.m.

The meeting will be held via webinar, which can be accessed at: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/chubapcom2/ Participants may also connect via telephone by calling 1-800-832-0736 and entering room number 5068871.

The purpose of this meeting is to review and provide comments on a draft public hearing document for the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Chub Mackerel Amendment. This amendment will consider adding Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment will consider potential catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required for stocks “in the fishery.”

Meeting Materials

• Draft Public Hearing Document

The Chub Mackerel Fishery Management Action Team (FMAT) will meet via conference call/webinar on September 7, 2018 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 p.m. to discuss a draft public hearing document for the Chub Mackerel Amendment. More information about this amendment is available on the Chub Mackerel Amendment action page.

For call-in/webinar information please contact Julia Beaty: jbeaty@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5250.

About FMAT Meetings

FMAT meetings are working meetings of Council, NOAA Fisheries, and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission staff. The Council typically posts announcements of FMAT meetings to the calendar on the Council’s website, sometimes with very little notice. Detailed agendas and information on the meeting location and how to connect via phone or webinar (if available) are not posted but may be obtained by contacting Council staff prior to the meeting. FMAT members may discuss topics listed on the agenda in any order and may also discuss topics not listed. Members of the public may attend FMAT meetings, or listen to the meetings if they are broadcast, but should not expect to participate in the discussion unless the FMAT chair invites public input during a specified public comment period to be noted at the beginning of the meeting. Work carried out by the FMAT is considered during committee and/or Council meetings, during which public comments are encouraged.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Advisory Panel and Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 from 10:00 am to 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore – BWI Airport, 890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, Maryland, 21090; telephone: (410)-859-8400.

The purpose of this meeting is to review development of the chub mackerel amendment and to develop recommendations to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council on management alternatives and other aspects of the amendment. The amendment will consider adding Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment will consider potential catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required for stocks “in the fishery.”

Meeting Materials

1. Agenda
2. 2018 chub mackerel fishery information document
3. Memo on chub mackerel assessment and ABCs
4. MAFMC and GARFO correspondence regarding the chub mackerel management unit
5. Summary of April 27, 2018 FMAT meeting

The Chub Mackerel Amendment FMAT will meet via webinar on Friday April 27, from 9:00 am to noon. The purpose of this meeting is to develop draft management alternatives for the chub mackerel amendment. 

Contact: Julia Beaty, jbeaty@mafmc.org, 302-526-5250

About FMAT Meetings

FMAT meetings are working meetings of Council, NOAA Fisheries, and (depending on the action) Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission staff. The Council typically posts announcements of FMAT meetings to the calendar on the Council’s website, sometimes with very little notice. Detailed agendas and information on the meeting location and how to connect via phone or webinar (if available) are not posted but may be obtained by contacting Council staff prior to the meeting. The FMAT may discuss topics listed on the agenda in any order and may also discuss topics not listed. Members of the public may attend FMAT meetings, or listen to the meetings if they are broadcast, but should not expect to participate in the discussion unless the FMAT chair invites public input during a specified public comment period to be noted at the beginning of the meeting. Work carried out by the FMAT is considered during committee and/or Council meetings, during which public comments are encouraged.

Webinar Summary, posted 11/28/2017

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar on Thursday November 9, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

• Webinar link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/chub_hms_diet/
• Audio can be accessed through the webinar link or by dialing 1-800-832-0736 and entering meeting room number 5068871.

The goal of this webinar is to understand the importance of Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) to the diets of highly migratory species (HMS) predators in U.S. waters, with a focus on recreationally-important predators such as large tunas and billfish. The objectives of the meeting are to:

1. Convene a panel of scientific experts on HMS diets,
2. Clarify what is known about the importance of chub mackerel to HMS diets based on currently available data, and
3. Develop recommendations for future studies to quantify the role of chub mackerel in HMS diets.

Meeting these objectives will help the Council analyze the potential impacts of chub mackerel management alternatives on HMS predators as well as on recreational fisheries for those predators. The Council is developing a chub mackerel amendment to the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. More information on the amendment is available here.

Meeting Materials

• Dr. John Graves letter to Council on small scombrids in HMS diets
• Trophic Dynamics of Pelagic Fishes in the U.S. South Atlantic Inferred from Diet and Stable Isotope Analysis, Stephen J. Poland
• Feeding Ecology of Blue Marlins, Dolphinfish, Yellowfin Tuna, and Wahoos from the North Atlantic Ocean and Comparisons with Other Oceans, Rudershausen et. al

Public Participation

To facilitate productive discussions among the invited experts, public participation during this webinar will be limited to designated question and answer and comment periods. Members of the public are invited to email questions for the invited experts to Council staff (jbeaty@mafmc.org) in advance of the meeting.

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

The chub mackerel FMAT will meet Monday June 19, 2017 to review scoping comments and discuss alternatives for management measures.

For more information contact Julia Beaty, jbeaty@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5250.

About FMAT Meetings

FMAT meetings are working meetings of Council, NOAA Fisheries, and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission staff. The Council typically posts announcements of FMAT meetings to the calendar on the Council’s website, sometimes with very little notice. Detailed agendas and information on the meeting location and how to connect via phone or webinar (if available) are not posted but may be obtained by contacting Council staff prior to the meeting. FMAT members may discuss topics listed on the agenda in any order and may also discuss topics not listed. Members of the public may attend FMAT meetings, or listen to the meetings if they are broadcast, but should not expect to participate in the discussion unless the FMAT chair invites public input during a specified public comment period to be noted at the beginning of the meeting. Work carried out by the FMAT is considered during committee and/or Council meetings, during which public comments are encouraged.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold six public hearings in May 2017 to solicit public input on the Chub Mackerel Amendment to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through May 31, 2017.

The amendment considers measures to manage Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) as a stock in the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP with catch limits, accountability measures, and other conservation and management measures required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Council is developing this action in response to the recent development of a directed chub mackerel commercial fishery in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England.

Hearing Schedule

1. Thursday, May 4, 2017, 7:00-9:00 pm. Kingsborough Community College, room V-219. 2001 Oriental Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY, 11235. Telephone: 718-368-5000.
2. Monday, May 15, 2017, 6:00-7:30 pm. Virginia Marine Resources Commission 4th Floor Meeting Room. 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA, 23607. Telephone: 757-247-2200.
3. Tuesday May 16, 2017, 6:30-8:00 pm. Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort & Conference Center. 9100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD, 21842. Telephone: 410-524-7777.
4. Tuesday May 23, 2017, 6:30-8:00 pm. Congress Hall Hotel. 200 Congress Place, Cape May, NJ, 08204. Telephone: 888-944-1816.
5. Wednesday May 24, 2017, 6:30-8:00 pm. University of Rhode Island Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium. 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI, 02882. Telephone: 401-874-6222.
6. Wednesday May 25, 2017, 6:00-7:30 pm. Webinar. Audio and visual access available at http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/chubscoping/. The webinar can also be accessed via phone by calling 1-800-832-0736, room #5068871.

Written Comments

Written comments are due by Thursday, May 31, 2017 and may be submitted by any of the following methods:

• Mail or Fax to Dr. Chris Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE, 19901; FAX: 302-674-5399.
• Email to jbeaty@mafmc.org.
• Online at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/chub-amendment-scoping.

Please include “chub mackerel scoping comments” in the subject line if using email or fax, or on the outside of the envelope if submitting written comments.

Additional information and relevant background documents are available on the Council’s website at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/chub-mackerel-amendment.

Please direct any questions about the amendment to Julia Beaty (jbeaty@mafmc.org, 302-526-5250).

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